Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Staff/Student Newsletter for Performance!
As the 2025/26 academic year races towards its end, we’re excited to bring you details of all the amazing projects that students and staff have been getting stuck into outside the classroom.
In this edition of the newsletter, we’ve got details of the placement that Level 6 Performance students did on Dante or Die’s revival of their iconic piece of site-specific theatre, I Do, details of Stephen M. Hornby’s new play The BBC’s First Homosexual, a peek behind the scenes of the Level 6 Tech Theatre performances, and much, much more.
There’s also a round-up of what’s on at the New Adelphi Theatre so you can be sure not to miss any of the incredible work currently being showcased here on campus!
All the best,
Abby and Bron 😊
Abby Bentham: A.A.Bentham@salford.ac.uk
Brainne Edge: B.Edge@salford.ac.uk
LET’S CHAT! INTERVIEW WITH SHARMA ANGEL-WALFALL
by Brainne Edge
Sharma is an award winning writer who has written for shows such as Emmerdale, Dreamland and Doctor Who. She is also a University of Salford graduate in Media and Performance. She talks to us about her journey from graduation to where she is now as a professional script writer.
SHOW ME THE FUNNY!
“The GP said “see you next Tuesday”. So I decked him.”
– Submitted from Monica Choi-Peng, L5 Creative Writing and Performance
SALFORD STUDENTS JOIN DANTE OR DIE FOR HIT REVIVAL OF I DO
by Tracy Crossley
In February, nine lucky Level 6 Performance students said “I do” to a week-long placement with Dante or Die theatre company.
The company invited the select group to collaborate with them on their critically acclaimed site-specific production I Do, which was held at Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly. I Do was originally performed over 10 years ago, also with Salford students involved. The production was revived this year, in collaboration with The Lowry Theatre, to celebrate Dante or Die’s 20th birthday.
Created and conceived by Daphna Attias and Terry O’Donovan, with writing by Chloë Moss, I Do peels back the layers of love, family, and chaos in the final ten minutes before a wedding. The action takes place in six rooms of a working hotel, each a jigsaw piece revealing a different view of the same tense moment in time. The best man’s last-minute speech is floundering, the bride is caught between nerves and expectation, and family secrets ripple beneath the surface.
The selected students worked with the production team as front of house ushers who led small groups of audience members through their 90-minute immersive experiences. Audience members became voyeurs as they followed the intimate, overlapping stories – from old flames to hidden pregnancy tests, and lots of whispered secrets.
As well enjoying the prestige of taking part in such an iconic piece of site-specific theatre, the students: gained front of house skills; worked alongside Dante or Die directors, the cast and the stage management team; collaborated with The Lowry Theatre; and gained hands-on experience of working with audiences on a logistically complex, site-based performance. Clearly, it was well worth them saying “I do” to this opportunity!
“THE BBC’s FIRST HOMOSEXUAL” IS A FIVE STAR SMASH!
In addition to being a lecturer and screenwriter, Dr Stephen M Hornby is also a playwright. He has just completed a tour of his new play The BBC’s First Homosexual, funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council. Previews of the show featured in The Guardian, BBC Radio Four’s The World Tonight and the Manchester Evening News.
The director is Oli Hurst, one of our own Theatre and Performance alumni. The play premiered here at the New Adelphi Theatre and then toured to Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton, London and Loughborough.
Costumes for the performance were provided by the wardrobe team here at the University. Rebecca Coleman and the wardrobe team were delighted to be involved. Rebecca said “the show required a detailed and period accurate look — and thanks to the department’s well stocked costume store, we were able to source around 95% of the garments in house. Access to such a rich costume collection has been invaluable in bringing this new production to life.”
