Monkey Business

Cardinal Newman College’s Limelights Theatre Company is proud to present the ground breaking, final performance of its 21st season, Primate Change.

In a time when everyone is concerned with “going green”, Cardinal Newman College students are giving a voice to the forgotten victims of global warming, the apes.

“Primate Change” is a new musical by Pete Hartley, Head of Creative Arts, and James Cruickshanks, Music teacher, and tells the tale of how the apes at Blackpool Zoo escape and set up their own show on the North Pier in an attempt to save their endangered cousins in the wild.

A hundred performers play a selection of species including Gorillas, Chimps, Orang-utans, and the closest ape relatives of humans, the seriously endangered Bonobo. There are only two human roles and all of the monkey business is created by dance and physical theatre. There are a dozen musical numbers including some Soul and Motown favourites, but there also four original songs composed by James.

Pete explained: “This year’s musical has a straightforward plot. Obviously there’s a message, though it might not quite be the one the audience expect, but in essence Primate Change is a simple story aimed at a general family audience. Nevertheless, it offers a real challenge physically and musically to create and present a brand new piece of musical theatre designed to both amuse and provoke. Many of the species featured in Primate Change are under immediate threat due to pressures on the areas in which they live.

“This is the sixth original musical we’ve staged at the Charter Theatre in six years. From our point of view a musical is the only way to get a hundred performers on stage at one go and give them all something meaningful to do, but we’ve also tried to have a point to each of our productions.”

“I’ve always considered it more important to create innovators than imitators so we like to focus on new material wherever we can. It’s more dangerous because until you put it in front of an audience you just don’t know if it works. Thankfully our previous five attempts at the Guild Hall have all been well received.”

At least one student from each of the Guild Hall shows has progressed to train professionally which is very good going in a field where 3000 applicants compete for less than 30 places at the best drama schools. Three students who appeared in last year’s 20th Anniversary Production, The Banned Wagon, have been offered places to start professional training this year. Hannah Britland (Brownedge) is going to the London Guild Hall School of Music and Drama. Amy Tomlinson (Balshaws) is going to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts to train as a dancer. Dominic Myerscough (St Michael’s) has been given a place at the Rose Bruford School of Drama to train as an actor.

In twenty years Cardinal Newman College has sent over thirty young people into professional training. Some of them have been prominent in the West End and others are making a living in television and cinema.

Primate Change is premiered at the Charter Theatre on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June. Tickets from the Guild Hall box office: 0845 344 2012.

www.prestonguildhall.com

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