A new spin on Greek myth
Then three years ago he wrote Black Men Walking ,aplayinspired by a walking group from South Yorkshire.
At the heart of all his work is storytelling, and he hopes people will be moved by Orpheus in the Record Shop. “With every piece that I write, whether it’s a little poem or a sprawling play, there’s always an aim, perhaps spiritual or political and sometimes both, and this one was about having compassion for one another and for ourselves,” he says. “I didn’t want it to be a lockdown play but for me this period has exacerbated what was already there, whether that is social or racial inequality, or how disconnected we are in our political bubbles, and these things are in the play. Sometimes they’re addressed through humour, sometimes addressed through song, they’re all little touchstones on Orpheus’s journey.
“I hope people also have a bit of a laugh and enjoy the great music from the Opera North players because that’s a big part of it.
“Art and culture is all about stories and when we’re in the midst of a crisis we need stories to give us the path out, whether that’s a play, a piece of music or a parable.”
It’s a view no doubt shared by all those who work in theatre, for whom the past 12 months have been tough. “As soon as the city comes back to life the theatre needs to come back to life,” says James Brining. “So that means we need to be nimble and have plans that we can adapt and change, which is something we have learned and demonstrated we can do over the past year.”
If there has been a saving grace to the past 12 months it is that streaming live theatre has brought work to a wider audience. The Playhouse’s production of A Christmas Carol, for instance, was seen by people in 16 countries online. “I don’t think we’ll go back to how it was before as a sector,” adds Brining. “I think digital’s here to stay and we have to be smart about how we build that into projects in the future.”
There is light at the end of the tunnel as our theatres and arts organisations prepare to reopen again and welcome audiences back.
Opera North’s forthcoming season includes live performances of Beethoven’s Fidelio, and a co-production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with Leeds Playhouse rescheduled for this summer.
“I think people need, now more than ever, to come together and experience what theatre, and indeed music and sport can provide,” says Brining. “These aren’t essential but they are the things that make life worth living.”
Orpheus in The Record Shop is available on BBC iPlayer.