Now arguably the biggest showdown in pop history has opened a new front – on the stage, with ‘The Battle’ transporting modern-day audiences back into the midst of what has been described as ‘the sweaty mid-90s carnage of the Battle of Britpop’.

Blur verses Oasis, art school intellectuals verses plain-speaking working-class lads, South verses North. The battle lines that were drawn then are revisited here in writer John Niven’s swaggering and audaciously funny story.

But while the production is infused with the sounds of the Britpop era, anyone expecting a 90s jukebox musical or a live gig may be in for the first of several surprises.

“We’re much more interested in the drama of their lives than in the drama of the music,” explains ‘The Battle’ director Matthew Dunster. “Really, it’s a play about friendship and ambition, and how the latter might break the former.

“When John thought about the events, in his mind he thought it could be like a sweaty David Mamet play where people were in rooms, and the emotional temperature is ramped up a little bit more with each scene.”

Thus, this battle unfolds not on amp-stacked stages in front of thousands of music fans, but on the fringes of award ceremonies, in recording studios, pubs and dressing rooms, beyond VIP ropes and at home behind closed doors.

Dunster was approached to join The Battle’s creative team early on and has worked closely with first time playwright Niven to recreate the intense, simmering sense of rivalry and rising tension underpinning the real-life 90s clash which spilled over from the charts and tribal fan factions and into the wider public consciousness.

It’s an era both know well – Niven as a former A&R  (Artists and Repertoire) man in the record industry and Dunster as a music fan who was there in the middle of it.

“As soon as I heard ‘Battle of the Bands’ it transported me straight back,” says the director, who reveals he saw Oasis play their fourth ever gig when they supported his friend’s group at The Hurricane Club in Oldham.

As for the ‘battle’ itself, he says he bought both singles and “was more excited about the event and the competition than taking sides.”

“I think I was probably emotionally team Oasis,” he admits, “but artistically I thought at that point that Blur were streets ahead. Then in the next 12 months, Oasis released ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’ and from that point on…it was all Oasis.”

Meanwhile actor Mathew Horne was a music-mad 16-year-old, although he too maintains he didn’t mind who won the chart-busting head-to-head.

“It probably sounds like an actor being diplomatic, but from my experience, everybody I know was both Blur and Oasis,” says Nottinghamshire-raised Horne, who plays the late Blur manager Andy Ross, the man who signed off the decision to release Country House on the same day as Oasis’s Roll With It.

“My record collection is of equal size, and the number of times I’ve seen Blur and Oasis are the same too. And I think the outcome of the battle for number one didn’t really matter. What mattered was our movement, the thing we were part of, was suddenly seen by everybody.”

It means that alongside decades of storytelling experience, both director and actor bring with them first-hand knowledge of the cultural phenomenon that was Britpop.

Horne has also, rather like his character, found himself in the position of a kind of paternal figure to the young cast, some of whom weren’t even born when the real-life showdown took place and have scant knowledge of the time – a fact which, it turns out, has also informed the creative approach when revisiting the events of 30 years ago.

Dunster recalls: “When I was auditioning people I’d ask: ‘did you know about this?’, and they didn’t. They said: ‘I know about Blur and Oasis because my dad’s into them, but I didn’t know about this battle’. So, the audience (too) could be very split in terms of who knows the outcome and who doesn’t.”

But whether or not theatregoers already know what ultimately happens, he says “I think you’ve just got to play the stakes of the characters on stage. And they get increasingly wound up and neurotic and frazzled by the competition they’ve found themselves locked in. It’s the biggest thing any of them had ever been part of.”

Saying that, he adds: “Having been to see Oasis last year in Heaton Park, it was incredible how there was a real mix of people, from 16 to 65, and everybody seemed to be as into it, and everybody seemed to know every word to every song.

“It would be great if we had a similarly broad range of ages (in the theatre). That would mean people will get different things from it. I’m not afraid of the nostalgic side of it: that’s really good fun, exploring a moment in time.”

Meanwhile Horne, who also saw the Mancunians on their triumphant 2025 reunion tour, points to the current “huge zeitgeist of 90s nostalgia”. And it’s true that right now the music, fashion and culture of the final decade of the 20^th Century is certainly enjoying a resurgence.

Between those who lived through the era, the music of the time being sought on streaming platforms and shared on social media, and with rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar keeping the grand tradition of the music feud alive, ‘The Battle’ should hopefully resonate with everyone who sees it.

“At the end of the day if you have even a passing interest in music, which most people do, there’s something in there for you,” Horne says. “I’m really excited to see what people think.

“I hope we deliver for audiences on a nostalgic level. And I also hope that we deliver for them in terms of making a really funny piece of theatre – one with a huge, hilarious twist.”

The Battle is at the Opera House, Manchester from 17 to 21 March 2026.

The post Matthew Dunster and Mathew Horne on bringing the ultimate battle of the bands to the stage appeared first on Quays Life.

Salford Voices is a series of free, pop-up celebration events and creative workshops running from 23-28 August – designed to give families and communities across Salford the opportunity to make crafts and record stories that celebrate their lives and experiences of Salford city life.

We caught up with Co-Creative Director Art with Heart, Rachel Moorhouse to find out more:

What does Salford mean to you as an arts company based in the city for the past last 10 years and has that changed over the last decade?

Rachel: “Salford is home. It’s where we found our feet as a company and where we found our people. From our early days as Associate Artists at The Lowry, to getting the keys to our very first office in a local school, to landing at Islington Mill – now surrounded by an amazing community of artists – Salford has welcomed us with open arms.

“The people here have shaped who we are and what we do. Whether its primary school pupils helping bring Stan, our children’s theatre show, to life; local elders inspiring Old Stock New Stock, an exhibition challenging perceptions of ageing; or neighbours coming together for an art show at Broughton Community Centre – Salford’s community spirit and creativity have been at the heart of our work every step of the way”.

Where did the idea for Salford Voices come from?

Rachel: “We’ve made a few podcasts over the years, but we’d always wanted to make one with the people of Salford. So, when we heard about the centenary celebrations coming up next year, we knew the timing couldn’t be better.

“Last year, we travelled across the city – chatting with communities about life in Salford, their connection to culture and creativity, and what they’d love to see happening locally. We were welcomed into youth spaces, community centres and libraries, and everywhere we went we were met with that trademark Salfordian warmth, wit, and honesty.

