The Octagon Theatre's 40th Anniversary Season

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Something to celebrate….

The multi-award-winning Octagon Theatre, Bolton, celebrated its 40th anniversary season from September 2007 to July 2008.

Nine plays, including five World Premieres,  were at the core of the 40th Anniversary Season. A wide-ranging repertoire was planned to celebrate this significant anniversary, and to reflect the Octagon as a theatre with a national reputation but equally to confirm the Octagon’s proud connection to its region. John Blackmore, the Octagon’s Executive Director since 2000, explains: “Spanning September 2007 to July 2008, this programme was the most ambitious and comprehensive season of work in the 40 years of the Octagon’s history; it combines local character with an international perspective, presenting some jewels from the Octagon’s illustrious past as well as newly cut gems from some of the country’s best writing talent.”

The Octagon’s 40th Anniversary season featured, as one might expect, gritty Northern humour, as well as showcasing the consistent excellence of some of the region’s writers. Plays for the Anniversary Season season came from writers in the ‘Premier Division’, including Jim Cartwright with Road, the award-winning Neil Duffield with a new adaptation and World Premiere of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the critically acclaimed Blake Morrison with the World Premiere of Lisa’s Sex Strike, a new version of Aristophanes’ classic comedy Lysistrata presented as a co-production with the renowned Northern Broadsides, and Les Smith with the World Premiere of And Did Those Feet, co-written with Martin Thomasson. Mick Martin has also been specially commissioned to adapt Once Upon a Time in Wigan - LIVE!  especially for the Octagon stage.

The Octagon’s anniversary programme also reflected the cultural diversity of the region and the UK at large, and the debate and conflict around identity. Love across a cultural divide is explored in the World Premiere of Tanika Gupta’s specially commissioned romantic comedy, Meet The Mukherjees, and Blake Morrison looks at racial tensions as the backdrop to a war of the sexes in Lisa’s Sex Strike.

The choice of plays reflects back over the best of world drama. Lisa’s Sex Strike, a work inspired by Aristophanes, connects us to theatre’s founding fathers, the Greeks; Arthur Miller, as probably the great dramatist of the 20th century, explores the terrifying witch-hunts of 17th century New England in The Crucible, and the play’s wider resonances to the more recent past - the anti-communist paranoia of McCarthyism - continue to ring true today. Jim Cartwright’s Road, written in the 80s at the height of Thatcherism, was ground-breaking in presenting the world of the underclass, giving a voice to those silenced by unemployment in post-industrial Britain.

The season reflected some of theatre’s great rebels - Oh What A Lovely War was created by Joan Littlewood and Gerry Raffles’ Theatre Workshop, who broke the mould and challenged the status quo of post-war British theatre. And classic Lancashire comedies of the Manchester school such as Hindle Wakes and Hobson’s Choice are lovingly referenced in one of Bill Naughton’s best loved plays, Spring And Port Wine. Naughton’s Annie And Fanny: From Bolton To Rome opened the first ever Octagon season in autumn 1967.

In addition to the extensive and inspiring season of productions, the Octagon’s participatory and community department, activ8, developed Millboys, Chavs And Space Cadets in partnership with Bolton Lads and Girls Club. A new commission involving a team of playwrights, designers and director, Millboys, Chavs And Space Cadets saw 50 local young people from a range of youth organisations creatively exploring the past, present and future of Bolton’s young people. Further from home, activ8 has established an exciting creative partnership with China through the city of Zhaoqing, Bolton’s twin town, and the Shanghai Theatre Academy. For more information on our participation projects and events please click here.

The Octagon also presented a number of special events during the season, ranging from unique readings and music events to accompany main house productions, through to an exciting programme of expanded bar events featuring comedy, cabaret and music gigs.

For up to date information on forthcoming events, visit our What’s On pages or sign up to receive our newsletter.

The Octagon's 40th Anniversary Season in Partnership
We are delighted and proud that the Octagon Theatre and the University of Bolton, the town’s two major cultural institutions, have formed an outstanding partnership to celebrate and develop creativity and learning. The University of Bolton will be our principal sponsor for our 40th Anniversary Season starting in September 2007 and the partnership will continue after the Anniversary Season. For details of our other sponsors or sponsorship opportunities click here.

’The University of Bolton is proud and excited to be Principal Sponsor of the Octagon’s 40th Anniversary Season, an occasion which celebrates and acknowledges one of Bolton’s finest assets. In its creative approach, in its understanding of regional theatre’s strengths and importance to communities, in its success in standing out in the national spotlight, the Octagon has a distinctive edge and an enviable talent – winning audiences. I have seen many a packed auditorium, the audience well beyond simply ‘engaged’ in what they were seeing before them but rather ‘enthralled’ by the performance. And it has been a joy to witness.’
Karyn Brinkley, Pro Vice Chancellor, the University of Bolton

Visit www.bolton.ac.uk for more information on the University of Bolton.


40th Anniversary Season Patrons
The Octagon is delighted to appoint a principal patron and two honorary patrons of the 40th Anniversary Season:

Principal Patron

’My first memory of the Octagon was when I went with my father in my early teens to the opening. Princess Margaret was the Royal guest and it was such an exciting occasion. I have so many memories of such great shows over the years. Maybe my strongest memories are of being involved in S.C.O.T (Support Campaign for the Octagon Theatre). I feel honoured to have been involved with the Octagon through the years, delighted to be Principal Patron of the 40th Anniversary Season and thrilled that the University of Bolton has become the Principal Sponsor. This will help to achieve my own vision of an exciting, vibrant and living theatre.’
Susan Hodgkiss, DL, Principal Patron

Honorary patrons

• Erna Naughton
• Thomas Warburton

Patrons

• Stephen Beckett
• Lynda Bellingham
• Anna Brecon
• Mark Charnock
• Brigit Forsyth
• Nicholas Gleaves
• Shobna Gulati
• Mike Harding
• Jane Harrison
• Julie Hesmondhalgh
• Jeff Hordley
• Dr Brian Iddon, MP
• Matthew Kelly
• Noreen Kershaw
• Wyllie Longmore
• Rita Markland
• John McArdle
• Alan Plater
• Robert Powell
• Lesley Sharp
• Dave Spikey
• Julie Walters
• Bernard Wrigley