Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Staff/Student Newsletter for Performance!
As the 2024/25 academic year nears its end, we’re excited to bring you details of all the exciting projects that students and staff have been getting stuck into outside the classroom.
In this edition of the newsletter, we’ve got details of the placement that Morgan Roberts (L5 BAMP) did on the ITV Tonight Show, a peek behind the scenes at the Almost Famous production of Carrie, The Musical!, L6 BAMP student Maya Miller’s advice on how to get industry experience, and Paige Stoddart’s (L6 BAMP) lowdown on the launch of MediaCityUK ‘s new content creator space. If that wasn’t enough, we’ve got news of recent creative projects by Richard Talbot and Anna Wilson, Abby Bentham’s charity trek in Peru, and much, much more.
There’s also a round-up of what’s on at the local theatres so you can be sure not to miss any of the incredible work currently being showcased in Manchester. Don’t forget to check out our Guess the Staff Member feature, either – can you guess who’s all dressed up?
Take care,
Abby and Bron 😊
Abby Bentham: A.A.Bentham@salford.ac.uk Brainne Edge: B.Edge@salford.ac.uk
What it’s like Working with ITV!
Morgan Roberts, BAMP L5, chats to us about her time on a 9 month production work placement with ITV! You can check it out here.
Show me the Funny!
How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it!
– By Laeticia Sevin, Theatre and Performance Practice L6
Got your own firecracker of a joke for the next edition? Email the editorial team and let us know!
Charity Trek: Abby Heads for the Hills
By Abby Bentham
In June, I’ll be doing a charity trek in Peru, tackling Machu Picchu and Ausangate/Rainbow Mountain. It’s kind of a big deal for me because:
- It’s 11 days of hiking at altitude, reaching a height of 5,030 metres (16,500ft)
- I’ll be hiking for up to 9 hours per day and have never done a multi-day hike before
- I’ve never camped before (I ‘glamped’, once, in Wales, in a yurt with a real bed) but I’ll be sleeping in a tent, on a mountainside 😬
- Overnight temperatures are expected to be in the range of -5°C to -10°C
- I’m going on my own, rather than with friends (joining a group of strangers on an organised trek)
- I’ve never been to South America before and I don’t speak ANY Spanish
- I have some niggly health issues which mean all of the above is slightly terrifying…
Maybe it’s a midlife crisis (I’ll be 50 later this year!) or maybe it’s the call of the wild. Either way, it promises to be a huge adventure, and I would really appreciate it if you would consider sponsoring me.
Every penny raised goes straight to the charity (I’ve paid for the trip myself) so you can rest assured that your donation will support the vital work carried out by International Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals (IAPWA). The charity does lots of important work, from caring for stray dogs and cats in places like Borneo and Romania, to working to save the critically endangered pangolin in the Philippines. If you would like to donate, please visit here.
Guess The Staff Member!
Which staff member could be in the reindeer costume? Find the answer at the end of the newsletter!
Making Your Way in the Industry
By Maya Miller
As a BA (Hons) Media and Performance student eager to gain real-world media experience, I’ve taken steps to build my profile and develop the skills needed to succeed in the industry and prepare for life after university.
Work Experience:
One of the most rewarding experiences has been my current internship at a Hollywood production company in Media City. I’ve assisted in executing production according to briefs and creative direction, contributed to programme idea development, and reviewed scripts. I’ve also prepared pitch decks, conducted research for potential partners and sponsors, and supported meetings and negotiations with partners. These tasks have given me an invaluable insight into how a production company operates and have greatly expanded my skillset.
Maximizing Opportunities at University:
As an aspiring actress and producer, I feel I’ve made the most of the opportunities at university. I’ve started building my showreel with footage from my acting for camera module, and I’m currently the lead in a short film produced by fellow students, which has gained significant attention. Looking back, I wish I’d been involved in more student short films, and I’d definitely recommend diving into that early if you’re interested in acting. Applying for student short films or extra work around Manchester is a great way to gain experience and build your portfolio.