The play sold out at most of the venues it toured to, and the critics have been as keen as the audiences. Here’s a sample of what they said:
“This is a powerful piece of theatre, meticulously crafted and profoundly felt.” – London Theatre Reviews
“A production that is peerless, leaving this as one of the most important new pieces in British theatre of 2026.” – The New Current
“This is a beautifully conceived play which is as entertaining as it is informative and is performed by a superb and talented cast.” – Jack The Lad
“Although Hornby’s script is full of fascinating detail, it never bogs down or becomes a lecture.” – British Theatre Guide
“Sometimes something is so good you want to stand outside the theatre and tell everyone outside to come in and see it. This is one of those moments. Unmissable, first class, astonishing theatre.” – Brighton Source
“Ultimately, this powerful, slick, and well-performed piece excels at creating an incredibly heartfelt and important story” – All The Dazzle
With reviews this good, surely it can’t be long before The BBC’s First Homosexual is on the road again. Stephen has hinted that there will be announcements about that coming soon, so if you missed it last time…
MUCH ADO ABOUT GERMAN!
By Malcolm Read
Have you seen Was Ihr Wollt? Or Wie Es Euch Gefällt? You may think not, but you may know them better as Twelfth Night and As You Like It, Shakespeare plays equally beloved in Germany as in the English-speaking world.
At New Year, for the past four years I have travelled to Berlin to join some German friends in reading a Shakespeare play in German. My friends are not actors: Kerstin is a psychotherapist, Dietrich a dentist; two others are teachers, another plays in an orchestra. Interspersed with reading the play – this year: Viel Lärm Um Nichts (Much Ado About Nothing) – the others play Baroque string music (I listen and enjoy).
My friends are not the only Germans with a thing for Shakespeare. Shakespeare is considered an honorary German: his most famous translator, Schlegel, described him as “ganz unser”, entirely ours. (Typical Germans! Throwing their beach towel over our national poet! Do we do that to their national poet, Goethe? Actually, do we even know who Goethe is?)
There were touring productions of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet in Germany in the 1600s, but in the 18th century Shakespeare became a big influence on German culture, when most of the plays appeared in German prose translations. Nowadays there are more Shakespeare productions in Germany than in Britain. Directors like to choose Shakespeare as a playground for theatrical experimentation, such as Thomas Ostermeier’s celebrated production of Richard III.
English speakers can find Shakespeare’s Early Modern English challenging. German speakers have the advantage of reading Shakespeare in modern German. However, things can be ‘lost in translation’. Shakespeare is full of puns and wordplay: the translator’s challenge is to find the nearest equivalent expression. In Much Ado, Beatrice gets the better of her verbal sparring partner Benedick, leading to Don Pedro saying:
You have put him down, lady…
Beatrice replies:
So I would not he should so do me, my lord, lest I should prove the mother of fools.
Don Pedro’s expression refers to throwing an opponent in wrestling; she makes it about Benedick taking her to bed and getting her pregnant. The German has:
Sie haben ihn aufs Kreuz gelegt, Fräulein.
Roughly: “you have laid him on the small of his back”. This means to defeat in wrestling, by pinning an opponent to the mat. However, it can also mean to have sex with someone, so in German the sexual pun is already present before Beatrice makes it so. Moreover, ‘aufs Kreuz legen’ can also mean to hoodwink or cheat – meanings not in the English. Translation is tricky!
I love reading Shakespeare in English or German, but speaking German is tiring: have I used the correct grammatical order? What is the word for ambiguity? (Zweideutigkeit: thanks for asking). I’m not sure how long I will keep going to Germany for these readings. But then there’s the lure of reading Hamlet next year. Can I resist the temptation?
Sein oder nicht sein; das ist die Frage!
LIGHTS UP ON CLIMATE ACTION: DESIGN-LED DRAMA TAKES THE STAGE
by Dr Abby Bentham
On March 12th, our Level 6 Technical Theatre students transformed the theatre and studio into bold, imaginative spaces of climate storytelling.
Drawing on short plays from All Good Things Must Begin, edited by Chantal Bilodeau, these performances responded to the ongoing climate crisis with urgency, creativity and hope. The powerful anthology brought together global voices calling for change — and our students embraced the challenge through an innovative, design-led approach.
Rather than starting with script alone, the creative process was driven by scenographic materials which shaped each production from the ground up. Sustainability was at the heart of both shows: every element was sourced in-house or reused, recycled or repurposed, proving that environmentally conscious theatre can also be visually striking and theatrically bold.
In an experience that broke from traditional theatre, And Now, The Duet staged a compelling conversation between two unlikely counterparts: hope and hopelessness. Through this dynamic exchange, Millie Capper, Merlin Fox, and Francesca Treby-Butcher explored the realities of climate change — and invited the audience to imagine the world not only as it is, but as it could be.