“One thing that kept coming up in those conversations was a real hunger for connection – more chances to come together, to get creative, and to be part of something. People told us loud and clear: they want to be involved in decisions, to have a say, and to actively shape their own community. The centenary felt like the perfect moment for Salfordians to raise their voices, share their stories, and help shape the city’s future”.

What format will the podcast take and where can people hear it?

Rachel: “We’re teaming up with the brilliant crew at Reform Radio to bring this podcast to life. There’ll be 10 bite-sized, 5-minute episodes, made from interviews with residents we meet at our pop-up events.

“On top of that, we’re creating four longer, 12-minute episodes diving into what it really means to be a Salfordian – and what locals want the next 100 years in Salford to look like. These will come out of a five-week workshop programme where we pair community groups with professional artists to create something unique. Their creative responses will then be recorded and shared as part of the podcast. The podcast will be available to listen to across all major podcast platforms from April 2026, to coincide with the city’s celebratory events”.

Can you tell us a little about the artists who are working on this project and the work they will be doing?

Rachel: “Our pop-ups are led by artists Sarah Hardacre, Phoebe Foxtrot and Aisha Williams and Mia Vines Booth from Reform Radio, alongside the Art with Heart team.

“Sarah Hardacre is a Manchester-based visual artist and printmaker who loves digging through local history archives to uncover hidden stories. She has turned these finds into artworks that celebrate Salford’s people, places, and famous faces – sparking conversation along the way.

“Phoebe Foxtrot is a community artist, illustrator, craftivist, and mum of two. She runs creative groups across the city, making space for art, connection, and positive change. At our pop-ups, she’ll be offering 7-minute speed portraits, textile badge making, and plenty of crafts for little ones – from Salford landmark colouring to birthday card making for the city’s centenary.

“Reform Radio is a not-for-profit production company that runs creative workshops to help unemployed people gain new skills and get back into work. At our Conversation Corner, they’ll be chatting with locals about what it means to be a Salfordian – past and present – and recording these stories for our podcast”.

How did you choose the locations for the pop-up events?

Rachel: “We wanted to hear from people in all 8 neighbourhoods of Salford, so we split things up – four areas got our summer pop-up events, and the other four are getting workshops this autumn. We reached out to local community groups and neighbourhood reps to find out what was already happening in their area, where our activities would fit best, and how we could offer something that felt right for their community”.

What can people expect if they go along?

Rachel: “A warm welcome and a relaxed, friendly vibe. It’s a chance to chat, share your stories, and record memories that celebrate life in Salford. You can get stuck into some crafting, try your luck on our art tombola, explore the city’s past through artworks, and add your message to our Centenary Celebration Book – which will be deposited in the Local History Library at Salford Museum and Art Gallery for future Salfordians to enjoy for years to come”.

Are the pop-up events specifically aimed at the area of Salford they are in, or can people from outside the area take part?

Rachel: “Everyone’s welcome! While we’re especially keen to chat with people connected to Salford for the podcast, there’ll be plenty of other activities for anyone to get stuck into. It’s also a great opportunity for visitors from outside the area to pop by, explore Salford, and discover more about its rich history”.

What would you say to someone who isn’t sure if their story of Salford life is what you are looking for?

Rachel: “We want to hear every story! Whether you want to reminisce about dancing the night away at the Rialto, share a sentimental family story or celebrate something brilliant that’s happening in your community, all stories are welcome.

“We’d say — if it’s about life in Salford, we want to hear it! Maybe it’s a memory of dancing till your feet ached at the Rialto, a favourite family tale passed down through the years, or a celebration of something amazing happening in your community right now. Big or small, funny or heartfelt — every story matters, and every story is welcome”.

You are asking people to share their future visions for the city. What would you like Salford to look like in 2036?

Rachel: “Salford’s city motto, “Salus Populi Suprema Lex”, means “The welfare of the people is the highest law.” In 2036, I hope that still rings true — that Salfordians are living healthy, fulfilled, joy-filled lives.

“I’d love to see real investment in communities right across the city: affordable homes, better transport, more green spaces, and buzzing high streets. I hope Salford is celebrated for its innovation and recognised for its community-minded spirit.

“There are already so many brilliant local initiatives making a difference — imagine what they could achieve with the proper resources. I hope by then, people spend more time connecting with each other, and loneliness and division are things we’ve left behind.

“And above all, I hope that in 2036, people still say — with their whole chest — that they’re proud to be Salfordian”.

To be part of Salford Voices join one of the pop-up events below:

Swinton Square Craft & Gift Fair
Saturday 23rd August
10am – 4pm
Swinton Square, Chorley Road Swinton, M27 4BH

Irlam and Cadishead Community Festival – 75th anniversary
Monday 25th August
11am – 4pm
Prince’s Park, 34 Highbury Avenue, Irlam, M44 6BR

Tudor Outdoor Fun & Sleep with Salford Museum
Thursday 28th August
11am – 3pm
Ordsall Hall, 322 Ordsall Lane, Salford, M5 3AN

The post “If it’s about life in Salford, we want to hear it!” – Rachel Moorhouse on her new podcast celebrating 100 years of the city appeared first on Quays Life.

Worn Out, a bold retelling of the story of The 12 Dancing Princesses, runs at the Salford venue for four performances from 1 – 3 August. We spoke to the show’s director, Francesca Goodridge about staging the production:

What excited you most about working on this project with BYMT?

Francesca: “I really loved the story of empowerment that this specific project is based on – it’s about rebellion and standing up for what you believe in so I think it’s a great project for young people to contribute to.

“I was also really drawn to the ethos of BYMT and what they stand for. I think that they do a brilliant job of putting teams together, finding really wonderful creative and professional people who are also lovely to work with. Working with kind people on an important story is the dream”.

What can audiences expect from this production?

Francesca: “It’s punchy and it’s got a lot of heart. The music really sticks and stays with you. I think it will be really physical as Paul Smethurst, the choreographer who I’ve worked with before, is brilliant and really smart with how he puts movement into a piece”.

How have young people influenced or inspired the development of this show?

Francesca: “Meg McGrady and Zoe Morris, the writers of Worn Out, have done a lot of work with young people throughout the development of this show including workshopping the material at a BYMT Summer Camp in 2024. They’ve explored ideas including revolution, protest and democracy and what it means to write a musical about princesses today, which has all fed into the show as it stands right now.”

