Manchester theatre group forced to move online after opening night becomes closing curtain due to lockdown

  • Report by Entertainment Correspondent Caroline Whitmore.

A theatre company has moved its entire production online after its opening day became the final curtain thanks to lockdown.

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester had to rapidly change its plans when its new version of the musical Rent, was suddenly cut short.

Joseph Houston and Will Whelton founded Hope Mill five years ago, and had high hopes for their first performance back in the pandemic.

Joseph said: "It's been absolutely devastating. It's been such a tough year for the arts and us as a venue and we were so excited about opening Rent and getting audiences back in the venue. It's what we'd worked pretty much the whole year towards."

Joseph and William, the co-owners of Hope Mill Theatre, say they were devastated when they had to close unexpectedly.

The cast managed to perform just four previews until, their official opening night, became their closing night as well.

To ensure the production could still go on, the cast formed a bubble, living together for the entirety of rehearsals - and had planned to continue while the show ran.

Will said: "We found an amazing 12 bedroom house, and they all moved in and they were in there with the tech process and the previews and the official opening, and they were going to live together originally as planned for six weeks."

But, when the second national lockdown was announced, the production was forced rethink.

The performance is now available online to view - while, Joseph says, still maintaining the feel of live theatre.

He added: "We wanted to still keep that element of 'this is live theatre' and the audience are there, up close, and I think that we've managed to keep that feel of the show and the essence has not been lost. It gives me goosebumps, it's incredible."

You can buy tickets, and see the performance, of Rent here.