Village Life Under Threat – A community appeals
The residents of Little Middleton are up in arms about proposals that will spell the end of their village.
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Following the announcement of plans to create Middleton Garden City, they have launched the Save Little Middleton campaign, and hope that it will preserve their historic community.
Parliamentary candidate Antonia Morgan is leading the campaign in a bid to cement for her place in the history of the village she loves dearly. Will her style of politics be enough to stop the plans and keep the support of self styled voice of the village Brian Barber, or is a new hell about to be unleashed on the village? |
The campaign to save Little Middleton began in 2017 with a series of public meetings in the form of a stage show that concluded in Edinburgh in 2018. A historical record of these meetings is now available from Amazon.
A news blackout imposed by the villagers means we do not know what happened to the village at the end of the campaign. We hope and pray for them.
A news blackout imposed by the villagers means we do not know what happened to the village at the end of the campaign. We hope and pray for them.
THE ARTS CENTRE, BUXTON JULY 10-11, 18, 20
SPACE TRIPLEX STUDIO, EDINBURGH AUGUST 13-18, 20-25
Little Middleton - Our Village, Your Future
After launching their campaign to save Little Middleton in London in 2017, four highly acclaimed public meetings were held in Buxton in July 2018 before the campaign to save Little Middleton came to Edinburgh in August of that year.
At the meetings NoLogoProductions provided a piece of theatrical entertainment to inform audiences of the reasons why the Save Little Middleton campaign was launched, what the campaigners have achieved to date, and what the future holds for communities like Little Middleton. This dramatised version of their struggles was written by Andy Moseley and directed by David Wood and was nominated for the Buxton Festival Fringe New Writing Award. It has been saved for the historical record and is available for purchase here. The roles of the key members of the Save Little Middleton Campaign were portrayed by the following; Isabel Palmstierna: Antonia Morgan Will Underwood: Jeremy Taylor Beag Horn: Coleen Cousins Chris Townsend : Brian Barber Find out more about Little Middleton - the place to be Your Welcome to Little Middleton is your guide to our historic community and all the great things you can do when you visit us. You can also find out more about the village at the Little Middleton website. Little Middleton in the press The Campaign to Save Liitle Middleton is making the news. Read more about the play in this article in Scottish Field If you would like to learn more about the production there is also an interview with Andy Moseley in Broadway World and another interview with him in Fringe Review (scroll down a bit to find it) and yet another interview with him in The New Current. To hear someone else talk about it for a change go to West End Wilma for their interview with Isabel Palmstierna. |
What the Public Say
'There is a plethora of political satire and critique being produced at the moment, and so finding a unique take on it is hard. ‘A Beginner’s Guide of Populism’ is able to take a fairly worn out topic and give it a fresh face, it’s incredibly refreshing and thought provoking, and somehow manages to be funny too! Part of the cleverness of this play was echoing the current political situation, but not copying it. In this way they are able to demonstrate the dangers without being clichéd.' Eleanor Gunn - EdFringe Review.com
'All of the actors are excellent in this smartly-paced show. It is expertly conceived, written and executed by a team who plainly have an eye for the socio-political zeitgeist. Echoes of the present resonate throughout – references to sex pests, contempt for experts, the invitation to build a wall - all delivered with wry humour and witty lines. A thoroughly entertaining play, brilliantly executed and cleverly written.' Ian Hamilton - Buxton Fringe Review 'A timely production. It lampoons populism and its insular message with great verve, but without offering simple solutions. The writing is pointed and telling, and manages to note many of the strategies feeding the rise of populism without feeling didactic. The us-and-them divisions are nicely drawn, as what makes an outsider so becomes ever more ludicrously defined.' Stephen Walker - Fringe Guru 'Very much a relevant and effective piece of political critique. The acting of its cast and its script are both comic and biting. Chris Townsend’s portrayal of Brian Barber (the village’s self-imposed “leader”) was a terrifically scary performance. A worthwhile show to watch in our particular political climate.' Olivia Cooke - EdFringe Review.com 'Andy Moseley skewers everything that is troubling about politics today in a show as fresh as the day’s news, directed with pace and humour by David Wood. As Antonia Morgan, a gauche local authority councillor with much greater political ambitions, Isabel Palmstierna is consistently hilarious as she learns, obeys and breaks the new rules of power.' Louis Mazzini - LondonTheatre1.com 'A wonderfully acted piece that uses humour effectively to emphasise its dark message. A funny and occasionally deeply concerning hour which will leave you convinced that we need better politicians.' Agnes Carrington - Windo - Plays to see.com 'Well written, polished and perceptive: a haunting 1984 for the 2018 market.' - Buxton Pure magazine 'A dark and exaggerated comedy, it points to how susceptible the public can be to those who first use their charm to secure power and then turn to more sinister means to impose and maintain it.' Terry Murden - Daily Business Audience Feedback 'Brilliant play, loved the wit and fast pace of the dialogue' 'Fantastic cast & an incredible, close to the bone, darkly hilarious script!' 'An excellently delivered, thought-provoking drama that, as the narrative progressed became a troubling echo of today's politics.' 'Expertly dances around current events and delivers a clever, poignant, funny and even rather scary take on the state of the world' Lovely performances and a tight, thought-provoking script!' |
Disclaimers and thanks
The leaders of the Save Little Middleton campaign believe that theatre is produced by bourgeoisie luvvies who have never done an honest days work in their lives and no doubt claim unemployment benefit when they are not hoovering up grants and donations that could be far better spent elsewhere.
Nevertheless, based on recommendations from people who work in jobs that don't involve anything other than sitting on their backsides in theatres and drinking, they asked NoLogoProductions to help them. If you would like to read these recommendations, please click here
NoLogoProductions would like to place on record their thanks to the following for their involvement in the campaign to date: Nicola McCartney and Marc Silberschatz for setting up the collaboration that led to this production, Melanie Jordan, Hugh Hodgart and Rhonda Barclay for rehearsal spaces, props and costumes, David Smith for original artwork, and last, but by no means least, Jordan Edgington for playing Brian in 2017.
Nevertheless, based on recommendations from people who work in jobs that don't involve anything other than sitting on their backsides in theatres and drinking, they asked NoLogoProductions to help them. If you would like to read these recommendations, please click here
NoLogoProductions would like to place on record their thanks to the following for their involvement in the campaign to date: Nicola McCartney and Marc Silberschatz for setting up the collaboration that led to this production, Melanie Jordan, Hugh Hodgart and Rhonda Barclay for rehearsal spaces, props and costumes, David Smith for original artwork, and last, but by no means least, Jordan Edgington for playing Brian in 2017.
