From 11 - 19 August 2023, we brought our mobile theatre, The Den, to The East Manchester Academy in Beswick for the East Manchester Community Festival.
Nine days of events, performances, workshops and activities, co-created and delivered by a 12-strong Local Exchange Ambassador team of residents from Beswick, Openshaw and Clayton.
All tickets to shows in the Den were £1 to secure a seat, or free if you take a chance on the day. All workshops and other activities were completely FREE.
The programme included professional productions from Manchester-based companies, and productions with the local community centre-stage including a night of stand-up comedy, a performance from the Beswick Young Company and a devised collaboration between The Men’s Room and Manchester-based internationally touring dance company, Company Chameleon. The festival also saw the world premiere of a brand-new musical written about Beswick, Openshaw and Clayton performed by professional actors, four local choirs and a local Djembe group.
The people of East Manchester got involved in workshops across the festival including crafting for all ages, photography and drumming. The 13 August saw a family takeover day with crafting, face-painting, nature activities, a local scavenger hunt and a family-friendly production of new-play The Street Where I Live by M6 Theatre.
Throughout the festival there was crafts, locally provided food and exhibitions of locally made art.
The East Manchester Community Festival was supported by Arts Council England, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Esmee Fairbairn and The Oglesby Charitable Trust.
East Manchester Community Festival Audience Feedback
“Amazing experience showcasing the community. Loved it.”
“We need these stories told in the communities that need to talk about them”
“It brought people in who may never seen theatre. Told stories never heard. Consolidates community in an area people feel disconnected”
“We are quite starved of drama, theatre in the M11 area. It’s therapeutic and really helps my anxiety. It’s great that it was free, so accessible to all.”
East Manchester Community Festival Videos
The Festival - day by day...
Friday 11 August
13:00 – 14:00
Photography Workshop
with Chris Payne
Learn how to look at the world in a new light, to make the most of what’s there and snap a shot which really captures the moment. No experience needed. Bring your own camera, or your camera phone.
18:30 – 19:30
The M11 Double Bill (Performance)
To Be An Actor
Enzo Hutchinson
Beswick’s very own young playwright introduces their brand-new play performed and directed by professionals. Supported and developed by the Royal Exchange.
Today the Streets are Ours : The M11 Musical
Josh Val Martin
This brand-new musical, written by Josh Val Martin especially for the East Manchester Community Festival, is a joyful celebration of life in M11. Produced by Royal Exchange Theatre and performed by professional actors and local community groups (St Clements Choir, Resonance Centre Djembe Drum Group, World Harvest Church Choir, Florence House and Mary and Joseph House), this is not one to miss!
Discover what’s under the surface here in Beswick. Whose streets are they really? And who on earth is BOF?
20:00 – 21:00
Stand Up Comedy
Dave Williams & Guests
Fancy a laugh? Come on down for a night of giggles with a mixture of first-time comedy performers, a mystery guest and hosted by the Frog & Bucket’s very own Dave Williams.
Saturday 12 August
12:00 – 12:45
Music with the Family
Parisa Pirzadeh (Workshop)
An interactive musical journey around Persian culture for the whole family.
Have fun and take part in this interactive music workshop with classically trained, international musician, Parisa.
Expect musical games, listening exercises and to hear and respond to Persian music
13:00 – 14:00
Dance Around the World!
Afrocats (Workshop)
Join Afrocats on their global dance journey, exploring dance from various continents, including Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South Asia. Join in and share your dance moves!
16:00 – 17:00
African Stories
Godfrey Pambalique (Performance)
See in the evening magically with unforgettable African songs, drums, voices, and stories. A fun and interactive storytelling space to create and build confidence.
a show at 14:30 and at 19:00
The M11 Double Bill (Performance)
See Friday 11th August
Sunday 13 August - Family Fun Day
10:30 – 16:00
Children’s Activity Day
Free Workshops
Come along and take part in craft activities, colouring, lego building and puppet making.
Free food for everyone!
No need to book, just turn up!
Facepainting will be available from 11pm – 3pm.
11:00 – 12:00
Circus Skills
Maresha Wondmu (Workshop)
A wild and wonderful, family-friendly workshop in all things circus with Maresha “Mas” Wondmu.
Mas is an international performer, instructor and facilitator in dance, circus and music from Ethiopia.
12:00 & 15:00
The street Where I live
M6 Theatre Company (Performance)
A gentle and captivating introduction to live performance. Meet Cyril the cat, his owner Granny Bradshaw, and discover the colourful street where they live. These stories for young children and their families share the warmth and diversity of a unique community, capturing the friendships and adventures that take place there.