What makes this production particularly relevant for 2025 audiences?

Francesca: “The show is about a group of people that see injustice in their home and they want to make things right in their community, which I think is an important message at any time. For young people especially, I think it will get them thinking about where they’re from and the community that they’re involved in, and recognising that they do have weight, influence and skills to bring good to their community”.

Can you describe a moment in the show that you’re especially proud of or excited for audiences to see?

Francesca: “I’m really excited about the staging of the rebellion, which involves the whole company and is a powerful moment where the characters take a stand for their beliefs. It’s especially meaningful to explore this with a room full of young performers, as we get to discover what standing up for something looks like through their eyes. We’re having important conversations about protest, what it means to them and how they want to express that on stage. A lot of the work is devised by the cast, so it feels deeply personal and authentic, and something audiences will really connect with”.

What does it mean to you to direct a story that empowers young women, especially while working with a majority female cast?

Francesca: “I love working with women and a lot of work I do is usually lead by female stories. I think I’ve come up in my career in a very privileged way and I’ve been mentored by lots of amazing female leaders. I didn’t study directing so I’ve learned through assisting directors, a lot of whom were female artistic directors. I’m just really interested in women in leadership roles and it’s really important to me that the work I make reflects female perspectives, women’s stories and non-binary stories. Working with predominantly female and non-binary performers is ideal for me as I’ve tried to forge a career which focuses on empowering women”.

You’ve recently taken on the role of Artistic Director at Sherman Theatre – how do you feel your role in leadership will affect your approach to this story about power and change?

Francesca: “That’s a great question – and massive. Stepping into a leadership role with a theatre context makes me reflect not only on the themes of power and change within the story, but also on how those ideas are mirrored in the process of making theatre itself. I’m particularly aware of the responsibility to listen to the needs of the young people in the cast, especially those who aspire to work in the performing arts. It’s clear that many of them are on a trajectory towards drama school and it’s important to me to understand what they need from the industry to feel supported and encouraged. Not everyone will have access to formal training, so building real connections and creating space for all kinds of young talent feels essential to help shape a sector that’s open and responsive to the next generation of performers”.

BYMT’s Worn Out runs at Lowry on 1 Aug at 7.30pm, 2 Aug at 2.30pm + 7.30pm, 3 Aug at 2.30pm. Tickets: £22.50 from www.thelowry.com
Suitable for ages (6+)

The post Director Francesca Goodridge talks about new musical Worn Out appeared first on Quays Life.

Now the company has worked with Herzberg to adapt the film for the stage, which arrives at Lowry, Salford on 10 April as part of a 25 venue tour. Quays Life talks to Elysium Artistic Director, Jake Murray to find out more.

Tell us about the COVID 19 Monologues project. How did it come about and did its success surprise you?

Jake: “When Covid hit, Elysium, like every other theatre company in the country, was shut down. We had to cancel a tour of ‘Look Back In Anger’ and had no idea what our future was going to be. We knew we wanted to stay creative and wanted to do something to inspire people as they struggled through the pandemic, but didn’t know how.

“Then I saw a friend of mine, Anand Vyas (sadly no longer with us), an Indian-American, live streaming himself playing the Sitar to give people support. I was then asked to create an online piece of theatre by the Gala and Assembly Rooms Theatres here in Durham, and became excited by the possibilities of monologues that could be rehearsed and filmed over Zoom under lockdown conditions. I came up with the idea of five such monologues. When they did so well, we commissioned five more and then five more.

“We had no idea they would be successful. They won several awards, including an Olwen Wymark Award from the Writers Guild of Great Britain. ‘The Moth’ was seen all over the world and is still racking up views. All 15 are still available online on our website and YouTube channel, so the work is still out there for all to see”.

Is ‘The Moth’ the third of these short films you’ve brought to the stage? How has the process been of adapting these films for the stage?

Jake: “Actually it’s the second. The first was ‘Reiver – Tales From The Borders’ which Steve Byron adapted from his original work ‘Blackmail’. That was an enormous success two years running touring the North East.

“It was Paul’s idea to turn it into a stage play. The first draft was gripping, but Paul went on to keep working on it right up to the rehearsals. I think the first draft was delivered in 2021, so that’s four years of work he’s put into it. The style and format were entirely his creation, as were the characters and themes. All I did was help him refine his vision. It’s been a long process but hugely rewarding. He has done a magnificent job and has always trusted me, even when we disagreed. He’s a fantastic writer”.

The original version was a 10 minute short film (performed by Victor Power). The version you’re touring is a 90-minute, two act, two-hander (featuring Faz Singhateh and Micky Cochrane). How did closely did you and writer Paul Herzberg liaise on that?

Jake: “The main thing is that Paul has taken the short monologue and realised a whole universe with it. The original monologue just focused on the central anecdote that Marius delivers to John on the train. We know very little of who John is or what he does and there is no interaction between the two men beyond that. In the stage play Paul extends the story over three decades with three crucial meetings between the two men in each. The drama alternates between the actors dramatising these scenes together and direct address to the audience.

“All the new detail and the style the play would take were entirely Paul’s creation. It was his decision to make John a TV host and celebrity writer of political journalism and use the idea of a hard-hitting TV show as the format. It was his decision to flesh out the back story of both characters and trace their interaction from 1997 to the present day. All I did was help him refine his already extraordinarily detailed vision”.

How did Bridgerton star, Adjoa Andoh, come to be involved?

Jake: “We needed an actress to provide the voiceover for John’s mother. It so happened that Paul new Adjoa from when she played a character in a radio version of one of his earlier plays, ‘The Dead Wait’, from back in the 90s and worked with her again in an episode of ‘Bridgerton’. Our consultant producer, Andy Jordan, also knew her, so we dropped her a line and to our surprise and delight she said she was happy to do it. It was a great act of generosity. She did it brilliantly, without any direction. It comes in a key moment in the play and is the only time we hear a female voice in what is a very masculine drama. Her performance is perfect”.

What would you like audiences to take away from the encounter between a black British activist and a former member of apartheid South Africa’s armed forces, as presented in the play?

