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Appointment of Director
Modern Mayhen as Moll Flanders staged
The curtain rises on a £1million fundraiser
NODA Report - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Air of slitherin’
From Rosehill Theatre to Kosovo

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APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR

The Chairman and Trustees of Rosehill Arts Trust are pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Elder as Director to succeed Karen Thompson. Richard will take up the position officially in July although he is becoming increasingly involved now.

This appointment comes at a significant time for Rosehill as we prepare for our 50th anniversary in 2009 and a major building redevelopment.

Richard Elder is an experienced manager and producer in performing arts and entertainment, having held senior positions at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and with English National Opera. He has undertaken a number of significant commissions as a consultant, in addition, the most recent of which have been with the newly developed Belgrade Theatre in Coventry (shortlisted for a RIBA Award) and with the National Youth Orchestra, now based in London.

The Chairman, Dave Mason said:

"I'm really pleased to welcome Richard to the team. He joins us at an important point in Rosehill's history. He has tremendous experience and a record of achievement he will be able to use to make Rosehill a centre of excellence for the arts, which the local community will be proud of."

Richard Elder is delighted to have this opportunity at this significant time. His family home is in Dumfriesshire from where, as a teenager, he travelled to performances at Rosehill which had a major influence on his career in performing arts to follow. He says of this appointment that it is a “perfect opportunity at a perfect time.” Richard is keen to move north and has a great love of the countryside in addition to performing arts. To be able to combine the two and at such a pivotal time for the theatre is a remarkable opportunity, coming as it does with the Trustees intention to mount a major redevelopment of the theatre and relook at its programming and events

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Modern mayhem as Moll Flanders staged

Whitehaven News, Thursday 22 May 2008

DANIEL Defoe’s literary classic, Moll Flanders, has been hilariously adapted for the stage.

It is being performed at Rosehill Theatre on Friday, May 30, at 7.30pm, by the Brute Farce Theatre Company.

Said to be a wickedly outrageous adaptation of the classic tale, it promises modern mayhem with a generous sprinkling of satire.

From the dingy recess of Newgate prison, to marriage, prostitution and Moll’s final “penance” in the plantations of Virginia, Brute Farce promise a versatile cast in this tale of incest, bigamy and crime.

First appearing in 1722, Moll Flanders is the English novel's first leading female character but 300 years later, her obsession with social mobility, trading her looks and guile for advancement through marriage, invites clear parallels with the current fascination with celebrity vanity.

Tickets are £12 and £10, telephone 01946 692422

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The curtain rises on a £1million fundraiser

Published on 31/01/2008 in The Whitehaven News

FOR almost 50 years, Rosehill Theatre has served the public well and won a place in the hearts of theatregoers countywide. But now the time has come to revamp the theatre and make it fit for the next 50 years.

Ambitious refurbishment proposals are being discussed for the Whitehaven venue and the organisation is inviting the public to contribute their thoughts to that process.

Local user groups have already been consulted and now a public survey has been created and posted on the theatre’s website, which they hope West Cumbrians will take the time to fill in.

Theatre director Karen Thompson said: “It’s important that the public contributes to this process of planning. Rosehill is a small local charitable organisation which essentially is committed to serve the local population. It’s your venue: tell us what you think!”

The intention is to secure Rosehill as a facility for the arts and community in West Cumbria and to improve it in line with modern expectations. It’s a £1million-plus project which the trustees are taking on at a time when arts funding seems to be getting cut left, right and centre. And they hope to have it all done and dusted by the end of 2009 – the theatre’s 50th anniversary year.

It’s a challenging goal but as David Mason, chairman of the regeneration committee points out, the result will be “a community facility for generations to come”.

So what specifically will we get for our £1million plus?

A refurbished bar and foyer area suitable for contemporary audience expectations;

Improved access to the theatre including a new lobby and ticket office;

An exhibition area for visual arts;

The possible creation of new restaurant which would operate in conjunction and independently of the theatre, using the spectacular views across the countryside and Solway Firth that Rosehill enjoys.

In addition the backstage facilities would be extended and upgraded to be suitable for larger community group casts and made accessible for the disabled. Essential repair work to the building’s structure is also required and would include replacing the worn original timber cladding and parts of the slate roof.

As the home to the only cinema in Copeland, it is also hoped to improve the projection area and equipment, making it ready for the digital age.

But where will the funding come from?

The trustees are beginning a potentially long and difficult round of negotiations with various funding bodies. Arts Council North West is highly supportive. Combined arts officer Charles Rowley said: “Rosehill is an important organisation strategically in delivering quality arts programming and participatory arts activities in West Cumbria, an under-served area of the region.

“The proposals for the regeneration of the venue are very exciting for all concerned.”

David Mason added: “The theatre is the only Arts Council-funded arts centre in the area. The Arts Council recognises the strategic importance of Rosehill and its role in extending out to the community.

“The Arts Council will be increasing its core funding of the Rosehill programme by 40 per cent but it has no money for capital projects. We are going to have to find the money from local sources.

“Other bodies are looking to see what jobs might be created by the regeneration of the theatre and we’re confident that a revival of the theatre will see a number of jobs created.”

