This summer, our LiveWire team is joining forces with the Library Theatre’s Young Company (LTYC) to produce the gloriously grotesque tale of Hansel And Gretel. Lois White is one of our prop makers and shares her story…
If you’d have told me that I was going to be making a huge pie, sticking feathers to a scrawny chicken and parading around the Cornerhouse café with tin foil hats approximately a week and a bit ago I would’ve told you that, as fun as it sounds, it will probably never happen. Well, to my surprise, that actually did happen – at the LiveWire Young Creatives Summer Project. The play that we would be making props for was Hansel and Gretel, performed by the Library Theatre’s Young Company.
I actually heard about the project a bit before the holidays and was really excited to do it; however, it was all booked up. But a week into the holidays, a spot opened up and I was really excited to go. As I got off the train on the first day, I was feeling really nervous to the point of actually not wanting to get involved at all, and somehow I managed to muster up the courage to go in. I was almost certain that everyone would hate me and I was considering not coming again the next day, but it turns out that everyone was equally as scared and I actually spoke to and made friends with a lot of like minded people. The bits of the play we saw were really cool too – it’s a very individual and interesting take on the classic tale, and I’m looking forward to seeing the final outcome of all our work this weekend.
Making the props is a lot of fun; although it requires you to be very resourceful and patient – two things I’m usually not but I’m pleased to say I’m learning to do (I hope). This first week has flown by – it seems that I’ve become a fully-fledged city commuter and learned how to make a gargantuan cherry pie out of foam, art rock and dyed red cotton wool, which is something that not many people can say.
Although we have done a lot of work, we’ve had a good laugh too and I can definitely say that this is one of the best things I’ve EVER done and I’m so glad that I tried this out. I’ve met so many funny and cool people that I wouldn’t even known existed if it wasn’t for the LiveWire project.
Hansel and Gretel is being performed at Capitol Theatre on Fri 9 Aug 2013 & Sat 10 Aug 2013 at 19:30. Tickets cost £7 Full / £4 Conc and are available to buy online here or via our Box Office on 0161 200 1500.