Revamp for popular Partington Theatre

Glossop's only live theatre is preparing for the day it can start staging productions again.

Partington Theatre was forced to cancel its run of plays earlier this year due to the Covid-19 forced lockdown.

Shutting the Henry Street playhouse immediately halted the flow of income coming from ticket sales and proceeds from clubroom events and the bar.

Partington staff still don’t know when the new play season will begin, but they are keen to re-open the function room and get the bar back open for business as soon as possible.

Members and supporters have been busy for weeks refurbishing the room.

The old bar has been dismantled and a new bigger version is on the way.

Partington’s David Wilson is now appealing for volunteers to help speed the facelift up.

Actor David, who also directs productions, said: “Like all theatres, we are unable to put on live shows at the moment so we’re taking the opportunity to undertake a massive refurbishment and renovation programme in readiness for re-opening once it is safe to do so. 

“We are a charitable, non-profit organisation which relies solely on volunteers to run and maintain our Grade II listed building and we need people to volunteer and help us to get it all done. 

“We will be taking all the appropriate measures to keep people safe while the work is being done so if you value your theatre, you have some time to spare and you are able to wield a paint brush or a wallpaper scraper please get in touch with me on 07718 945605 and we’ll find you some work to do,” David added.

David says the Partington Players have provisionally selected possible productions for the future.

The programme could include ‘Breaking The Code’ based on the life of Alan Turing, whose work in cracking Germany’s Enigma Code was said to have helped Britain  win the Second World War.

The play was planned for March but was called off due to the lockdown.

It could be featured in the 2020/21 play list, if Partington can get the cast together again.