Jake: “I think there are two primary things: how race defines and divides us and how the wounds of the past, political and personal, cast shadows across the rest of our lives. These are the two key strands of the play. However, what makes Paul’s writing so special, and what takes it beyond a lot of what we see written and said in our discourse today, is that he doesn’t believe these things are static; we don’t have to be trapped.

“What is remarkable about ‘The Moth’ is that while it confronts some of the darkest and most traumatic elements of our lives, it does so with an incredible Humanism. Paul doesn’t want to go into these things to leave us there or revel in them almost pornographically, he goes into them to heal them. And that is what the play does: it gives hope of some kind of process of healing, however partial, whereby we might be able to free ourselves from the past. It never loses sight of the crimes of history or the need for justice, but it does shine a little light on the way forward, or at least the possibility of a way forward. There is an appeal to our universal humanity, which is profoundly under threat in our turbulent and hate-filled times”.

You’re already part way through a 25 venue tour of the North and Midlands of England. How’s it going so far?

Jake: “You never know how a new play is going to be received, especially one with as powerful and ambitious a set of themes and ideas as this one, so I am delighted to say that it has really found its audience and is striking a chord everywhere it goes. People love it. We are getting full houses, standing ovations and big crowds staying behind for our talk backs. It’s speaking to people in a way that is very rare. The issues it deals with, particularly the scars of history and race, are ones that people want to hear about, especially in a world that seems to be slipping back into vicious bigotry, tribalism and sectarian hate. Because the play tackles this head on but also shows us the possibility of coming through and even find some healing – it is finding its audience”.

You have a long association with this part of the country. How does it feel to be coming back?

Jake: “I grew up in Manchester between the ages of 6 and 21 and went on to work at the Royal Exchange for 7 years between 2001 and 2008, so Manchester was formative for me. Now I live in Durham and have put down roots in the North East – I love it there! I love bringing work back to Manchester as it connects me with my past. The city has changed massively, its almost unrecognisable to how it was growing up as a teenager in the 80s, but I love its vibrancy and energy which just gets more and more intense each year. It will be very special to come back again with ‘The Moth'”.

Are you and Elysium Theatre planning further stage adaptations of the COVID 19 monologues, or are you looking ahead to new projects for the company?

Jake: “There is a third Covid19 Monologue, ‘Fake’ by Chris Barlas, which has been adapted into a stage play, now called ‘Truth’. Like ‘The Moth’ its a powerful, challenging piece of drama which we’d love to find a home for. Some of the others which deal directly with Covid such as ‘One Of A Kind’ cry out for live performance. ‘Oh By The Way, I Hate Myself’ by Hannah Ellis Ryan has had a performance in Manchester, and all the scripts are available for anyone to take up and perform, so we’ll see!

“Next up we are continuing the other strand of our work, Shakespeare. Having done ‘Macbeth’, ‘Othello’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ we’ll be doing ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. We’re the only professional company in the North touring full scale Shakespeare now so that’s very exciting. I’ve been waiting all my life to direct his plays and now, finally, I can”.

As someone whose entire life has involved theatre (Jake’s father, Braham was artistic director at the Royal Exchange from its foundation in 1976 until he retired in 2012), are you able to be optimistic about the art form’s future in this country?

Jake: “I think theatre is really struggling in this country. The UK is still seen as the home of great theatre all around the world. We really are ‘world beating’, the gold standard. Yet years of chronic under funding and lack of investment, the disappearance of the canon of world drama from our education system and the massive blow of Covid has meant British theatre is massively reduced. London is thriving, and there is plenty going on in Manchester, but look everywhere else and there is a serious lack of drama touring. One of the reasons Elysium is doing so well is that in many regions we are all there is if you want to see serious theatre. Regional theatres are either closing or are unable to produce work, so we are not seeing the wealth of theatre the country had in the 60s, 70s, 80s and even the 90s. In short, the world my father worked in. My generation faced far more challenges. The generations coming up even more.

“And yet I think there is a huge hunger in the population to see good drama, drama that excites them and speaks to them, be it classical or modern. Theatre people are resilient. We don’t stop. Give us the resources and we will find the audience. People want the live experience, and in a world in which AI has the potential to replace all human input on our screens, theatre and all live performing arts have the potential to make a comeback as the only authentic human creative experience we can have.

“We have to keep going, battling against the headwind.”

The Moth comes to Lowry, Salford from 10-12 April 2025.

The post Jake Murray on bringing the covid monologues to the stage appeared first on Quays Life.

Since 1992, Daldry’s production has won a total of 19 major awards, including four Tony Awards and three Olivier Awards, and has played to more than 5 million theatregoers worldwide.

Quays Life spoke to the acclaimed director about reviving his seminal production, which arrives at Lowry from 7 to 18 January.

When you were first asked to direct An Inspector Calls for the York Theatre in 1989, in a previous production, you weren’t sure about it. Why was that?

Stephen: “It was pretty much a staple of amateur theatre companies at the time. It took some time of researching Priestley, where he wrote it, why he wrote it, where it was first performed, how it was first performed, before I realised that it was much more of a radical piece than it had become known as.

“JB himself was a little uninspired by the original London production in 1946. It had originally been done in two theatres in Moscow, and those productions were quite radical. So I tried to bring it back to his radical roots and tried to do production which I thought JB might be more interested in”. 

Did you ever meet JB Priestley, who died in 1984? 

Stephen: “Sadly I never met JB, but I was lucky enough to meet Jacquetta Hawkes, who was his wife and a very famous archaeologist. I went to see her and talked her through this production, and got her blessing. I did say to her at the time – I’m trying to do a production which reveals the play as it was meant to be written, and do tell me if you think I’ve gone off beam. And she loved it.

“Tom Priestley, his son, was involved in this production from the very early days. Tom was a great friend to the show, and to me. We talked him through it almost every time, in terms of casting, and Tom would always come and see how it was doing. I felt incredibly supported by Tom. But it was because Jacquetta supported the production, I think that I carried on”.

This production has toured almost every year since 1992. Did you imagine at the time that it could be a long runner?

Stephen: “Not at all. It was originally programmed for quite a short run at the National, and then they had a tour booked. I think there was a certain nervousness at the National about what I was doing. We had some leading actors of the day in the show, Barbara Leigh-Hunt and Richard Pasco, for example, who were not to be revealed straightaway. And there were cobbles, and there was rain, and it was quite – it is still quite – a demanding show for the actors.

