As another hot summer rolls on, Theatre Factory is heading towards the last 2 shows of our IF! Festival: The Unseen Child, the unheard voices of young carers and 67,000 Barrovians Can’t Be Wrong, a mosaic of 25 short theatre pieces about actual Barrow people and events, written by them and performed by them, from the lady who ran the very best sweet shop to our own Georgia Stanway, The Lionesses midfielder.

Some folk have asked me what IF! stands for. Fair point! It stands for Inclusion Festival. We asked ourselves what IF everyone’s voices could be heard? What would people feel like then?

So far it looks like people have been delighted to write, perform and watch the stories of this town, the stories that they and we want to hear.‍

'The impact of these shows — and of the whole Inclusion Festival - is profound. Art should tell stories, challenge perceptions, and make us think and feel. The pieces I’ve been part of, and the ones I’ve watched, have done exactly that'.

We started last Autumn at the Town Hall with a true story of one family’s experiences in World War 2 and how the community of Barrow-in-Furness rallied to their aid and the aid of other families when their sons were taken as prisoners.

'Being part of these projects has brought me closer to the multi-faceted culture of my home-town, both in its history and what it has come to be in the present - day. I am incredibly proud'

We followed that in January with 2 comedies about money performed at The Kill One Working Men’s Club: Follow The Money, written by women who worked in Barrow’s banks during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The show touched on the shipyard strike of ’88, and there were a few tears in the audience at that point. The Strike is a story which clearly needs further telling. The second show, Life Hacks, was based on verbatim stories of people on low-income celebrating their resilience, ingenuity and humour.

'First time I’ve been to this type of show, thoroughly enjoyed it'
'I can’t wait for the next one '
'It was quite emotional during the strike sequence as I was involved '
'This is a wonderful celebration of the Barrow Town. Very poignant
and nostalgic '
'Brilliant for Barrow'
'Loved that it connects the community to local stories '
'Authenticity''
'I would absolutely love to attend more events, a pleasure to be in the
audience.  Look forward to more, well done!'
'Can’t wait for Sapeurs!'

March was busy! Three shows in one month. First up was Sapeurs, a show about immigration. It was based on 170 interviews with people arriving in Barrow and including all the voices of Barrow people; those in favour and those opposed to migrants. It featured a multi-cultural cast and choir and like all the previous shows, it sold out.

'This show has really brought the Barrow community together . . . and I love the way it's developing .'

At the end of March were 2 shows about mental health, one for lads: Runaway Blooms at Dowdales School, and one for lasses: Unboxing at the Meeting Place Venue and Bar.

'Everything felt very real and genuine, it made me think about my relationships with both my family and body.'

In July our youngest performers appeared at The Library with their myth-busting comedy about living with neurodiversity, Where’s Your Head At

'I liked the way it was done. It felt like being in a more 3D autistic brain, I am autistic. It made autism more visible .'

' . . . all people are important no matter how they are wired! We are all needed/wanted.'

So now we have a fantastic Community Performance company and Writers Group, diverse venues and audiences eager for the stories that they want to tell and hear.

'If anything, being part of Theatre Factory has helped me reconnect with a part of myself I thought I’d left behind. It’s given me confidence and purpose. I’m so grateful for the trust and the encouragement'.

Book for The Unseen Child

Book for 67,000 Barrovians Can't Be Wrong

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