MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 02 APRIL 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- Apr 2
- 8 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 02 APRIL 2025
Producers Week with Breaking Barriers
Review by Steve Cooke
Producers Week from Breaking Barriers held in Rochdale at Richard Street Studios involved 9 diverse community people from Rochdale who came from various arts form backgrounds and levels of experience.
One of the people on the course was Matthew a young man from Rochdale who wants to be a film journalist.
He's written an excellent informative and uplifting article about his experience of Producers Week which you can read below.
‘From the 10th to the 14th of March, I attended a course hosted by Breaking Barriers designed to highlight the skills and knowledge required to be a producer. This course highlighted six distinct aspects of being a successful producer and included informative discussions with experts in the field. These six aspects gave a great insight into the varied areas of producing and it was interesting that the representatives from the industry that were sharing their experiences and expertise were all coming from a different part of the process. Many people on the course spoke about the fear factor of being a freelancer and the financial uncertainty of this method of income. After the course, the anxiety generated from freelancing seemed to have been reduced somewhat. Of course, though, becoming a freelance producer has a lot of beneficial steps so quite a sizeable amount of information was conveyed in a relatively short period of time.
However, it was the way the course was delivered that made the difference. There was a lot of details, yes, but practical tasks were given in order to consolidate what was learned in order to drive home what was being delivered and I found this to be quite fruitful due to the fact that I could apply what was being told to a real situation immediately. A great example of this was when ‘Accessibility in the Arts’ was covered by Rachel Moorhouse. The task here was to think about the accessibility needs of ourselves and what accessibility needs others might require in our own and other people’s projects after being guided through the thoughts and emotions of disabled people. It gave me a greater sense of awareness for access needs and broadened my perspective when thinking about how best to aid the disabled community.
This course also broadened my perspective towards the existing culture of my home- town of Rochdale. This was achieved through an appreciation for the newly renovated Town Hall in which we reflected upon the history of its architecture by visiting this magnificent, newly renovated centrepiece. The appreciation of Rochdale’s existing work was also followed up by an experience named ‘elevation’ in which a walk across Blackstone Edge, close to the county border, was accompanied by a piece of audio. This included people from Rochdale sharing their own stories of life within the borough and the past of Blackstone Edge through the use of narration which employed personification by making the landmass a character that communicates with you as you walk through the vast countryside overlooking the town centre.
Amongst all the great things that this course provided, one could say that the people I got to meet was one of the strongest and most vital parts of the week. There was always more insight around every corner as people like me, only just beginning my career, and others who have lived experiences of production came together to create a medium in which both parties could learn and grow as creatives. From this, I have had the privilege of meeting great people from across different art forms and seeing the industry through their eyes; seeing what they want from the industry and perhaps the future of the arts in Rochdale.
Overall, I would like to fully commend Breaking Barriers for hosting such a fantastic week for people like me and, if such an event was to occur again, I would recommend it wholeheartedly to creatives across the Rochdale borough. It really was a week that gave me a vision into what my future could look like and could give bloom to many local creatives and pave a path towards Rochdale becoming a great contributor to the arts in the future.’ Matthew
Breaking Barriers is a Rochdale-based, multidisciplinary production company whose work is rooted in amplifying unheard voices and bringing ambitious work to local streets and people.
They work with communities, young people and artists from a rich diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences, and through co-creation like to tell stories in ambitious digital formats that open minds, elevate appetite, and transcend socio-economic barriers.
Led by Artistic Director Parvez Qadir and Executive Producer Jodie Ratcliffe, the company is diverse in its leadership and in the communities and young person’s groups that it co-creates with.
‘Our mission is to produce exciting artworks and immersive experiences in local communities … inspiring ambition and encouraging our young people to be the next generation of creatives.’
Rachel Stonham violin Tsukushi Mitsuda piano - impromptu duo of excellence at TLC
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
Violinist Rachel Stonham is currently a master’s student at the RNCM. Her recent solo performances included the Beethoven concerto with Manchester Philharmonic Orchestra, premiering Nicholas Simpson’s violin concerto with the Athenean Ensemble, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the Amaretti Chamber Orchestra. Her individual sound reflected this, quickly establishing her as a fiddler to be reckoned with yet capable of great sensitivity. Additionally, she is a member of the Dovestone String Quartet, the Valette Ensemble, and also a dedicated orchestral musician, including freelancing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Japanese pianist Tsukushi Mitsuda also studies at the RNCM and is experienced as a soloist and chamber music partner, as a winner of the RNCM Piano Duo prize 2025 and an honourable mention partnering a singer. Incidentally, she played Rachel’s challenging repertoire at one week’s notice. She enjoyed the heritage 1935 Challen Grand piano in the acoustic at St Mary’s, drawing a splendid tone from it. Their impromptu partnership was well made, with authoritative joint interpretations.
