This week’s Culture Radar guest is Gillian Miller, the Chief Executive, of Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre, Chair, St George’s Quarter CIC and Director, The Culture Network LCR CIC.
Loved: Recent favourites include Art Friends Merseyside event to discover The John Entwistle Collection at Liverpool John Moores University. In particular Goose Girl by Donald McKinlay which is on loan to LJMU from Liverpool University Hospital. You can see it in the Student Life Building on Copperas Hill. Also, Romeo & Juliet at Shakespeare North Playhouse another vibrant, accessible and uplifting version of a classic piece of theatre at the fabulous SNP.
Looking forward to: Count Arthur Strong at the Playhouse at the beginning of November for one night only. I’ve been a fan of The Count for years first seeing him at the Edinburgh Festival with the fabulous Terry Titter. I believe this is Arthur’s last outing in Liverpool before he retires. Also, Christmas starts early for us in theatreland and I’ll definitely be dropping in to see It’s A Wonderful Life by Old Fruit Jar one of the companies we support in our Studio from 19th-30th November before they take the show onto St George’s Hall concert Room.
Trivia: The first theatre on this site was built by John Cooke when he came to Liverpool with his circus in 1826. The theatre that he was booked into turned him away so he decided to build his own to spite the owner of the other venue. John Cooke eventually died of dropsy in a debtors jail, which is a valuable lesson for all of us who work in theatre!