May/June 2004
News

Mill Opens to Writers' Festival

Partially converted Lister's Mill is to be re-opened to show a dramatic new play as part of a major new writers' festival. Northern Exposure is a major festival of new writers and work from the North and is organised by the University's Theatre in the Mill and the West Yorkshire Playhouse, in conjunction with the BBC.

As part of the Festival, special permission has been granted by the major UK regeneration company Urban Splash to temporarily use the Lister's Mill site to show the play, Warcrime.

Poster image for Down a Rainbow - photo by Christine Finn

Fellow in Theatre Iain Bloomfield said: "Lister's Mill is such a significant place in Bradford and is steeped in history, so we feel privileged to be able to show this play there. It was the birthplace of the Independent Labour Party and it was a major employer in the city. The Mill is now being regenerated for the 21st century so it's great that it has been allowed to re-open temporarily up to the arts. There was once a small theatre in Lister's Mill so, in a way, this is bringing the past to life.

"Having the involvement of Urban Splash is such a coup, and we are especially excited to have them on board.

"It's a testament to them as a developer that they have been so helpful and forward thinking in taking this idea forward."

Warcrime is a remarkable piece of work by London-based company, The Wedding Collective. It features a young woman who is killed by an off-course cluster bomb. The woman is brought face-to-face in a courtroom with the pilot who killed her. In an evocative and thrilling new space, Warcrime confronts the absurdities and human costs of recent wars and interventions - and those still to come. The play will be shown from Tuesday, 8 June until Saturday, 12 June, 2004.

The Festival - which has been running since mid-May - is an ideal venue to support writers.

Other performances to be shown include an unusual and dramatic piece in the University's JB Priestley library, Down a Rainbow which reflects upon the arts, craft and memorial rites of the Pueblo and Navaho Indians.

This performance - on Thursday, 17 June and Friday, 18 June at 9pm - includes both acting and video shots.

As part of the Festival, the BBC has been showing sections of new work at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, including Crime Fiction on TV and Comedy Short Films.

Meanwhile, the return of Summer Shorts will see 12 new short plays shown at the Theatre in the Mill, selected from across the North of England and Eastern Europe. In addition, three 1-hour showcases of latest works from writers in the Northern Exposure writers' residency will stage contributions from writers from Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Bradford and Belgrade at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Theatre in the Mill (TiM) has also been given an additional £25,000 grant from the Arts Council to facilitate new writing, as part of the festival. The Theatre will be working with the region's most exciting young performers and choreographers to put together a piece of work in just four weeks.

This will result in two performances on Friday, 11 and Saturday, 12 June, 2004.

Iain added: "Part of TiM's remit is to develop young, up-and-coming regional artists so we will be making connections with people who potentially do not know each other and giving them a chance to highlight talents within. This is a precursor to our Autumn season, which is going to be developing themes of young regional artists.

"This is some of the most exciting new work going on in the region, and TiM is central to it. TiM is going from strength to strength with a new access lift, foyer, and an ongoing development programme for young local and regional artists. This additional £25,000 is icing on the cake."

Finally, TiM has brought up Welsh lay theatre company North Wales Stage as part of the Festival. The company will be working with Gaelic, Welsh, and English and Punjabi-speaking actors to brainstorm ideas for a play. A writer will then be commissioned to produce the play which will then be shown next year.

For a full list of performances, telephone 01274 233200 log-on to www.bradford.ac.uk/theatre, or email theatre@bradford.ac.uk

15 June 2004

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