I’ve signed up with a supporting artist agency in Manchester and have worked as an extra in series like Waterloo Road and some American series. This not only helps financially but also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how professional productions operate, invaluable for anyone wanting to break into the industry.
Additionally, I’ve attended the creative industry sessions at university, which led to me working as a production runner on Bad Bones Films‘ music video. While this wasn’t a paid opportunity, I knew it would help me gain valuable experience, expand my skillset, and get advice – all which may lead to future opportunities. University is a time when we don’t necessarily need the money, but we do need experience and connections, so I made sure to take full advantage of these opportunities, emailing production companies and using Facebook groups to search for opportunities.
Networking at the Big Creative Summit 2025:
Another exciting milestone was being invited to attend the Big Creative Summit 2025 in London. This was an incredible chance to network with industry professionals, and I had the privilege of speaking on a panel about my current film projects. Events like these provide a platform to share knowledge and build relationships that can shape your career. I’ve also learned the importance of LinkedIn in organizing connections and reaching out when searching for opportunities – people in the industry are usually eager to help, so don’t hesitate to make those connections!
Advice for Other Students:
My advice to other students is to start building connections early. Whether through internships, work placements, or industry events, these connections can ease the scary transition into the industry after university. Having real-world experience and a network of professionals to lean on will help you confidently move forward in your career.
For me, getting involved early has made all the difference, not only in my confidence for finishing university but also for my career prospects.
Don’t wait for things to come to you, go out and get them!
Best of luck x
Suspense for Student Screenwriting Submission!
by Will Rigby
Will Rigby L6 TaPP student has submitted a script for an international competition.
New York City Midnight the Screenwriting Challenge is a fast-paced screenwriting competition with elimination style rounds. For each round, participants are split into groups and each given a short brief (the same for each member of the group): genre, subject, and character. In round one, competitors have one week to write twelve pages (equal to twelve minutes) of screenplay to their given brief. Each script must be a complete story. After this round, the judges choose the top five in each group, who will then progress on to the next round. In the second round, writers receive a new group and new briefs. For this round they only have three days to write a screenplay no longer than eight pages. Judges then choose the top three participants from each group to proceed to the final round. In the final round, participants are given a new brief and a new group to write a five-page script in just twenty-four hours. Feedback from the judges is provided for every submission and writers retain all rights to their scripts.
At the moment, I have submitted my script for round one and I am awaiting my result, which I will receive on 22nd or 23rd of April. I applied to this competition as I felt it would expand my skills in writing different genres and provide an interesting challenge to myself. There are a number of prizes available to finalists including cash prizes up to USD$5,000, a license for Movie Magic Screenwriter (which is a screenwriting software), and for first place a one hour video consultation with filmmaker Chris Amick!
Let’s wish Will the best of luck!
You can find more information here: nycmidnight.com
“I Light You”: Talking Light Design in Utrecht
by Kelli Zezulka
In January, I travelled to Utrecht in the Netherlands at the invitation of the Dutch association of lighting designers (Instituut Lichtontwerpen, or ILO), in conjunction with the light festival I Light U and the international organisation Women in Lighting. I was contacted by Bastiaan Schoof, who runs the lighting programme at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in Amsterdam, who is also the creative director of I Light U. We had originally met at a lighting conference in Malmo, Sweden, in 2018. Bastiaan emailed me last summer to ask if I would be interested in coming to the Netherlands to talk about a book that I had co-edited, Contemporary Performance Lighting. The book includes chapters from people working in performance lighting in a variety of ways — as researchers, as practitioners, and as both — and from around the world: we had contributions from designers working in the UK, Denmark, Hong Kong and the United States. I, of course, jumped at the chance to go back to the Netherlands (I was last there on work placement when I worked for an American comedy improv company called Boom Chicago), but also I was excited to talk about the book and our contributors with an international audience of lighting designers. I decided to focus on three female lighting designers — Katharine Williams, Paule Constable and Lucy Carter — and their chapters from the book. About 40 people attended, including students from the MA in scenography at University of Utrecht, as well as professional lighting designers working in theatre, installations and urban lighting.