14:00 – 15:00
CAN YOU HELP MISS BABBITY RABBIT HENRIETTA FLUFFLEHOP?
Round the Twist (Workshop)
Henrietta Flufflehop’s stuck in a hole! Lost and lonely she needs to make some new friends and fast. Can you help her build a new home in Beswick using recycled and reusable materials? Through interactive storytelling we bring an imaginary world to life! Children, bring your adults and get them to help you build tipis, castles, robots, race cars… and the perfect home for Henrietta!
Wednesday 16 August
16:00 – 18:00
Adult Craft Along and Meet The Artists
Chatty Craft (Workshop)
Join artist Sam Edwards aka Phoebe Foxtrot and the amazing Beswick artist group from Chatty Craft to create a lovely up cycled glass jar lantern. This a chance to explore the exhibition at the Festival and create something lovely to take home with you. All you need to bring along is an empty jam jar.
Thursday 17 August - Brave Talk
15:00 – 16:00
Writing with Emotion- How to approach creative writing
Joe Mallalieu (Workshop)
In this workshop, RUM Writer & Actor, Joe Mallalieu will explore how you can use personal experiences to create drama and how best to protect yourself in this process. This workshop is aimed at new writers with little or no experience who are interested creative writing.
16:30 – 17:30
Art for Mind
Artherapy Northwest (Workshop)
Disconnect from the busy and noisy world outside and pick up a brush! A safe and relaxed workshop to have a go at using art to express yourself and find balance. Artherapy run an Art for Well-being platform in Ashton-under-Lyne.
19:00 – 19:30
Consumed
The Men’s Room & Company Chameleon (Performance)
The Men’s Room and Company Chameleon have created ‘Consumed.’ A short movement and dance piece that explores relationships, and how we might find ourselves ‘playing with fire’ in our human interactions.
20:00 – 21:00
Rum by Joe Mallalieu
“If things are done right at the start, things go easier later on.”
Rum, by Joe Mallalieu, is a raw one man play, selected for the festival by our Ambassadors, that explores wrestling with masculinity, mental health and addiction in the trades.
Followed by a short Q&A with the writer & actor.
Friday 18 August
14:00 – 16:00
Elders Company Taster
The Royal Exchange ( Workshop)
The Royal Exchange Theatre’s Elders Company is for people aged 60+ who want to take part in regular drama and performance workshops and learn more about theatre. The group of around 25 people meet weekly at the theatre to perform, socialise and expand their knowledge. Join us for this workshop to experience a taste of the Elders Company and see if you fancy joining from September.
18:30 – 19:00
Who Has The Power.
Royal Exchange Theatre’s Beswick Young Company (Performance)
The Royal Exchange Beswick Young Company bring drama, movement and poetry together in a brand-new show exploring the things that matter to young people, and celebrating the amazing talent within the group. This is not to be missed!
19:30 – 20:30
Chaos
The Royal Exchange Theatre’s Young Company (Performance)
Laura Lomas’s play Chaos is a symphony of dislocated, interconnected scenes. A series of characters search for meaning in a complicated and unstable world. Bouncing through physics, the cosmos, love and violence, they find order in the disorder of each other.
Saturday 19 August
10:00-12:00
The Cats Chorus of Beswick
Chatty Craft (Workshop)
Join us for a morning of cat-making and celebrating the local area as we finish creating a chorus of cats made from air-dry clay. Chat about the local area and explore where these Beswick cats might roam!
11:00 – 12:00
African Stories
Godfrey Pambalipe (Performance)
Finish your festival magically with unforgettable African songs, drums, voices, and stories. A fun and interactive storytelling space to create and build confidence.
19:00 – 20:00
Chaos
Royal Exchange Theatre Young Company
Laura Lomas’s play Chaos is a symphony of dislocated and interconnected scenes. A series of characters search for meaning in a complicated and unstable world. Bouncing through physics, the cosmos, love and violence, they find order in the disorder of each other.
20:30 – 21:30
BORN FREE: Power Hour
Resonance Centre (Sober Rave)
BORN FREE is a sober rave which happens every Thursday night at The Resonance Centre in Clayton. A safe and non-judgemental space in which to move freely guided by live DJ’s.
Energy fuelled by Nature’s dancing juice, Cacao! Let it go, shake it off, release and remember you were…. Born Free!
DJ’d by the Nationwide Festival Sensation DJ Zeph
