Northern Soul Show Brings Beat – and Business – to the High Street

Keep On Keepin’ On is more than just a good night out – it’s part of a bold initiative to breathe new life into local shopping areas by turning empty or underused buildings into venues for live performance and starting conversations with local business owners. The show will take over a shop in Crewe, a working men’s club in Blackburn and a library in Blackpool from 13–31 May, with each space transformed into a fully immersive performance setting.

Set in a failing Northern Soul-themed discount shop, the story follows Eugene (Neil Bell) and Maxine (Caroline Chesworth), who were once teenage soulmates, but life has spun them out of each other's arms. With a fresh-from-jail son, a struggling shop, and a last-ditch plan to fix everything, chaos ensues. The high-energy comedy is soundtracked by classic soul tunes and packed with warmth, nostalgia and Northern grit.

But behind the laughs lies a deeper purpose. Produced by Northern Soul Productions and written by Bradford-based playwright Mick Martin, Keep On Keepin’ On is designed to start real conversations about the future of our high streets. The production is working with local councils, communities, and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to bring attention to the challenges faced by town centre businesses and explore creative ways to reinvigorate local economies.

“Keep On Keepin’ On is about the modern-day Northern Soul scene and the changing faces of the towns that spawned it,” said writer Mick Martin. “It’s a play about now, family and love, about people struggling to keep it together in these dark and straitened times at the working-class coalface of dysfunctional northern Britain. That’s why we want to bring it to high street spaces rather than traditional theatre venues. We’re hoping that, in each town on our tour, the play helps to start conversations with their communities and brings new audiences to the theatre and the high street.”

Each venue will double as Eugene’s shop, complete with bric-a-brac and a DJ booth. In Crewe, students from the local University Technical College have helped design the set, adding another layer of community involvement.

As well as the performances, the project includes outreach and workshops with local businesses and community groups. The goal is to use theatre as a tool for change, gathering ideas and feedback that will feed into a long-term support programme for local business owners.

At its heart, though, Keep On Keepin’ On is a celebration – of music, resilience, and the unbreakable Northern spirit.

Tickets and tour info: www.keeponkeepinonplay.co.uk