After my talk, there was time for questions, and then we all ventured out into the cold for a guided walk around I Light U, with Bastiaan introducing the artworks and then the artists talking about them in detail. I got to talk with and meet so many interesting artists and researchers, some of whom have been in touch since to talk about potential collaborations. The next day, I met Bastiaan at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in Amsterdam, and he showed me around all of the amazing facilities they have there: huge rehearsal rooms/dance studios on alternate floors, all kitted out with full lighting and sound capabilities. The building was busy (on a Saturday!) with students from all disciplines making work and experimenting outside of class time and forming collaborations across courses — several of the lighting students were there working with dancers to help them create showreels or just to play in the spaces.
Overall, I had an amazing weekend in the Netherlands, and it reminded me of the power of networking and collaboration… you never know when a chance encounter will turn into a long-term creative opportunity!
Keep On Running!
By Lily Wilson
I recently did my first runner job for a music video. During the seven hours I was on set I learnt a huge amount of incredibly valuable information! Here are some of the key things I learnt.
1. Ask anyone if they need a hand with anything.
I helped out largely in the props department, sticking things together, ripping things, sweeping, and coming up with solutions on set for problems that would occur during production.
This in turn meant I got chatting to loads of different people in lots of different departments, asking them questions about their role, how they got into it etc. I made lots of connections and put myself out there which could possibly mean more creative opportunities in the future, it will also help me figure out the kind of people/projects that I’d like to work with.
2. Just say yes.
‘Do you want to collect the talent from base?’
‘Do you want to just grab that and come with me to this part of the set?’
‘Do you want to help me set up this?’
‘Will you just-?’
I said yes to every little thing that was asked of me and it meant that I got so much more out of my day.
Even if something feels out of your comfort zone just do it! (You’ll work it out). All the experience, no matter how small, is valuable.
3. If it’s useful, bring it to set!
After reading a fair few articles I realised the more I can bring that can be useful the better!
Here are some of the things that I bought to set today that ended up getting used
- An extra raincoat
- Tapes
- White tac
- Scissors
- Bin bags
- Hand sanitizer
- Eraser
Being that person who just said ‘actually I’ve got-‘ meant that I was helping people out massively, and in turn making other people’s jobs easier, making myself more memorable which means people see you as a reliable person on set, and they’ll ask you to help out and do more, which of course this is why you’re there!
However, I’ve identified some things that I’ll be needing next time:
- Good duct tape and double-sided tape
- Carabiner
- Bum Bag
- Makeup, such as anti-shine powder
- Screwdriver
- A good small flashlight
I might also need to get a bigger runner bag!
Award Nominations for Salford Staff At Europe’s Biggest Comedy Festival
by Sean Mason
Salford tutors Brainne Edge and Sean Mason have been nominated for an award at the 2025 Leicester Comedy Festival for their show ComedySportz. A competitive improv comedy show that sees two teams go for gold with gags and games inspired by audience suggestions, the show has been nominated for Best Kids Show at this year’s festival. This is the second year in a row that the pair and their company have received an award nomination at the festival, as their Totally Improvised Musical picked up a nom in 2024.
“We’re delighted that the show proved as much a hit with the festival judges as it did the audience,” says Brainne. “It’s such a great festival with some amazing acts, so it is an honour to have the show recognised.”
Leicester Comedy Festival is Europe’s biggest dedicated comedy festival. For this, its 32nd year, the festival sold a record number of tickets for over 1,017 performances covering every genre of live comedy. The festival highlights the diversity and breadth of the UK comedy scene, with shows, events and workshops from big-name acts and rising stars. Part of the wider festival – and celebrating its seventh year in 2025 – the UK Kid’s Comedy Festival featured over 64 events in 29 venues. The Kid’s Comedy Festival’s key focus is to engage children in creative and social contact with others and provide shows for all the family to enjoy. The award ceremony will take place on Monday 31st March.
