Anna Friel Sends Congrats to M6 Theatre

Actress Anna Friel has sent her congratulations to a Rochdale theatre company which has waited over 25 years for a space of its own.

The M6 Theatre Company was founded in 1977 and has had many temporary homes over the years, most recently at Hamer County Primary School. But thanks to a government and Lottery grant, the new M6 Theatre Company Studio Theatre for children and young people will launch in Rochdale on May Day.

Hollywood actress Anna was born in Rochdale and fondly remembers watching M6 productions at her school in the 1980s.

In her card, the star, who is a patron of M6, along with The Royle Family's Sue Johnston said: "Congratulations M6. It's fantastic you have a theatre at last. Here's to many packed houses!"

The 92-seater, fully-accessible venue will be a welcome addition to Rochdale’s cultural life and will bring many benefits to the community. As well as being the first purpose built home for the company, the new studio theatre will host a variety of theatre projects for children and young people.

The funding for the project comes from Space for Sport and the Arts (SSA), a £130 million joint Government and Lottery scheme which has supported 300 sport and arts projects at primary schools throughout England. Additional project funding for some of the new theatre's technical equipment comes from the Regional Arts Lottery Fund.

Visitors will enter the building through an airy, light-flooded double-height foyer. This will be used as an exhibition space by M6 and local artists working with young people. At the heart of the new building is a black box studio theatre. This is a special kind of modern theatre, which is highly minimalist in design. Apart from the seating, the performance space is literally a black box. Other examples of this type of theatre are Manchester’s Green Room.

The building has a strong contemporary design, featuring a mixture of exposed brick and metal work. It is fully wheelchair accessible, with ramped access to the foyer and performance area. A lift provides full access to the upstairs and the theatre is fitted with a hearing loop.

Jane Milne, General Manager said: "The new studio theatre is a fantastic asset for the M6 Theatre Company, for Hamer County Primary School and for Rochdale.
"We believe it is the only purpose built theatre space in the north west with a programme of theatre events for children and young people aged from three to 18." "The new space will allow us to present a range of opportunities for children and young people to take part in theatre-based activities, whether as audience members or as active participants of youth theatre projects."

Other Rochdale projects to have benefited from SSA money are a floodlit playing field at Greenbank Community Primary, Greenbank Road and improved sports changing facilities at St Mary’s RC Primary School, Whitelees Road, Littleborough.