The Library Theatre Company’s second site-specific production Manchester Lines, opens this week, written by one of the city’s favourite adopted daughters, award-winning poet, playwright and novelist Jackie Kay, whose touching memoir Red Dust Road won the prestigious Scottish Book of the Year Award in 2011.
The production takes place on the Fifth Floor of Number One First Street in Manchester city centre, close to the site of the building which will house the Library Theatre’s new home, scheduled to open in 2014.
The story follows Eugene, an affable and lived-in 50-something manager of a lost property office, who sees all manner of human life in his daily routine. Among those people whose paths cross in his office are a woman in her 60s who gave up her daughter, a 20-something loner with an obsession about umbrellas, and a fragile young woman who wants to become as anonymous as possible. Together we see how their lives connect and unfold in this funny, fateful, wistful, moving, and sad piece of theatre.
One of the great things about Manchester Lines is that it is designed to be an intimate promenade production, which means the audience will have the chance to mingle with the actors and get totally absorbed into the action. It also features a specially assembled community choir, which highlights the Library Theatre Company’s commitment to its work in the wider community.
Directing the production is site-specific theatre specialist Wils Wilson, whose work with the National Theatre of Scotland has won her many plaudits, and composer Errollyn Wallen, joins the stellar crew, managing to pen seven songs for Manchester Lines whilst juggling his work composing sections of the music for the opening ceremony of the forthcoming London 2012 Paralympic Games.
The ensemble cast is headed by John Branwell, (Doctors, Emmerdale, Foyle’s War); Scottish actress Anne Kidd, (Tutti Frutti, Monarch of the Glen, and River City); and Claire Brown, who was nominated for a Best Actress Award in the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for her performance as Beatie in Roots at the Royal Exchange in 2008.
Please note there is strong language in Manchester Lines.
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Performances: Tuesday 12 June – Saturday 7 July 2012.
Venue: Fifth Floor, Number One First Street, Manchester M15 4FN
Box office www.librarytheatre.com or 0161 200 1500
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