LipService Theatre

Very excitingly, the first tickets have just gone on sale for the very first showing of Funny Stuff. So if you live in the South Lakes, or Lancaster etc I am on at The Heron Theatre, Milnthorpe on 7th Feb at 7.30pm and you can buy a ticket now!!!!!
The photo is of Mr Darcy Loses the Plot, but don't worry the show is Funny Stuff. https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/beetham/the-heron-theatre/funny-stuff/2025-02-07/19:30/t-jzpdpoa

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to thank you all for your fantastic responses to the post about my new show Funny Stuff (see previous post below). You have suggested so many venues and I am following up your leads. But just so as you know it looks like I'll be touring to: Milnthorpe, Bury (Lancs), Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Chorlton, Harrogate, Salford, Pocklington, Oxfordshire and Sale. I'm working on a few others. Watch this space for confirmed dates and times. I'd really love to play Oldham and have contacted some places, Hull/Halifax/Huddersfield/Stoke/Fareham so we will see if anything comes of those. Will also attempt a London venue. But your enthusisam has fuelled my endeavours! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Hi All, not posted in ages! But I have news of a new show. "Funny Stuff" will be on tour in Feb/March and then Oct 2025. I'm feeling both incredibly excited and a bit jittery about going out on the road again. It's a show for small spaces, so if you know of a venue that might suit, let me know! When Maggie died I was left with a shipping container full of stage props, costumes, wigs, hats, shoes, sheep, you name it. This show looks at all the “stuff” we accumulate, hoard and hate to let go. In this humorous and creative response to grief, I struggle to part with a life sized stuffed sheep, a badger onesie, some ruby slippers, a sinking bog, Charlotte Bronte’s knickers and a host of soft toys. Touring anecdotes are combined with archive footage from LipService shows. Not all the items will be making it back up the loft ladder, so the audience is invited to take something home. I'm aiming to end up with “the right stuff”, a small selection that captures the essence of LipService Theatre to go into a national theatre collection.

Frogspawn and daffs spring is a-coming. And I’m a-writing again! Updates soon

Thank you to Altrincham Garrick Playhouse for giving us a mention in their programme for The Girl on the Train. Our show Strangers On A Train Set is listed in their Thrill of the Rails section, referencing train related productions. I was very moved! I am beginning work on a project about letting go of "stuff". I have been left with a huge amount of stuff: scenery, old sets, 250 wigs, a stuffed sheep, an owl with a rotating head, you name it. I hope to explore the process of letting go and the things you just have to keep. Baa!

Today would have been Maggie's 67th birthday. To commemorate, I decided to buy some community shares in the Bronte's birthplace project. So as part of Bradford Capital of Culture, the house in Thornton, West Yorkshire where the sisters were born is being purchased and renovated. The Brontes gave us such a gift, inspiring our show, "Withering Looks", it felt like a fitting tribute. Do support if you can.

Home - Brontë Birthplace The Bronte Birthplace Campaign is raising funds to acquire and restore the birthplace building of the renowned Bronte sisters.

Getting my garden prepared for Chorlton Open Gardens on Sunday 25th June 11am to 5pm. My theme is recycling so here you can see an old costume rail serving as a frame for my tomatoes. There is a sweet pea hat stand and packing cases from Strangers on a Train set are raised beds. All proceeds to Freedom From Torture so if you live in Manchester area do come see. Lots of other local gardens to see. Plus cake from the phenomenal baker Imogen Fox. Gardening help from my lovely friend Anne and plants donated by lots of lovely people

I've just terrified my British Gas engineer, he went up into my loft to check the flue. I forgot to tell him there was a life size dummy and a very realistic sheep. I heard a little scream from upstairs. Thankfully he didn't fall down the loft ladder.
We are giving away some FREE stuff to anyone who wants. We have a fish costume (why not?) This was worn by Maggie in Hector's House. She was Achilles mother Thetis, "wife to a pilchard, sister to a prawn". If anyone wants this, email me [email protected] and collect from South Manchester.
I will have a few more items for sale in the coming weeks, including the giant badger costume, lovingly made by Oldham Coliseum wardrobe staff. We also have quite a few projectors for sale, but I'll post details of those later on. Thanks all who attended Chateau Ghoul. A recording is now on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvp2zmei5As&t=1068s
Plus an audio described version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94WzTDkEneA
Both are prefaced by an interview with Sue and Mark hosted by the wonderful Gwenda Hughes. Enjoy!SORRY All ITEMS NOW CLAIMED! More to follow

