Theatre Company Moves to Town
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Issue 109 Feb/March 2018 Who are the Theatre company moves to town professional touring theatre company has litterbugs? moved its base to Amble, and hopes to A stage plays, show films and provide a new base for community arts in the town. Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC) left Alnwick Playhouse, its home for almost forty years, after negotiations with Northumberland County Council who wanted a new home for their library and other facilities. “We were looking for somewhere else to go,” said chair Bryan Ellis, “I fancied Amble. This town has pulled itself up by its bootstraps in recent years. We’d heard the Dovecote Centre was up for sale, Why there’s no messing around and though there’s lots to do, it gives us lots of with this new group. See page opportunity. It will take us some time to develop 10. the building, probably two to three years to do it all properly, but we hope to create a hub for community arts and activity. Cut out plastic “The office is up and running and we have an packaging outline of our programme for the rest of the year.” Bryan announced that the venue will open in March and will be formally opened by a celebrity actor. Very enigmatically he would not be drawn on the name, until nearer the time! The company will launch their season with a l-r Bryan Ellis (Chair) Louis Roberts (Associate Director production of ‘The Disasters of Johnny Armstrong and Actor), Gillian Hambleton (Artistic Director) of and Other Daft Tales’ in the Dovecote Centre on NTC outside their new home in the Dovecote Centre 15 March, before it then goes on tour. They have also acquired some cinema olds. It has been set up by Rosie Bush and Sarah equipment and two large screens, and hope to be Price, two drama teachers who live in Amble. able to show films in the autumn. “The classes are obviously designed to be fun, “We’d also like to encourage other touring but will help children work on their vocal and How David Attenborough theatre companies to come, perhaps as a stopping physical performance skills too,” said Rosie. has inspired the call to end off point from Edinburgh” said Bryan. There has already been a lot of interest in the plastic pollution, and what we NTC themselves have four tours lined up this club online, Sarah told us. “It just goes to show in Amble can do to make a year. They perform nationally, from as far north as that Amble and the surrounding area is full of difference. See page 9. Aberdeen to London. talented young people with a natural love of noise “We’re one of Northumberland’s better kept and movement. Capturing this energy will help secrets,” said Bryan, “There are not many national their social skills and confidence.” Broadband woes at touring companies left.” “We hope to do a professional pantomime this A tour will generally last seven to eight weeks, year too,” said Bryan. “We want to work with the new estate involving arriving mid afternoon, setting up, Puffin Theatre Club and local dance schools for performing in the evening, then dismantling and that, and we’d like to invite local schools to see packing up, before sleep. Next morning it will be our performances, especially our special Christmas off to the next venue, sometimes up to 150 miles show.” away and then starting all over again. “You have With a huge amount of work to do on to be a dedicated actor to cope with that kind of renovating the interior of the building it’s full schedule.” speed ahead for NTC to get things ready for the 15 Encouraging new talent is particularly March performance. important for the company. NTC audition for Said Bryan, “I think it’s quite exciting, there’s every show, and they try to take on a trainee actor lots of new people coming to live in Amble now, so and assistant stage manager for every tour. the town will have even more energy.” The company works with local young people, Contact NTC for tickets and info on 01665 But Openreach and Persimmon and is delighted that already a new youth theatre 713655 or find them on Facebook. The Puffin are not prepared to help. See group is being formed in Amble. Theatre Club can be contacted at puffintheatreclub page 19. The Puffin Theatre Club is aimed at 5-12 year @gmail.com. They are also on Facebook. Hope springs eternal t’s been a bit of a whirlwind bug, with a new litter picking too old or too young it seems). Istart to the year. Amble is group established (p10), calls for So come along on the evening, not used to so many businesses plastic recycling initiatives (p9) or book a place beforehand; closing all at once, especially and deeds not words, to coin a everyone is welcome and it after years of our high street well known saying (p4 and p8). should also be a lot of fun. being full. Our What’s On pages are We learned recently that Life throws things at you full of events and activities Maria Conti had died. She and fast, they say, and we are over the coming months, and as her husband ran Gino’s fish used to change here in the mentioned on our front page, a and chip cafe on Albert Street The Ambler Friendliest Port. But it is sad to new theatre group for children for many moons. We asked for Fourways 2 see the demise of independent has been established. some of your memories and 6 Dilston Terrace businesses, and sad too that we Take note too of the series have printed some of them Northumberland NE65 0DT have to remember the old adage: of free digital media workshops here. Thank you to all who Tel: 01665 712929 ‘use them or lose them’. on offer (p23), with help and contributed. But there were www.theambler.co.uk But the town is still full of advice to get you more creative so many comments, we simply in smartphone photography and didn’t have room for them all, [email protected] energy; a new theatre company wants to enhance our cultural video, making music, Wordpress so if you wan to read more, look Twitter: AmbleByTheSea offer (p1), a sword dancing group websites, and buying and selling on Amble In Old Photographs’ YouTube: AnnaAtTheAmbler1 wants to revive a traditional safely on the internet. There are Facebook page. pastime (p6), and we’ve also sessions to help people of all So spring is on its way, and obviously got the environmental ages learn to code (you are never let’s look for those green shoots. Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Pinterest Shock as spate of restaurants and shops close Editorial Team: Vivienne Dalgliesh - Cath Findlay Chris Herzberg - Norma Hinson Andrew Mounsey - Bartle Rippon Editor: Anna Williams Thanks to: Mark Beswick & The Artograffi Crew Judith Hardisty Distribution: Dawn, Taylor, Martin and Rachel Printing: Azure Printers, Pegswood The Fat Mermaid closed its doors six weeks after Italian restaurant Zecca shut for good Would you like to join The Ambler team? We are a friendly wo restaurants and several In early February came “The winters aren’t hugely group who welcome contributions Tbusinesses have recently the announcement that the busy, especially during the day, and help from anyone who would closed in the town centre, with restaurant Fat Mermaid had and this was Fat Mermaid main like to volunteer. another two still trading but up also decided to close. Co-owner business time. However four for sale. Julie Lunn-Bird told The months of a slower pace does Thanks to all our contributors, sponsors and advertisers: A spate of closures this Ambler: not make a bad year. winter has resulted in boarded “The decision to close “Sea&Soil has had the and shuttered businesses on the Fat Mermaid has come with busiest winter so far since Co-op Local Community Fund street and comments of sadness a lot of trepidation. We had opening in 2014. We are very and shock on social media. a fabulous team working for lucky to have great guests who Inner Wheel Club of Barclays bank had us who we consider friends. support us all year round, so Amble and Warkworth announced as far back as last We did not make this decision much, so that we have been summer that it would shut lightly but with a few factors able to offer two of our front of Rotary Club of its doors at the beginning of being involved, we decided it house staff from Fat Mermaid, Amble and Warkworth November, but it was still was the right thing for us, not employment at Sea&Soil.” disconcerting to see such a large only business but also personal. “We want to thank our empty property in the usually We have our young daughter to guests for supporting us over busy Queen Street. Then just think of now. the past 18 months and hope before Christmas the town was they will continue to visit shocked by the sudden closure Sea&Soil. Also thank them The Ambler is a project of of popular Italian restaurant for their kind messages on Amble Development Trust Zecca. Facebook and personally.” Clothes shop Lifestyle And the Ambler understands The views expressed in The Ambler clothing followed suit, and that several interested parties and The Ambler Online are not then after Christmas, Toys and have shown an interest in some necessarily those of Trinkets closed its doors, as did of the businesses.