April at the Lowry * Fairy Powered Productions

Spring has sprung at The Lowry with a brand new production of Jane Eyre by National Theatre, Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild featuring puppets designed by War Horse puppeteers and Bill Kenwright’s production of the timeless story of love, despair and hope, Ghost – The Musical.

In the galleries, The Lowry launches a new residency scheme with EDIT 01: Paddy Hartley alongside permanent exhibition LS Lowry: The Art & The Artist.

Theatre

National Theatre
Jane Eyre
Sat 8 – Sat 15 Apri

Sally Cookson’s energetic and imaginative new adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece, Jane Eyre comes to The Lowry Sat 8 – Sat 15 April with Nadia Clifford taking the central role of Jane Eyre and Tim Delap as Rochester.

Manchester born and bred Nadia Clifford’s previously appeared at the National Theatre in Alistair McDowell’s sell-out production of Pomona and Tim Delap will make his NT debut as Rochester.

2017 marks the 170th anniversary of the first publication of Jane Eyre – a significant time to be touring Charlotte Brontë’s classic and much loved story.

Director Sally Cookson, said about her production of Jane Eyre: ‘Adapting a novel for the stage is a challenging prospect – especially when that novel is cited as many people’s favourite of all time. It is always daunting when you’re working on a story which everyone knows so well, because you want to surprise and maybe challenge people’s expectations, without losing any of the things which make them like the story in the first place.’

Cookson continued: ‘I chose this particular title because it’s a story that I love and have enjoyed a close relationship with ever since I was intrigued, as a child, by Orson Welles’ black and white melodrama with fabulous music by Bernard Herrmann.’

‘I didn’t actually read the novel until I was in my early twenties and I remember thinking while I read it: ‘this is a clarion cry for equal opportunities for women, not a story about a passive female who will do anything for her hunky boss’. I was struck by how modern Jane seemed – her spirit and strong will, her peculiar and brilliant mind striving for personal freedom to be who she is, lashing out against any constraint that prevents her from being herself. She was exactly the sort of person I wanted to be.’

Charlotte Brontë’s story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production tells the story of one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment.

From her beginnings as a destitute orphan, Jane Eyre’s spirited heroine faces life’s obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the discovery of bitter betrayal before taking the ultimate decision to follow her heart.

Bill Kenwright
Ghost – The Musical
Mon 24 – Sat 29 April

Bill Kenwright’s production of the timeless story of love, despair and hope,Ghost – The Musical, will extend its current UK tour with a visit to The Lowry, Salford from Monday 24 – Saturday 29 April 2017. Taking its inspiration from the classic movie, this innovative reimagining features an expanded book, new music and original staging.

Carolyn Maitland will continue in the role of Molly alongside Andy Moss as Sam. Carolyn’s musical theatre credits include ‘Ellen’ in Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre), ‘Joelle’ in Groundhog Day (Old Vic), ‘Rose’ in From Here to Eternity (Shaftesbury Theatre) and ‘Kate’ in Kiss Me Kate (Old Vic, West End & Chichester).

Musician and actor Andy Moss, best known for the role of Rhys Ashworth in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, one he played for 8 years, will continue to wow audiences around the UK as ‘Sam’. His credits also include Cutting It, Coronation Street and most recently he appeared as Paul Cuthbert in the long running BBC soap opera Doctors.

West End musical theatre star Jacqui Dubois (original London cast of Rent and Children of Eden, other credits include The Lion King, Fela and most recently People, Places and Things ) plays ‘Oda Mae Brown’, the part made famous in the film by Whoopi Goldberg. Sam Ferriday (Jersey Boys, Blue Man Group, The Prodigals) plays ‘Carl’, alongside Leo Sene as ‘Willie’, James Earl Adair haunting proceedings as the ‘Hospital Ghost’, and Gary Lee Netley as the ‘Subway Ghost’. Tarisha Rommick plays ‘Louise’ and Simbi Akande ‘Clara’. Completing the cast is Lori Baker, Ethan Bradshaw, Lauren Drew, Matthew Vinetot, Mike Ward and Kelly Hampson.

Children’s Touring Partnership
Running Wild
Tue 18 – Sat 22 April

Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo in an adaptation by Samuel Adamson, comes to The Lowry Tue 18 – Sat 22 April. Michael Morpurgo’s novel, based on a true story, is brought to life in this award-winning production, which has been described by critics as ‘inspiring’, ‘evocative, ‘imaginative’ and ‘life-affirming’. Originally produced by Regent’s Park Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre, this epic production, complete with spectacular life-size puppets, tells an emotional and moving story of love, loss and loyalty and of living for the moment.

Featuring puppetry design and direction by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olié for Gyre & Gimble, both previous Associate Puppetry Directors on War Horse.Running Wild is the story is of a girl named Lilly, who, whilst on holiday with her mother in Indonesia, takes an elephant ride. During the ride, Oona, the elephant, suddenly becomes anxious and runs from the beach deep into the jungle. With Lilly on her back, they escape moments before the tsunami hits the island. Miles from civilisation, at first there’s wonder, discovery and tree-top adventures with the orangutans, but, as thoughts turn to her mother left behind on the beach, and wild tigers prowl, and hunger hits, Lilly must now learn to survive the rainforest. And then the hunters come…

Michael Morpurgo, the former children’s laureate and author of War Horse, was inspired by the real-life story of Amber Owen, who was on holiday in Phuket with her mother and stepfather in 2004, when she went on an elephant ride. While riding Ning Nong along the beach, the eight-year-old noticed the elephant was attempting to pull away from the receding sea water. “He ran away and, as the water came in, I was safely on his back. He saved my life.” When he read Amber’s story in the newspaper, Michael Morpurgo said it was the one bit of hope amid the destruction of the Boxing Day tsunami which hit South East Asia. The production will work to support the Born Free Foundation’s global elephant conservation projects..

Visual Art

EDIT 01
Paddy Hartley
Sat 1 April – Sun 14 May

An artist known for creating wearable sculpture for Lady Gaga and remembrance poppies from lambs heart tissue wants North West residents to share their WW1 stories and artefacts with him.

Internationally acclaimed London based artist Paddy Hartley will begin a residency at The Lowry from April 2017. Born in Dewsbury, Paddy Hartley is a trained ceramicist and will make WW1 archaeology artefacts based on some of the stories people share with him.

The unfired artefacts will be made from a trench of slurried clay placed in the middle of the gallery. The items Hartley creates will then be will returned into the trench to disintegrate during the residency – a metaphor for the passing of memory.

Paddy Hartley said;
“Much of my work is inspired by the stories that families of WW1 servicemen tell me. What would be great is if the people of Greater Manchester share their stories of WW1 ancestors and specifically, the personal objects, keepsakes and reminders of home that they kept with them.

“I’m interested in creating objects which reflect the nature of the environment the soldiers fought and lived in, and specifically, objects which the men used to make conditions more ‘homely’ for want of a better phrase.”

Paddy Hartley’s artistic practice investigates themes of memorialisation and remembrance. Once the artefacts have been made in clay, they will be dried and photographed before being re-introduced to the trench of slurried clay to allow their disintegration.

To share stories, contact Paddy Hartley on [email protected].

Visit the website for more information on EDIT 01: Paddy Hartley at The Lowry.

Clay provided for EDIT 01: Paddy Hartley has been kindly donated by Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC.

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