“I think there was a nervousness about a radical reworking of a classic. But in the end, it all worked fine. And then it just carried on – we transferred it and transferred it again. I can’t remember off the top of my head how many West End theatres we’ve been in, but quite a few”. 

What changes have you made over that time? 

Stephen: “Remarkably, very few. It’s pretty much the same production as it was when we opened at the National. It’s interesting to watch a production that you did all those years ago, that’s almost exactly the same production, of a young director grappling with this play. I’m not sure now if I would have done quite the same production, or been as bold as I was in my late 20s. I’m 64 now, so it’s a long time ago. It’s a work from a younger version of yourself”. 

What is it like returning to something as opposed to working on something new? 

Stephen: “What I love about the play is how it is perceived each time it’s done; how the audience reacts. It always seems to be a play for today – a play of our times in one way or another. And it does often intersect with issues of the day. So the issue of the day, for example, would be a young mother, who’s living on her own, about to have a baby, and can’t find any means of economic support for that. That thing about mothers, about single mothers, about who’s meant to support them, what is the role or responsibility of the father, of the family, of the state, still feels like a very current conversation”. 

Is that why it is being revived again now?

Stephen: “When we first performed it, it was very much in the world of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, and Thatcher herself was saying there’s no such thing as society, there’s only men and women and families, and so this was, in a sense, a broadside against that mentality and against that Edwardian idea. 

“The original idea of the production was to have a conversation between three time zones – [it’s set in 1912], Priestley was writing it in 1944-45. It was about trying to create a social debate. There was a Labour government almost inevitably coming in, but the conversation in 1945, about what kind of society we wanted after the war, what is Britain, what sort of society do we want to be a part of now, was very current and very important for JB, who himself was an MP. He stood for the Common Wealth Party; essentially a socialist independent.

“That conversation still feels as current today as it did when we first did the play in ’92, and indeed, when JB first wrote the play in the great Labour landslide of 1945”.

It’s a sort of modern morality play – is that something that we do much of these days? 

Stephen: “No, I don’t think we do. It is a morality play and it’s a little bit agitation and propaganda. You have a character who stands in front of the audience and says what he thinks and what we should be doing, and I love that. I think it’s thrilling to have a political play that’s directly in conversation with his audience.

“When we did it in New York, a lot of the audience felt that it was verging on communist. Some people would leave, saying I don’t like this, it’s preachy, and so on. It wears its morality on his sleeve”. 

Can art inspire social change?

Stephen: “I think that’s the reason why we do it. I’ve always believed anything you make that’s in a genuine conversation about the world we live in, shifts the conversation, and even if it makes just one person think or change, then yes. Trying to make the world a better place and trying to have a conversation about the world we live in is, I think, the point of doing any piece of work”.

An Inspector Calls was a sort of call to action when it was written, that prefigured the welfare state. How do you think it’s going to land now?

Stephen: “The welfare state is in crisis in every possible way, from the NHS, to social care to an ageing population. How we, as a society, wish to embrace those changes that are happening to our population and embrace our health service, what the solutions are – can we afford it? Who’s going to pay for it? What is care in the community these days? How do we look after our old folk, how do we look after people in poverty, how do we get people out of poverty? All those questions are, I think, more acute today, perhaps than they’ve been at any time in my life. So I think the play speaks radically to the audience right now, about what sort of society we want to be a part of”.

The play is sometimes thought of as a ghost story, but it’s actually a ‘time play’. What does that mean?

Stephen: “JB Priestley had this theory, as I remember, that we have parallel lives in parallel time zones. So your behaviour, and your attitudes can determine the life that you are living now in this world, and there are multiple universes. It sounds like The Matrix. 

“In this particular play, time stops for a moment, and you see the future. The Inspector comes in, to interrogate what is about to happen. It is, I believe, to give the characters an opportunity, so that when the thing happens, they’re prepared, morally, for the responsibility that they have. He gives them a dry run”. 

Have you directed any of JB Priestley’s other plays?

Stephen: “No, but I’ve always wanted to. Time and the Conways is a fantastic play, and hasn’t been seen for a while. Dangerous Corner is another great play. I think it’s the time plays that I’ve always been most fascinated with. It’s such a wild idea. It’s a theory that he genuinely believed”. 

The post Stephen Daldry on reviving his seminal production of An Inspector Calls appeared first on Quays Life.

This layered tale, which takes youngsters on a journey through many books within a book, has been given another dimension as the story takes to the stage as a new musical adaptation for the first time this summer.

Co-produced by The Lowry, Little Angel Theatre, and Rose Theatre the show reunites adaptors Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane (who also directs) following their celebrated collaboration on the Olivier-nominated The Smartest Giant in Town, also written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

We met up with director Samantha Lane to find out what to expect:

Little Angel Theatre opened in Islington in 1961 as a theatre designed for children and for the presentation of marionette shows. For 60+ years Little Angel Theatre has presented a succession of innovative and highly acclaimed shows. What can audiences expect from the puppetry in Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book?

Samantha: “The puppetry in the show is a real highlight of the production. Because the show focuses on the joy of reading, we wanted to explore how the puppets could come   from books. The puppet designer, Maia Kirkman-Richards, has created fantastic       puppets that simultaneously reflect Axel Scheffler’s fantastic illustrations, but also       appear from books in really innovative and magical ways”.

For many children coming to see Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book at The Lowry this summer it will be their first experience of going to the theatre. What do you enjoy about making shows for young audiences?

Samantha: “I love making work for young audiences. There isn’t a more honest audience out there – if they like the work, they let you know. But equally, they can be your harshest critics as they’ll let you know if they don’t. I have dedicated my entire career to working with children and young people – both in a participatory context, and through making work for them. I love it because it allows me to enrich their lives, foster learning, empathy, and creativity, and create memorable experiences that have a lasting impact”.

Music plays a huge part in Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book. What can you tell us about that?

Samantha: “This is a musical adaptation of the picture book where each story in the book is explored through song, as well as games and puppetry. The songs really help to give each of the individual stories life – extending them beyond the few lines of text in the book itself. For example, we see why the pirate’s ship sinks, and we watch how the thief steals the King’s crown and the chase that unfolds. Barb Jungr’s music and lyrics are incredible – and really bring life to all of the stories within the book”.

