Operated by by sister company Rising Moon Productions, our dedicated events space can be used for theatre, comedy, live music, events and everything in between.
Events in September–October 2022
-
Twenty Today
–
Twenty Today
What does being twenty bring?For Pete Clapton, his teenage years were as free from worry as they should be. For his whole life, he’s lived in the same city, same apartment. Ever since his parents passed away, it’s been just him and his Aunt Holly, on whom the family legacy lies, a confident role model for Pete and a big partier and traveller in her day.On the eve of his twentieth birthday, and the eve of a big interview that could take him out of his hometown forever, Pete reflects on the death of his parents and worries if he has the strength to leave it all behind somewhere new. As the teenager prepares for his party, he finds his friends are in the same position. There’s Mike, the captain of the football team who has never gotten on great with anyone at school. His arrogance makes him difficult to listen to, and his relationship with his father is far from ideal. Laurie is a midfielder in the same team. Though he is as sharp and stubborn as Mike, Laurie understands Pete’s nervousness and has always stuck close to him. With a secret relationship that crushes his confidence, Laurie relies on friendship more than ever, just as everything looks like it’s coming to an end.When the party’s over, and all the boys are finally twenty, they feel their individual stories drawing their focus away from home, and towards the rest of the world. When home’s your whole world, what do you turn to when you leave?Sensitivity Warnings: Drug reference, Sexual references, Family bereavement, Profanity and Homophobic remarks -
Twenty Today
–
Twenty Today
What does being twenty bring?For Pete Clapton, his teenage years were as free from worry as they should be. For his whole life, he’s lived in the same city, same apartment. Ever since his parents passed away, it’s been just him and his Aunt Holly, on whom the family legacy lies, a confident role model for Pete and a big partier and traveller in her day.On the eve of his twentieth birthday, and the eve of a big interview that could take him out of his hometown forever, Pete reflects on the death of his parents and worries if he has the strength to leave it all behind somewhere new. As the teenager prepares for his party, he finds his friends are in the same position. There’s Mike, the captain of the football team who has never gotten on great with anyone at school. His arrogance makes him difficult to listen to, and his relationship with his father is far from ideal. Laurie is a midfielder in the same team. Though he is as sharp and stubborn as Mike, Laurie understands Pete’s nervousness and has always stuck close to him. With a secret relationship that crushes his confidence, Laurie relies on friendship more than ever, just as everything looks like it’s coming to an end.When the party’s over, and all the boys are finally twenty, they feel their individual stories drawing their focus away from home, and towards the rest of the world. When home’s your whole world, what do you turn to when you leave?Sensitivity Warnings: Drug reference, Sexual references, Family bereavement, Profanity and Homophobic remarks -
Grainne Hunt
–
Grainne Hunt
Gráinne Hunt - contemporary nu-folk singer/songwriter.
Grainne has a rich background in performance and song writing. She is an experienced and versatile professional musician with a demonstrated history of working in the Arts. She has a music degree and some formal training in guitar and vocals.
With captivating vocals &insightful songs, she has toured extensively and performed on stage in Ireland, UK, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Czech, Austria, Slovenia and the US.
She has shared stages with Glen Hansard, opened for Gladys Knight and Eagle Eye Cherry, Declan O’Rourke, the Bay City Rollers and Kane Brown. Her influences range from The Dubliners to Joni Mitchell, and from Mary Black to John Mayer.
Her ‘gorgeous new album’ (RTE Radio 1), This Secret, was released in September 2019. ‘[A] seamlessly gentle fusion of Irish folk & Nashville backing, together with Gráinne’s gorgeous, slightly throaty vocal delivery’ (FolkRadio.co.uk), it was recorded with Grammy nominated Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith) & features the skills of Mark Fain (Ry Cooder) on bass & Lynn Williams (John Hiatt) on drums.
Alongside her solo project, Grainne is involved in
- Songs from Ireland - Irish traditional/classical project with award-winning guitarist Brendan Walsh. Album released April 2019.
- Hibsen - a recent collaboration with Jim Murphy. Together they have written 15 songs to reflect James Joyce’s Dubliners. Thanks to Arts Council funding, this album of songs has been recorded and will be released in early 2023
- club – in 2020 Gráinne founded an online songwriting group to support other musicians in their songwriting.