Thanks to all who attended our Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event in February
It was very special to see so many of you in your Zoom windows making your origami ghosts and remembering Maggie. She would have been chuffed. It was a very emotional experience for all of us working on this production and we would like to thank you for supporting it.
If you missed out don't worry! We have made a recording of the live Zoom show wth the permission of our audience.
In true Encore style it is prefaced by an interview with LipSevice's Sue Ryding and actor Mark Chatterton and hosted by Gwenda Hughes, who directed many of our past shows and indeed The Archers! It is available to watch here on You Tube from today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvp2zmei5As
Enjoy!

It's our final two shows tonight and then it's goodbye to Chateau Ghoul. We started writing this in early 2020, then of course we had phase one of the pandemic, so our R&D show became a Zoom show, filmed by a crew socially distanced in separate tents in my garden and garage! With a litre of hand sanitiser strapped to a drainpipe. Then restrictions were lifted, we wrote and rehearsed the stage show but then second lockdown and our tour was cancelled. Finally we opened the stage show at The Lowry in October 2021 but the rest of the tour got....you guessed it....cancelled because of rising COVID numbers. We finally set off on tour in Feb 2022 and then Maggie tragically passed away. These final Zoom/tribute shows are a culmination of the project. Part of me is glad to be saying farewell to this material and my character Brenda and part of me is breaking my heart as it was the final project with Maggie. I have some fledgling ideas for new material and a digital archive so watch this space. I have to be positive about the future and carrying forward this legacy and I do hope you will join us for future chuckles. And if you haven't seen Chateau Ghoul, tonight is the night! Ticket links in post below.

Just made a few more tickets available for tomorrow's shows
Fri 24th 7pm https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-zzolrog
Fri 24th 8.30pm https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-yaeggqj

See you there!

Hi All, this is the final week for our Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event. We've been wowed by how many people have joined in to celebrate the life of Maggie Fox. We have 3 shows left Thurs 23rd at 8.30pm, Friday 24th at 7pm and 8.30pm. We would like to record the final Friday show for posterity. We will make sure our audience remains anonymous, but if you would like to share your origami ghosts in your Zoom window for posterity, do book that show. If that's the only show you can attend and don't want to be seen leave your camera off. Hoping to see a few more of you this week!
Thurs 23rd 8.30pm https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-nomddkm
Friday 24th 7pm https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-zzolrog
Friday 24th 8.30pm (recorded) https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-yaeggqj

Hi All, I've just released a few more tickets for tonight's showing of Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event as I just saw it had sold out. You can book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-yazyjyj
We have 3 more public shows: Feb 23rd at 8.30pm and Feb 24th at 7pm and 8.30pm
All ticket links on our website lipservicetheatre.co.uk

Save Oldham Coliseum public meeting We need to act now to keep local theatre alive in Oldham. Can you attend a public meeting to save Oldham Coliseum on 21st Feb?

We start our second week of Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event shows tomorrow Thursday 9th. We've 5 shows this week and 3 next. I put some additional tickets on sale as we were getting very full. It's so lovely so many want to join in. Maggie would have been well chuffed! Your origami ghosts are making me giggle, some marvellous art work going on out there! And people have joined from Australia, USA, South Africa, not to mention Hemel Hempstead. Watch a trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0B_xeps0SY

We loved our first public performance of Chateau Ghoul “Most Haunted”Event last night. Thanks to all who came along. The great thing about performing live from your back bedroom is that you can get changed straight into your pyjamas afterwards and settle down with a mug of tea and your cats. I’d highly recommend it. We’ve added in more capacity for all remaining dates as it was getting busy. Do come you can watch in your Jim jams, we don’t mind. . All ticket links www.Lipservicetheatre.co.uk

