Dear Players and Friends, In less than two weeks the curtains will open on Jessica Swale’s bawdy romp of a play, Nell Gwynn, which will be a feast for the eyes and ears as we travel back in time to the court of King Charles II and to the rough and ready world of the newly opened theatres. It’s a huge undertaking, a massive, talented cast and crew with music and singing alongside the drama. […]
Dear Players and Friends, Welcome back!Now that Summer seems well and truly behind us, it’s time to cosy up and look forward to evenings of entertainment at the Millgate. The dust had barely settled from our mad cap Dickensian romp, Bleak Expectations, when we began rehearsals for our first play of the Season, Waiting for God by Michael Aitkens. Those of you who remember the 1990s sitcom which ran for 4 seasons, will find some […]
Plays set in homes for the elderly have become almost a sub-genre of their own, and “Waiting for God” challenges the typical portrayals of old age. Diana Trent, played with bracing cynicism by Gill Barham, refuses to be a mere caricature of a dear old lady. Her sharp wit and dark humor shine through as she navigates life at the Bayview Retirement Home, alongside the larger-than-life Tom Ballard. With energetic direction by Verity Mann, this production promises an evening filled with laughter, emotional depth, and a refreshing take on aging. Don’t miss this captivating performance!
a poetic tribute to Saddleworth Players by Robert Knotts (With thanks to Trevor Baxter for his article, which inspired the writing and illustration of this poem.) (illustrations created using Loveart AI) In Delph, they gathered, the ladies so bright, At St Thomas’s Church on a frosty night. They sought more joy than hymns and tea, A stage! A script! Some artistry! The Girls’ Friendly Society took its chance, Exchanged their sewing for song and dance. […]
This summer Millgate Arts Centre have made a significant investment in the building to make long term repairs to a building that started off as a cooperative warehouse and shop and has since the 1970s been entertaining the Saddleworth Community. In 2022 as we prepared for their annual panto, they recognised that the backstage of the theatre had suffered significant structural deterioration over many years. Water ingress which was hidden behind decoration had worked its […]
We were delighted to be awarded a grant from Theatres Trust May 2025, which enabled us to purchase new LED Lighting to improve the quality of shows and attract more external shows. Our lighting rig, a stock of 60+ conventional fixtures and 4 LED RGB pars, plus a 48 way dimmer bank, needs modernising for Saddleworth Players shows , concerts and visiting play groups . Both they and their audiences are used to much better […]
Waiting for God is a very funny comedy which highlights the art of growing old disgracefully. In it, Diana Trent, who is quite a rascible lady living out her retirement days in the Bay View retirement home and actually at war constantly with a conniving manager meets a new resident, Tom Ballard, who is he’s eccentric, he’s funny and very warm hearted. And there it is, a friendship that turns to romance. It’s a very […]
“A joyfully anarchic journey through Dickensian London and beyond.” When a stage play has evolved from a radio play, my experience is that they just work. Maybe it’s the approach to devising them and the characters. Maybe it’s the quality of the writers and the development process they go through. Whatever it is, they simply have a greater sense of theatre about them and invariably, it’s a winning formula.The pedigree for Bleak Expectations easily places it […]
We are delighted to have be awarded a grant from Theatres Trust which enabled us to purchase new LED Lighting to improve the quality of shows and attract more external shows. The new lighting will be first used in Bleak Expectations in May. Our lighting rig, a stock of 60+ conventional fixtures and 4 LED RGB pars, plus a 48 way dimmer bank, needed modernising for Saddleworth Players shows , concerts and visiting play groups […]
Opening Night Review by Peter Fitton “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” seems to be Farnworth-writer Jim Cartwright’s tribute to Shelagh Delaney’s “A Taste Of Honey”. Blowsy, mutton-dressed-as-lamb mother, Mari, despairs of her misfit daughter, LV, whilst trying to hang on to her fancy man, Ray Say. Wayward parenting certainly looms large and both plays walk a tightrope between the mother’s brash, slatternly lifestyle and the daughter’s desperate need to escape loneliness and neglect. […]