From melting Arctic landscapes to visions of heat, fire and destruction, the visually arresting performance of There is No Warning, by Callum Foy, Alex Owen, and Charlotte Whittaker, examined humanity’s impact on the natural world — and the consequences of inaction. Stark, urgent and thought-provoking, it reminded audience members that when it comes to climate change, there is no warning.
Programme Leader Dr Kelli Zezulka said: “The students have full ownership over these projects. They spend the first trimester in research and development, and then the more practical work of making the productions begins in January. All of the creative and logistical decisions are made by the students, and this gives them the opportunity to be as ambitious as they can be. All of the shows are produced with no budget, ensuring that sustainability is embedded throughout the process — something that they will need to consider seriously as working professionals after graduation. We were thrilled this year to also have the support of Salford’s sustainability team and to be part of Go Green Salford.”
Merlin Fox agrees. They said: “My experience on this show was a lot of fun and it was helpful for developing my skills in set design as well as learning some soft skills that I will one day hopefully use in the industry. I look forward to doing this again.”
Collectively, the students demonstrated the transformative power of sustainable, design-driven theatre, and how the challenges of the climate crisis can be met with creativity and conviction. Their future looks promising!
THE MANCHESTER IMPROV FESTIVAL IS BACK!
by Sean Mason
The Greater Manchester Improv Festival will return to The Kings Arms in Salford, 5th-7th June 2026. The weekend will showcase award-winning local talent as well as visiting shows from further afield, including London and Chicago.
“Our first festival hosted sixteen shows and four workshops spread across two spaces covering a broad range of styles and formats,” explains festival organiser Bron Edge. “We are thrilled that several shows and classes sold out. Audiences who might come for one show embraced the festival and said ‘Yes, and… we’ll stay for more shows!’, so of course we had to say ‘Yes, and… we’ll do it all again next year!’.”
Bron is a lecturer in Media and Performance and teaches across several comedy related modules. She also organises the New Adelphi Comedy Night (next date: 21st April) as well as running The Totally Improvised Company and organising The Greater Manchester Improv Festival. She adds, “We are proud to showcase and support so much local and up-and-coming talent. Live comedy is thriving in the UK and audiences love the unique experience improv delivers every time.”
From the silly to the sublime, this year there are twenty shows covering a wide variety of forms including a totally improvised musical, off-the-cuff Shakespeare, a séance, and more. There will also be four more workshops with something for all levels of experience. Hugh Doherty from No Notes Improv, one of the Manchester groups performing at this year’s festival, says, “I’m looking forward to seeing all the brilliant acts. It’s going to be a great weekend.”
The weekend will also include a special 25th anniversary show from ComedySportz, a short-form improv show that sees two teams go for gold with quick-witted gags and games. The show features several Salford alumni, won the Best Alternative Act at the North West Comedy Awards, and has appeared at festivals across the UK including the Edinburgh Fringe where they once performed for Prince Edward and his family. “When we first started in 2001, there really wasn’t a lot of improv outside of London,” explains Bron. “Now the improv scene has grown across the country and Manchester is home to so many great shows.”
The festival runs Friday 5th June until Sunday 7th June. Tickets are just £5 per show and will go on sale from The Kings Arms website next month.
You can find out more about The Greater Manchester Improv Festival on Facebook and Instagram
FROM FLOUNDER TO FLOURISH – MY INTERNSHIP ORIGINS
By Millie Norman
The question every graduate dreads hearing after university is “Now what?”
Most come to university with a clear goal in mind. A career they want to pursue. But there must’ve been a factory error in my brain because I didn’t come packaged with that. No, I tell a lie, I did want to work in the media industry, but had no idea where to start aside from Film Production. I figured that if I learned the ropes of both theory and practical work, I’d stand a chance at getting my foot in the door. Three years later and I had made cherished friends, worked on several incredible projects and yet still had barely any industry experience.
This was entirely my own fault.