The icing on the cake will be the ‘greening’ of the theatre, made possible by the rebuilding work.

Karen Thompson said: “Arts and culture have a major role to play in regeneration and the economic development of areas.

“With tourism playing an increasingly important part in the local economy and with the imperative to provide good local services to make the area an attractive place to live and work, the improvement of Rosehill’s facilities are a key factor in the development of West Cumbria.”

The regeneration programme ties in nicely with the 50th anniversary of the theatre, which was founded by local businessman Sir Nicholas Sekers.

The interior of the theatre was created by noted designer Oliver Messel and the theatre itself is now Grade II listed. But a chance meeting between David and Oliver’s nephew means that they now have access to original moulds for some of the fittings making restoration work possible.

The stage is set for Rosehill’s regeneration and revival – so what’s the next step?

David said: “There is a leap of faith involved but the first moves have been made possible by a private donation. We will need to bring on secretarial and project support, and donations are very welcome.

“We need to raise some funds by the summer of this year with a view to starting work in late summer. The work will take about a year so it will hopefully be finished by late summer 2009.”

It is likely that the theatre may have to close for a short time while some of the work is carried out but it is hoped to either erect a marquee in the grounds or take ‘Rosehill into the community’ so that the theatre can continue its 50-year-long tradition.

As they always say, “The show must go on...”

The survey can be found at www.rosehilltheatre.co.uk .

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Published on 21/02/2008 in Times and Star

TOP British soul and funk saxophonist Snake Davis visits Cumbria this weekend to promote his eighth album.

Widely known for his solos on tracks such as Lisa Stansfield’s Change, M People’s Search For The Hero and Moving On Up and Take That’s A Million Love Songs, Snake has played and recorded with artists ranging from James Brown to Paul McCartney, The Eurythmics to Amy Winehouse – recording on more than 400 tracks for more than 60 artists and playing live with dozens more.

Snake and his band visit the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, on Saturday (call 01539 725133 to book tickets) and the Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, on Sunday (call 01946 692422), playing music from the new album Talking Bird as well as a variety of old favourites.

How did you start playing wind instruments?

Well, I picked up a flute at a friend’s house and I really liked the idea of playing and she had given up playing so she lent it to me. I’d already been a singer and tried keyboards, guitar and trumpet.

Why did you choose the sax?

I found out the flute wasn’t loud enough to get noticed and the sax was similar fingering, and as soon as I picked it up I knew this was the instrument for me.

How did you get to where you are today?

Progress was slow and steady. I never really experienced the “lucky break” or “amazing chance encounter”. There were notable steps up like playing solo on The Tube (with Paula Yates and Jools Holland). Doing first TV sessions (Granada TV’s Behind the Bike Sheds), playing solos on good records that people took notice of with artists like Living in a Box and Lisa Stansfield.

But really all this came about through working and working, practising and practising more, getting out and playing loads and loads of shows with all kinds of different line ups.

Gradually I started being noticed and people started asking for me to record and tour with them. Slowly and steadily my name got known.

If you hadn’t been a musician, what would you have ended up doing?

A psychiatric nurse or primary school teacher.

You’ve worked with a lot of big names – what has been your most rock’n’roll moment?

At one of the after-shows on the Eurythmics world tour I looked around and realised that I was hanging out with Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox, Bono, the Irish prime minister and the second richest man in the world, all in our dressing room. I thought, is this for real?

Out of all the work you’ve done, what are you most proud of and why?

My own albums (because I put so much time and effort into them and people like them!) and my solos on A Million Love Songs and Lisa Stansfield and M People’s tracks (Change, Someday, Moving on Up, Search for the Hero etc) because they are so Snakey.

I am so much a part of those records, and they have touched so many people.

With the advent of electronic music, what is the place of the saxophone in pop music today?

Sax is not so much “in vogue” for solos on pop records at the moment but appears in brass sections a lot. This has more to do with fashion and trends than electronic music. Sax can sit quite happily with electronic music. The classic “sax break” still has a big place in soul blues and rock. Sax is number one in jazz of course.

Who are your favourite people to work with, and why?

My own faithful band members, because they play so well and work so hard, and Heather Small. I started as M People’s sax player but now I’m musical director too for M People and for Heather Small solo.

Heather and I have worked so closely together for so many years, we’ve done so many great shows together, built the music up, travelled the world.

It’s been a huge part of my musical life.

Are there any artists you wouldn’t work with again, and why?

One springs to mind, Gene (“Duke of Earl”) Chandler, US soul singer. We learned his tunes and backed him about five years ago. He was rude, arrogant, hadn’t learned his own songs, treated my band very badly, wanted to fight me. One of my lovely girl singers kept me out of his way!

Who would be your dream collaborator, and why?

Soul singer Van Morrison, a big hero who I’ve never had a chance to work with.

Do you have any ambitions left to fulfil?

Just to do what I’m doing, taking it to new heights and places.

And the obvious one... where does the name ‘Snake’ come from?

My stage name comes from the fact that apparently I slither in a snake-like fashion when I’m on stage with my instruments. And I weave and writhe my way around a melody, unable to play it straight.

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