Gatsby takes the lead in arts centre's great season

A year ago Square Chapel arts centre in Halifax was planning for its re-opening after an ambitious £6.6 million redevelopment programme.

Twelve months on, the centre is now preparing for its 2018 summer season and celebrating an exciting year as part of Halifax’s cultural scene.

Director David McQuillan said: “What is exciting is how the building is being used. Audiences have turned out in record numbers and day-to-day the cafe is a thriving space, we have great audiences for brilliant films and an inspiring mixture of theatre, music, spoken word and dance.”

One of the highlights of the new season promises to be ‘The Great Gatsby’ from Thursday, April 5 to Friday, April 13, which will take over the whole building and transport audiences with dance, drama and music back to the roaring 1920s and the jazz age.

Musical highlights will include visits by the songwriting, voice and piano partnership of O’Hooley and Tidow, Louisiana blues great Lil’ Jimmy Reed with Bob Hall and Hilary Blythe and folk and world music performers The Rheingans Sisters.

For fans of poetry and the spoken word there are visits by president of the Poetry Society Roger McGough on May 19 and poet and Ted Hughes award winner Holly McNish on April 26.

Mikron Theatre will bring their new play ‘Get Well Soon’ to Square Chapel on Saturday, April 21 and Dick & Lottie will present Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Private Fears in Public Spaces’ on June 23 before taking the show to New York.

Family shows for young audiences will include ‘Tom Thumb’ on April 22, ‘The Pied Piper’ on May 27 and ‘Thumbelina’ on June 3.

Film lovers will be able to enjoy documentaries about Dennis Skinner -’the Beast of Bolsover’ - legendary folk singer Shirley Collins and ‘the Way of the Morris’, the last two featuring a Q&A with directors Rob Curry and Tim Plester.

In addition there will be comedy from award-winning Edinburgh Fringe star Sophie Willan on June 8 and a classic murder mystery spoof in ‘Murder, She Didn’t Write’ on April 20.

For details visit squarechapel.co.uk or tel: 01422 349422.