Having spent the last six years of my working life at New Perspectives Theatre Company I have experienced a wide range of theatre practice taking place across the East Midlands. Now happily in post with a new challenge at Lincoln Drill Hall I’m well aware that Lincoln, unlike the other counties of our region has no producing theatre and therefore relies almost entirely on touring product brought into the county, either to the network of arts centres working collaboratively as Lincolnshire One Venues (LOV) or to the thriving rural touring network.
However, small independent producing companies are emerging. One of these, Zest Theatre, has been co-commissioned by the Core LOV venues of Lincoln Drill Hall, South Holland Centre, Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham and Louth Playgoers Riverhead Theatre to create a piece called Gatecrash, performed at the Drill Hall on the first weekend of Frequency.
This piece utilises silent disco technology and a promenade performance space to present a unique theatrical event for audience members who will be drawn in to the story in a way not seen on our stage before.
For a county rich in culture and heritage but lacking in the facilities or resource to create and produce our own theatre product, this show should be championed and trumpeted to the skies. This is possibly the single most innovative, breathtaking piece of theatre that will be created in this region this year. And made entirely in Lincolnshire. Let’s be proud of it.
Chris Kirkwood
Chief Executive, Lincoln Drill Hall
