The Marlowe Theatre Canterbury have just finished an ambitious yet successful project called the Garden of England. It was an ensemble cast, performed in association with Canterbury Christ Church University and Hadlow College.
Although I was taking production stills (part live performance part rehearsal) it was an opportunity to see up close whether such a performance would work. It was a large combined cast of children, young people and adults with set pieces scattered around the theatre, surrounding streets of Canterbury, and a specially planted (temporary) garden. A guide helped stitch the prices together and it the performances, across the age ranges were mature and well constructed.
This was the first “community” production for the Marlowe Theatre Canterbury. The central theme was an exploration of Kent and how it is viewed by its inhabitants – young and old, newly arrived, and by those with their roots firmly in its soil. Let’s hope that the newly emerging talent have an opportunity to perform again.