Brainne and Sean teach across several courses and modules including the Media & Performance and Comedy Writing & Performance degrees. Brainne also organises the New Adelphi Comedy Night which returns on Tuesday 22nd April. A night of improv, stand-up and sketch comedy, the New Adelphi Comedy Night brings professional acts and rising stars together showcasing the comedy talents of Salford’s students, many of whom have gone on to big careers, picking up several awards and nominations of their own. Students can sign up to take part by contacting Brainne – they can find her contact information on posters or on the New Adelphi Theatre ticket page.
“The variety of talent coming from Salford is always inspiring,” adds Brainne. “The New Adelphi Comedy Night is an opportunity for the future faces of UK comedy to test their material and find their feet.”
Things are non-stop for the pair as they are also busy organising the first Greater Manchester Improv Festival for June 2025 with tickets due to go on sale soon. The festival will celebrate the rapidly expanding improv comedy scene in the area with some shows featuring Salford graduates in their casts.
Brainne started the Totally Improvised Company in 2001 and their shows have taken them all around the UK and beyond. The company has been picking up rave reviews and awards nominations in recent years and won Best Alternative Act for ComedySportz at the North West Comedy Awards in 2022. Both shows will be going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer, the world’s largest arts festival. In the meantime, you can catch them at venues across Greater Manchester.
From content creation to TED Talks
by Paige Stoddart
I love spending time in Media City because there is always something creative going on. In February I got free tickets online to both the opening of the new Content Creation Studios and the University of Salford’s TED Talk.
At the opening of the new Content Creation Studio, I bumped into many creatives I had met at a previous Media City networking event. I had an amazing time being surrounded by people who were passionate about making cool and creative stuff. There were rooms for podcasting, photography, co-working, and more. Upon arrival, we were given fancy, smoking cocktails and got to have a go at all the different spaces. Even the lifts were decorated and filled with music. Plus, free pizza from Rudy’s and drinks from the Alchemist! Overall, it was a wonderful night meeting other creatives and witnessing them in action. I highly recommend checking out the studio spaces for yourself.
When I arrived at the University’s TED Talk, I had no idea what to expect. I got given a free hoodie (score!) and directed to the DPL studio. The theme? ‘Seek Higher Things’. During the talks, so many topics were covered including AI, communication, and cultural identity. Having met Dr Ria Meera Munshi, a Salford alumna, just the day before, I was particularly excited for her talk where she discussed cultural identity and embracing your differences, plus taught us some dance moves! Another highlight for me was Chris Lubbe’s thought-provoking talk on growing up in South Africa. He taught us about what it was like to live in a world with ‘apartheid’, a racial segregation policy, discriminating against those of colour. It really opened my eyes to how brutal racial segregation was in South Africa, as well as how recent. He brought together the audience in a moving moment by having us say the greeting ‘Sawubona’ to each other, which translates to, ‘I see you’. All of the talks were powerful and opened my mind to so much I had never even thought about before and the team behind it all did an incredible job.
I look forward to meeting more people and exploring more creative opportunities during my remaining time at Salford, and you should too! It’s often free and right on our doorstep.
And to anyone reading, Sawubona.
Anna’s Ads
Anna Wilson is currently involved in the serial advertisement campaign Let’s Get Connected for the broadband company One Z (Vodafone) in New Zealand. Last year saw the first instalment of the commercial and filming has just wrapped for part 2 which plans to air in June. Sadly, it’s only being broadcast in New Zealand but here’s some exclusive access to Part 1 from their website…
She is also currently one face of many for Aldi, playing ‘Cheese Toastie Woman’. Whilst certain skills were put to the test in this one, in all honesty the toastie stole the show.
Anna hasn’t touched a toastie since.
This one was shot a little closer to home down near Stockport and is being broadcast in the Republic of Ireland only.
