On Monday I went to Derngate to see a performance of The Mousetrap. It was a new play to me and great to see it played out here as part of the production’s first ever tour.
The cast was greeted by a largely full and appreciative house. On the radio programme that day, we’d had a discussion about support for local theatre across the country.
Such is the alarm in the industry concerning finances that there is a national campaign called “My Theatre Matters!” to encourage people to lobby local government not to make cuts to arts funding.
Chief Executive of Royal and Derngate, Martin Sutherland said that he feels local government supports theatre very well here; reassuring words, but I wonder if the same is true of smaller, less well established theatres and groups, struggling for their futures.
Support for the arts is, I am certain, crucial to what helps define us as communities.
Years ago my grandmother used to book tickets for every production at The Royal Theatre, which coincided with my father being home on leave from the army, including the years of World War Two.
It was something that she put great value in and not just in terms of sharing time with her son.
After he died, I sorted through his papers and found a diary from 1944. In it there were very few entries beyond reminders of when he was going to the theatre with my grandmother – and two dates marked simply “Market” and “Garden”…
For some time now I’ve been of the opinion that Northampton has been seeing a renaissance of things artistic.
I don’t mean that in a patronising, pompous way. I simply mean there seems to have been a significant increase in the amount of work being turned out across the whole spectrum of the arts, which is being appreciated by an increasing number of people.
The Deco has recently announced new productions for the year. It’s a fabulous asset for the town which deserves to live again. Perhaps we’re also shouting louder about what’s on offer artistically.
Later this year there’ll be live music being performed at a variety of outdoor venues, including the first year of Alive At Delapre’. Thousands of tickets have been sold and hopefully it will build annually as part of Northampton’s own, ongoing live music festival.
Thanks to previous events, like the open air performances from the Alter Ego Theatre Company in the gardens, there’s also the prospect of more people being able to show support for – and be entertained at – an increasingly important location in the town.
I went to one of the Stargazing Live events at Delapre a short while ago and was as interested in the number and kinds of people who came to look at the night sky as what was visible in it.
Patently, people were prepared to come out to see what was going on, to participate and therefore be a part of the event themselves.
It is that spirit of wanting to be included and of people seeking out what’s going on that we need to encourage.
With diverse venues, new material from hugely-talented people of all ages and support from business and government alike, developing the artistic offer is not only good for the reputation of the town and county, it also makes us a more civilised society.
If priced affordably, the arts contribute significantly to the local economy through visitors coming to spend their money here.
Theatre DOES matter ... and so too does everything else making up the arts.