CIVIC
SOCIETY
Original landowner of the site
where the Empire now stands.
founders of the Empire Cinema,
now the Thwaites EMPIRE Theatre
Nearly 300 young people from schools across Blackburn have been interacting with the history of the Thwaites Empire Theatre in an adaptation of our Heritage Lottery production, If these Bricks Could Talk.
The play is written by resident professional writer and director Tim Lince of Pendle Productions who has been working with internship theatre practitioner, Adam Nash of Lancaster University.
The children from six schools have been working on a play about the first fifty years or so of the building up to its closure. Eric Nolan of Blackburn Drama Club plays the role of the Harry the projectionist of the Empire Cinema and has been working with each of the schools in their own settings.
Each day the school children arrived in the morning to rehearse for the first time with professional scenery, props and costumes, sound and lighting. They performed the piece in the afternoon in front of friends, family and class members.
Schools peformed on the following days;
Friday 18th June St Aidan’s
Monday 21st June Griffin Park
Tuesday 22nd June St Lukes and St Philips
Wednesday 23rd June St Barnabas
Thursday 24th June Holy Trinity
Friday 25th June Sacred Heart
with St Aidan’s School
Listen to the pupils of St Aidan’s Primary School as they talk about the play on BBC Radio Lancashire. Click the play button below the picture.
