With our doors currently closed due to coronavirus, our Front of House and Audience Development Coordinator Ash will be publishing a weekly blog to help to continue this cultural exchange, digitally. By sharing creative activities, live streams, resources and opportunities on offer from the university, our friends, associate artists and colleagues.

Each week, a member of the New Adelphi Theatre team will also be recommending an online activity or experience that has uplifted them during this time of social-distancing. We will also be sharing good news stories and special mentions about our incredible colleagues who are working tirelessly to fight against this pandemic.

Until we meet again, enjoy our pick of offerings from our wonderful industry friends – and let’s continue to Nurture the Arts Together, at home. Stay safe. 

INTERNATIONAL DANCE (WEDNES)DAY: 

Join our Associate Artists Hawk Dance Theatre for an Intermediate Contemporary Dance Class this #InternationalDanceDay at 2pm! If you’re more of a beginner, why not join the Kids Dance Class with your family for a fun session of dance games. Plus you’ll learn a short dance routine! 

About the company: Josh Wild trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and went on to dance for internationally acclaimed companies Balletboyz and Scottish Dance Theatre. He has, until recent times, also been touring with Christine and the Queens. Josh Hawkins trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and has toured nationally and internationally. He is also a photographer and videographer and took the beautiful shot featured on our header of Emergence: The postgraduate dance company of Joss Arnott Dance and the University of Salford. Their annual showcase premieres here at the New Adelphi Theatre, before heading on a national tour! 

THE WONDER OF DANCE: 

Throwback to last week’s blog. Our friends at Company Chameleon invite you to reimagine movement and get creative through dance with Challenge Tuesdays. Enjoy powerful and original dance theatre from the comfort of your sofa on Theatre Thursdays, and join Kevin and Anthony to get moving with your little ones on Family Fridays. 

 

We’d like to wish a Happy #INTERNATIONALDANCEDAY to all of our friends, colleagues and students!

 

THE ART OF CONVERSATION:

No Such Thing, from our friends at Quarantine has been taking place monthly at Kabana café in Manchester’s Northern Quarter since 2012. As they are unable to be at Kabana they will be hosting No Such Thing online via video chat. 

On the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, Quarantine invite you to sit down and eat your lunch with a person you have never met before. “It’s about the familiar pleasure of sharing food and the art of conversation.” Email events@qtine.com to take part. 

#TAKENOTICE:

Our wonderful friends at Contact help us reflect and focus on our wellbeing. Join us for week 6 of A Week’s Notice with stand-up comedian Jake Bowen, as we spend a little bit of time each day creatively taking notice of what we’re living through and reflecting on how we are feeling. Previous artists have included University of Salford alumnus Ali Wilson and our Autumn 2018 Visiting Artist Amy Vreeke – why not revisit some previous activities on Contact’s website and join the conversation on Twitter! #AWeeksNotice  

I particularly benefitted from Tammy Reynolds prompt last Saturday. Sometimes we need a gentle reminder to just stop and breathe.  

HOUSE PARTY:

The Hacienda have just announced a second 12 hour house party with United We Stream and our amazing colleagues in the ICZ Media Production Team! Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said “United We Stream is a great way for us all to be involved in Greater Manchester, helping to support the people and organisations that make Greater Manchester’s music and culture quite so special.” We couldn’t agree more! We’re so proud of Colin McKevitt and the ICZ Team! Line-up for the May bank holiday party to be announced soon!

DIGITAL THEATRE+ MASTER CAST:

Watch this six-episode series which gives an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the process of creating a play. Hosted by world-renowned theatre, TV and film writer, Simon Stephens (known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Birdland) the series will focus on the work of award-winning playwrights, directors, designers and actors. 

Episodes will be released at 5pm every Wednesday from 29 April and will be freely available to watch on the Digital Theatre+ Facebook page! Starting with one of the Northwest’s most celebrated writers, Willy Russell – Making Ideas Real… 

TIME FOR DIY:

Based at The Angel Centre on Chapel St, DIY Theatre Company is member-led and their vision is a world where performers, theatre-makers and arts leaders with learning disabilities are valued as part of the rich diversity of our cultural sector and our society.  

