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Celebrating 10 years of Red Ladder Local champions – The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury
“There’s something for everyone here, which is why we get a huge number of people through the doors”
Cluntergate is a vibrant community hub in the heart of Horbury, in West Yorkshire. The centre runs more than 50 groups and classes, ranging from creative arts and performance workshops to fitness and wellbeing sessions. It also hosts professional theatre performances and family-friendly events, and is home to the Horbury District Men’s Shed, a community workshop space designed to bring people together through practical activity, shared skills, and good conversation. Cate Withers, the centre’s manager, talks about its role in the community and being a Red Ladder Local venue.
Cate Withers
Can you tell us a bit about the Cluntergate Centre?
The Cluntergate Centre is run by Horbury Community Centre Trust, a charity established by a group of local residents in response to the council’s plans to close the town’s community centre. We are a traditional community centre, providing space for local groups and classes to meet along with local organisations, like Horbury Civic Society and Horbury WI, and national charities such as the Alzheimer’s Society. But we also run our own projects.
Tell us about some of the work the Cluntergate Centre does?
We run and curate a well-rounded programme so there’s something for everyone. We have groups and classes every weekday and on Saturdays, during the day and on evenings, so everything from dementia sessions to yoga classes, pole dancing and belly dancing, and all kinds of craft activities. You name it we’ve got it!
A few years ago we looked at what gaps there were in the community and responded by setting up a ‘Stay and Play’ group, because there was a lack of low cost or free provision for pre-school children in Horbury. That group has been running for a couple of years now and attracts approximately 20 children each week. The other area where there was a shortfall was provision for men, so we set up a ‘Horbury District Men’s Shed’ in October last year.
We also host a lot of arts and culture events. We have stand-up comedy nights every couple of months and theatre shows from various production companies including Red Ladder and Mikron. One of the founding aims was to make the arts more accessible.
How important is the centre to the local community?
It’s massively important. Our footfall in 2024 was 55,000. It’s not just the regular classes we have, we’re also busy every weekend with private bookings including family parties. There’s something for everyone here which is why we get a huge number of people through the doors.
We get people of all ages here and it is predominantly local people. We exist to serve the local community in Horbury and South Ossett, but we do get people from further afield. We’re very popular with South Asian communities, particularly family events and weddings, and many of these are from the Dewsbury and Wakefield area.
Tell us about the Horbury District Men’s Shed project.
This was two years in the making. It was identified as a need by members of the local community, we’d get phone calls from people saying things like ‘my grandma has just died and I’m worried about my granddad becoming isolated.’ So we realised there was a need to have something where men could come and learn new skills or just come in for a cup of tea and a chat, and it’s already having a massive impact. We have around 40 members signed up, and I know this number would be higher if we had more space. The feedback we’re getting is that it gives men something to look forward to and in many cases they’ve made new friends. It’s become a real source of emotional support and mental health wellbeing for them. We’re currently working on securing a larger space from which the Shed can continue to grow and serve the community.
Cluntergate is a lifeline for some people.
On a Friday morning, we have an arts and crafts social drop-in group. A lot of people who come to this have lived experiences of mental health issues. When some people first came here, they came with a support worker when they were in a crisis, and they have gradually become more at ease here. So, we know these sessions can have a profoundly positive mental health impact and create a sense of belonging in the community.
We’re Not Going Back at Cluntergate. L – R Daisy Ann Fletcher (Isabel), Keeley Fitzgerald (Mary) & Rachel Gay (Olive) credit Anthony Robling
Why is it important the centre has theatre shows and performances?
Theatre feels like a big deal for a lot of people. They have to book tickets, they might be worried about how much it will cost, and often shows are in places like Leeds or Wakefield, so there’s transport costs too and how they will get home afterwards. It becomes a bit of an undertaking for a lot of people. But when it’s here on their doorstep it becomes much easier to engage with theatre because it’s not such a big deal. And the fact we have this link with Red Ladder means we can keep the ticket costs down to £5 or under, which makes it a much more realistic and affordable night out.
The other important thing through our link with Red Ladder is children’s theatre. I think theatre for children is hugely important because a live performance captures their imagination in a way that nothing else does. With the decimation of arts budgets in schools and family budgets being squeezed relentlessly, a lot of children no longer get the opportunity to see shows and engage with live performances in the way previous generations did. So having children’s and family theatre in the centre has been hugely important.
That’s why we set up the ‘Theatre for Schools’ project last year. We found the funding to make it happen and we had 800 children through the building in two days to come and see Story Forge. They came here, saw a professional performance in a familiar place, and it was all free! We asked for a show of hands at the start of every performance. We asked if they had ever been to the theatre before, and about 40 per cent raised a hand. So the majority had never been to see a theatre production before.
The Story Forge
Why is it important that Cluntergate keeps going?
This place has a massive impact on our community and provides a huge amount for many people, but we have to continually battle to keep the doors open. We are self-sufficient and the income we make from room hire sustains the operation of the centre. But as with every organisation like ours, the last few years have been tough with utility costs rising sharply, so we must manage our budget very carefully, which is why we are always looking for new funding opportunities and would welcome any donations.
Just £5 per month can fund a session at the Men’s Shed for a man in need of support. You can sign up here: https://www.cluntergate.org.uk/50×5
To find out more about the Centre, go to Home | The Cluntergate Centre
Celebrating 10 years of Red Ladder Local champions – St. Bart’s, Armley, Leeds
St Bartholomew’s Church, Armley, Leeds
St Bartholomew’s Church as seen today, took six years to build and was completed in 1877. It is one of the largest churches in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds and is home to the famous Schulze Organ, thought to be the only one of its kind in Britain, if not the world. As well as being a parish church, St Bart’s is also a Red Ladder Local venue and has hosted several performances and shows. Graham Barber, the church’s PCC secretary and organist, and Rose Farrar, freelance community producer, talk about the church and the impact arts and culture have on the local community…
Graham Barber
Graham Barber
What can you tell us about the church itself?
It’s a very imposing building – you can’t miss it! And it’s even more impressive inside. It has that magisterial quality. It’s got a very lofty nave that’s almost the same height as the chancel. There’s also a lot of interesting artworks from mosaics to stained glass and sculptures. But it is struggling to survive because the kind of finance you need just isn’t there. The building was gifted by the wealthy mill owners in the 19th century and they’re not around anymore.
What sort of social and cultural events does the church host?
It’s difficult to generate audiences these days for classical music or chamber music, and we don’t really have the right atmosphere for a pop or rock concert. But we are achieving success with more informal offers like our annual Music Lunch series, and we do get approached by various choral societies that want to perform here. Leeds Symphony Orchestra did a summer concert last year and they’re coming back again this year.
We’re trying to be relevant in modern times when fewer people go to church. We open the doors as often as we can and we’re always keen on encouraging more people to come and visit us.
