Barrel of laughs, plays and music at pub's theatre
A pub is planning to turn a spare room into a makeshift theatre.
The Western, in the West End, Leicester, will host a month-long festival of performing arts, featuring dance, music and drama.
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Off the Fence Theatre Company will transform the upstairs of the pub, installing a stage, lights and sound equipment.
More than 20 acts, including saxophonist Gerard McChrystal, will give performances, between March 11 and April 14.
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It follows the success of a similar venture by the Leicester company last year.
Producer Verity Bartesch said: "We first tried Upstairs at the Western in October, with new play Godot Was Here, by Loughborough writer Thomas Scully.
"We knew the pub had great potential and are delighted so many other performers are getting the chance to try it."
Other acts to perform at the festival include De Montfort University drama students, self-proclaimed deadbeat Dan Nicholas with his chat show and Arletty Theatre with their anarchic pantomime, Stinxville.
The idea of pub theatre dates back more than 500 years, before the introduction of purpose-built venues, with landlords allowing performances in coach yards.
Media manager Sally Jack said: "Fringe theatre is a place for new work and new artists and anything goes.
"Audiences see emerging artists in an intimate space. Sometimes acts are a little raw, sometimes in your face but, in five years, you may be saying smugly 'I saw them first at Upstairs at the Western'."
Western manager Kieran Lyons said: "I am really excited to try something different.
"Hopefully, we will see some new faces as well as offering our regular customers something new."
Ticket prices range from about £3 to £10 and can be booked online. For information about the festival, visit:
www.off-the-fence.com/ upstairs-at-the-western
Follow Upstairs at the Western on facebook or on Twitter:
@UpstairsWestern
Comments
by remoulder
Friday, February 22 2013, 4:23PM
“The upstairs room at The Western is a bit small to fit a stage AND a bar, there won't be much room left for an audience!”