Just had a meeting on Churchgate. Sad to see the Bolton News offices empty. And in a week or two the Travel Counsellors building opposite will be empty. Another 200+ people spending approx £20 per week on parking and lunches in the town... plus whatever other services they spend their hard-earned on - all being lost. Very sad state of affairs.

 

When will it get better? Should these empty offices be turned into apartments?

Also, its not just about the bloody theatre - people are right, the retail offer does need looking at, but I know fuck all about that!

1 hour ago, Carlos said:

What is "wild camping"? Never heard of it until this year. We used to just call it camping. What's wild about it?

It's in a paedo's garden

2 hours ago, Carlos said:

Well that's wild.

Midge butties for breakfast, dinner and tea.

Shit in a hole.

Wash your smalls in a stream.

57 minutes ago, Traf said:

It's in a paedo's garden

Jim'll Pitch It.

2 minutes ago, DazBob said:

Jim'll Pitch It.

Was just going to post : Jim pitched it for me.

Recently bought a caravan. It has a shower, toilet, cooker, microwave and tv. It’s 20 min walk from a village. That’s wild enough for me. 

55 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Midge butties for breakfast, dinner and tea.

Shit in a hole.

Wash your smalls in a stream.

SOLD

2 hours ago, Traf said:

It's in a paedo's garden

....in the shade

He'd let us in

Knows where we've been

In his paedos garden

In the shade

2 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Midge butties for breakfast, dinner and tea.

Shit in a hole.

Wash your smalls in a stream.

Sounds like when Garrp used to live in a skip and wash his clothes in the Thames.

1 hour ago, DazBob said:

Sounds like when Garrp used to live in a skip and wash his clothes in the Thames.

used to?

5 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

Not one to play I've been there and done it, but this is how I earn my daily bread.

Ticket sales aren't down by 20-30% across the board, there is some issues with some parts of touring theatre, but we'll know where we are in autumn - this is our slow time. Currently in our house we are looking after west end, hows and a whole range of other stuff. Some will hit, some will be a struggle, was always thus.

And producing houses know that there is a delicate balance between putting on created work and the box office. We are adept at it and have done it for a very long time. That's why the Octogon's next season is;

- The Book Thief  - a new musical but based on a best selling book which was turned into a film

- Brief Encounter - I'm sure I don't have to tell you about this title, but also done by Emma Rice (a big name with Wise Children) so a new take on a big name, classic story

- A Christmas Carol - Again, I'm pretty sure you know that one, which I'm sure will doing really well at Christmas for that market that don't want pantomimes.

- Finally, Spring and Port Wine - A local classic, directed by the Octogon's artistic Director (who was also associate director on Matilda in the west end which put a few bums on seats....)

Its not an easy task, and no one can say what will be a hit or not - no one. But what they've done here is look at popular classics and look at new ways on investing them.

Then there is the mix of some commercial touring products as mix mthodology is the way producing houses balance the budget after the death of the Rep system.

If the Octogon was shite, trust me, I'd call it for what it is. But it's not and its not only an income generator for the town but a should be a source of collective pride that we have it and the shows it 

 This is also my daily bread. I work for the RET.

5 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

Not one to play I've been there and done it, but this is how I earn my daily bread.

Ticket sales aren't down by 20-30% across the board, there is some issues with some parts of touring theatre, but we'll know where we are in autumn - this is our slow time. Currently in our house we are looking after west end, small touring companies, big exhibitions (watch this space Manchester...) Edinburgh kids shows and a whole range of other stuff. Some will hit, some will be a struggle, was always thus.

And producing houses know that there is a delicate balance between putting on created work and the box office. We are adept at it and have done it for a very long time. That's why the Octogon's next season is;

- The Book Thief  - a new musical but based on a best selling book which was turned into a film

- Brief Encounter - I'm sure I don't have to tell you about this title, but also done by Emma Rice (a big name with Wise Children) so a new take on a big name, classic story

- A Christmas Carol - Again, I'm pretty sure you know that one, which I'm sure will doing really well at Christmas for that market that don't want pantomimes.

- Finally, Spring and Port Wine - A local classic, directed by the Octogon's artistic Director (who was also associate director on Matilda in the west end which put a few bums on seats....)

Its not an easy task, and no one can say what will be a hit or not - no one. But what they've done here is look at popular classics and look at new ways on investing them.

Then there is the mix of some commercial touring products as mix mthodology is the way producing houses balance the budget after the death of the Rep system.

If the Octogon was shite, trust me, I'd call it for what it is. But it's not and its not only an income generator for the town but a should be a source of collective pride that we have it and the shows it produces.

I saw a 3-piece perform Kes at the Octagon earlier in the year. Magnificent. 

25 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

 This is also my daily bread. I work for the RET.

Great, what do you do at the exchange? 

14 minutes ago, TM Trotter said:

I saw a 3-piece perform Kes at the Octagon earlier in the year. Magnificent. 

That the first positive review I’ve heard about KES. Everyone I know who went said it was awful. 

I went to watch a play at the Octagon with some arty lass.

Ended up on stage as an extra in the second half with some urchin trying to feed me bread. Was proper shite.

My badly made point was this: if the leaders of the industry aren't thriving then the Octagon is going to struggle to get people in from outside of the borough when Bolton is offering them fuck all else.

12 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Great, what do you do at the exchange? 

I work in a distinctly non-theatrical role there 

27 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

I work in a distinctly non-theatrical role there 

Snap. You a tech head?

29 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

My badly made point was this: if the leaders of the industry aren't thriving then the Octagon is going to struggle to get people in from outside of the borough when Bolton is offering them fuck all else.

Marketing and media, and therefore producers are doing OK. It's not the lovely day's of the early 2000s but it's good.

5 hours ago, BobyBrno said:

Recently bought a caravan. It has a shower, toilet, cooker, microwave and tv. It’s 20 min walk from a village. That’s wild enough for me. 

Tbh, if i told my wife she would want to buy next door!

3 hours ago, royal white said:

That the first positive review I’ve heard about KES. Everyone I know who went said it was awful. 

Oh, see I loved it. It is what is, unless you can train a bird to fly round an auditorium there's going to be a hell of a lot of suspended disbelief. But I thought it was great. 

13 hours ago, TM Trotter said:

Oh, see I loved it. It is what is, unless you can train a bird to fly round an auditorium there's going to be a hell of a lot of suspended disbelief. But I thought it was great. 

I watched it and enjoyed it too. 
thought it was very well done. 
you did have to concentrate to distinguish which part each was playing at times but I thought it was very very good and very clever adaptation.

Went to the octagon theatre with primary school to see something with Charlie Corolli, it was later shown on TV but i was too far back to be captured by the cameras.

Think my sister used to hang out in the cafe in there in the late 70s.

 I went to see Buckingham Palace in 1979. Also took in Nelson's Column, Downing Street and Tower Bridge on the same trip. I didn't get on camera though.

If I were ever to come back, the Bradshaw/Harwood area for me. Living amongst true Boltonians, beautiful countryside (don't know whether to use 'spectacular', 'enthralling' or bewitching') with incredible wildlife, clean air etc.

No doubt there are other good areas which have survived the onslaught. I would only be venturing into town when absolutely necessary.

I did however have a pint in t'Griffin yesterday. Just for old times sake. Was pleasantly surprised with the apparent increase in the number of teeth present.