Mikron Theatre Archives - North West End UK

Lindsay Rodden talks about her new play Jennie Lee for Mikron Theatre

9Sep

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Lindsay Rodden talks about her new play Jennie Lee for Mikron Theatre

Thousands of people have changed their lives through the Open University thanks to the vision of radical Labour MP Jennie Lee. Her life story is now Huddersfield based Mikron Theatre’s latest production, written by Lindsay Rodden, with original songs and integrated audio description charting the extraordinary life of a pioneering Scottish politician. She was also the first Minister for the Arts, but many people will never have heard of her work that enabled so many to better themselves through the Open University, which only came into being through her sheer doggedness. Lee was also married to NHS founder Nye Bevan, but her achievements make so her so much more than a footnote in someone else’s past. In the classic Mikron tradition four actors/musicians will tour Jennie Lee...

9Apr

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Jennie Lee – Marsden Mechanics Hall

Over two million people have graduated from Open University courses, and most of them are probably blissfully unaware their futures have been changed forever because Labour MP Jennie Lee was totally committed to the idea of education for all. The rich life story of a politician who moved from gesture politics to understanding how being in power can change lives for the better is a natural fit for Mikron Theatre as they begin their 52nd year touring the country on their specially adapted barge. Lindsay Rodden offers a fast-paced account of an intelligent working-class woman who rose from the poverty of the Scottish coalfields to become Westminster’s youngest MP aged 24, and there is a terrible irony that she couldn’t even vote for herself as only women aged 30 plus could cast a ballot...

Mikron Theatre are back for their 51st season with a new Poppy Hollman play

7Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Mikron Theatre are back for their 51st season with a new Poppy Hollman play

Mikron Theatre are getting back on their touring barge for a 51st season with the premiere of Poppy Hollman's new play Twitchers, and there's original live music thrown in. Springwatch is coming to RSPB Shrikewing nature reserve, but as we meet raucous rooks, booming bitterns and plenty of tits we realise the birds of Shrikewing are its real stars. Can Jess take inspiration from the RSPB's tenacious female founders, and draw on its history of campaigning to save them, or can she find her own voice to raise a rallying cry for nature? The production's cast of actor-musicians will set sail on the company's unique vintage narrowboat taking the show to all sorts of non-traditional venues. This year's company who all act, sing and even set the stage up are Eddie Ahrens, Hannah Baker, Harve...

11Jun

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Atalanta Forever – Halifax Piece Hall

On the day after the first ever female chair of the Football Association was announced this witty and powerful piece about the pioneers of the women’s game being banned by a bunch of misogynists in a committee room couldn’t be more pertinent. These footballing underdogs are classic Mikron Theatre territory as a fictional Huddersfield factory girl and a posh teacher come together under the watchful eye of even posher Miss Waller to form Atalanta Ladies raising money for starving wondered soldiers in the years after the war to end all wars. My only criticism is that Mikron often play posh characters off against the working class, and that idea has run its course. Bit of context here for non-footie fans as in 1921 Preston’s Dick Kerr’s Ladies played in front of 51000 at a Boxing Day gam...

Mikron Theatre back on the water with Atalanta Forever celebrating the pioneers of women’s football

6May

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Mikron Theatre back on the water with Atalanta Forever celebrating the pioneers of women’s football

Mikron Theatre back on the water with Atalanta Forever celebrating the pioneers of women’s football. Mikron Theatre celebrate their 49th year of touring on their narrowboat with the premiere of Atalanta Forever telling the story of pioneering women footballers in 1920. Amanda Whittingham has gone back to 1920 where women’s football teams are pulling in huge crowds for fund-raising games raising money for wounded soldiers. Huddersfield amateurs Ethel and Annie are teammates at Huddersfield’s Atalanta AFC who are tackling new football skills, mastering the offside rule and kicking back at the doubters. The play is based on the true story of one of three women’s football teams in Huddersfield in post war Britain. A measure of the popularity of the women’s game at that time ...

The Lawrence Batley Theatre announces Summer season

24Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

The Lawrence Batley Theatre announces Summer season

The Lawrence Batley Theatre has announced that live entertainment will return to the venue from Monday 7th June with a season of socially distanced and outdoor performances. The West-Yorkshire theatre, which is currently operating a beer garden with live outdoor music in its Courtyard space, will open its summer season with the Donmar Warehouse installation, Blindness as part of its seven venue UK tour. Other season highlights include; performances by Huddersfield based theatre company Dick & Lottie with an Alan Ayckbourn double bill titled Farcicals, Charles Court Opera present the complete works of Gilbert & Sullivan in 75 minutes, multi-award winning theatre company Mikron showcase two brand-new shows, A Dog’s Tale and Atalanta Forever, ThickSkin take to the streets of Hud...

Mikron Theatre Company smash fundraising target in less than three weeks

22Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Mikron Theatre Company smash fundraising target in less than three weeks

Mikron Theatre have smashed through their fundraising target of £48,337.49 in only three weeks which means they can stage their 50th year of touring in 2021. That very specific target was the shortfall they calculated cancelling their entire 2020 season had cost the Yorkshire based company, but their incredibly loyal band of fans built up over the last 48 years rallied round to keep them afloat. The company have been touring the UK’s canals, rivers and roads onboard a vintage narrowboat putting on their shows in places that other theatre companies wouldn't even think about from a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments to a work about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant. The runaway success of this appeal means Mikron can tour two brand new shows in...

Theatre Cash Injection – A Wise Investment?

6Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Blogs

Theatre Cash Injection – A Wise Investment?

Given we made two appeals for government support for theatres to survive beyond the pandemic it would be churlish not to welcome the government’s £1.57 billion cash injection to protect our world leading cultural sector. Now it’s true that money has to go a long way across theatres, museums and live venues, but considering yesterday we had no support this is a significant acknowledgement that many big and small theatres were on the brink of going under. And, make no mistake, once they went dark the reality was they would never come back like the Nuffield in Southampton. You can’t help but think the National Theatre’s decision to lay off its front of house staff, or the announcement by regional powerhouse the Royal Exchange of potential redundancies must have focused the government’s ...

Can you help Mikron Theatre raise £48.337.49?

2Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Can you help Mikron Theatre raise £48.337.49?

Like most companies canal-based Yorkshire theatre makers Mikron Theatre are struggling to survive the impact of the virus but they've set a very specific target to stay afloat - £48,337.49 That's the amount the virus has cost them in lost income from shows, no merchandise, no programmes, or raffles after they were forced to cancel their entire 2020 season when they were going to premiere two new plays as the company toured the UK’s canals, rivers and roads. Next year is Mikron's 50th anniversary, so they asking their legion of fans to dig deep so they can finally perform two brand new shows; Amanda Whittington's Atalanta Forever, which tells the story of Women's football in the 1920s, and Polly Hollman’s canine comedy caper A Dog’s Tale. And they deserve help as since they to...