We also join in with the national heritage weekends in September and we have summer and Christmas fairs. Having more events means we’re able to open the place more often, kids get involved and the local community notice it more.
Can you tell us about St Bart’s and the work it does with Red Ladder?
St Bart’s has always had a presence in the arts, particularly music, which goes way back into the 19th century. Historically, this has been largely limited to organ recitals and choral concerts. Then a couple of years ago the opportunity arose to work with Red Ladder who thought it would be a great space for theatrical productions. We liked the idea too and started this collaboration.
We had two shows, an evening one aimed at adults, and a kids’ show at a weekend, and they both went down well and we’ve gone on from there. The first show was Tones, about the struggles of a black man coming to terms with issues in his life. We decided to mount it in the choir stalls, so the rest of the church was in darkness, and the stalls were in a pool of light which looked really dramatic.
Last year, we hosted four shows, two adult ones (Talking About the Fire and Kailey) and two for children (Pirate Bonnie and The Story Forge), and they’ve all been successful.
Kailey credit Robling Photography
What impact are the Red Ladder Local shows having on the church?
It’s helped increase our footfall which we’re very happy about because this place belongs to the community. Sometimes people might not be interested in the religious side of things but come in and are often wowed by this dramatic and imposing building, which means they might come again.
We don’t have the resources to reach potential audiences that Red Ladder has, and we wouldn’t know how to start getting productions to come here, whereas they do it all the time and they have lots of contacts so as part of their network we benefit from all this.
It’s a chance for people to come and see a theatre production on their doorstep without having to go into the centre of Leeds. There’s a buzz when audiences come in, especially when it’s a kids show.
The church has its own awe and that adds to the performance and the production values. You can go to almost any part of the church and you’ve got a ready-made set. So everyone is very happy with how it’s worked out.
We’re also involved in the selection process, so we can say which productions and shows we think would be appropriate for us. Having companies like Red Ladder come in helps raise the profile of the church and brings it to people’s attention and says, ‘this is your heritage, so do value it and do come and use it.’
Who comes to the shows?
The audiences we’re getting are really mixed. There are theatregoers and those who’ve never been to the theatre before, with a very high representation of people from the local area in Armley. We’ve had people coming to the shows who have lived next door to the church their whole lives but had never been inside it. Once they come in they are often amazed by the sheer scale of this incredible building.
Rose Farrar
Rose Farrar
Can you talk a bit about the work you’re involved with at St Bart’s?
I’ve been looking at ways of helping them become more of a community asset, to see what we can do to build on their work with organisations like Red Ladder to diversify their audience. I’ve been looking at ways of forging links with local networks and finding out where we might be able to help or fill some gaps, because there’s clearly a lot going on in Armley. At the same time there’s a need for more cultural infrastructure, more anti-poverty initiatives and more support around physical and mental health.
How do the arts fit in with this?
I’ve been trying to develop new partnerships with the likes of Armley CAN, a fantastic group of people representing voluntary sector organisations, and to find out what kind of things we could programme at the church that would be of interest, what could be done better and what the priorities are.
This is already leading to new activities. With Meeting Point, which works with refugees and asylum seekers, we held a Christmas crafts session, and they came here and had a tour of the building, they heard the organ being played and had a multicultural afternoon tea. This is the kind of thing we’re looking to do as a way of opening the doors of the church more regularly and inviting people inside who have never been in before.
The idea is to encourage people to use the church as a meeting point, or to do some heritage exploration, join a music group, or sign up for a Red Ladder theatre show, because they know what it will be like when they walk in and they know it’s safe and welcoming.
Why is it important that the church broadens its appeal?
It’s this huge, historic building that dominates the local skyline and needs to be used if it’s to meet not just its faith-based mission but also as a place that can help the community thrive in a wider sense. There aren’t enough places for community groups in Armley and when we have incredible buildings like this it makes sense to use them. We’re actively pursuing funding opportunities all the time so that we can be more creative and diverse with our programming. So if there’s anyone out there looking for cultural investment opportunities then we would love to hear from them.
The Story Forge at St, Bart’s
What impact have the Red Ladder shows had on the local community?
I think they’ve been really positive and help bring theatre experiences to people who may not have much opportunity or confidence to access formal theatre settings. It’s also been great to see shows and performances in community venues and see how successful that can be.
I think it’s helped the church and the volunteers to see its potential in new ways. There are people who specifically look for Red Ladder shows and others looking for things close to home, and that inclusive ‘pay what you decide’ model is really important in the community.
It says to people ‘you can come here – everybody is welcome.’
What are the benefits of having arts and culture in the church?
There’s lots of research that shows coming together and being creative, whether it’s crafting, photography, singing, or creative writing, is good for people’s mental health and wellbeing. Having a safe place to come that’s warm and welcoming helps combat isolation, it also gives people a creative outlet and a chance to try something new, as well as the opportunity to make new friends. Whenever I talk to people about being involved in creative projects, they often say it helps them rediscover their voice or boosts their self-confidence. So the social, emotional and psychological benefits are huge. But above all, we can’t underestimate the simple joy and pleasure of having art and culture in our lives no matter what our economic circumstances.
For more information visit: St Bartholomew, Armley – A Church Near You
Celebrating 10 years of Red Ladder Local champions – Queen’s Mill, Castleford
Queen’s Mill (formerly known as Allinson’s Mill) sits on the banks of the River Aire in Castleford, and in its heyday was thought to be the largest stone grinding mill in the world. Now run by Castleford Heritage Trust, the mill is a thriving multipurpose cultural hub and home to a variety of businesses and creatives. Lorna Malkin, the Trust’s chief executive, talks about the mill, its heritage and the benefits of being a Red Ladder Local venue.
Can you tell us a bit about Queen’s Mill and its story?
Queen’s Mill was an industrial flour mill up until 2011 when it closed. There had been milling on the site since Roman times and the building there today dates back to the late Victorian times and Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee, which is where its name comes from.
Allinson’s flour was made here and it was Thomas Allinson who coined the phrase “nowt taken out” – he was a bit ahead of his time in terms of nutrition and health. So it was always known in the town as ‘Allinson’s flour mill.’ But when production stopped in 2011 we had to change the name, because it’s a brand that still exists, so we reverted to the original name of Queen’s Mill.
By the time it shut down most of Castleford’s industries, of which there were many, had disappeared and local people were concerned this would be left as a derelict building, or knocked down to build flats. So we ended up purchasing the building in 2013 and we’ve been there ever since. It was an industrial flour mill so there was very little usable space, and we spent a lot of time stripping out old equipment and putting in floors, staircases and lifts, to create something sustainable and that’s still ongoing – it’s a bit like painting the Forth Bridge!
Queen’s Mill, Castleford
Tell us about the mill today
What’s interesting is we still mill stoneground flour and sell this! We also have 10 tenants including the Queen’s Mill Tearooms, Yorkshire Craft Beers, a music school and arts studios, and a number of community groups and art groups meet here. We’re what’s known as a ‘Community Anchor’ for the Wakefield district and we’re a Help at the Hub venue so we get funding through services for the community.