This adaption of Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book follows the Olivier-nominated The Smartest Giant in Town, also written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. What do you think it is about Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books that make them translate so well from page to stage?

Samantha: “I think that Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books translate beautifully from page to stage because they are great, engaging stories with memorable characters, rich visuals and clear, strong themes.

“Donaldson’s rhythmic, rhyming text and simple but dynamic narratives lend themselves perfectly to music and puppetry, and are easy for young audiences to follow. Equally, the distinctive and relatable characters, brought to life by Scheffler’s vibrant illustrations, provide such a rich visual palette for a stage adaptation.

“Ultimately, these are the stories that parents and children curl up to read together at bedtime. They are firm family favourites and can be found on the bookshelves in millions of homes across the UK – and so children and adults love nothing more than seeing their favourite books brought to life on stage”.

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book celebrates the joy of reading. How do you hope it will inspire the next generation of readers?

Samantha: “Ultimately, I hope that the show will promote a love of reading. I know from my own children that reading doesn’t always come naturally and some children are reluctant readers for many reasons. And through this production, we wanted to show that there are other ways of enjoying books. Specifically, we look at play as an approach to reading; but the great thing about picture books is that they combine words with beautiful illustrations – and these may also provide a route into exploring text for young children”.

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book is at The Lowry, Salford from 23 July to 4 August 2024.

The post Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book – from picture book to musical appeared first on Quays Life.

It is great to have Wrongsemble Theatre Company back at Waterside. What is special for you about the venue?

Elvi: “We love coming to Waterside Arts. The venue and staff go all out, and the audiences are so friendly and welcoming; everyone really gets into the festive spirit – which makes our job a joy! We’re thrilled to be back in Sale to entertain local family and schools’ audiences again this year”.

What ages is the show aimed at?

Elvi: “The show is suitable for the whole family, with some elements best enjoyed by those aged 4+. But we’re confident anyone aged 0-100 will find something they love about their trip to see this show at Waterside Arts”.

How does the show’s production mirror the message of sustainability?

Elvi: “The cast even live and travel together for the duration of the run. This is the show’s third outing in three years, we’ve been able to store the set and costumes with support from another theatre company meaning we’ve been able to bring it back three times without throwing it all away and making something completely new each time. Theatre can be a wasteful business – and we’re really trying to challenge that!”

What part does music play in the production?

Elvi: “The show has a lively original soundtrack performed live by the cast of three actor-musicians. Each character you meet has a song, and each song has its own style of music – from cabaret to calypso, and a sprinkling of Christmas songs too! The talented company sing, dance and play instruments live almost non-stop in this production”.

Why did you choose to make The Snow Queen a drag queen?

Elvi: “We wanted to make the character of the Snow Queen (Madge) a non-binary drag queen as we thought it was a wonderful way to bring a new version of this famous character to life. In recent years drag has become a hugely mainstream and popular artform delighting all ages – and Madge does exactly that in our show. As a company we also want to represent the diversity of the world we live in, and this festive season our company represents diversity and inclusion in its many forms. Everyone is welcome at a Wrongsemble show, both on and off stage”.

How important is it to you that children feel empowered from seeing the show?

Elvi: “We hope every child leaves feeling empowered, entertained and questioning the world around them like our heroine Lumi. We are here to give our youngest audience members inspirational and exciting experiences that transcend their time watching the show, and hopefully stay with them long after the curtain falls”.

The Snow Queen is at Waterside, Sale from 29 November to 30 December 2023.

The post Elvi Piper – we hope every child leaves questioning the world appeared first on Quays Life.

What inspired you to create the Noughts and Crosses series?

Malorie Blackman: “It was a book I was compelled to write. It was my 50th book and I wanted to address racism and its legacy directly. I was also inspired by the Stephen Lawrence case. I was appalled by the way the Lawrence family had been treated, especially by the police, and I wanted to write something about what it’s like to be judged based on the colour of your skin. That was the genesis of the series.

“What I thought might be one book, and then three books, eventually turned into six books and three novellas. My husband says it’s the longest trilogy on the planet”.

Did you have a strong idea of the characters of Callum and Sephy from the outset?

Malorie Blackman: “I think Callum is an idealist and believes in fighting injustice and righting wrongs. He’s explored every other avenue that the only way to get justice for the Noughts is to join what he calls a freedom fighter group. But once he joins it, he ends up doing things that are contrary to who he is innately. His point of view is that you do what you have to do, in order to survive.

“Sephy is very sheltered and naïve. She has had a very privileged upbringing and it’s only through her friendship with Callum that she realises there’s a whole other world out there that’s not quite as privileged as she is. They’ve grown up together as friends, and it’s about how their friendship turns into a love affair, but also about how she learns about the real world through her friendship with Callum and realises that she has some points of view that she didn’t even appreciate were prejudiced until seeing Callum’s responses to them and how people respond outside of her own social circle”.

Noughts and Crosses has been adapted multiple times. How does it feel to see this book adapted for different mediums?

Malorie Blackman: “Noughts and Crosses has been a radio play, two theatre plays, and series on the BBC. I feel very fortunate because I’ve been included in all of the different iterations. Each iteration has been different – as it should be, because [an adaptation] can’t just be the book, and nor should it try to be the book. But I think all of them have kept the essence of the story. And that’s, primarily what I was keen to happen. I’m not precious about my stuff and I expect it to change. That’s the nature of adaptation. But as long as they’ve kept the essence of it, that’s fine with me. And I think they’ve all done that – so I’ve been very lucky”.

Esther, when did you first encounter the books?

Esther Richardson: “Long before I was running Pilot, I had a real passion for young adult literature. I bought Noughts and Crosses and I remember I read the three books in about a week. It’s not how I normally read, but I was so gripped by the story that I then wanted to read the second one and then the third one. It was still notionally a trilogy at this point
When I got the job with Pilot in 2016, it was obvious to me that this was a show that the company should do, because Pilot has this wonderful legacy of doing work on race equity and had done a lot of work with black artists. It just seemed to me like a natural fit for Pilot.

“I knew that there was an existing version that Malorie had worked on with the Royal Shakespeare Company. But as it was almost 10 years [after that production] it was worth taking a fresh look at it with a new writer. Malorie was really excited by the idea of spoken word and that’s one of the ways in which Sabrina Mahfouz became involved in it. She’s a working-class writer, and she’s really interested in social justice, so she felt like a good fit”.