Behind The Scenes on Carrie, The Musical!
by Alex Perry and Max Wiley
Alex Perry
The opportunity to direct an Almost Famous production has been incredible, especially getting to do it alongside Jess Burns. The two of us have not only had such an excellent time with a lot of fun memories being made – but we’ve come away from it with something we’re both incredibly proud of. Our intention was to deliver an incredible run of shows that left the audience blown away: but to do that we needed a top notch team.
The entire production team (Max Wiley and Willow Wolsey on Music and Vocals, Amber Lawton on Choreography, Georgia Campbell-Whittle and Hollie Donnellan on Technical and Creative Production) worked so hard to bring this production together of course, as did the entire technical team – entirely made up of Salford students and society members – but the cast of this production are responsible for so much of the development of this show. Jess and I wanted to give each person the room to build on their own performance and really make their roles their own which we think really paid off, allowing for a show full to the brim of life and character
Our principal cast of course were indomitable in their performances, bringing such power and force to the stage in everything they did. Notably our daughter/mother duo of Carrie and Margaret White, played by Millie Salmon and Stasha Ngambi respectively absolutely dominated the stage. Millie is a fresh new face to the society and has made short work of settling in, whereas Stasha is one of our veteran performers, having starred in the societies previous two musicals (a testament alone to her talent). The responsibilities of these roles are no small task and there was no doubt in our minds that these two were capable to do the job when it came to casting, as their ability to balance the raw vulnerability and the intense power of these women was so moving.
However it is without the talent of the ensemble that the show would be devoid of the rich personality that we sought after. Having a talent packed ensemble allows a principal cast to feel safe on stage, as the world of the show comes to life so much more convincingly when the other players on stage are acting so seamlessly, immersing the audience in the story they’re being told.
Overall this experience has been incredible, the pure joy that comes from watching such a brilliant team come together is unmatched, Jess and I will remember that feeling forever. We were so lucky to have such brilliant people around us and such a hardworking, adaptive, and responsive collection of cast and crew to help allow Jess and I to bring our show to life.
Max Wiley
Working as MD on Carrie the musical has been some of the most fun months of my life. The entire cohort are stacked for talent and yet the most lovely bunch of people to be around and work with. Integrating the live band for the first time since pre-covid helped elevate the show to an even higher standard, and being able to do my bit in the show’s coming to life has been a dream come true!
Hijinks in Southport with Commedia dell Shopping!
by Richard Talbot
Online shopping is eroding the high street, or so the argument goes. Are multiple texts and parcels chucked over the wall any substitute for the charm of department-store shopping? In March, Level 6 Comedy Writing and Performance student, Danny Mula joined Richard Talbot (Programme Leader, Comedy Writing and Performance) and the New Heritage Performance company for performances of Commedia dell Shopping, a topsy-turvy shopping experience that sends up customer service. Until recently Wayfarers Arcade in Southport has been a ghost of its glamorous past. But for just over a year an artist collective has established a dynamic cultural centre there called The Engine Room. This is a space for photographers, designers, illustrators and performers to develop creative businesses and events. A “Venetian Carnevale” was one of a series of themed festivals taking place this year in Wayfarers and The Engine Room commissioned Richard’s company New Heritage Performance to make some interactive work. Passers-by could watch the performance through the shop window, listen at the door, and offer suggestions for the “staff-in-training”, some comical shopfloor assistants. The dialogue in the shop was broadcast via clip on mics and a receiver supplied by the SAMCT tech store. The performance promoted the charms of browsing, the art of window dressing, and the life-giving rhythms of musak some of which was transmitted to a Bluetooth speaker supplied by Charlie Cragg and Jonathan Fredlund in the theatre production team. Commedia dell Arte masks were supplied by Rebecca Coleman in Wardrobe, and costumes were sourced by placement Emma Wilcox, a costume design graduate from the BA in Costume Design. Occasionally the performances broke out into the wider arcade and the public witnessed Danny chasing a “Shoplifter” in his role as “Trainee”. After the performances, Danny met the company and was interviewed for a video about the methods of this mode of comical heritage work. “It was great to have this opportunity. I really enjoyed myself”, he said. Danny, whose PRP is specialising in Physical Comedy, also spent some time with Eddie Haworth, an experienced clown performer who has opened a clown museum in the arcade.
