As the 2022-23 season finally draws to a close after the next season preview on 18th June and with our end of season supper on Friday evening I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who made a contribution and effort in making it such a success for Saddleworth Players and Millgate Arts Centre There is a small group of around 80 people who have put on plays, films and concerts, […]
Saddleworth Players are implementing some changes to the way we organise ourselves. The problem: COVID closed down all the theatres and when we re-emerged in the recovery season we found that many people who previously were involved didn’t return. For some it was an opportunity to take stock and retire, for others, the lockdowns provided new hobbies and focus and the theatre has slipped in importance. This current Season we’ve attempted to carry on as […]
The play is set in a ski lodge in France where Daniel Corban has just reported that his newly wedded wife has been missing for 10 days to the police. The Chief Inspector seems unhelpful but promises he will investigate for him. Seconds later the new local priest, Father Maximin, exclaims he’s found his wife and brings her to the chalet. However, Daniel claims he’s never set eyes on this woman before. As the story […]
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford: two of the deadliest arch-rivals of all time. Born in the same year (though Davis swore ‘Crawford is 5 years older than me if she is a day’, the two fought bitterly throughout their Long and brilliant Hollywood careers. The women worked together only once, in the classic thriller Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? in which their violent hatred of each other as rival sisters was no act. In this […]
a review of opening night by Verity Mann Saddleworth Players’ Youth (SPY) Theatre, have tackled Dennis Kelly’s ‘DNA’; a dark look at society’s response to cruelty, bullying, peer pressure and pack mentality with style and aplomb. Having thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas Production, I was anticipating clever staging, slick scene changes and confident acting, and was not disappointed. The SPYs are a close knit team, the on-stage chemistry palpable, and they bring to life this ensemble […]
THE Act of Settlement, excluding Catholic Stuarts from the British throne, was passed in 1701. The same year sea captain turned pirate William Kidd was hanged while in Oldham a far godlier event took place that has remained largely forgotten until now. Thanks though to writers Livi Michael and Carol Davies, plus the talents of Saddleworth Players, the momentous occasion that saw women sing alongside men in church for the first time is now celebrated. […]
Carol Davies interviewed by Stacey Copeland on BBC Radio Manchester about the play Singers not Sinners and how three women changed history when they sang for the first time in a church choir, in 1701, in Oldham Manchester
I can tell that the lockdown blues are far behind the Saddleworth Players after sitting in the audience at their latest production at the Millgate Arts Centre – Nobody’s Perfect. A slick performance of whit and humour, with amazing choreography using the whole of the stage to its full potential. Sitting within the front four rows of the auditorium, we felt we could easily join in the doorstep chats and follow the characters into the […]
Meet Linda: she leads the bar and needs some help. The bar is an important part of Millgate Arts Centre and for Saddleworth Players. Audiences can enjoy a drink before, and after the show and cast and crew members can relax after performances. It’s the social centre of this creative community in Saddleworth. We are looking to recruit an assistant bar leader whose duties will include: Our face at the bar for audiences and members, […]
A very big thank you to Phil Whiteman of The Old Bell, Delph, for raising £324 for the Millgate Arts Centre through a raffle. To show our appreciation of Phil’s efforts we have named two seats in the auditorium ‘The Old Bell’ – the plaques will be appearing very soon.