Malorie Blackman: “Sabrina is such a wonderful playwright. I had every confidence in what she was doing. And I love the direction she took it in and the lyricism she brought to it”.

Do you think the play will speak to young people today?

Esther Richardson: “Noughts and Crosses is fundamentally a love story. That’s so clear. Their relationship is the spine of the show. One of the most amazing things is watching young people who haven’t read the book, particularly girls of around Sephy’s age, watch the show. There are audible gasps in the second half. It’s the power of the story”.

Malorie Blackman: “It does speak to the times we’re in. It’s important to remember that Noughts and Crosses is also a story about class. Callum’s mum works for Sephy’s mum as her housekeeper. It speaks to where we are now in that there are those who have and those who have not and the gap between them is getting wider and wider.

“Though, obviously, it was inspired by Romeo and Juliet, and it has that vibe to it. It was very important for me to say that sometimes love isn’t enough – but, at the same time, we always have hope. Hope for the next generation”.

Noughts and Crosses is at The Lowry, Salford from 18– 21 January 2023. Age guidance 12+

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It’s great to see Stuff & Nonsense back at Waterside. What is it about the venue that works so well for your company’s work?

Niki: “It’s so great to be back! We love working with venues who really care about their audience having a brilliant time – from friendly ushers greeting them when they step in the venue to highly skilled technicians ensuring all the lighting and sound effects are polished and professional. We always experience this at Waterside.

“This time, as we’re here for a few weeks, the team at Waterside are going the extra mile and helping us to give workshops at local schools and dress the foyer space inspired by the show, lots of extras that help audiences get to know us and have an even better experience”.

Can you tell us briefly what the Man Who Wanted to Be a Penguin is about?

Niki: “The main character is an enthusiastic, curious man who spends much of his time tinkering in his shed inventing things. He becomes fascinated by penguins, and language, and plans to travel to the Antarctic. He first learns to speak the penguin’s language, and the audience learn a few words too!

“When he arrives in the Antarctic he has to find his way to fit in with a community that’s very different to what he’s used to. When he uses his invention skills to help them find a genius solution to a very time-consuming problem, they accept him with open arms/wings!

“The play explores individuality, being different, learning to communicate, and fitting in. Overall it is great fun, joyful and exploratory. The first half of the show is set in the man’s garden, where he interacts with various characters (notably a neighbour and postie) and the second half in the Antarctic”.

How do you create the characters on stage?

Niki: “We create the characters alongside the story, always thinking about how they would react to certain events to help build their personalities. We only have two actors but they each play lots of different characters – either human or puppets.”

Can you tell us a bit more about the puppets?

Niki: “Our brilliant puppet-maker Holly Miller creates mock-up puppets for us initially, that we use when we’re creating the story and scenes, and then she designs each one individually and hand makes them in the studio at our base, The Lyric Theatre in Bridport, Dorset. We use a variety of sizes and types of puppets, and all are operated by the two actors in the show – this keeps the actors very busy!”

Did you create the show with a Christmas show in mind?

Niki: “We never make our shows with a Christmas-y theme as they need to be suitable for touring throughout the year. Plus, we want our shows to be a treat for everyone, whether or not they celebrate Christmas. And often parents tell us that they appreciate a break from the Christmas overload at this time of year! What we do have in mind however, for each and every one of our shows, is that feeling of going somewhere as a family for a special treat, building memories together and talking about it for years to come”.

What makes it a great Christmas show?

Niki: “This show has a magical, wintery feel. The snow, penguins and icy scenes are really seasonal. Children always go home talking about our shows, maybe making things they’ve seen, singing the songs, acting out scenes or pretending to be characters they’ve met. So this gives families lots of inspiration for things they can do at home, especially during the winter holidays when we spend lots of time together indoors.”

What age group is it aimed at?

Niki: “It’s particularly aimed at children aged 3-10, but we always receive feedback from audiences that whole families have enjoyed our shows. We have lots of grandparents treating grandchildren, and lots of littlies for whom it’s their first theatre trip. We make sure that there is something for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age”.

Can you tell us a bit about the digital workshops you are running this half term?

Niki: “This is something new for us, building on some of the digital work we did during lockdowns. They’re a chance for families, or school groups, to join our artists and test their creative skills! You can either make a puppet, or learn how to make your own song. No previous experience or specialist equipment is needed. You can either follow along with us, or let your creative juices flow and do something quite different! For the crafty puppet making sessions we encourage people to use recycled items like newspaper, cereal boxes and yoghurt pots. Anyone can give them a go, you don’t need to have seen the show. We recommend them for ages 6+”.

How do you keep your imagination creative and fresh as a child’s?

Niki: “By playing and spending lots of time with children! Children co-create our shows with us. This means that they are with us in the rehearsal room coming up with ideas, sharing their feedback and critiquing the development of the show at each stage. This is essential to us, as we need to keep reminding ourselves how children think differently and imaginatively. We also do lots of research, including watching a huge variety of films and reading lots of books, to continue widening our perspectives”.

If you could be a penguin for a day what would be the most fun part of that for you?

Niki: “Using my roller skates on the ice. Oh wait, would my skates still fit if I had penguin feet?…”

Is there anything else you’d like to say about the show?

Niki: “If you’re nervous about bringing young children to the theatre for the first time, we’d love you to just give it a go; you will be very welcomed. We don’t mind at all if your children don’t sit still and quiet the whole way through; our actors have worked with children for years and have seen/heard it all!”

Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company presents The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts, Sale from 30 November to 31 December 2022.

Digital workshops on puppet making and song writing designed by Stuff & Nonsenseare available from October half term (22 October) at £10 per workshop from Waterside’s website.

The post Stuff & Nonsense artistic director Niki McCretton is still a child at heart appeared first on Quays Life.

Salford-born auteur, Mike Leigh, is one of UK’s most internationally recognised and critically acclaimed film-makers working today. A seven-time Oscar nominee, winner of five BAFTAs, and nominated for another ten BAFTA awards, Leigh is also the only British director to have won the top prize at both Cannes (for Secrets & Lies, 1996) and Venice (for Vera Drake, 2004).

As part of a nation-wide celebration of Leigh’s work, Home, Manchester is hosting a special season of his early films coinciding with the nation-wide re-release of Naked, which won Leigh best director and David Thewlis best actor, at Cannes Film Festival in 1993, as well as a nomination for the Palme d’Or.