Why is the mill important?
When the Castleford Heritage Trust formed in 2000, the town was still suffering from the loss of the pits and the Trust wanted to help regenerate the town and bring back a feeling of local pride, because the town’s heritage is incredibly rich. At that point there was very little to see in the town and what the community wanted was a new museum to show off this heritage, but they wanted this building to be a multipurpose one where you could have theatre, exhibitions and education, and that original vision of a community cultural hub we are now delivering at Queen’s Mill.
We’re lucky that a lot of our volunteers are former builders, joiners or electricians, and they bring their skills with them. Quite a bit of the work has been done by volunteers which has meant when we’ve had grant funding we’ve been able to make the money go further. As a result, local people are very invested in the mill because they’ve put their time and effort into it.
There’s a sense of ownership – people feel it’s their mill, which is lovely.
What kind of arts and culture events do you host?
It’s a multipurpose space that gets used by lots of different groups. There are events we put on ourselves and there are those put on by other groups and organisations. We run craft fairs, and we have welcomed a food and music festival called Yonder and a Steam punk market. We also have a gallery space and host art exhibitions, so there’s quite a lot going on.
Santa Must Die at Queen’s Mill (credit Lian Furness)
How did you get involved with Red Ladder and what impact has it had?
We’ve had links for a long time, but it was more ad-hoc and it wasn’t structured as it is now. Most of the Red Ladder Local performances take place in our Island Room and for the local community, having a professional theatre company bringing shows here makes a big difference. It makes it accessible and means they don’t have to travel to Wakefield or Leeds for a night out.
Who comes to the shows?
It’s quite varied, but there’s a core group of people who regularly come along depending on the performance and what it’s about. There’s not a lot of options locally if you want to see live theatre. Local schools put on productions, but there’s nothing else in the town like the offer Red Ladder has.
Why is it important that you have collaborations with arts and culture organisations?
Culture has always been a big part of what we offer, and theatre is part of that. It’s about keeping that tradition going and introducing it to new audiences. It’s also potentially a way of bringing new people to the mill who might not have come here for anything else.
To find out more go to Queen’s Mill – Historic Venue & Community Hub in Castleford
Theatre acting, directing and writing workshops for 2026
We are starting 2026 with a bang, in the form of four free* theatre courses, including a brand-spanking new addition for this year.💥
Seeing as we are based in Leeds, and dedicated to supporting local talent, priority is being given to those of you lucky enough to be oop North. However, if you’re not in God’s Own Country, or nearby, please do keep reading as we have reserved spaces for you.
First up, in February, is Writing for Emerging Northern Playwrights. If you’re interested in writing for theatre, this is the course for you. We’ll look at creating believable, multi-layered characters, giving those characters a voice in monologues and duologues, and a look at how to build a longer story. We’ll even have a go at how to tackle audio drama. No experience necessary! Your writing will be explored later in the year by a director and actors, for a public sharing.
The new addition for 2026 is Writing for Northern Intermediate Playwrights. If you’ve already had some experience writing for theatre and want to develop some new ideas with a chance to work on rewrites and have your work explored later in the year by a director and actors, this is the one for you. And as a special extra, we’ll have a look at creating work from verbatim/participants’ lived experience. The sign up for this workshop is slightly different, you don’t book on via the ticket link but send a sample of work, so please check the website for the deadline.
Both of these courses are online. 15/20 places on each will be prioritised for Northern writers. However, if you aren’t lucky enough to be a northerner, don’t use the booking link, please drop us an email and we’ll put you on the waiting list for the other available places. Please stipulate whether you wish to attend the Emerging or Intermediate course.
In March it’s the turn of you Northern Theatre Directors. If you want to have a look at different aspects of directing, including devising and working from life stories, and especially working with scripts and actors, this is the course for you. You’ll work with actors from our latest Acting course cohort to create a public sharing of the writers’ works.
This is closely followed by sessions for you budding Northern Theatre Actors. This year we’ll take some time with actors to explore working with scripts and how to create your own take on characters. Plus a little devising. Then we’ll team up with the cohorts from our Directing and Writing courses, and together you’ll bring the writers’ pieces to life in a public sharing. If you’d like to explore different approaches to scripts, this is the course for you. No experience necessary!
Both of these courses, as well as the group days and final sharing, will be on the Leeds Conservatoire campus. Final room details will be sent nearer the time.
*the courses are free but to try and ensure attendance, we ask for a £10 deposit, which is returned after the first online session or during the first in-person workshop. If this or travel expenses are a barrier to you attending or signing up straight away, please give us a shout.
Check out our website (link below) for more details on each course and booking links.
📸 Josh Hart (Dan) in Red Ladder’s ‘Glory’. Credit Andrew Billington
“My songs are story-driven, and my music is a blend of genres – it’s a kind of Frankenstein pop or theatrical pop!” – Bay Bryan
Bay Bryan is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist who grew up in Colorado in the US. His work is a blend of music and theatre and his debut solo album, The Meadow, came out in 2023. Bay co-composed the music for A Town Called Christmas and is Associate Musical Director. He has recently launched a Crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to fund the recording of his sophomore concept album, BAYARD. Here he talks about the inspiration behind his music and why he now calls the North of England home…
Can you tell us a bit about your concept album BAYARD? In a way it follows on from my first album, The Meadow (2023), carrying a similar theme of escapism. BAYARD continues on from that only this fantasy space is a forest enchanted by the spirit of a medieval horse, called Bayard, that legend has it could speak to humans and possessed extraordinary abilities.
There’s also another trickster character, part human and part fairy, in the forest and this is the backdrop to the stories and songs on the album. It’s what I call a kaleidoscopic collection of songs and the idea is the listener goes on this wonky ride through the woods where they stumble upon this cabaret tent with Bayard and their band of musicians inside. There are a lot of themes running through it – radical playfulness, inter-connectivity, gender, identity and the roles we expect people to play, digesting reality through a fantastical distortion.
What was the inspiration behind this album? It was about exploring ideas of who we are, and who we want to be. Also, Bayard is the name I was born with and I wanted to explore that, which led me to this medieval horse called ‘Bayard’, who was captured by Charlemagne but escaped into the forest never to be seen again. There was something about this folk tale that struck me as a beautiful symbol – in the human world we risk losing magic when we seek to make ourselves separate from it, and I like the idea of the woods being this secret refuge with something beautiful to offer us.
Also, when I was a child, I used to tell people I was an alien, which I think came out of a deep desire to be something more than myself – more than human. What I’ve found doing drag (because I’m also a drag artist), is that this costume or persona you adopt allows you to be something bigger and ultimately express your own authenticity.
