Monday 8 April 2019

NEWS - Manchester city centre Fringe Theatre venue 53Two needs your help!




Manchester’s only independent, city-centre, wheelchair accessible theatre to close its doors…they need your help to
re-open them & continue their work as a charity!


For many in the arts scene in Manchester, 53two has become a name they can rely on to provide quality and affordable theatre that is accessible for all, supporting emerging talent, engaging a ‘theatre-for-all’ way of existence & focussing on their charity work. (Charity No. 1179418). 53two initiatives include their 2019 ‘UNWAGED Tickets’ scheme for people on income support of any kind, to grab a £2 ticket. They also pride themselves on BSL Interpreting as many shows as they can do for deaf and/or hard of hearing patrons, and even changed their staging to allow wheel-chair users to perform at prestigious events such as the National competition, Monologue Slam. They also quickly became the new home for Manchester behemoth, JB Shorts, packing in up to 180 of their die-hard fans each night, for two weeks and more recently produced shows like ‘The Glasshouse’ and ‘The Stretch’.
Sadly, their current home was always set to succumb to the ever present property development climate that sees not only our skyline prickle with high-rise buildings, but, perhaps more importantly, has all but crushed the grass-roots theatre world in Manchester.

ASK Real Estate, the owners of the iconic tunnels that will eventually form the platform for more skyscrapers, who provided them to Simon Naylor with an incredibly generous kick-starter loan, will take back the venue until they commence work on site.

Thankfully, 53two have been thrown a life-line! Their 'angels' have offered them a new home, to help them continue their work.

‘Unfortunately we’re unable to release where this potential new site is until planning is submitted later this month but it’s very exciting and we can’t thank our ‘Knight’s in Shining Armour’ enough. However, to achieve our goals of continuing charity work and supporting the grass-roots arts, we need, as always, support. This support will of course involve any manual work that can be donated but, primarily, we’re looking to raise a substantial amount of money to really plant our flag in the ground and continue to support others in a more permanent theatre and arts hub.’
Simon Naylor, Artistic Director, 53two

In the initial set up of 53two, the team asked Manchester for help – the incredible community & friends responded and allowed them to reach the velocity they have hit now, changing the fringe scene in Manchester and recently bagging the ‘Northern Soul’ & ‘North West End’ Award for Best Small Venue 2018. However, they do need more to be able to continue to support the long list of charities, grass-roots theatre companies and artists that they have reached so far.

‘53two have welcomed us and incorporated us into their work, making a massive cultural shift in the Manchester Fringe scene. They have kindly hosted our Disabled Artists Networking Community for free, making strong connections for our many members to enable them with the possibility of producing their own work and a venue to house it - something which hasn’t previously been possible in Manchester. They have also hosted our Manchester Mental Health Choir, Bee Vocal when we have been at a loss for a rehearsal space, this grass roots community work is fantastic as it’s also connecting people from Manchester who wouldn’t usually visit the theatre and showing them there’s different work out there that is much more applicable to their own experiences.’
Cherylee Houston, Coronation Street Actor

As part of their campaign, 53two asked Manchester and beyond to submit a small testimonial in support of the venue and their work in the arts sector. Simon and the team received over 150 submissions in a little under 2 weeks including messages of support from London, Newcastle, Scotland and beyond, as well as managing to engage Manchester icons such as poet Tony Walsh who added;

‘53Two has quickly become a vital component in the arts ecology and economy of Manchester and I was saddened to hear of its need to vacate its current home in the arches. It has provided a high quality and supportive platform for both local and touring productions as well as being a home for important fringe-level, cabaret, poetry and musical performances and artists. This is a level, scene and network that is vital for emerging artists, for sustaining established artists, and one for which audiences are not hugely well served elsewhere in the city centre.
It is in such venues that the skills are gained, the ideas are developed and the relationships are built that makes Manchester the world renowned centre for the arts that we must remain. I’m happy for my name to be added to the call for all possible support to be co-ordinated for 53Two to find a new city centre home from which to thrive. These are good people doing good things for the city and the arts and I wish them every success.’
Tony Walsh, Poet & Performer
D.Litt (Hon), FRSA
Winner: Performance of the Year, Manchester Culture Awards 2018.

You can read more of the testimonials at www.53two.com/donate where you can also see a breakdown of the rewards scheme that 53two are offering for those patrons in a position to donate to their cause. If you can help or wish to find out more information, please contact simon@53two.com.
53two will close its doors on the 4th May to make way for the pop-events that will fill the much loved, damp & quintessentially Mancunian arches that have made memories for thousands of people across the city; from wedding to wrestling. Then, the challenge to plant roots, develop a new space and re-open begins.

‘We’re looking for help from everyone. Whether you can donate £5 or £10,000, whether you’re a passionate individual or a massive company, we need your support to allow 53two to continue to support the North West. We’re even asking tradesmen to donate their time, if they can do – plumber? Fancy having a block of toilets named after your company? You can! If you can’t donate, and we know that some people can’t, then do please spread the word – getting this campaign ‘out-there’ is as valuable as a donation’
Simon Naylor
Artistic Director, 53two

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