Change is afoot at Slung low, Holbeck’s own theatre, after Creative Director Alan Lane was appointed to lead the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
“The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was the first show I ever saw and I’ve long harboured the ambition to be a part of it. When the job came up I gave it my best. It brings together my passion for large scale spectacle, communities making shows together and my service as a Reservist. I am over the moon to be Creative Director for the Tattoo in 2025 and beyond,” said Alan Lane.
This is only one of the new exciting changes coming at Slung Low. Matt Angove has become Head of Venues, signalling a new focus on the theatre spaces in south Leeds at The Warehouse in Holbeck on Rydall Place and Slung Low at Temple on Bath Road. Joanna Resnick becomes Chief Executive seeing a progression over a decade from a short term work placement to the organisation’s leader. And Kully Thiarai, long-term collaborator of the company and head of LEEDS 2023, will be joining Alan as Co-Chair.
“This is a really exciting time for the company,” said Joanna Resnick. “As a group of artists we’ve been working together for a long time. That’s rare in the theatre world, but the benefits that brings a company are really important in how we work and the sort of theatre we make. We’re keeping all our knowledge and experience, welcoming Kully which is a real boost to us all, and then resetting the challenge for each of us. Alan is still part of the Slung Low family, he’ll be here making the work with us, and we remain committed to Holbeck and being their theatre. It’s just now bagpipes are a big part of our lives too!”
Slung Low have been based in Holbeck since 2010, first under the railway arches on Bath Road. They moved into The Holbeck club in 2019 from where they ran the Cultural Community College and then a food bank during the pandemic amongst other projects. Since 2023 they have been at The Warehouse in Holbeck and also run Slung Low at Temple.
As well as staging shows such as Noah’s Flood and The Gifting (the finale of LEEDS 2023), Slung Low continue to host touring productions.
On Saturday (25 May 2024) you can see I Hate It Here, ‘a clever, accessible and hugely entertaining piece’ about zero hours contracts by Sweet Beef, an emerging queer theatre collective that explores socio-political issues that affect us, with a healthy dose of audience interaction, comedy, dance and drag.
Leeds Playhouse’s community production Robyn Hood stops by on Monday 3 June. The show by Fidget Theatre is aimed at 3-7 year olds and is an original take on the classic Robin Hood folktale. Robyn lives in the city but the den she built on some green space is threatened by developers
For full details and tickets visit: www.slunglow.org/shows
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