The film, newly remastered in 4K by the BFI National Archive, is a powerful and raw depiction of Thatcherism in England. Thwellis’ character, Johnny, is an intellectual, angsty and abusive Mancunian. After a failing attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend, Louise (Lesley Sharp), Johnny toys with Louise’s housemate Sophie (Katrin Cartlidge), exploiting her vulnerability, abusing and then abandoning her. The film follows Johnny wandering the streets at night, unloading his rage onto unsuspecting strangers. It’s a complex and unnerving character study of a destructive misogynist – a by-product of a broken society under Thatcher’s Britain.

Twenty-eight years later, old and new audiences can revel in the controversial and cutting exploration of alienation and male aggression that sadly is still recognisable today.

After the screening, Mike Leigh was live on stage to answer questions from the audience.

The restoration (of Naked) brings out the colour palette and the visual style of the film. I think people often talk about the content of your work rather than the visual style. Can you talk about how the black and blue colour palette was developed?

Mike Leigh: “The film was shot by Dick Pope, cinematographer, who’s shot all of my films since 1990. But it was also designed by Alison Chitty, who designed Life is Sweet and Secrets and Lies.

“I spend quite a long time, over months, with the actors developing the characters and relationships. But there has to come a point in that process where I share with the guys behind the camera. With the cinematographer, and the designer and the costume designer and the makeup designer, what I think is evolving.

“In the case of this particular film, Naked, I said, ‘Look, this is a solo journey. This is nocturnal’. We knew we were going to shoot the film in colour but somehow it’s monochromatic, it’s dark. So Dick Pope used something called bleach bypass, where you miss one of the things that happen in the laboratory, and you get this effect. So we sat and looked at those reels and then, as always happens, he shot some tests in collaboration with the designers. And it was absolutely stunning – very, very dark and very, very moody.

“Obviously for me, I’m thinking 24-7 about the characters and relationships in my head, but once I’m sitting with them and looking on screen at the tests, that feeds back. I’m now thinking about filmmaking, the practicalities and the actual cinematics, as well as the dramatics. So really, that’s how it came about. We haven’t changed the story. It’s merely enhancing it and also taking out all the gunk and scratches that accrue over time”.

How did you go about finding settings and locations?

Mike Leigh: “That building that the flat is in – Alison Chitty is a brilliant designer and she kept coming back with various houses and buildings in London and I’d say, ‘This is just a building with a flat in it. It has to have an edge’. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what that edge was, and then one day they rushed in and said, ‘How about this?’ And they found this building we’ve been looking at and it’s on the corner and it’s like Charles Adams. It’s neo-gothic and it’s on an angle. I said it’s great, so that was that.

“One of the great contributions that Alison Chitty made was we invented this guy, Brian (security guard) in this working office block. And one day she came in and she said, ‘I’ve had a brain wave, I’ve found this building and it’s empty. There’s nothing in it at all, it’s an office block that’s not been used. So how about if he’s guarding empty space?’ I said, ‘That’s fantastic, that’s absolutely what the film’s about’.

“And one tiny detail in design – ,one of the things about the discipline about the visual look was to avoid reds. So in the office block, if you look very carefully, there is a grey fire bell on the wall. Now there aren’t any grey fire bells anywhere; they’re all red. But Alison Chitty painted it grey because she didn’t want any red in the shots, little bit arty but I like it”.

Where do your narrative ideas come from?

Mike Leigh: “Life. It comes from life. There are so many facets. I mean people say, ‘Oh, your films are about working-class life’. Well they are sometimes, and there are also working-class characters. But it’s about people, really, and I think it’s the little ways of looking at different kinds of people even though it’s the same sort of philosophy”.

If you were to bring Johnny back to life now, would he be a success, would he have destroyed himself or is he destroying others?

Mike Leigh: “I mean, it’s a hard one this. You see, here’s the thing about Johnny, and nothing about this guy or the film is black and white. But I think first of all, the thing about Johnny, apart from anything else, I think he’s the victim of a crap education system. If at school, instead of sending him out of the room or putting him in detention every time he opened his mouth, they thought, this is a bright kid to nurture and bring out, he’d have been different to the guy we’ve just seen in the film. I’m not sure that what we have in Johnny, is a victim of ‘conspiracy theory-itis’, as it were. I think he’s a very intelligent guy, a very frustrated guy. His head is full of ideas, but he is an idealist, an intelligent idealist who is frustrated by how the world is. So I’m not sure that he’s the guy that you project, but don’t ask me to say precisely where he would be now because I just don’t know”.

You use character acting in all your films, where the actors become the character and improvise the scenes as if they were a real person. However, suppose things happen in an improvised situation that isn’t what you envisioned the character to say or do, or you want something different to happen. How do you navigate this without making it forced and stripping the authenticity?

Mike Leigh: “First of all, I’m in on it with the actors from the word go. We have collaborated with the actors to create the characters, so my job inevitably, is to understand the character completely. So if the actor says, ‘I don’t think they would do that’. My job is not to say, ‘Bog off and do it’ or ‘I just don’t agree with you and that’s that’. I will immediately understand why that is. So we have in our armoury, at our disposal, an understanding of the character as a real person and his or her motivation. And you know, you can work with the motivation. It’s in some way negotiable, and the actor always wants to cooperate without compromising, and I want to do the same thing without compromising. So it’s about improvisation, intelligence and collaboration”.

And finally, how has your Mancunian background impacted your filmmaking?

Mike Leigh: “Well, I have to say, apart from everything else, that if it were not for my Mancunian background, you would not have had an unpredictable moment in this film. The Manchester anthem: ‘Take me back to Manchester when it’s raining’, that’s a very important aspect of the film. We had a blast inventing the fact that Johnny and Louise came from Manchester. It informs the film in an implicitly Mancunian way. And, I think there’s a certain Mancunian, Salfordian wry, wry look at the world going on in these films”.

Mike Leigh Retrospective is at HOME, Manchester from 7 – 30 November 2021

For full details of the BFI’s Mike Leigh Celebration visit bfi.org.uk

Read our interview with film director Maciej Barczewski on bringing Tadeuz “Teddy” Pietryzkowsi’s fight for survival to the screen, in The Champion Of Auschwitz.

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