Bay Bryan with his bandmates credit Lian Furness
How would you describe your music? I think both of these albums are more than just a collection of songs, I want them to be an immersive experience. They have a theatrical element. I’d say my songs are story-driven and my music is a blend of genres – it’s a kind of Frankenstein pop or theatrical pop.
Where did your passion for music come from? I was lucky that I grew up surrounded by music. We had an upright piano in our living room and I’ve always written songs by ear. My mum describes a moment when I was about two where I went over to the piano and replayed the Microsoft Windows opening screen tune, which certainly surprised them! I had piano lessons from the age of about five and I also did the classical guitar for a few years. I would sit for hours at the piano and put together chord progressions and later I started to write songs. I was also in the choir from a young age, so music was just a constant in my life.
How did you end up going from the Rocky Mountains to living in Manchester? I went to drama school in Glasgow where I studied musical theatre performance for three years. I met my partner there and when I graduated I moved to New York because of visa rules. We maintained our long-distance relationship and then decided to get married so I moved to the UK – I proposed to my boyfriend in Leeds. I put on a solo show at Interplay Theatre and at the end of it I proposed to him! And we’ve been living together in Manchester since 2017.
Is it harder to get heard as a musician today? You can get your music heard but to sustain a career is a huge challenge in the music industry today. It’s an attention market and everyone is trying their darndest to be heard, and some people are much better at it than others. Is this inherently a problem? I think in many ways it is, but everyone would have a different answer to that. Having had the luck of experiencing a bit of a buzz with my last record, I know how quickly attention can suddenly come your way and how quickly it can evaporate. One could argue that it’s easier than ever to put music out today, but for me I would rather find and attract the folks that resonate with what I love to make – and I reckon there are some reading this that might!
Bay Bryan (credit Liam Maxwell)
Tell us your three desert island albums?
Nick Drake – Pink Moon
Anais Mitchell – Young Man in America
Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
What do you hope to achieve with BAYARD? My overall vision goes beyond the studio record and into an immersive gig-cabaret experience that brings people together, and the first step that needs to happen is the record. So the plan is to go into the studio in Wales.
At this moment with the growth of AI and the crazy political landscape we have in the world I feel it’s my duty as a musician to create something more than just a collection of songs. I want to create a meaningful experience that stays with people and I’d love to go on tour with my live band and perform both of these albums together in unconventional spaces.
Click here to support Bay’s Crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, which runs until December 11 2025
Main image: Bay Bryan (credit Jay Fisher)
“You can’t live a full life without the arts…Even if you go and see something and you don’t like it, at least you’ve experienced it.” Roo Arwen – actor, singer, musician.
Originally from Yorkshire, Roo Arwen, 22, is a Manchester-based actor, singer, and musician, and a recent graduate of The Arden School of Theatre. Roo is making her professional theatre debut with the festive double bill A Proper Merry Christmess (Red Ladder) and A Town Called Christmas (Wrongsemble)
Can you tell us a bit about your story and why you wanted to become an actor?
I grew up in Pudsey with my mum and my nan. We lived in quite a run-down part of the town and there wasn’t much to do when I was little. But when I got a bit older my mum started taking me to the pantomime at the Alhambra in Bradford. Billy Pearce was always in it and I think the first one I saw was Aladdin when I was four years old and I remember being completely blown away. It was like magic. That’s where it started really. When I found out that you could do it as a job I couldn’t believe it, because I thought you needed some kind of special powers to be an actor. So once I realised that I might be able to do this, I knew it’s what I wanted to do.
Did you go to drama classes as a youngster?
I never went to any paid-for acting classes because we couldn’t afford that, but I went to a few charity-run drama clubs and I was always in the school plays. My first ever role was as Santa, funnily enough. There’s a picture of me somewhere when I was about five where I’m wearing a little Santa costume. When I was 14, I joined the Futurist Theatre Productions which didn’t charge you, and for someone like me who couldn’t fund being creative that made a big difference. In 2021, after finishing sixth form, I took a gap year and did a foundation course at The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester. At that point I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go down the musical theatre route, or study something different altogether, but after doing that course I fell in love with acting and went on to do the acting degree there.
What’s it been like working with Red Ladder and did you know about them beforehand?
I only graduated recently so to be working with Red Ladder is just amazing. I knew about Red Ladder and Wrongsemble and I’d heard great things from everyone about them. And now I’m here it’s like everything I imagined it would be, but also nothing like I imagined. It’s a lot of hard work doing two shows so the hours are long, which is to be expected, but I really feel like I’m on the right path and I know I’ve made the right choice.
At the same time, it’s easy when you’re just starting out to think the industry is a bit scary, but it isn’t what I’ve experienced. It’s been really welcoming and collaborative and I feel I’ve developed a nice bond with the directors.
How important are theatre companies like Red Ladder and Wrongsemble for young actors, writers and directors?
They’re so important. Hiring young actors, especially those who’ve come straight from higher education, allows them to take their first steps in the industry. So many talented young actors can get overlooked, so having an opportunity like this feels amazing. I was talking to Seeta Wrightson [co-writer of A Proper Merry Christmess] the other day. This is her debut as a playwright, and you can see how much it means to her. So for Cheryl to have that faith in her, and me, is huge. A lot of the focus in theatre is on London which is why it’s so important that we have theatre companies like Red Ladder and Wrongsemble that are prepared to give people opportunities and tell northern, working-class stories. I’m thrilled that my theatre debut is in Leeds.
Charles Doherty & Roo Arwen
Why does theatre still matter in today’s world with so much other entertainment on offer?
It’s so important that we have this creative outlet because it brings people together. And it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Theatre is my lifeline! It’s especially important for me, as someone who has struggled through adversity – it’s got me through these tough spots. To be in the same room as someone whose persona may resonate with you even a little bit is an unexplainable feeling.
You can’t live a full life without the arts. I’m always telling people to go and see something at the theatre. Even if you go and see something and you don’t like it, at least you’ve experienced it.
What about your future plans. Are you happy on the stage, or would you like to branch out into TV and films?
My heart will always be with the theatre – I’m a theatre girl till I die! It’s what I grew up on, it’s the most accessible and it makes the most sense to me. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to do TV or film, of course, I’d love to do both. If I can perform and tell a story then I’m happy.
Rehearsal images from A Town Called Christmas and A Proper Merry Christmess by Lian Furness. Both shows on tour Nov and Dec 2025. Tickets available now.
MEET THE CHRISTMESS/MAS CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
Maryam Ali – Rani in A Proper Merry Christmess & Clementine in A Town Called Christmas
credit Sophie Giddens
Maryam is an actor and theatre maker based in Teesside. She trained at Manchester School of Theatre and spent several years teaching in primary and SEN education before returning to theatre last year. She is currently developing her first full length play which has been commissioned for an R&D with ARC Stockton.
