Member Article

Award-winning pop-up theatre extravaganza showcases in Darlington

A pop-up theatre extravaganza is set to lift spirits and engage audiences when it arrives in Darlington, for the first time, next month.

Promising to offer something for everyone, Pop-Up TheatreTown will present an exciting festival of contemporary theatre, from Thursday October 5th until Sunday October 8th, 2017.

Hoping to welcome new audiences to the world of theatre, this spectacular event will feature two award winning projects, by well-known theatre companies, Paines Plough and Luxi.

Paines Plough, a London-based theatre company, formed in 1974 over a pint of Paines bitter in the Plough pub, will bring its prized auditorium, Roundabout, to the four-day event.

Roundabout is the world’s first pop-up, plug-and-play theatre. It flat packs into a lorry and pops up all over the country in theatres, school halls, warehouses, sports centres, town centres, car parks and fields.

Coming straight from sell out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Roundabout will spring into Darlington’s very own market square, the first location in the North East to host this festival of brand new plays, live music, and comedy.

Speaking about this thrilling event, James Grieve, artistic director at Paines Plough, said: “We’re really passionate about new plays and we want everyone to be able to watch them.

“We want to create an environment that is as exciting as when the circus arrives in town, or as electrifying as going to the football. A different kind of theatre. A theatre that is bright, colourful and welcoming.” Jabberwocky Markets are the other element in the awe-inspiring ‘pop-up’ festival, presenting a host of unforgettable plays, activities and workshops, throughout the week.
Founded by Luxi, a company that brightens lives through creative endeavour and stories, Jabberwocky Market is an award-winning theatre event that has been ‘popping-up’ in the area for the past four years.

Hosting over 30 separate events throughout the week, including, ‘Ross and Rachel’, a play that The Stage has highlighted as being, ‘A startling piece of new writing’, Jabberwocky Market entice audiences and encourage them to think outside of the box.

Caroline Pearce, director of Luxi, said: “We believe that Darlington is a remarkable town. World-class theatre ties together our culture and theatre history, with our market town tradition, in a new and really exciting way.”

This inclusive pop-up venue hopes to attract new audiences and delight theatre-goers alike. The week will aim to inspire all walks of the community and encourage them to interact with theatre, and especially Darlington.

Stephen Wiper manager of Creative Darlington, said: “We’re very excited to be bringing another spectacular event to Darlington. The week’s activity will showcase a variety of award-winning performances and workshops, and engage audiences to embrace theatre.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harvey and Hugo .