Most book-smart eccentrics believe that an opportunity in writing will fall into their lap if they take a writing class. Wrong! You have to forge connections, which I failed to do. One of my greatest faults is my struggle to focus on more than one thing at a time. “I can’t possibly think about what I have to do after university!” I cried. “I have to focus on the now!” And whilst this mindset is good for getting assignments done, it left me empty-handed with a degree.
Thus began my six-month slog through unemployment, desperately trying to find any sort of job to keep me afloat. It was miserable. I had neglected my own ambitions in favour of desperation. Time and time again I felt as if I had failed everyone around me, the devil on my shoulder declaring that my three years at Salford were a waste. That I was doomed to become stuck in retail seemed like a looming possibility that grew larger with each passing day. I didn’t know who to turn to, or if I even could turn to anyone. Darkness clouded my mind.
Now, why exactly am I telling you all of this? Because it got better. Towards the end of last November, Salford themselves messaged me with an exciting opportunity: An internship that would allow for hands-on work experience in any area of the university. There was such a wide variety of options! It felt dizzying, but holding myself back had done me no good. So I swiftly applied.
Imagine my shock when I heard back from not one, but two of my selections. One was working in the New Adelphi Theatre, the other was a position in the equipment store. The interview for the latter involved me, someone notoriously clumsy, having to show staff how to pack away a camera.
You can imagine how well that went.
Nevertheless, New Adelphi were extremely pleased with my interview. And so, I got the job. I actually was also lucky enough to connect with the person who landed the equipment store gig. It seemed like we both ended up in internships we were skilled in!
It’s a little hard to describe just how elating this experience has been. I’ll save the details of my job for my Q&A article (which is in another post on the New Adelphi Theatre website!) but just know that there’s always something for me to do around here. It’s a wonderful job with a wonderful atmosphere.
And for those wanting to pursue an internship – please don’t think that you are not good enough for it. When you are young and uncertain of the future, the best thing you can do is to take risks. I never saw myself working in theatre, but now that I am, so many more doors have opened up for me. It’s important that you’ve heard of my struggles so I could show how anyone can heave themselves out of a hole.
LIGHTS, CAMERA… NETWORKING!
By Richard Goodwin
More than 50 students from the New Adelphi campus and Media City came together in February and March for energetic networking events that highlighted the growing appetite for collaboration across creative disciplines.
The events brought together actors, theatre makers, filmmakers, and student directors to exchange ideas, pitch collaborative projects, and build practical networking skills. Organised and run by Richard Goodwin and Gareth McCann, the evening blended informal conversation with focused discussion, creating what many attendees described as a welcoming and productive atmosphere.
Kieren Slaven from creative music technology said, “The networking event put on by Richard and Gareth was a calm and friendly environment and they made me and everyone else feel very comfortable in networking, which can be a very daunting task as a composer!”
“It’s been incredibly valuable,” said one student filmmaker. “You don’t often get everyone in the same room like this, and it’s made it so much easier to turn ideas into real projects.”
“I found the networking event really interesting, I was able to talk to many Level 5 and 6 year students who have been creating projects for a while, and Level 4 students like me looking to be a part of these projects,” said Violet-Blue Fielder-van Kleeff, Level 4 Media and Performance. “It was a really good event to get to meet like-minded people and I definitely recommend going.”
Student directors also praised the event for its practical benefits. “I’ve already met actors I want to work with,” one director noted, adding that learning about the Sandy Agency was “a real bonus for anyone serious about building connections in theatre and film.”
Actors and filmmakers alike highlighted the agency as a useful bridge for future collaboration.
Keep your eyes peeled for details of the next event!
Autumn Theatre: Three Top Picks
The Lowry
The Lowry is the major arts complex in Salford, with a large main stage (The Lyric), a second theatre (The Quays), and a studio. The award-winning stage adaptation of Noughts & Crosses arrives there next month. Pilot Theatre, in association with Northern Stage, brings its celebrated adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel of love, loyalty and division to Salford from 21st to 25th April.
