HAVE you ever been to see a show at the theatre and spent most of the time admiring the sets?
If you have, then Mike McGrother’s new show ‘Of Rogues and Of Honest Men’ at ARC on Saturday (July 22) might be just the thing for you.
Because you’ll not only get an evening of entertainment centred on the area’s Irish Heritage, but the chance to buy items from the set too!
The show is part of this week’s brand new ‘Stockton Stages’ music and comedy festival and tickets are available now on a ‘pay what you decide’ basis.
“This has never been attempted in the UK before,” said Mike, frontman of the Wildcats of Kilkenny. “We’ve got a barroom set containing some beautiful items from reclamation yards across the Borough that we’ve lovingly restored.
“The audience will have the chance to buy these items to support the small enterprises that are bringing their stock into the production.”
Sale profits will support the work of the Ordinary Opera Company to collect the life stories of some of the Borough’s most elderly and isolated residents.
“The show itself has brought together 150 professional and community performers, musicians, designers, artists and film makers to tell the story of Teesside from the point of view of the Irish community that settled here in the mid-19th cetury,” said Mike.
“We’re billing it as a ‘Community Pub Opera’ that depicts the industrial revolution, strength of community spirit and skills exodus of Teesside from the 1850s to the current day.
“It’s a highly evocative piece combining themes of identity, cultural inheritance and Teesside pride.”
There are two performances of ‘Of Rogues and Of Honest Men’ taking place at ARC on Saturday (July 22), from 6pm to 8pm and from 8.30pm to 10.30pm.
Tickets are available in advance, but there is no obligation for you to pay until after you have seen the show.
You can then decide on a price which you think is suitable based on your experience.
The Stockton Stages music and comedy festival runs from Thursday, July 20 to Saturday, July 22 and features a mix of free and ticketed entertainment.
To order tickets, and for further information about the festival, visit www.stocktonstages.co.uk