Bloomer drama at birthplace of club,
STORY OF CLUB LEGEND GIVEN A DRAMATIC TWIST IN NEW THEATRE SEASON AT CITY CENTRE VENUE
THE Old Bell Hotel in Derby was built 370 years ago. It quickly established itself as one of the most prestigious coaching inns outside of London and for much of the 17th and 18th century it was a centre for travel, food, hospitality and leisure, as well as home to many families.
The Lost Boys Theatre Company was born in Derby 11 years ago. It enjoyed early successes with its new comedy writing and street theatre, which were often performed in non-traditional spaces.
Over the years, it has created work for and performed in cinemas, abandoned factories, woodlands, stately homes, and pubs.
After a dizzying first five years, The Lost Boys then added to its ouvre by exploring produced works that had not been performed in the UK before.
The resulting journey saw it conquer Edinburgh Festival Fringe audiences with Ears on a Beatle, explore the art of screenwriting with Me and Robert McKee and tackle the harderhitting subject of cancer in Ball.
Five years ago The Lost Boys bought three nights of its adult adaptation of A Christmas Carol; Scrooge to one of its favourite venues, The Old Bell Hotel, Derby. That show still runs every Christmas season but now for 12 nights across December and tickets are much sought after.
After the success of its Christmas programme, together The Lost Boys and The Old Bell started to explore other ideas for events and are now working in partnership to create a year of Pub Theatre and events for Derby audiences for 2020.
The Old Bell has a multitude of unique rooms that are the perfect fit for exciting, new theatrical and immersive shows and events. The Lost Boys has the expertise to craft engaging pieces of theatre that fit seamlessly into the spaces it works in, whether that is the atmospheric Tudor Bar or the much grander space of the Regency Ballroom.
As director of The Lost Boys, I began to pull a potential programme together early last year and read 38 plays in three weeks, plus a handful of novels and factual books before creating a shortlist to begin exploring for the venue.
I was looking for works that would entice a new audience but also serve the existing Lost Boys and Old Bell audiences. Ultimately, we wanted to create the first season designed specifically for Derby and reignite cultural interest in this part of the city with something different and pub theatre is most certainly that.”
The 2020 pub theatre season kicks off with a newly commissioned play, An Evening with Steve Bloomer (Sort Of), written by Peter Roberts, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, March 19-22. Two Rams fans deliver a comedic, biographical night about the Derby County and England legend.
But not all is as it seems, as the two presenters bear an old grudge and are competing for the audience’s attention and affection.
None of this will stop them honouring the memory of one of football’s greats, as they attempt to bring his biography to life and recapture his glory days.
Whilst researching Bloomer, I stumbled upon some amazing information about a connection with the venue.
I discovered that the formation of Derbyshire County Football Club was actually decided upon during a meeting at The Old Bell in 1884 and just a few years later the club merged with Derby Midland and Bloomer signed a professional contract in 1892, so it feels like the perfect fit that we’re now telling his story in the very venue where the club was created.
The Lost Boys was also given access to pitchside at the home of the Rams to take photos with the Bloomer bust for the poster image. The ground was empty and it was quite magical walking beside the dugouts and doing the shoot. There is also an Extra Time event that will follow each performance. This is an exhibition curated by The
While researching Bloomer I stumbled upon some amazing information about a connection with the venue
Old Bell and features private collections of Derby County memorabilia that will be displayed in the Stables Bar. All of this is included in the £10 ticket price.
The rest of the pub theatre programme comprises The Lost Boys’ critical and audience hit Ears on a Beatle, which sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe.
A new play, devised by The Lost Boys specifically for The Old Bell, follows this in October – Confessions of a Stagecoach Driver.
Lastly, in November there will be a new adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (See panel, right, for more information on all the plays.)
Alongside the season of pub theatre there will be a programme of immersive dining events, including Titanic Dining Experience (see panel, top right), where dining and theatre come together as audiences will not only experience the same menu served on board on the doomed liner, but will also weave stories of survivors and biographies of the victims with the ship’s entertainment for a night to remember.
The Lost Boys and The Old Bell are confident they have enough material, show and event ideas for several years to come already, and I am already planning for next year and beyond.
So, 370 years after being built, The Old Bell Hotel is once again the centre for travel, food, hospitality and leisure by hosting produced work, new writing, comedy and immersive dining events produced by The Lost Boys all under one roof in The Cathedral Quarter.
Tickets are available for all events and shows by calling 01332 723090, in person at The Old Bell, in Sadler Gate, or online at bellhotelderby. co.uk/events/