Life in a Northern Town, The Customs House

Life In A Northern Town is a partnership between Northern Broadsides, Barnsley Civic, The Customs House and Blackpool Grand Theatre, and is supported by Arts Council England. 

We are passionate about two things: stories and the North. We believe that the future of theatre starts with new voices.

This programme was originated in 2023 by Northern Broadsides, supporting the creativity of emerging writers from across four corners of the North, develops work by new artists and provides a ladder into the theatre industry for upcoming talent.

The NE writers are: Andrew Finnigan, Lydia Kavanagh, Miles Kinsley and Hayley Mitchell.

In 2024, they worked with writer Susan Mulholland to develop their stories about ‘Life in a Northern Town’, and has their work read by actors in a table read in March, they attended a Writers’ Residence led by Northern Broadsides at Hebden Bridge and continued to write their scripts.

In Janaury 2025, they had up to 15 minutes work performed in The Studio, as a rehearsed reading directed by Aiden Nord.

The pieces and actors were:

  • Time May Change Me by Andrew Finnigan (read by Micky Cochrane and Ben Smith)
  • This is an Individual Sport by Lydia Kavanagh (read by Lucy Davis, Caitlin Fairlamb and Chloe Millar)
  • Tide by Miles Kinsley (read by Jake Jarratt and Charlotte Ryder)
  • Crazy Money by Hayley Mitchell (read by Hayley Mitchell and Lucy Davis)

Follow us on Instagram @tch_productions to find out more information about our cohort and Life In A Northern Town.

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