“We are very excited to be Associate Artists of New Adelphi Theatre, University of Salford. For several years now we have been inputting to the second year module Theatre and Communities run by Sheila McCormick. For the past 2 years we have run a week-long Summer Residency in the studio at the New Adelphi.” – DIY Theatre Company. We’re looking forward to seeing DIY’s current show Following Patient 36 (their R&D residency took place here in 2019) at the Working Class Movement Library when venues reopen. 

In this film, from their 2018 residency, actors at DIY Theatre Co explore the theme of leadership in Learning Disability Theatres. 

LINKEDIN LEARNING:

All University of Salford students and staff now have access to thousands of professionally produced online courses covering a wide range of technical, creative and professional skills. These offer a broad selection of high-quality online tools, such as Audio and Music Editing, How to use Zoom, Premiere Pro Guides, Microsoft Office Tips, Public Speaking Techniques and MORE! (It’s amazing! And free!) 

TECH SUPPORT FROM ACE:

The Network is led by nine specialist Tech Champions who’ve brought together a fantastic catalogue of digital resources and technical support for artists and organisations. Technicians make it happen indeed! Also, see the ACE website for the latest advice, guidance and emergency funding measures for individuals and organisations during the covid19 crisis.  

JOIN DANC:

The Disabled Artist Networking Community (ran by Triple C) is a network for established artists and performers that have a disability. Each event is hosted by a different theatre or arts venue (here in Manchester and Salford) and hosts industry guests, such as: casting directors, producers, artistic directors, agents, music producers, filmmakers, writers, arts funding bodies and more. The events (currently being held online via webinars) are an inclusive space to network, create projects and partnerships, and discuss how the arts industry can work together to create a change. 

Mark (Venue Manger) and I had a brew and a chat with one of the Creative Lead’s Melissa Johns (before we closed our doors) about how the New Adelphi Theatre and DANC might work together to help better represent artists/performers with disabilities and make our venue even more accessible! 

We’re really looking forward to developing the relationship when we’re back open! In the meantime, connect with them on Twitter. 

Georgia Lynch, Performance Assistant: “Feeling grateful to have the time to rediscover old hobbies…”

“For me, quarantine has been a time to rediscover activities that I have loved to do in the past, but as life has gotten busier, the number of hours in the day didn’t quite seem to be enough and I no longer had the time to do them. Well. Now I definitely have the time.

I have loved taking part in the workshops that the company ‘Pros from the Shows’ have made available on their Instagram page (@prosfromtheshows). Having such amazing classes, made available for free, has reminded me how much I love learning dance routines, especially musical theatre ones. I am now determined start taking physical classes once life restarts as usual again. The happiness it brings me is worth making the time for, and I’m very grateful for the reminder of that!

A few times a week, the company goes live with stars from the theatre world, as they teach a massive variety of dance routines across different styles. So, whether you saw &Juliet while it was here in Manchester and would like to learn a dance routine from the show or have always wanted to learn a bit of tap, they’ll have a workshop for you! Just give them a follow and keep an eye on which Pro workshops they have coming up. Then it’s as easy as being there at the right time and clicking on their live video and you’re off! The choreography is easy to learn and spending 45 minutes just concentrating the mind on picking up a fun routine can do wonders for getting yourself out of a mental fog.”

STUDENT USHER NOMINATED FOR AWARD:

Student and New Adelphi Theatre usher Ben Hodge has been nominated for Best Documentary at the Into Film Awards, for his documentation of his gender transition. The awards ceremony due to take place at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square, London back in March was postponed and so the winners have yet to be announced. All your friends at the New Adelphi Theatre are rooting for you Ben! Congratulations!  

Until next week, stay safe. Ash and the New Adelphi Theatre Team.

Read last week’s blog here.
Read more about how the university is supporting the frontline fight against Coronavirus on the news channel 
Keep up-to-date with the University COVID-19 response: Students | Staff | Applicants | International Applicants | Public 

Header photo credit: Josh Hawkins