Join Mike for for Theatre YouTube tour
DID you know that Southport Little Theatre now has a dedicated YouTube channel?
It’s one of a number of ways we can keep our theatre alive for our patrons and members while we await the time we can get back to the serious business of live entertainment.
Our channel currently features a range of short videos put together during lockdown to mark key events in our past and celebrate the life and work of the Southport Dramatic
Club, which this year is celebrating its centenary.
Brand new to the channel this week is a virtual tour of the theatre, expertly hosted by the charismatic Mike Yates and filmed and edited by Michèle Martin and Alan Gosling respectively.
Mike, a former SDC chairman, is one of the most established and respected SDC members.
He is an excellent director and stage manager and one of our finest and most experienced actors; an ideal choice to front the video, especially as he has led many tours in person over the years, introducing scores of people to the joys of the Little Theatre.
The video is a fascinating 30 minute exploration of all parts of our theatre; including areas such as the fly rail high above the stage where cloths and large props are flown in and out – somewhere even many members may never have seen.
It was put together for a national programme of heritage open days - Heritageopendays.org. uk which, due to the current situation, could not be done in the traditional way.
Live tours are always popular and entertaining; happily we have used the opportunity this has presented to give us a lasting resource for us both to enjoy and to share with people to showcase our Little Theatre, how it works and all it offers.
Usually at this time of the year we would be in the swing of the first play of the subscriber season.
Alongside this, many of the talented youth theatre would be in the throes of pantomime prep, fresh from another successful show of their own to open the season.
Our executive committee continues to meet to prepare to be ready to reschedule and restart a live programme when the conditions are right and we can safely invite patrons and our many volunteers back into the theatre.
Under normal circumstances we would also be preparing to host household names from the professional comedy world as part of Southport Comedy Festival.
We are delighted to see that festival organiser, the hilarious and indefatigable Bren Riley, has found a way to safely stage the festival, complete with many star headliners as a live event.
It takes place in a marquee in Victoria Park from October 8 to 18.
Go to southportcomedyfestival.co.uk for details.
We will definitely miss them this year, but wish Bren and his team the best of luck and look forward to having them back at the Little in 2021 if we can do so safely.
You can find and subscribe to our YouTube channel and enjoy Mike’s fascinating tour of the Little and other videos by going to youtube.com and searching ‘Southport Little Theatre’.
Go to our website – littletheatresouthport. co.uk or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and more at facebook.com/SouthportLittleTheatre and instagram.com/little_ theatre_southport