Hope Mill Theatre
They specialise in musicals but have a varied programme of work. This season includes The Fit Prince a brand-new show that takes a queer, chaotic, comedic and heartfelt look at rom coms from Awkward Productions. In Swedonia, the King is dead and the Prince next in line to the throne is unmarried – if he doesn’t find someone soon he must forfeit the crown. There’s only one problem
The Kings Arms
The Kings Arms is a fantastic pub with a studio theatre on the first floor. It’s also the home of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and a great place for student theatre companies to launch themselves from. From 21st April – 8th May Red Brick Theatre will be staging BOYS by Ella Hickson directed by Salford alumni Oli Hurst (who is also directing the national tour of The BBC’s First Homosexual by our own lecturer Stephen M Hornby). BOYS is a visceral snapshot of a generation standing on the edge of a cliff. Hickson’s play is a razor-sharp, heartbreaking exploration of toxic masculinity, the terror of growing up, and the messy, violent transition from who you were to who you’re forced to become. It is a story for anyone who has ever looked at their future and wanted to hide under the floorboards.
The Kings Arms | Events (kingsarmssalford.com)
Dr. Stephen M. Hornby
Lecturer – Drama & Theatre Practice
Please be aware that all these shows may have adult content and each venues webpage listings should be consulted for any specific content warnings.
WHAT’S ON AT THE NEW ADELPHI THEATRE!
By Hannah Briggs
EMERGENCE
FRI 27TH – SAT 28TH MARCH
THURS 18TH – FRIDAY 19TH JUNE
Emergence, the touring postgraduate dance company of Joss Arnott Dance and University of Salford presents a new triple bill of adrenaline-fuelled dance for this year’s programme performed by a new company of extraordinary dancers.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
SAT 18TH APR
Shakespeare’s classic comedy – where the real and fairy worlds collide and chaos ensues – is given a late 70’s/early 80’s vibe with music including Disco, New Romantic and Punk. Four young new romantics escape from court to the forest in search of their true loves, a group of punk tradesmen meet in the same forest to rehearse a play to perform at the duke’s wedding, and disco dancing fairies become embroiled with the humans’ escapades. On one midsummer’s evening, anything is possible, and everything is up for grabs.
NEW ADELPHI COMEDY NIGHT
TUES 21ST APR
The award-winning Totally Improvised Company are back for a night of improv, stand-up and more! In the first half, professional improvisers and student guests will get the night going with gags and games inspired by your suggestions. In the second half, the stage is yours for an open mic with stand-up, songs, sketches and more! Previous line-ups have included award-winning student stand-ups developing material and launching their careers. Don’t miss your opportunity to catch the top talents of tomorrow… today!
MOB
THURS 23RD – FRI 24TH APR
We’ve been thinking about lots of people and about groups of people on the move. We’ve been thinking about the crowd and the pack and the gang and the flock.
And we’ve been thinking about space.
About making space and claiming space.
MOB explores human action, in this room and this world.
DANCE@SALFORD
FRI 1ST MAY
Join us for our annual Dance@Salford festival featuring captivating performances by our talented students. This year’s event promises an eclectic mix of theatrical, playful, emotional, and experimental works that showcase the immense creativity within our Dance@Salford community.
UNIVISION
THURS 14TH MAY
Univision 2026 is a collaborative entertainment showcase – a high-energy night where students from 10 arts departments in the school come together to deliver highly entertaining performances with stunning vocals, visuals and dance. Students perform on stage and work behind the scenes alongside specialised support staff from the School of Arts, Media & Creative Technology.
This is our very own Eurovision-style spectacular in Salford, celebrating creativity, teamwork and the next generation of performers and producers.
VERVE
SAT 16TH MAY
VERVE presents a breathtaking triple bill of dance work, including new creations by internationally acclaimed choreographers, Alethia Antonia, Andrea Costanzo Martini and Oona Doherty.
Comprising 18 dancers trained at some of the world’s leading conservatoires, VERVE is the internationally touring company of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Each year the company stages an artistically distinct, physically daring and dynamic programme of dance work.
SUMMER SCHOOL – AMBASSADOR NEEDED!
The ‘From Page to Stage’ Summer School will be back in July, offering thirty local Year 10 pupils the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a Performance student at The University of Salford. We’re looking for a talented and reliable Student Ambassador to support staff in delivering the media strand of the programme. It’s a fantastic way to gain experience of teaching and facilitation, as well as earn a bit of extra cash.
If you’d like to be considered for the position, please contact Abby Bentham at a.a.bentham@salford.ac.uk for more information.