The New Heritage Performance company offers performer training led by established theatre practitioners. It makes original performances inspired by local sites, oral histories, and informal archives. The company works with emerging performers and media artists, as well as community participants in Sefton Borough.
For details and training opportunities, contact Richard Talbot: r.talbot@salford.ac.uk
Work Experience for Students at dock10
by Laeitica Sevin
The volunteering/work experience sessions have been held for four days this week at dock10 to create a motion capture library of different movements and skills such as yoga, fighting, dance etc.
Several students from The University of Salford have attended to gain more experience in motion capture with quite a few students doing motion capture in their final research project. It’s a great way for students to get their foot in the door at dock10 and to also gain hands on motion capture experience in a professional environment!
Creating Inclusive Space in Comedy!
by Beth Moore
Fight Club is a safe, inclusive and inviting space for female and non-binary comedians from the Northern comedy circuit to collect and reflect on the comedy industry. At our meet-ups we set achievable and wild goals and celebrate when we reach them! We also allow room to vent, ask for advice, and discuss what we can do to make the industry a safer and more prosperous environment for us. We had our inaugural showcase in December, and hope to put on similar events soon.
Fight Club was born out of Charlotte and I’s friendship and our devastation at watching so many comedians we loved feel downtrodden or take breaks from their craft because the industry is so lonely for women/non-binary people as we are so often a token act on a bill or not even billed at all. Charlotte and I always inspire one another to keep going and we wanted to share that with the wider community. This has meant that not only is Fight Club a meet-up, it is a group of good friends who have one another’s backs, and not only are we transforming the industry, we’re having a lot of fun doing it.
‘From Page to Stage’ Summer School
By Abby Bentham
In July, the University of Salford, in participation with Greater Manchester Higher, will host a 3-day Summer School for thirty Year 10 students from schools and colleges in the Greater Manchester area. Participants will work together to script, perform, and tech a live performance in the University’s New Adelphi Theatre.
‘From Page to Stage’ will provide students from underrepresented backgrounds with a dynamic and immersive introduction to university life. By engaging in the artistic and technical processes of theatre-making, students will not only enhance their confidence, creativity, and teamworking skills, but also gain insight into potential career paths in the arts and beyond.
According to the latest Theatre Royal Haymarket report by the Theatre Industry Council, the theatre industry is worth around £1.28 billion to the UK economy. It also supports over 290,000 jobs across the UK, across creative roles such as playwrights and actors and technical/production positions. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there are more opportunities than ever in technical theatre and working backstage. However, there is also a significant skills shortage, with not enough qualified people to fill these roles. Coupled with decreased funding for the arts, and related subjects being cut at A-Level, the talent pipeline into technical theatre and design jobs is in danger of collapse.
‘From Page to Stage’ hopes to plug this gap by alerting participants to the opportunities on offer in the sector, and to the broader benefits of higher education. This year’s Summer School will build on the success of last year’s hugely popular ‘From Script to Screen’ Summer School which saw students write, perform, film and edit scenes for a continuing drama.
Another key benefit of the Summer School is the employability opportunities it offers to existing UoS students. Although headed by members of the staff team, the Summer School relies heavily on the expertise and enthusiasm of our Student Ambassadors who support staff in the delivery of the programme. It’s a fantastic way to gain experience of teaching and facilitation, as well as earn a bit of extra cash. There’s a couple of roles available for this year’s Summer School, for students who specialise in playwriting and performance.
If you’re a budding actor/director or playwright, and you’d like to be considered for one of the positions, please contact Abby Bentham at a.a.bentham@salford.ac.uk for more information. Enquiries are welcomed at any point between now and close of play on Friday 11th April.