Following Covid lockdowns and cancellations, Gráinne took the time to focus on creating and collaborating. She performed for #IrelandPerforms, founded songwritercircle.club, created the first #AdventCalendarOfSong (recordings of 24 Christmas songs released on social media in Dec’20) and joined U2, Glen Hansard, & others for The Late Late Show Charity Busk raising €1.5m for the Simon Community. 2021 saw over 35 songs written, a focus vocal, guitar and home-recording skills, the launch of her #1981series, and some shows, live and streamed. Gráinne saw out 2021 with a full band live recording in Iontas Theatre, she has just completed the Kildare Creatives Development Programme with the Local Enterprise Office Kildare and is joining the cast of new folk musical In the Midst of Plenty this summer.
Gráinne is currently compiling songs for her next record, that will be recorded later this year.
-
Paul Kerensa - The First Broadcast: The Battle for the Beeb in 1922
–
Paul Kerensa - The First Broadcast: The Battle for the Beeb in 1922
A one-man play written and performed by British Comedy Award-winning writer Paul Kerensa (Miranda, Not Going Out, TFI Friday).
100 years ago, two rival voices in The Marconi Company unite art and science to create British broadcasting. Arthur Burrows seeks to inform and educate. Peter Eckersley just wants to entertain. Before Reith, this ‘BBC two’ duel for the soul of British broadcasting – but who will give The First Broadcast?Based on the podcast The British Broadcasting Century (podfollow.com/bbcentury).
Previously:
“Ingenious” Evening Standard
“As effortless a writer as he is a performer” The Stage
“Dazzlingly funny” The SpectatorPaul Kerensa - The First Broadcast: The Battle for the Beeb in 1922
-
The Mad Grads: Monologue Slam
–
The Mad Grads: Monologue Slam
The Mad Grads was set up by two recent 2021 ‘mad’ performing arts graduates Harriet Dixon and Gabriella Kitson. Both, just finishing their degrees at The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester, felt the arts had suffered massively during the COVID-19 pandemic. With performing opportunities in the North hard to come by in these trying times, especially for graduates, they decided to take initiative and create those opportunities to inspire themselves and other performers in the North.In January 2022 they held their first event a singing cabaret night ‘Spark of Creation’ giving 10 Northern based performers a platform to promote themselves. Back in March 2022 they produced ‘But Whose Heart? words & music of Graham Lappin’ to a sold out audience in a central Manchester location.The Mad Grads are back with a monologue slam on Friday 16th September 2022 at The Kings Arms Salford showcasing some amazing actors as they bring you a night of sharing stories. We look forward to seeing you all then.Please see our social links and come connect with us!Ticket price: £5Social links -Instagram: @themadgradsTwitter: @THEMADGRADS_Email: themadgradsinfo@gmail.com -
West End: But Worse - Definitely Not Disney
–
West End: But Worse - Definitely Not Disney
Manchester's Luke-Warmest Musical Theatre Stars are back! After time away from the stage, the West End: But Worse gang are back with a vengeance with a Brand New Musical Revue to show off all the singing, acting and dancing skills they never quite masteredAnd this time, they have a theme! Or at least they did, until the Cease and Desist letter arrived...So sit back, try your best to relax, as West End: But Worse mediocrely present...Definitely NOT Disney -
Recall
–
Recall
Sophie has organised a surprise anniversary party for her parents in the same bar that they met. The family and friends are in on the surprise and stay quietly in the dark when the couple arrive. Surprise! The 80's disco themed party flashes back and forward in time from 1989 to the present exploring different character's memories of what happened that night when Alex met Nick. Each flashback gives clues that unleash a terrible secret, a mystery unravelling, a night some would rather forget. If Alex and Nick are to continue their relationship they need to tackle the demons from the past.
-
Naughty
–
Naughty
Days after Andrew ends his seven-year relationship with college sweetheart, Jake, he is messaged out of the blue by a former ‘friend’. This unwelcome advance triggers an emotional spiral as Andrew recounts his unstable first steps into the world of gay sex and queer identity; all under the increasingly imposing guidance of Kevin, a teacher at his drama academy.This darkly comic, queer coming-of-age tale is presented by Pink Milk Theatre following an OffFest-nominated run at Camden Fringe 2021.(Content Warning: Sexual Language, Grooming)★★★★ ‘Naughty displays a strong sense of survival and celebration of self’ (LouReviews)★★★★ ‘Unflinchingly honest. Powerfully conveyed’ (The Reviews Hub)★★★★★ ‘His sublime ability to multi-role is a joy to experience’ (A Younger Theatre) -
The Kirk Mcelhinney Trio
–
The Kirk Mcelhinney Trio
The quality of Kirk McElhinney’s songwriting, his voice and guitar playing is recognised by any who come across his work.
