Blackpool & Fylde Beekeepers Association bring live bees to Grand Theatre to celebrate The Beekeeper of Aleppo
“We were absolutely thrilled.”
Blackpool Grand Theatre welcomed some unique visitors this week as members of the Blackpool & Fylde Beekeepers Association arrived with a live display hive to mark the run of The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
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The visit gave the cast and production team a rare chance to meet local beekeepers and learn more about bees, honey production and the importance of beekeeping in a changing climate. The association, which supports beekeepers through education and practical guidance, also aims to raise public awareness of the vital role bees play in the environment.
‘An incredibly special moment’
Andrew Howard, Head of Audiences, Marketing and Sales at Blackpool Grand Theatre, said: “Welcoming Blackpool Bee Association into the theatre with their live display hive has been an incredibly special moment for us all.
“The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a story filled with pain, humanity, memory and hope, and to connect that storytelling with the real care, knowledge and passion of local beekeepers has been genuinely moving.
“The cast and company loved the visit, learned so much, and it created a wonderful sense of engagement between the production, our theatre and the community. This is exactly what theatre can do at its best; it opens doors, starts conversations and helps us see the world, and each other, differently.”
‘Generosity, knowledge, and enthusiasm’
Martin Dodd, Producer of UK Productions, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to welcome Blackpool Bee Association to the Grand. Their generosity, knowledge and enthusiasm gave the company a truly memorable insight into beekeeping today, and it was deeply affecting to experience it alongside a production in which bees carry such emotional significance.
“The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a story about love, loss, displacement and resilience, but it is also about what survives when everything else is taken away. Moments like this remind us how powerfully theatre can connect with real lives, real communities and the natural world around us.”
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Inspired by Christy Lefteri’s bestselling novel, The Beekeeper of Aleppo follows Syrian beekeeper Nuri and his wife Afra as they flee war-torn Aleppo in search of safety and hope.
Running at Blackpool Grand Theatre until Saturday 30 May 2026, the acclaimed production has been praised as “powerful, visceral and deeply human,” with tickets available from £18.
For tickets, visit Blackpool Grand Theatre online at www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or call 01253 290 190. For Group and School bookings, call 01253 74 32 32.