Hermon Chapel Arts Centre - Get Involved!

The Haunting of Blaine Manor has really been blessed with amazing venues since its premiere in 2016.  Each venue we have played, Hope Mill Theatre, Ancoats; The Kings Arms, Salford (two runs there); The Old Red Lion, Islington and Hermon Chapel Arts Centre, Oswestry have left us with great memories from our runs there.  It's hard to single out any place really, The Kings Arms has been amazing though, two cracking runs there and an amazing host in Lisa Connor, I can't recommend the place enough for Northern creatives, film, theatre, music - The Kings is a venue that will only do you good.  

But Hermon Chapel really resounded with us. A chapel over 150 years old, the pews still in place, the building rang with ghosts of its own;  this together with its unique charm and incredibly friendly and helpful hosts Barry and Claudia, really made an impression on us for the three nights we were there.  

(Look out for a future blog post about the ghostly goings on we had in London at The Old Red Lion and on tour - shudders!) 

The community itself (when I say community I mean Oswestry and the villages surrounding it up to 25 miles away, many people travelling so far to see the play) were amazing with us.  The performance space opens up to the bar area, and after each performance each night we spent a good couple of hours drinking and chatting with the audience members who were just incredibly friendly, quite a few of them seeing the show more than once and bringing their friends on following nights.  

Our set in the unique performance space that is Hermon Chapel

For Barry and Claudia nothing was too much trouble in their quest to help us have an amazing run there, they pitched in everywhere and the kettle was always on.  This lovely couple have a mission of their own, and creatives and audiences can help them in their quest to accomplish this mission.  They live in the building and are doing their best to put a plan together to buy the place, they have two years left on the lease.  

​It would be incredibly tragic to see this building lost to some redeveloper, or a Tescos or a bloody car park, this building has a rich history and needs preserving, but more than anything it needs preserving as a performance venue, and that's exactly what Barry and Claudia are trying to do.  

The building was originally a listed welsh speaking chapel, built in 1862 and now re-born as a vibrant arts centre offering a range of interesting events all designed to help bring people together, so important in these stretched rural communities.It was almost demolished a few years ago, but thankfully rescued by a local businessman and Barry and Claudia are doing their best to bring live music, visual arts, literature events, talks, theatre, workshops and more. The venue is available for hire for local groups and has a bar area for refreshments.  Their dream is to buy the building before their lease runs out, can you help out? 

This is a shout out to touring companies, performers, theatre, comedy nights, music nights of course and even film nights as they have a large screen and projector and a fantastic sound system. This place is only an hour and 20 minutes from Manchester, and as a Manchester company we had no problem getting an audience there, with promotion (more than supported by Barry and Claudia who drew in the local community so well) we had three packed out nights there.  

​Seriously, if you are touring, get this place on your map - you won't regret it and it will help to keep the place alive - it's totally unique, no other place like it in the UK. Keep it alive.  

We can't wait to go back.  

More details on their website below at the link:

www.hermonchapel.com 

Joe x

On the subject of The Haunting of Blaine Manor, the play now has its own review page, check 'em out at the link below, packed with cracking reviews and amazing photography. 

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html 

Jx