Greater Manchester: Spring Theatre Top Picks
by Dr Stephen Hornby
Royal Exchange
Manchester’s largest producing house and home of the prestigious Bruntwood Prize for playwriting. One highlight of this season is director Sarah Frankcom’s return to the Exchange with two short plays by England’s finest playwright Caryl Churchill, brought together in one evening of theatre: Escaped Alone and What If If Only
What’s On & Tickets | Royal Exchange Theatre
Contact
Contact is a centre for the development of young people’s creativity and runs programmes of skills -building as well as seasons of work. This season’s programme includes Dedicated To The One I Love an exploration of anxiety, love, deception, and survival which draws on Kellie Colbert’s real experience of being gaslit — a performance that aims to create a safe space as Kellie confronts the fears of being alone and falls for an artificial connection.
Hope Mill Theatre
The most successful fringe venue in Manchester, often mentioned in industry essential read The Stage. They specialise in musicals but have a varied programme. This season includes GLORIOUS!
The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins—The Worst Singer in the World played by Wendi Peters of Corrie fame taking on a very different role.
Bolton Octagon
The Octagon offers some interesting writing workshops and a full, live programme including a new production based on Of Mice & Men, Steinbeck’s classic novella, and with themes of friendship, migration and prejudice, this play continues to move and resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds….apparently.
https://octagonbolton.co.uk/whats-on/
The Kings Arms
The Kings Arms is a fantastic pub with a studio theatre on the first floor. It’s also the home of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and a great place for student theatre companies to launch themselves from. Pint of Theatre is Flatpack Theatre’s newest production, showcasing new monologues from writers all over the country and performed by a diverse cast of actors.
The Kings Arms | Events (kingsarmssalford.com)
Shakespeare North Playhouse
At the heart of the building is a reconstruction of Inigo Jones’ Cockpit-in-Court theatre, which functions as their main stage surrounded by the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden and a studio space. Headlining is Shakespeare’s riotous comedy, Love’s Labour’s Lost, which is brought to life in the nineties, featuring belting musical numbers in the era of boy bands and Girl Power.
https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/
HOME
HOME is a city centre arts venue with a main house, a studio, five screens of cinema, an art gallery a good restaurant and a couple of bars. A special part of this season’s schedule is North by Northwest theatre legend Emma Rice’s takes on Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary film in this riotously funny reworking that turns the original thriller on its head. With just six shape-shifting performers, a fabulous 50s soundtrack and a lot of hats.
HOME Manchester Theatre Listings – Book Now (homemcr.org)
53Two
This leading fringe venue is situated in the heart of Manchester city centre, has been extensively upgraded and refitted recently and sports a great bar to network in. This season includes an evening of work by Just Brew It written by local disabled playwrights: Nicola Chegwin, Emma Baim, Terri Jade Donovan & Marcella Rick.
WHAT’S ON | 53two Theatre and Arts Charity
Please be aware that all these shows may have adult content and each venues webpage listings should be consulted for any specific content notes.
What’s on at the New Adelphi Theatre!
by Hannah Briggs
8 Hours There and Back
27th March
Our lives are timed around phone calls and visits that clash with our footy practice, dance classes, mate’s birthday parties, school lessons… We move house and live with our nans, granddads, aunties and uncles. We go to school and dodge looks and questions, what did they do? How long did they get? Have you seen them? We get our heads down, try to get good marks, stay out of trouble, blend in, be normal…
8 Hours There and Back follows the stories of Ruby, Jake and Grace as they navigate a world that they shouldn’t be in and a judicial system that has forgotten about them.
https://bit.ly/8HoursThereandBack
Emergence
28th-29th March
Emergence, the touring postgraduate dance company of Joss Arnott Dance and the University of Salford, return with a brand-new, triple bill programme of adrenaline-fuelled dance performed by a new company of extraordinary dancers.
