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Joseph Houston and William Whelton at Hope Mill Theatre. Photo Phil Tragen Photography
Joseph Houston and William Whelton at Hope Mill Theatre. Photo Phil Tragen Photography

Hope Mill Theatre’s William Whelton and Joseph Houston on bringing RENT to the stage

Home » People » Hope Mill Theatre’s William Whelton and Joseph Houston on bringing RENT to the stage

Hope Mill Theatre owners, William Whelton and Joseph Houston reflect on the challenges of Covid for the theatre and their excitement at bringing a brand new production of RENT to audiences both live and online.

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester was one of the first venues in England to stage an indoor theatre production since the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of theatres back in March. But the celebrated opening of its sold-out production of RENT was sadly it’s closing night too, as the UK went into a second nationwide lockdown.

This new production of Jonathan Larson’s cult rock musical was due to run at the Grade II-listed former cotton mill from 30 October to 6 December. And the entire run sold out in 48-hours.

To follow the recommended Covid-secure guidelines the theatre had to run at a much reduced capacity, due to the necessary social distancing measures. Hope Mill was granted permission by the rights holders to make up this shortfall in capacity by filming the production and broadcasting it online over four weekends. The second lockdown has meant this filmed version is now even more crucial for the viability of the production.

Owners, William Whelton and Joseph Houston talk to Quays Life about the joys and the challenges of bringing the musical to Manchester.

Joseph Houston and William Whelton at Hope Mill Theatre. Photo Phil Tragen Photography
Joseph Houston and William Whelton at Hope Mill Theatre. Photo Phil Tragen Photography


Q) Tell us about RENT and why you wanted to bring it to Hope Mill Theatre and Manchester?
WILL – “RENT is a rock musical loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème. The story evolves around a group of struggling artists living in New York City and dealing with issues surrounding the AIDS epidemic, regeneration, drug abuse and homelessness. It is also a celebration of diversity, individuality and creativity at its core. All of these themes are so relevant not only to our current climate but to the city of Manchester and we feel that this show has never felt more poignant and important.”

Q) What about the show makes you think it will be the perfect fit for the venue?
JOE:
“It’s always very exciting reimagining musicals for a smaller scale and RENT is no exception. The music in RENT and the relationships between characters are so beautifully told and it really lends itself to a more intimate setting. The show is also set in an old apartment block in New York with exposed brick and feels very bohemian. I think aesthetically Hope Mill fits this setting perfectly.”

Jocasta Almgill (Joanne) and Blake Patrick Anderson (Mark) in RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith.jpg
Jocasta Almgill (Joanne) and Blake Patrick Anderson (Mark) in RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith

Q) The cast is incredibly exciting – and extremely diverse. Why is presenting a diverse cast important to you as producers?
WILL:
“It is always so important to us as an organisation to celebrate diversity in all of its forms and we are always very proud of the casts we assemble. Especially for a show like RENT, it was even more important that we put together a cast which celebrates individuality and inclusivity. The cast and wider team that we have assembled is so exciting and all of these amazingly talented unique individuals brought so much heart and hope to this production.”


Q) The director Luke Sheppard directed Spring Awakening at Hope Mill – were you excited to have him back at the venue?
JOE:
“We loved working with Luke on our production of Spring Awakening, which was such a success for our venue. After seeing &Juliet when it premiered at the Opera House we knew that Luke was the perfect choice to reimagine RENT for a new age. He brings together the most incredible creative team and always gets the best out of his cast members. His vision and creativity is spectacular and RENT was also a musical which is very close to him and was a real inspiration for him pursuing a career in this industry.”

Blake Patrick Anderson Mark and the Company of RENT. Photographer-Pamela Raith
Blake Patrick Anderson Mark and the Company of RENT. Photographer-Pamela Raith

Q) There must have been times this year when you felt RENT wouldn’t be possible in 2020 – what made you so determined to stage the production this year if you could?
WILL:
“The past 6 months have been a roller coaster of emotions for everyone, especially in the arts sector. We postponed RENT from the summer, not knowing if it would be at all possible for us to produce this year, but as more guidance was released around inside performances we started planning on trying to make it possible and safe. RENT has really never felt so relevant to now and this time and in our hearts we knew that it was the right time to tell this story. It was also so important to us to give all of the amazing actors and freelancers involved in this production the opportunity of working and earning in a time when many have been badly affected by the pandemic.”

