After opening our doors with the very first show at The Workshop in the Old Library in April, we’re keeping the momentum going with two exciting shows arriving this May. The new building is already beginning to fill with voices, stories and energy and these next pieces continue that journey beautifully.
King’s Lynn Nine: 10 May, 5pm
Created with Bootworks Theatre Company as part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival, this performance brings together a local group of 9-year-olds from The Workshop who sit at that fascinating halfway point between childhood and adulthood. Their honesty, imagination and curiosity make the space feel alive in a way only young people can. It’s a celebration of local voices and a glimpse into the future generation growing up right here in King’s Lynn!
The year they were born, President Trump was inaugurated for the first time and fidget spinners were everywhere. Since then, it’s been an eventful nine years; a new pope, five Prime Ministers, a climate change emergency, COVID-19.
Call Me John: 16 May, 7.30pm
Coming to King’s Lynn by Reflex Theatre is a heart-warming story about legacy, memory and the fear of being forgotten. John shares his life story in the hope of inspiring his grandson, but he’s not sure whether his history can truly connect with the youth of today. It’s intimate, moving and full of heart, inviting audiences to reflect on what we pass down and what we hold onto.
The show is inspired by the real life of Alfred John Ashley Ridgeon, an East Anglian man who feared being forgotten and wrote down his life story to preserve it. The play follows John as he revisits his memories of World War II, returning to rural life and trying to connect with his grandson who is facing his own big changes.
The piece grew from real family history and conversations across Norfolk and Suffolk, where people of all ages shared the same fear of being overlooked. Callan Durrant from Reflex Theatre says, “We’re really grateful to receive some wonderful reactions form our previous research. I specifically remember one gentleman who after seeing the play messaged me the very next day to say that the show inspired him to have one of the most honest conversations with his faster that he had in 30 years. That’s just one small example, but we’ve found this story does pull at the heartstrings not just because it’s a local story but its a timeless tale.”