The Life and Times of Mitchell & Kenyon from Lancashire to the World, a brand new ‘play with songs’ opened last week at the Dukes in Lancaster – something I’d been looking forward to since last year when I’d first seen the evocative promotional trailer.
The Lancashire film making duo were long forgotten until a chance discovery in Blackburn in 1994 when literally reams and reams (and reams!) of now fragile film footage was found, restored, digitised and shown to the world by the British Film Institute. There were few who weren’t moved by the streams of mill workers caught on film leaving factories, or the ‘topical’ films showing northern seaside towns, football matches and village fetes. I found the films fascinating and compelling to watch.
In the spirit of the music hall traditional (to quote the publicity blurb) the play celebrates the life and times of Mitchell and Kenyon, showing their rise from cabinet making and penny slot machine vendors to national filmmakers extraordinaire via cinemas, fairgrounds, village halls, northern towns and even London (to film the funeral of Queen Victoria) until their demise with the first world war and arrival of Hollywood films.
I can’t praise this play enough, I absolutely loved it! The five person cast present a funny, poignant and celebratory production – a sheet joy to watch! The way the original film footage is used and interwoven into the story is really well done, together with clever staging and multi-talented actors it was a pleasure to watch.
I must also mention our pre-theatre meal at the Borough on Dalton Square. Unknown to us it was ‘Steak night’ and so we tucked into delicious locally reared steaks, onion rings, tomatoes, mushrooms and chips for £10. Good food and service all round despite it being very busy.
Sally
The Life and Times of Mitchell & Kenyon from Lancashire to the World is at The Dukes, Lancaster until 10 May 2014. Tickets from £9. Find out more
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