Agatha’s conscience who sits on the sidelines

This is my first ever foray into acting! I am a frequent theatre-goer, but have never performed before, not even at school! So I decided to push myself well and truly outside my comfort zone and auditioned for Murder, Margaret and Me. Much to my surprise I got the part! I then spent a few days wrestling with every fibre of my being that was saying don’t do it . . . but here I am, playing […]

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An intriguing character with a dark a secret

We moved to Saddleworth from the midlands just over three years ago and after finding our feet . . . we found the Millgate Theatre!  At that first visit I realised that I had sung on that very stage with my bluegrass band probably 10 or more years previously. So, it’s been a while!  I loved the first play we saw and was fortunate to bump into the leading lady a few days later who […]

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‘Murder, Margaret and Me’ – Director’s Preview by Sue Borg

I’m excited to be making my directorial debut at the Millgate Arts Centre with the production of Murder, Margaret and Me by Philip Meeks. In the early 1960s, two national treasures, Agatha Christie (played by Gill Barham) and Margaret Rutherford (played by Lisa Kay), were the creative force behind one of British cinema’s most successful franchises. But the Miss Marple films were almost never made. Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie didn’t want the world renowned […]

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Saddleworth becomes New York in most Glorious fashion

Review of opening night by Gemma Carter at Saddleworth Independent . original post link SADDLEWORTH theatregoers are being transported across the Atlantic and back in time in the most Glorious way. For Saddleworth Players’ latest production is an undoubted hit. Glorious tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, an enthusiastic soprano whose pitch was far from perfect, becoming known as ‘the first lady of the sliding scale.’ Transforming the theatre at Millgate Arts Centre sounds […]

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Directors: Preview Glorious- a delightful comedy

I am super delighted to be directing Glorious! by Peter Quilter, which is the next play to be performed by Saddleworth Players at the Millgate Arts Centre. Set in 1944, this delightful comedy tells just part of the story (the funniest part) of the extremely eccentric socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins (Sue Radcliffe)  , probably one of the world’s worst singers, who never hit a right note, despite her stoic belief in her vocal excellence. Outrageously, […]

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Audition for Lizzy Darcy & Jane 10th January

Audition Notice Lizzy, Darcy and Jane by Joanna Norland 10th January 2024. 7.30pm in the Bar lounge Pride and Prejudice meets Bridgerton in this modern imagining of a world where Jane Austen creates one of her best loved novels from the people and situations that surround her. Expect simple staging sumptuous costumes and sparkling dialogue in this witty ensemble piece with interactions between factual and fictional characters. We are looking for a happy band of […]

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Costuming Alice

by Verity Mann My last count for costumes was 72 which makes it, possibly, our most ambitious project to date and Singers, not Sinners, by Livi Michael and Carol Davies, a walk in the historic park! I could well be wrong on the count though, as once I got above 60 I gave into a little mild, incredulous panic! When you consider that each costume has multiple elements from hats and goggles to socks and shoe […]

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Alice promises a golden celebration at Delph’s Millgate Arts Centre

NO-ONE can deny Carol Davies’ commitment to making sure a 50th anniversary is marked in the right way – a day-and-a-half making lobster costumes exemplified that.

Throw in controlling 23 cast members, to the point of putting fingers on lips to make sure they stay quiet – with the older ones needing telling most.

That is just a glimpse of what is going into Alice at the theatre at Delph’s Millgate Arts Centre.

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Alice… a night to remember from Saddleworth Players

It’s 50 years since the Saddleworth Players moved into Millgate Arts Centre, and to mark the occasion director Carol Davies has assembled a cast of 23. Some are veterans of the very first productions at Millgate, and others are drawn from the SPY group of young actors. All of them act their socks off in this production of Alice, by Laura Wade. This is not Alice in Wonderland as you may remember it from childhood. […]

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