It seems like years ago, but 'Future Artists' helped set up a new venue in Salford, UK, at The Black Pub on Chapel Street, the historic centre of the old city. Downstairs was a traditional bar, but upstairs was a space that could be used for film, drama or parties. So along came a member with a bright idea: why don't we run a 'Play in a Day' event? The idea is simple: volunteers get divided into small groups, which include a set of actors, a director, and a writer. They meet up one evening - in this case, Saturday - and kick around a few ideas, then the author goes off and works all night to come up with a script. Next day, - in this case, Sunday - the various groups use the space at the pub to rehearse. Then, as the cold November winter evening closes in, people gather to witness the action - less than 24 hours after the whole thing started. Amazingly, it all went pretty well, considering. Most of the short plays were filmed, for the benefit of future generations, and this short video was put together to give an idea of the range and sublety of the submissions. They were all different, and all good, in different ways. And, not forgetting, this was the first such event at the venue; in later months, more weekends were taken up with this pastime, and some damn fine drama was created and staged.
The bad news is that The Black Lion was forced in close in late 2013, but a lot of the talented people are still around, in Salford and beyond, and have found other venues, other ideas, and other directions.
This video is dedicated to them.
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