Live theatre in Amble
The Amble area was treated to live theatre for two weeks in May, thanks to Mike and Meg Dixon, two members of the St Cuthbert’s church congregation.
Mike, choir master at St. Cuthbert’s, became involved with the Riding Lights Theatre Company, based in York, after being invited to one of their productions in Blyth.
Roughshod is a branch of Riding Lights, taking drama with a Christian message into communities. They annually reach audiences totalling around 65,000 adults and children. On arrival they were welcomed with a pooled supper and they gave a taste of their production, ‘Downsideup’ performing again at St. Cuthbert’s morning service. During the two weeks they were out and about in the Alnwick Deanery; they did workshops in four of our schools, in our community and in both prisons at Acklington and Castington. They performed their play in Embleton, Felton, Rothbury and Amble.
Using nothing more than a clothes line, some printed tee shirts, two ladders and a platform, they took us through a series of personal testimonials, a number of biblical parables set in our own time, and explored the effects power can have over our lives. An all age audience of over 120 enjoyed the performance in the Parish Hall.
The players, five in all, Phoebe, Peter, Naomi, Helen and George are all young people and are touring the country for a year. Their next venue was in Bristol. They were hosted by members of the congregation during their stay. Some of them had never been this far north before. They found the weather cold but the reception warm.
The company does not charge for their services and can perform for free at the point of need; their costs are met by ticket sales at their public performances, and by donations from members and supporting organisations. It is believed our area covered the costs involved and some new members were recruited. Riding Lights will be running a Summer Theatre School at Queen Margaret’s School, York from 23-30th July, for details go to www.ridinglightd.org/sts