Q) Just how challenging was it making the production and venue ‘covid-secure’?
JOE:
“It has been extremely challenging trying to navigate opening and producing in a covid-secure world. The main issue has been the financial impact on making the venue and process of making and running the show. Obviously we have had zero income since we closed our doors in March and along with high production values and the equipment needed to make the venue fully covid-secure we have had to spend a lot of money that we don’t currently have to spend. However, we were always determined to only progress with the production and opening if we felt we could deliver it in the safest possible way for everyone involved. We have made a significant investment in PPE equipment, safety screens, hand sanitising stations, signage, fogging systems and testing for the team which gave us the confidence to be able to open our doors once again.”

Q) How important was being able to offer a digital streaming version of the show for audiences who are unable to attend for whatever reason?
WILL:
“We were operating the run of RENT at 50% capacity, which is only 70 seats per performance. This meant that the production would have had a deficit of around £100,000, which made it completely unviable. Having the extraordinary option to offer an online viewing of the show has allowed us to take our lost capacity and offer it as a digital ticket, and helping us make up lost income. It is also important for us that audiences could not attend or still didn’t feel ready to return to the theatre can still enjoy RENT from the comfort of their own homes. The digital version obviously took on even greater significance when we were forced to close the show early due to the second national lockdown.”

Ahmed Hamad (Benny) in RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith
Ahmed Hamad (Benny) in RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith

Q: Opening and closing RENT on the same night must have been a bittersweet experience – what was the evening like?
JOE:
“We heard the news that we would be entering a second lockdown half an hour before curtain up on our second preview and it was very upsetting for everyone involved. We were so glad that we could at least make it to our official opening and press night on Wednesday 4th November which allowed us to invite press to review the show. The reviews have been incredible and we are so proud of the hard work from everyone involved. The final performance was very emotionally charged but it was really electric and showed Just how special this production is.”


Q: RENT has been a long time in the planning, especially given the situation this year. What was it like finally getting to see the show and the cast come to the stage?
WILL:
“Working towards opening our doors and staging RENT is what really got us through the last year and gave us the hope and drive to push on, when times became very difficult. I know that this feeling echoed with the whole team involved and it was a beacon of light in a dark time for the arts. I knew that the show had the recipe to be exceptional from the amazing creative team to the cast and it really lived up to expectations and then some. The whole experience of the show, the design, the band, the performances, it was worth only 5 performances to feel that energy and watch.”

Q: Now it has been filmed, what can you tell us about the filmed version of RENT and what can audiences expect?
JOE:
“This production was created for the stage and to be experienced live and although in the current climate that can’t be, we have worked so hard to film the show for online, whilst trying to keep that live theatrical experience. Having seen some of the initial footage, the film company have managed to capture the whole essence, heart and overall look of what was experienced live in the venue. It really is the next best thing!”

Company of RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith
Company of RENT at Hope Mill Theatre. Photographer Pamela Raith

Q) Hope Mill has recently celebrated its 5th birthday – looking back what have been the highlights during this time?
JOE:
“We can’t believe we have reached 5 years since opening Hope Mill Theatre, it’s incredible. There have been so many highlights since opening our doors, from winning awards to transferring shows. But believe it or not the biggest highlight has got to be working on RENT, yes it’s been tough and difficult to navigate and there is the constant fear that anything could happen and it all comes crashing down, but the level of positivity, hard work, passion and hope that has come from everyone involved is truly why we do what we do and what gives us the drive to keep going.”

Q: What next for Hope Mill in 2021?
WILL:
“Once again we will work hard towards opening our doors and welcome back audiences. We won’t be opening this year, however, we have our queer arts festival: Turn On Fest launching again in January 2021 and we also have an incredible programme lined up and of course we will he doing everything within our power to bring back RENT.”

Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Rent will return for live performances in Summer 2021 from 6 August to 19 September. Tickets will go on priority sale to previous RENT bookers from Monday 15 March at 5pm and general sale from 10am on Friday 19 of March. Hope Mill Theatre will be operating with strict covid guidelines in place in line with the Government guidance for the performing arts. For more information visit www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk.

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Written by
Carmel Thomason
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Avatar photo Written by Carmel Thomason