Martinu’s Violin Sonata no. 3 from 1944 blended modern harmonies with Czech folk elements shifting through powerful dramatic and dynamic rhythms: a rare, impressive work brought to life with their compelling playing, demanding further listening.
Amy Beach’s Romance for violin and piano of 1893 was full of glorious sweeping, reflective and emotional phrases, full of character.
Going further back in style, Schubert’s Violin Sonata in A major of 1817 kept the intensity from both players equally: Allegro moderato with classical lines with detail and graceful buoyancy, a brilliant Scherzo at a blistering tempo, and a lyrical and poignant Andantino, culminating in a spirited Allegro vivace with virtuoso playing from both players.
The gifted young women dashed off to rehearsals back in Manchester after tumultuous applause, leaving the audience completely satisfied, yet wanting more.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton
Preview by Steve Cooke
Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, Howerd’s End, Jarman) presents his riveting, kinetic solo show portraying one of the great English writers of the inter-war years. Patrick Hamilton was a dazzling success in his twenties, producing hit plays Rope (filmed by Hitchcock) Gaslight (which gave us the modern term ‘gaslighting’), and classic novels Hangover Square and The Slaves of Solitude. But Hamilton was also an alcoholic, whose wit darkened as his inner and outer worlds collapsed.
Covering the entire sweep of Hamilton’s thrilling life and writing, The Silence of Snow entertains and challenges, asking: why do so many of us get through life without feeling we ever truly knew another person?
Written and performed by Mark Farrelly - Directed by Linda Marlowe
The Silence of Snow won the Best Solo Play at the 2023 London Pub Theatre Awards, and is a meditation on truth, relationships and intimacy.
Watch trailer at https://youtu.be/hzwOig3WvYQ
Friday 25th April 2025 – 19:30pm
Saturday 26th April 2025 – 14:30pm and 19:30pm
75 mins no interval
14+
Minimum Age
Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard St, Manchester, M4 7JA
Box Office: boxoffice@hopemilltheatre.co.uk
Enquiries: info@hopemilltheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 0161 275 9141
RECOMMENDED
Wednesday 02 April 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Telemann Baroque Ensemble: Peter Collier harpsichord, Alastair Roberts flute, Elaine da Costa & Sarah Snape violins, Penelope Bisby viola & Roger Bisby cello
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020.
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Wednesday 02 April 2025
Tea Dances with Prima Dance
Join us as we waltz back into a cherished tradition and let the rhythm of sequence dancing sweep you off your feet.
The Tea Dance will fill the Grand Hall every first Wednesday of the month. Immerse yourself in an afternoon of joy and connection, as friends old and new come together to enjoy the magic of dance.
Prima Dance invites you to glide in harmony with your fellow dancers while executing the same routines, moving gracefully in an anticlockwise direction around the room. Each step you take offers a chance to bond with others, making memories that linger long after the last note fades.
Whether you're a seasoned dancer or just looking to try something new, we warmly welcome all skill levels.
Mark your calendars and prepare for an enchanting mix of rhythm, relaxation, and reconnecting. We can't wait to see you back on the dance floor at Rochdale Town Hall.
£6.50 including refreshments
Phone: 01706 924797
1pm - 3pm
Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Wednesday 02 April 2025
Whitworth Historical Society
“Clog Dancing of the Lancashire Wallopers” by Robynne Wood
(note: - this will be held at the URC schoolroom)The “Wallopers” were originally formed in 1981 by followers and students of the legendary clog dancer and music hall entertainer Sam Sherry. Sherry, described variously as an acrobatic dancer, clog dancer, musician and singer, was part of an act, The Five Sherry Brothers, which toured the country’s leading variety theatres during the 1930s. Keen to keep the skill of walloping (clog Dancing) alive, in his later years Sherry became an enthusiastic teacher of the genre. Robynne, one of today’s troupe of Wallopers, uses explanation and demonstration to take us through some of these fascinating routines.
Whitworth Historical Society have a programme of monthly lectures, which are usually held on the first Wednesday in every month, between the months of October and June, at 7.30pm.
Visit the link below for a list of upcoming talks/lectures.
Free but donations welcome
Phone: Secretary 07816 911 556
7.30pm start
Whitworth Heritage Museum, North Street, Whitworth OL12 8RA
elebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
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