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Heritage Day Programme Launched

The Stories We Tell heritage festival artwork - Large text against a striped background reads 'The Stories We Tell', underneath comic book-style text reads 'Past, present and future voices from the Northcott Archive'
We’ve announced the full programme for our The Stories We Tell heritage day, which runs at our theatre on 1 May.

You will be able to take part in family-friendly craft activities and experience community-led film, exhibitions and live performances inspired by stories uncovered from the Northcott Theatre Archive.

The heritage day programme includes:

An Antidote to Invisibility by Liberty Smith

10:00 – Closing Time. Free and not ticketed.

Central to the heritage day is an installation film by Bristol-based artist and filmmaker Liberty Smith, which shares personal stories told by historically underrepresented voices in theatre. There is also a listening booth, where visitors can hear interesting stories about the impact theatre and the Northcott has made on people’s lives.

The Places We’ve Been by Hannah Kumari and Company

Performances: 18:30 (accessible performance), 20:00. Runtime: 55 minutes. Free and ticketed.

Taking in parts of the Northcott that an audience wouldn’t normally see, The Places We’ve Been is inspired by our theatre’s 55-year archive, and by workshops with local community groups and professional actors. This performance explores the stories which have been told in the past and asks how we can better serve all members of our community in the future.

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A young man looks down at a fake cow head – to their right, a sign saying ‘stage left, quiet please’

The Back End of the Cow and Other Stories presented by the Northcott Young Company

Performances: 11:00, 12:00, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30. Runtime: 30 minutes. Tickets £7.50 (£5 concessions).

The Northcott Young Company have been busy gathering stories from a range of people involved with the Northcott to create a brand-new promenade performance. They will guide visitors away from the stage and through the lesser-known parts of the theatre, sharing funny scenes and poignant moments from the Northcott’s history as they go.

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Drop-In Craft Activities

10:00 – 15:00. Free and not ticketed.

Throughout the day, children and families can get stuck in with craft activities at our restaurant. We will provide art supplies and welcome people of all ages and abilities.

A group of children play on a Twister game mat
Photo Credit: Emily Appleton
Three performers wearing colourful panto outfits look shocked
Photography: Alan Winn

Exploring the Archive Exhibition at the Bill Douglas Museum

Bill Douglas Museum opening times: 10:00 – 17:00. Free and not ticketed.

The Bill Douglas Museum, a short walk from our theatre, is exhibiting an exciting collection of archive material from the our 55-year history, including posters, pictures, and play scripts.

About our heritage project

The Stories We Tell is the culmination of a two-year community engagement project carried out in collaboration with the University of Exeter’s Digital Humanities and Special Collections departments with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This project enabled Exeter-based communities to explore materials from our archive, sparking conversations about accessibility and the arts, the changing role of regional theatre, diversity and representation in theatre and experiences of women in theatre.

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a seat

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