Theatre credits include: Titus Andronicus (Theatre Space NE), Wolf! (Kitchen Zoo/Northern Stage), Partition Play (Live Theatre, rehearsed reading), Home from Home (Novo Theatre, R&D), Dear Rachel Corrie (Alphabetti, response writing programme), Julius Caesar (Theatre Space NE), The Interview (Live Theatre, rehearsed reading), Hamlet (HER productions)
Roo Arwen – Red in A Proper Merry Christmess & Glitch in A Town Called Christmas
credit James Melia
Roo is a Manchester-based actor, singer, and musician, and a recent graduate of The Arden School of Theatre, marking this production as her first professional theatre debut. Originally from Yorkshire, she has cultivated a deep-rooted passion for performance from an early age, with a particular focus on music and storytelling through song. Throughout her training and beyond, Roo has developed a versatile skill set spanning stage and screen acting, vocal performance, and live musicianship. As a singer-songwriter, she has spent much of her time performing original material at venues and events across the North of England, building a reputation for her distinctive voice and heartfelt compositions. Roo continues to pursue her artistic career with dedication, bringing energy, sincerity, and a strong sense of ensemble to every project she undertakes.
Charles Doherty – Michael in A Proper Merry Christmess & Tim in A Town Called Christmas
credit Charles Dohery Photography
Raised in Australia, Charles Doherty is a Northern-based UK actor and singer working across stage, screen, opera, and musical theatre. He trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and was honoured with a Young Australian of the Year Award for the Arts.
Recent screen credits include The Pentaverate, Citadel, After The Hunt, Jay Kelly, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams, The Toys That Built America, Rewilding, and a range of award-winning short films. He is also one of the faces of Hilltop Honey.
Charles was an artist with Opera Australia for many years before moving on to international musical theatre tours, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, and Oliver!. UK roles include Bustopher Jones (Cats), Gomez Addams (The Addams Family), and Satan/Warm-Up Guy (Jerry Springer the Opera). He received a NODA award for his performance as King Arthur in Spamalot. He is represented by Mary Liz Management.
Kathryn Hanke – (The voice of) Katherine the garden centre manager in A Proper Merry Christmess
credit Kathryn Hanke
Kathryn is a Leeds based actor and former sketch comedian. After 9 years touring the comedy circuit, she became a professional actor in 2013.
Theatre credits include: Molly’s Marvellous Moustache (Fidget Theatre) Aidy The Awesome (UK tour/The Gramophones), Residue (Speakup Theatre) The Wizard of Oz (Paperback Theatre) Mother of the Revolution (Archipelago Arts) Batty! (Lady Moss) and Mutton (Brave Words, 2025).
Recent TV credits include: The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin S1 (Apple TV, 2024) and Halloween special (Apple TV, 2025)
Joanne Bernard – Movement Director – A Proper Merry Christmess
credit Joanne Bernard
Joanne is an alumni of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Her performance career started with Kokuma Dance Theatre Company, which opened up opportunities to work and perform with national and international African and Caribbean artist.
Joanne has worked extensively as Movement Director for Tutti Frutti Productions. As a Rehearsal Director Joanne has worked with artist and choreographers, as an Artistic Consultant and mentor. Company’s include Tavaziva Dance, Gerrard Martin Dance, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Sharon Watson, Verve 24, ME Dance, Alethia Antonia, and Uchenna on their production of Our Mighty Groove which opened the new Sadler’s Wells East Theatre. Joanne was also the Artistic Consultant for Northern Colour an NPO funded project at NSCD for artist of the global majority, and Rehearsal Director for Company of Others production, Grief Floats which takes place at King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth in the North Sea. Joanne has recently returned from 3 weeks in Brazil as Rehearsal Director for Dandyism, by Patrick Ziza.
Tom Blackband – Lighting and Sound Designer and Technical Manager
credit Tom Blackband
Tom started his professional career working with bands in and around North London and then touring Europe with Chris Barber’s Jazz and Blues Band and Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen. He moved north and became Technical Manager at City Varieties Music Hall before continuing his freelance career and working for various production and theatre companies including Production Light and Sound, Red Ladder Theatre Company, Firefly, Phoenix Dance, Wrongsemble, and Theatre By The Lake. He is looking forward to spending Christmas with Red Ladder and WrongSemble.
Bay Bryan – Composer & Associate Musical Director – A Town Called Christmas
credit Michael Shelford
Bay Bryan is a composer, singer/songwriter and performer originally from the Rockies of Colorado. Now based in Manchester, Bay’s work is primarily in the UK. Recent composer/MD theatre credits include The Uncrackable Case (Lawrence Batley Theatre and Front Room Productions), The Wizard Of Oz (The Dukes), Three Little Vikings (Wrongsemble).
In 2023 Bay released The Meadow, an alt-folk/pop concept album. It enjoyed a few spins on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, as well as Worldwide FM. The release also led to a few exciting live shows including Jazz Cafe, Manchester International Festival, HOMOBLOC, Live at Leeds and more. With formal training in musical theatre from the RCS in Glasgow, Bay also continues to act, with recent credits: The Gifting (Leeds 2023 & Slung Low) and Napoleon (Apple TV+). Sometimes Bay’s drag alter ego Queen Bayard tries to steal the limelight. www.baybryan.co.uk ; instagram @baybryanmusic
Leon Fleming – writer – A Proper Merry Christmess
credit Leon Fleming
Leon is a originally from Castleford, now based in Leeds. He is currently under commission to Leeds Playhouse, and is also Co-Artistic Director of 5Pound5 Theatre.
His writing credits include: Mucky Titus (1623 Theatre Company,) Masc for Masc (5Pound5 Theatre video,) Going Outside (Bradford Fringe/Heifer Productions, live broadcast,) Chechnya Plays (5Pound5 Theatre, Theatre Deli Camberwell/Kings Head Islington,) Kicked in the Shitter (5Pound5 Theatre with Theatre in the Mill, Hope Theatre Islington/Theatre in the Mill Bradford,) Sid (5Pound5 Theatre, UK tour/West End,) The Boy Next Door (Jersey Arts Trust/BBC Radio Jersey,) Monkeys in Toy Town (New Mercury Theatre, Crescent Theatre Birmingham.)
Leon is winner of the Channel Islands Radio Drama Competition 2010, and three-time winner of the Jersey Arts Trust New Plays Project 2010, 2011, 2012. He was also co-creator of Plays Rough; a monthly platform for new theatre writing
Eija Gibson – Stage & Company Manager
credit Fay Summerfield
Eija Gibson is a Leeds-based Stage Manager and theatre-maker originally from Southampton. She trained in Acting at Leeds Conservatoire (2020–2023) and now works across the North in a range of creative and production roles.
Eija’s recent credits include: Stage Manager for Red Ladder’s We’re Not Going Back (2024), Associate Director on Tinsel (Wrongsemble, 2024), Assistant Director on POV: We’re in Love Actually (Darkhorse 2025) and Director of The Lost Property Library (Wrongsemble 2025). She regularly facilitates with Darkhorse’s Young Company and supports youth work at Leeds Playhouse.