New works by guest choreographers for 2025 include Sofia Nappi and SAY (Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui) who capture the raw physicality of the dancers.
21 Years by Urban Stage
13th April
A celebration of 21 years of Urban Stage in two parts. Current senior students perform We Will Rock You young@part, followed by a medley of moments from 21 years of Urban Stage productions performed by past students and staff.
New Adelphi Comedy Night
22nd April
The award-winning improvisers from CSzUK are back for a night of improv, stand-up and more! In the first half, improvisers and guest students from the university’s comedy, writing and performance degree will get you going with gags and games inspired by your suggestions. In the second half, it’s an open mic with stand-up, songs, sketches and more featuring student comedians and guest performers. Previous line-ups have included award-winning student stand-ups developing material and launching their careers. Don’t miss your opportunity to catch the top talents of tomorrow… today!
TaPP Fest 2025
30th April-2nd May
Join us for TaPP Fest 2025, where our second-year performance groups, under the guidance of professional guest artists, will work together to make live performance for our annual festival.
Dance@Salford
9th May
Join us for our annual Dance@Salford festival featuring captivating new dance works devised and perfomed by our talented students. This year’s event promises an eclectic mix of theatrical, digital, emotional, and experimental works that showcase the immense creativity within our Dance@Salford community.
Almost Famous Presents: Summer Variety Show
22nd-23rd May
Join Almost Famous for their final show of the year!
Featuring musical numbers from all your favourites, there’s fun for all the family. Singing, acting, dancing – you name it! We can’t wait to go out with a bang!
A free Masterclass with Liam Fox – Emmerdale!
Weds 26th March, 2pm, Studio Theatre
Come along to hear how you can get from graduation to professional work. This is open to all years from BAMP, CWAP, TaPP, TT.
Liam Fox is an actor, writer, producer and a former lecturer in screen acting at the University of Salford. Liam (or Paul, as those of us who know him from Salford call him!) studied BA Hons Media and Performance and went on to study for an MA in Scriptwriting for TV and Radio. From 2011 to 2023, he was probably best known for portraying the character of Dan Spencer in Emmerdale, for which he received a nomination for Most Popular Newcomer at the 18th National Television Awards. More recently he has been delighting audiences up and down the country playing Grandpa Potts in a nationwide tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
It’s FREE, but secure your space here
The Sandy Agency Unveiled: Advancing Creative Collaboration at Salford University
By Richard Goodwin
In an exciting development for Salford University’s burgeoning creative community, The Sandy Agency was officially launched during a dynamic Networking Event on March 3, 2025. Spearheaded by Richard Goodwin in collaboration with The Creative Society, this agency aims to bridge the gap between the university’s New Adelphi campus and Media City, facilitating seamless collaboration among student actors and production talent.
The agency serves as a pivotal link for aspiring actors based at Salford University. By simply submitting their headshots and CVs through a dedicated portal [link: https://forms.office.com/e/EcH1whUc0s], actors can now showcase their talents directly to production students across both the New Adelphi MAP courses and at Media City campuses. This streamlined process bypasses traditional channels, such as Blackboard announcements, ensuring efficient communication and saving students valuable time when sourcing actors.
Richard Goodwin expressed gratitude to staff member, James Russell and student Ben Scott for their instrumental roles in programming and administering the agency’s platform.
Looking ahead, The Sandy Agency promises to unlock creative potentials by removing barriers to project development and encouraging students to explore their unique artistic visions, as they create features, short films and showreels. With easier access to actors and enhanced production capabilities, it is our hope that students will really seize this opportunity both in terms of their modular work as well as see the potential to create their own, extra-curricular projects in collaborative film projects destined for national and international film festivals.
The Creative Society will now manage and administer The Sandy Agency and are looking for more students to sign up to the Creative Society and engage in amazing future projects.
For more information and to get involved, click here
Guess the Staff Member – Answer!
Did you guess which staff member had festive cheer? It was our own Mark Fox!
