Appeal for Lowther memories

Did you meet your future wife or husband there? Was your first performance on the Lowther stage? Did you watch your idol on the stage there?

Actress and writer Linda Hampton is preparing a performance piece about the Lytham venue and is appealing for stories about experiences there which have shaped people’s lives in some way.

The play will be set on and around a single theatre seat and Linda, who is working on Love Lowther, the fund-raising project to refurbish and regenerate the theatre, explained: “I want to put together a piece of theatre which encapsulates all that is good about Lowther Pavilion based on true stories.

“The idea is to remind the community just what a valuable resource the Pavilion provides and how important it is that we look after it for future generations.

“The performance piece will be for one or two actors and will be easily transportable so that it can be taken to unlikely places where you might not expect to find theatre happening.

“It will also be performed at Lowther, of course, perhaps as a lunchtime show, or even in the surrounding gardens. The play will take place on and around a single theatre seat and will give us an insight into what people are thinking about when they are in the theatre watching a performance.

“I can’t wait to hear people’s memories and stories. Theatre always breeds entertaining anecdotes and I am sure that there are plenty to be heard from the people of Fylde about Lowther Pavilion.”

The aim at Lowther is to replace all the seats in the auditorium and people are being invited to sponsor a seat for £200 to help raise funds for the Love Lowther campaign in aid of the theatre’s planned £5.25m refurbishment,

Linda added: “We have a sample seat in the foyer for people to try out and when I saw it I was inspired with the idea to write a piece about all the different people who might sit on it. The performances of the play will be ‘pay what you like’ and the proceeds will go to the Love Lowther fund.”

Lowther general manager Roger McCann said: “One of the really enjoyable things to emerge from the refurbishment planning has been the number of people who have been telling us about why Lowther is so special to them. I’m delighted that Linda has come up with this idea to bring them together into a performance.”

A planning application for the main roof works which will precede the refurbishment were submitted to Fylde Council last week and the aim is to install the new seating in August.

Anyone who has a story or a memory to share for the show should contact Linda at [email protected] or 07885 161758.