Presented by The Edge in association with the Booth Centre
THE EDGE THEATRE
It’s that point in summer where there’s just one place to be on a Friday afternoon and that is in The Dressing Room Cafe Bar at The Edge Theatre in Chorlton. Busy and buzzing the crowd spills out into the pretty garden dining area as the audience wait to take their seats. There is an extra buzz today as rumours abound that our very own King of the North and Mayor of Greater Manchester is in attendance. Actor and comedian John Thomson is already here in his role as Patron. This is a beautiful theatre space in South Manchester which embraces a community ethos and provides a creative hub that welcomes those who might not ever usually access the performing arts.
The theatre company performing today were established as part of the theatres’ longstanding work with the Booth Centre which supports homeless and vulnerable people. This vital work focuses on team building as a company and teaches confidence building skills and self autonomy. This project is genuinely inspiring as with each production there is clearly a development of acting skills and confidence in the company. This kind of work establishes evidence that individuals who have experienced chaos and uncertainty in their lives can and do show up on time to rehearsals and productions. The team at The Edge are passionate about what they do and what they do is always well executed to a high standard.
Alan Ayckbourn is much loved and this short play although written for children appeals to all ages. The central character Ernie Fraser ends up in the doctors surgery with his bewildered parents when his “illuminations” get out of hand. Gifted with a peculiar talent to make his imagination come to life, Ernie has his poor parents war with a living room full of enemy soldiers and his Auntie fight a wrestling champion in a fairground. The final straw is having his Dad up a mountain rescuing a famous climber but when his G.P. despairs the ensuing outcome results in a marching band parading through the Surgery! The theatre company tackle these scenes with real comic aplomb and bring energy and enthusiasm to all their scenes. The set is cleverly designed to allow for all the scenarios that Ernie imagines. The live band add to the pacing of the production and it really is a riotous romp through this classic play. Some of the actors are familiar faces while others are on stage for the first time but this is a really supportive company and everyone looks comfortable on stage. This is a little theatrical gem and this production adds an additional sparkle from a small theatre with a big heart.
Live Art Alive 