Over two days this week one of the best small theatre festivals in Salford returns to Irlam.
TV screenwriter founder Jane McNulty told SalfordOnline.com how the popularity of the Irlam Festival Fringe exploded after the success of the one-night-only show in August 2014.
“We sold out,” Jane tells us, “we had to turn people away because the venue was so full.
“The idea was that I wanted to bring professional theatre to my hometown.
“I wanted to pay the writers, the actors, the directors – there’s an appetite in Irlam not just for amateur dramatics but for professional theatre.
“Yes, we’ve got The Lowry and everything in Manchester, but we’re a little oasis out here in the middle of fields and many people won’t travel all that way.”
With a successful Arts Council grant, the Fringe Festival is now double the length, spread over two nights at the Irlam Men’s Catholic Club on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August.
Playwrights from all over the world fought to have their entries accepted, says Jane.
“In January I put out a call out for new work for the 2015 festival; I wanted 30 or 40 and get this: I got 364.
“I was astonished. They’ve come in from all over the world – America, Canada, New Zealand.”
“There’s one all the way from North Carolina by Mark Cornell called Bad Thing, about two brothers – think Rain Man and then some – that was top of our list of the plays we wanted to do.
“Then there’s a poignant play on unrequited love from a Manchester writer, and much more.”
Celebrated directors Lucia Cox (Blackbird & One Hand Clapping) and Paul Blinkhorn (JB Shorts) will also present work.
The two nights will see six 15-minute plays from local, national and international writers – with comedy and tragedy on the bill there’s something for everyone.
You can get your tickets online here.