As a queer, working-class artist, Eija is passionate about inclusive, local theatre and advocating for disabled and underrepresented voices.
Antony Jones – Costume and Set Designer
credit Wrongsemble
Antony Jones is a Yorkshire-based designer and set builder. He has been a core member of Wrongsemble for the past decade, and is driven by creating work which is ecologically conscious and sustainable. Antony trained in Fine Art at Lincoln University, with a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Leeds Beckett. Recent credits include: Three Little Vikings (Wrongsemble), Bring It Back (Bradford Arts Centre), Tinsel (Wrongsemble), Breadcrumbs (Wrongsemble), and The Not So Ugly Sisters (Wrongsemble / Red Ladder / Leeds Playhouse).
Chris Lloyd – Executive Producer
credit Lian Furness
A Red Ladder employee of over 10 years, Chris is still in constant awe of the talent he has to work with at the company. Lloydy stumbled across Red Ladder after stints at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Rosehill Theatre in Cumbria, three years in the south of Spain and ten years in London at Theatre Royal Stratford East and The Shaw Theatre in Euston.
Never happier than when sitting in his parlour counting his pennies Chris occasionally emerges, blinking, into the theatrical spotlight for opening nights, launches, free lunches and end of tour thrashes.
Cheryl Martin – Director – A Proper Merry Christmess
credit Lian Furness
Cheryl became Artistic Director of Red Ladder Theatre Company in January 2024. Alongside her writing and directing, Cheryl has supported writers and practitioners at Contact Theatre, Traverse Theatre Edinburgh and Oldham Coliseum, and worked with Community Arts Northwest on a series of community plays. In 2015 she co-founded LGBTQ+ Global-Majority performance arts company Black Gold Arts. In addition to being an Edinburgh Fringe Total Theatre assessor and judge, Cheryl was also Co-Artistic Director of Manchester’s grassroots Global-Majority-led publisher and writer development company Commonword and is Co-Director of Manchester Pride’s Candlelight Vigil. A Proper Merry Christmess is her second production for Red Ladder following Sanctuary in 2024.
Lillie-Rose McCormick – Assistant Stage Manager
credit Lian Furness
Lillie-Rose McCormick is a final year student at University Centre Leeds studying Production Arts (technical theatre and stage management). She is working with Red Ladder as assistant stage manager on its show A Proper Merry Christmess and Wrongsemble’s A Town Called Christmas
Claire O’Connor – Composer – A Town Called Christmas
credit Emily Goldie
Claire O’Connor is a creative from Leeds. She trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. As an actor she has worked for many local and national theatre companies. She co-composed ‘A Town Called Christmas’ and has MD’d previous productions. She is absolutely thrilled that the show is getting another outing. For wrongsemble she has been lucky enough to also co-compose ‘The Three Little Viking’s’ and ‘The Not So Ugly Sisters’. She has recently toured in Red Ladder’s production of ‘We’re Not Going Back’ and will be performing in ‘Mutton’ that is currently on the Red Ladder Social Circuit. Claire has a long standing relationship with both Red Ladder & Wrongsemble and is thrilled that they’ve paired up to tour this special piece!
Claire’s Musical Directing & Composition credits include:The Wizard of Oz (The Dukes Lancaster) The Odyssey (NT/Cast) The Not So Ugly Sisters/A Town Called Christmas/Hansel & Gretel/The Three Little Vikings(Wrongsemble); A Christmas Carol/A Midsummer Nights Dream/Outlaws/Murder at the coliseum/The Uncrackable Case(Front Room Productions); Harold & Maude (Interplay); Connected (Red Ladder Theatre) Hidden Histories (Mind the gap); Robyn Hood/Pirate Bonnie (Fidget Theatre) The Good Book (Slung Low) Mutton (Brave Words); Where is love/Down’t Allotment (Bloomin’ Buds)
Elvi Piper – Writer & Director – A Town Called Christmas
credit Tarek Slater
Elvi is a Yorkshire-based theatre director. She trained at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and Insitut del Teatre, Barcelona, and is the founding Artistic Director of award-winning family theatre company Wrongsemble.
Recent theatre credits as Director include: ‘The Wizard of Oz’ by Daniel Bye (The Dukes, Williamson Park Show), ‘Hush Hush’ by Lucie Raine (Mikron), ‘We’re Not Going Back’ by Boff Whalley (Red Ladder Theatre Company), ‘Three Little Vikings’ by Bethan Woollvin (Wrongsemble), ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Storyhouse, 2023), Romeo and Juliet (Storyhouse, 2022), The Coup Coup Club book by Paul Jenkins, music/lyrics by Darren Clark, concept by Amy Draper (Leeds Conservatoire/Slung Low).
Richard Priestley – Director & Choreographer – A Town Called Christmas
credit Lian Furness
Richard Priestley (he/him) is a Northern Irish-born director, choreographer and facilitator based in Manchester. He specialises in movement and ensemble-led theatre, creating bold, energetic, and inclusive work for audiences of all ages. With over 15 years of experience across professional, educational and community settings, Richard has worked extensively with companies including Wrongsemble, The Dukes, Red Ladder, Storyhouse and The British Library. His directing and choreography credits include Breadcrumbs (2025), Three Little Vikings (2025), The Wizard of Oz (2025) and Romeo & Juliet (2023). Alongside his theatre-making, Richard leads creative workshops through organisations such as Proper Job Theatre Company and The Lowry, using drama and movement to build confidence, communication, and creativity in participants from all walks of life. He is thrilled to be Co-Director and Choreographer for A Town Called Christmas and to be partnering with Red Ladder and Wrongsemble to bring festive magic to audiences across the country.
Seeta Wrightson – Writer – A Proper Merry Christmess
credit Andy Hollingworth
Seeta Wrightson is a Bradford born, Leeds based, writer, stand-up comedian and voice actor. She was commissioned by Redladder after taking part in the playwriting workshops in 2024. Seeta reached the 2021 semi-finals of BBC New Comedy Awards in 2021, is running her solo show “It’ll be all Wrightson on the night, son” at comedy festivals around the UK, and she has been selected for the BBC Comedy sponsored 2025 Female Pilot Club initiative for her sitcom script “BD5 Girls”. Seeta has also taken part in several writers rooms for TV comedy sitcoms. In 2024, she supported comedian Kiri Pritchard-McClean on several of her “Peacock” tour dates and voice acted several characters in the Bradford City of Culture BBC play “Bilal and Ted’s Bradfordian Adventure”.
A Proper Merry Christmas is Seeta’s playwriting debut.