We had enormous fun with our lovely Zoom audience last night in our first public preview of The Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event. There was some wonderful feedback and we are very moved by how many of you will be joining in over the coming month. Lots of you have been in touch with personal reflections about LipService. We kick off tomorrow Feb 1st. We are getting busy but there are still tickets available, particularly later in February. All ticket links on our website www.lipservicetheatre.co.uk

Had a wonderful day yesterday at Salford University working with our video editor Connoll Pavey and the fabulous Emma Jane Heap. As you can see from the photo below he's managed to edit this scene so we are acting alongside Maggie. It's all coming together! I'm so delighted that many of you are joining us for The Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" event, our tribute to Maggie. A few of the performances have now sold out. The best availability is from 9th Feb. We'd love to share this with people who loved Maggie and LipService so do join in if you're able. Today I'm starting work on a trailer which I hope to share with you soon. Watch this space. Ticket links www.lipservicetheatre.co.uk

Happy New Year! I'm straight out of the starting blocks editing the films for The Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event, our online tribute to Maggie Fox. Although it's sad revisiting old footage, (it makes me laugh and cry in equal measure), it has been fun filming new material with old LipService stalwarts Mark Chatterton and Darren Southworth. I've learned how to caption, which is a new skill and I'm about to get to work on a trailer. The first four shows are sold out. I've added in a bit of extra capacity, but do book your tickets. I'm hoping it will be lots of fun and really excited to see you all in your Zoom windows. Last time we did Zoom shows people came from Australia, USA, Holland, France. I have no idea how we attracted this interantional crowd but it was loads of fun. And what we need for 2023 is FUN!!!!!

As we approach the end of a very difficult year I wanted to thank you all for your messages of love and support. I’ve been busy finishing our Chateau Ghoul digital project which will feature lots of Maggie on film, coming your way in February. I’ve been archiving things and holding onto precious props from past shows for a possible exhibition. Everything else has been recycled, reused, and shared. It has been an absolute joy meeting people who have come to take bizarre props off my hands. So our big horse is now part of an improvised panto troupe, some vintage suitcases are becoming a sculpture and scary Amy doll is going to be in a Gothic horror project about children who learn from mushrooms! Hardly a thing has gone into landfill and all of this would have made Maggie very happy. Wishing you all a happy festive season and I do hope you’ll join in our silly interactive Zoom show in February to banish the dark nights with joy, silliness and a celebration of Maggie.

Some of you have been in touch to ask if I can put the ticket links up for each performance of The Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event, our tribute to the late, great Maggie Fox. So here they all are! Phew! Limited tickets available for each showing, so do book early! Just one ticket per device so a few of you can huddle round to keep warm. Directed by the genius Lawrence Till, and featuring a giant badger! Get in!
Online delivered over Zoom
• Weds 1st Feb 7pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-zzoanvd
• **********
• Thurs 2nd Feb 7pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-pqlargk
• **********
• Fri 3rd Feb 7pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-avaexoq
• **********
• Fri 3rd Feb 8.30pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-jzxdgmx
• **********
• Sat 4th Feb 8pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-rpzxkgd
• **********
• Thurs 9th Feb 7pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-krdejez
• **********
• Fri 10th Feb 7pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-dvkqeqm
• **********
• Fri 10th Feb 8.30pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-ojeyxyr
• **********
• Sat 11th Feb 8pm
• Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lipservice-theatre/t-yazyjyj

Marvellous couple of days filming with Darren Southworth, Mark Chatterton, the anarchic Lawrence Till directing, the wonderful VFX editor Connoll Pavey and our fab tech manager Rob Athorn. Plus wonderful BSL interpretation from the sensation Emma Jane Heap. There was a great deal of corpsing, I know you can't believe it! And Darren sang like an angel as both Judy and Doris. Connoll will edit it all together, put in the backgrounds and we'll have a fun Zoom show for you in February!