His sound once described by Nitin Sawney as “a melting pot of sonic bliss”, Kirk himself calls urban folk.
His songs and his delivery have an uncanny ability to capture people’s hearts and move minds and bodies.
On the road promoting his new album “You Are Not Your Past” on Manchester WorldFolk Label Limefield, he’s joined by 2 artists in their own right.
Andy Hay on drums recently released his second album after the acclaimed “Many Rivers” made its mark on the British music scene and long time collaborator John Ellis has worked with The Cinematic Orchestra, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lily Allen, Tom Jones and too many more to mention.
All three blend together vocally and musically with real fire and soul.
Kirk is a national treasure with a universal aim. To see him with the trio is to see him truly in his element and not to be missed.
-
The Formidable Lizzie Boone
–
The Formidable Lizzie Boone
'What do you get when you combine a wedding ring, burlesque and Pacman?
Well, if you’re Lizzie Boone, you might get therapy…
From the multi-award winning Selina Helliwell, ‘The Formidable Lizzie Boone’ will pull you into Lizzie’s world for a night of drama, healing and dark humour.
Centred around a therapist’s office, this one-woman show explores the intricacies of humanity through a woman who loves vodka with lemonade and a cat called Lionel.
With lively voice-overs and a burlesque dance sequence, this play is bursting with soul and humanity.
Trigger Warning: Contains references to mental health/breakdowns and sexual assault.
So join Lizzie Boone this October for a night of drama, dark comedy and maybe a nipple tassel or two…
WINNER ‘Best New Producer’ GMFringe Awards 2021.
NOMINATED ‘Best Drama’ GMFringe Awards 2021.
NOMINATED ‘Best Actor’ GMFringe Awards 2021.
REVIEWS
“a poetic, imaginative and compelling stage performance”
“a quirky, likeable trip through the inner life of an urban young woman”
“a bold choice and a well executed piece”
"the play really gripped - a burlesque performance mid-show was also compelling"
London Theatre 1
"It's ultimately a story of a woman pushed to the brink and finding herself again on her own terms, and as a whole it does an excellent job of this." Chris on Theatre
-
Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra
–
Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra
Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra don’t care what genre you choose to put them in – western swing, blues, country, rock & roll or whatever else – as long as you understand that they’re 100% sincere and 100% immersed in this stuff. This is no lazy pastiche, no dressing up box. They live and breathe this music and want you to get immersed with them.The Tea Pad are eight years into a remarkable story that began with four friends studying at Newcastle University and now sees them playing venues and festivals across the UK and mainland Europe. Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne but with members hailing from Orkney to Warwickshire, the Tea Pad sound draws on myriad influences – from Hank Williams to Django Reinhardt, Tom Waits to The Beatles – yet ultimately sounds like nobody else, that North Eastern swing style that’s utterly their own and changing all the time.Across the four wonderful albums – 2012’s Money Isn’t Everything, 2014’s Talk About The Weather, 2016’s Something Blue and 2019’s Soul Of My City – the band have constantly added new flavours to their sound: Heron in particular is a vinyl obsessive, always fired up about some new passion – calypso or boogaloo or whatever this week brings – and that eclecticism feeds into their songs, with the newest releases adding twangy 60s guitar tones and modernist R&B styles.The band tour the way bands should – widely and endlessly – winning friends and fans at each new show with notable performances at festivals like Glastonbury, Bestival, Wilderness and Cambridge Folk Festival. They’ve appeared three times on Radio 4’s Loose Ends, and had their music played by everyone from Marc Riley to Huey Morgan.October 2019 sees the band release Eta Carinae, a four track EP, with a title track reminiscent of The Beatles and features a string quartet and lyrics inspired by Brian Cox documentaries. The new EP, which sees the Tea Pad sound evolving more than it ever has previously, is released on October 11th on 10? vinyl and digital.Joining Rob Heron (vocals/guitar) is Tom Cronin (mandolin/harmonica/guitar), Colin Nicholson (accordion/organ/piano) and Ted Harbot (double bass/electric bass) and Paul Archibald (drums).Tour support comes from Tommy Arch.