Kathleen Yore – Puppet Maker & Trainer – A Town Called Christmas
credit Odd Doll
Kathleen is a Yorkshire based puppet / mask maker and director. Graduating with distinction from Bretton Hall. Previous making and directing credits include: All ‘Odd Doll Puppetry’ shows, Hansel and Gretel (Cast in Doncaster) Mutton (Brave words) Hansel and Gretel, Tinsel, Three Little Vikings, A Town Called Christmas (Wrongsemble), Rapunzel (Ballet Lorrent) The Hidden Garden (Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah) Jack and the Beanstalk (City Varieties) Squid and the Sea (Tatwood Puppets) Masque of Might (Opera North)
Performance credits include: Ava (Nikki Davis) Wrong un, and Mother Courage (Red Ladder) Utopias (Aber Dabai, Denmark) Northern Dreaming (Leeds 23) Grandads Tales (Pickled Image) Christmas in Leeds Market (Alive and Kicking) Submercycle, Bees, Moths at work, Action painting (Pif Paf) Pirate Bonnie (Fidget). For fifteen years, Kathleen has also worked as a hospital clown doctor for northern children’s hospital units under the name ‘Dr Nic Nac’ for ‘Theodora Children’s Charity’, specialising in improvisation and play with families in order to relieve anxiety and to remind people of the joy of life.
“One thing I hadn’t realised beforehand was just how much stage managers actually do!” student Lillie-Rose McCormick on her current placement with Red Ladder & Wrongsemble
Lillie-Rose McCormick is a final year student at University Centre Leeds studying Production Arts (technical theatre and stage management). She is working with Red Ladder as assistant stage manager on its show A Proper Merry Christmess and Wrongsemble’s A Town Called Christmas
How did you end up working with Red Ladder and can you tell us a bit about your role?
As part of my course we need to do industry placements and one of my teachers said there was a place available at Red Ladder so I went and had a chat with them. I hadn’t really done much stage management work before so I was keen to find out more and luckily they agreed to take me on.
It’s been really interesting and made me think on my feet in a way that maybe I haven’t had to do before. The other day I was asked to buy some props for the show which might not seem like a big thing, but it was nice to be trusted to do this.
One thing I hadn’t realised beforehand was just how much stage managers actually do! They help with the sets and props, and they oversee the entire show from a logistics point of view, which you don’t appreciate until you’re doing it yourself.
Where does your interest in theatre come from?
I grew up in Norwich and my nan used to take me and my brother to the theatre every Christmas to see the panto, and I just loved it. There was something magical about it that totally fascinated me. I also did quite a bit of dancing when I was younger and I was lucky enough to be taken to watch the ballet.
Originally, I wanted to do acting at GCSE but unfortunately covid hit and my anxiety levels really went up. When I went back I got lower grades than I was hoping which made me rethink whether I should do drama at A Level. So me and my dad looked at the different options because I still wanted to do something linked to theatre, but I wasn’t sure I had the confidence to be on the stage. We thought that production arts might be better for me because I’d still be in the industry. I would just be backstage rather than on it.
What have you learned about how a show like this is put together?
It’s amazing how quickly everything happens. You start off with a rehearsal room and a script and in a few weeks the actors know all their lines, you have a set and everyone knows what they’re doing. I’ve also learned about the importance of lighting and sound and how they can make a big difference to the look and feel of a show.
L-R Lillie-Rose with Stage Manager, Eija Gibson in rehearsals for the Christmas tour
What’s it been like being part of the Red Ladder team?
It’s been incredible working in a professional environment and seeing how everyone works together. Learning on the job like this is so important because you pick up new skills and you think about things in a different way.
Why is it important that young people get opportunities in theatre?
Young people need opportunities within theatre because it feels like the younger generations are constantly talked down to and told they don’t have enough life experience. It’s quite difficult to get a job anywhere at the moment as a young person. So a job like this, as well as giving you experience, can help you make connections. Hopefully if you do well and make a good impression it means you might get another opportunity in the future.
I think there’s a general feeling, especially after covid, that young people can’t do things. But actually we can do the same things as everyone else, we just need the opportunity to show it. You might think that because you’re younger you’ll get hired because you’re cheaper to employ, but that’s not how it seems to work. I’ve heard stories where people have been turned down for jobs simply because they aren’t in work, which just seems crazy to me. So it’s incredibly important for young people to be given a chance.
Does theatre still matter in today’s entertainment world with all the streaming channels and social media platforms?
Yes, because it’s inspirational. You can make a play about anything. It can be a happy subject or a serious one, and to be able to turn that into a story that connects with an audience is just amazing.
You have authentic reactions to what you’re portraying, and you don’t have the canned laughter you get on some TV shows. If you’ve written a play, or directed a show, you get to see the audience’s reaction and whether they like it or not. With TV you only get to see the viewing figures, you don’t get to see how many people enjoyed it. But in theatre you do – you get to see people’s faces.
Both images taken during rehearsals for A Town Called Christmas and A Proper Merry Christmess by Lian Furness
With the yuletide season fast approaching we asked the writers, cast and director of our new festive show, A Proper Merry Christmess, ‘what does Christmas mean to you?’
Maryam Ali, actor
For me, Christmas is about spending time with my family in a little place called Stokesley, not far from Middlesbrough. That’s where I grew up and because we don’t get to see each other so often as we’re busy working, it’s nice to know we’re going to have that time together. It’s funny because in A Proper Merry Christmess Rani (my character) is asked if she celebrates Christmas as she’s South Asian. She says her family does, they just “do it a bit differently”. This really struck a chord with me as my family is Muslim, my dad’s Pakistani and my mum’s English, but we still join in with the Christmas traditions. It’s that one day in the year when the whole family, including aunties and uncles, all get together.
Roo Arwen, actor
I grew up in a very working-class estate in Pudsey. We had a small flat there and my mum and I always got quite stressed by the concept of Christmas. But we made it our own because it was just me, my mum and my nana when I was growing up. We made it a fun day. We had a tradition of watching Shrek every Christmas and we still do that now. We just made it feel like a special day where we got cosy and watched films and ate lots of junk food. Now, my boyfriend joins us and his family too. So it’s grown a bit from that little trio, which is nice. It’s just about appreciating what you’ve got and showing people that you love them. That’s the joy of Christmas for me. It’s not about superficial, material things.
Charles Doherty, actor
To me, in the UK Christmas is a time for people to come together, particularly during the coldest darkest time of the year, but it also shines a light on loneliness and inequality. This is why I produced the carols by candlelight event during my time in Ireland – a free annual musical and comedy event for the whole community, which raised thousands for motor neuron research through donations. So that’s what Christmas means to me.
Leon Fleming, writer
My dad was a coal miner and my uncle was a coal miner, so we were a coal mining family and one of my earliest Christmas memories goes back to the Miners’ Strike in 1984, when I was six years old. Normally, on Boxing Day we always had a big party where all the family came to our house, but that year we couldn’t because we had no money. The presents we got that year mostly came from other people kindly donating them and instead of a party at ours, we went to my cousin’s auntie and uncle’s house in Wakefield. So I just remember it feeling very different. These days I spend Christmas at my mum’s house. It’s just the two of us. We do a little buffet on Christmas Eve and then we spend Christmas Day making loads of lovely foods and eating too much. It’s nice and quiet – just how we like it.
Cheryl Martin, director
For the past few years I’ve been going home for Christmas to Chesapeake Beach in Maryland, in the US, where my mother and sister live. It’s a really small seaside town that used to be a popular resort back in the day. When you go there at Christmas it looks like something out of a movie. You can’t move for Christmas decorations – they’re big and they are everywhere. You’ve got big candy canes, there’s a big Christmas tree down by the boardwalk and even a fishing penguin! So it’s full-on Christmas. There’s a lot more decorations there than here in England.
When me and my sisters were little we’d get taken to the big department stores in Washington DC and they all had these huge Christmas animatronic displays and competed with each other to see who had the best window. When I go to DC now we visit all the museums and head up and down the malls, and the family goes to my sister’s house on Christmas Day. So for me, it’s family that makes Christmas special.
Seeta Wrightson, writer
I usually host Christmas which can make it a bit stressful in the run up to it. Everyone comes over to mine in Leeds. There’s my two sisters, their other halves, my mum and dad, me and my other half. And every other year we have my stepson. That’s nine people in a three-bedroom house, so there’s a lot of cushions on the floor and sleeping bags. It’s part of the fun though! Christmas Eve is actually bigger for us than Christmas Day itself, but not for any particular reason. We started a tradition of a cheese and pate night on Christmas Eve, so there’s one couple on the cheese run, one couple on pate and another couple on bread – though whoever has to do the cheese run is a bit stressed because it’s so close to Christmas! It’s nice for us all to actually catch up at Christmas and be silly again, like when we were kids. We’re all super busy so it’s rare we get that much time together. On Christmas Eve, we usually eat, drink and play lots of board games and then Christmas Day tends to be a little slower because we’re all a bit hungover!
All images taken during rehearsals for A Town Called Christmas and A Proper Merry Christmess by Lian Furness, apart from Leon’s (credit Leon) and Seeta’s (credit Andy Hollingworth)
The rise and fall of Mary Bateman – aka ‘the Yorkshire Witch’ – with MUTTON writer and Brave Words’ artistic director Chris Singleton
MUTTON is a new dark comedy from Leeds-based theatre company Brave Words, exploring the life and times of Mary Bateman, aka the Yorkshire Witch, and how the desperation of ordinary folk in the early 1800s has parallels with our world today. MUTTON is written by Chris Singleton, artistic director of Brave Words. Here, Chris explains the inspiration behind the play, which comes to Hawksworth Village Hall, Leeds, on Nov 19, and St John’s Parish Hall, Staincross, Barnsley, on Nov 28…
Where did the idea for MUTTON come from?
I was writer in residence at Leeds Central Library in 2019 and started doing some digging into the wrongdoing and mischief that had occurred in Leeds over the centuries and that’s when I came across Mary Bateman’s story. I immediately thought it would make a cracking play in a kind of League of Gentlemen-esque, Fleabag kind of style, where the female lead talks directly to the audience. I started writing a play in 2023 and two years later we got some funding to make it.
Who was Mary Bateman and what do we know about her?
Mary was a woman living in poverty, like a lot of people, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She grew up in North Yorkshire and got a bit of a reputation as a thief and wrongdoer from a very early age. By the time she was five, she was described as ‘knavish’ and ‘vicious’ and this reputation followed her around. She moved to Leeds and continued her career of crime, probably as a way to survive but also as a compulsion. Amongst her crimes – and this is where the title of the play comes from – she intercepted a butcher’s boy on his delivery round and demanded a leg of lamb saying the Lord wanted it and snatched it from him and took it home for her tea.
MUTTON
How did Mary become known as the Yorkshire Witch?
She was a fortune teller and sold charms under a multitude of aliases, but her biggest con was what became known as the ‘Prophet hen of Leeds.’ She wrote ‘Christ is coming’ on a load of eggs using either vinegar or acid, hilariously misspelling Christ, writing it without the ‘h’. There are various accounts, but it seems she convinced some people that her hen was laying these holy eggs and charged people a penny a go to see them. She became a bit of a local celebrity through her ‘holy hen’ and prophesying the end of the world. However, she became increasingly malicious and started poisoning people to keep them under her control, convincing them they needed her healing skills. Mary eventually poisoned the wrong person and was caught. She was imprisoned in York and later hanged in front of what was believed to be a record crowd of between 5,000 and 10,000 people. It was reported that some had walked all the way from Leeds to see the hanging, either because they had been her victims or wanted to see if the Yorkshire Witch had one final spell that would help her escape the gallows, which, of course, she didn’t.
Why did you want to tell her story on stage?
Back in the early 1800s a lot of people were living in poverty, the Industrial Revolution was underway and there was fear of new technology in the mills and factories and people were desperate for anything that might make their lives a little bit better. That’s why Mary was successful, people wanted to believe in something. As I was writing the play I kept thinking about the similarities with today. People are struggling, they’re worried about new technology in the form of AI and being conned by false prophets who claim they have the answers.
Also, Mary herself was a woman who grew up with no agency over her life and took agency by pretending to have magic powers, and we wanted to explore the idea of a woman living in what was a very patriarchal society. We’re not trying to say she wasn’t a villain, because she was, but I wanted to explore the reasons that might lead someone to do the audacious things she did.
Can you talk a bit about the play itself?
The play opens on the gallows moments before Mary is hanged and it ends on the gallows. In between is Mary telling a version of her story to the audience, alongside a collection of characters she conned during her life. It’s framed around the idea of who tells our stories and it also raises questions about can we trust the people who tell them?
MUTTON rehearsal credit Ant Robling
Why are we still interested in witchcraft and prophecies?
In the early 1800s, witchcraft wasn’t anywhere near as prevalent as it had been a couple of centuries earlier, but people were still fascinated by it and I don’t think that fascination has ever gone away. People are still interested in stories about magic and witchcraft.
How is Mary’s story relevant to a modern audience?
The idea of Mary claiming to be able to make people’s lives better when doing it for selfish reasons is something that chimes with our world today. Mary was a charismatic person who was able to convince people of things. She was a grifter, who was running from one con to the next, who would jump on a bandwagon if she thought it would benefit her. You only have to look at the world of politics to see this is still happening today.
What do you hope audiences take away from watching MUTTON?
We’re in a world now where so many high-profile voices are competing for people’s attention and some of those are doing it for selfish reasons. I hope the play makes people who come to see it think about why we believe in certain things and certain people, and not others. The play revolves around three main characters – Mary, Old Nan, who taught her about witchcraft, and Winnie, who Mary attempts to teach to be a witch – so as well as telling Mary’s story we’re also exploring the passing of experiences between generations, and whether you can stand up for what you believe in when somebody is trying to make you believe in something else.
To book tickets visit: Red Ladder Theatre Company or go to Mutton — BRAVE WORDS
