Roll up, roll up for the penny tenement opera

And it’s not even a penny, it’s free!

penny

What is the 1d Tenement Opera? 

The 1d Tenement Opera is a story based on the lives of people who have lived in a tenement in Edinburgh over two centuries. The tenement eventually became part of Edinburgh Corporation’s Slum Clearance Programme, some of the tenements were sold for just 1d (a penny), and in 1959 one of the last tenements collapsed and a little boy was killed.

Local people told stories of being in the bath and the end of the room falling away, others spoke of desperately trying to save their babies and children as the floor boards started to slope away from under them. This was known as the Penny Tenement collapse.

The 1d Tenement Opera is devised with the local people of North Edinburgh, some of whose families had been living in the city centre before the Slum Clearance Programme.

North Edinburgh Theatre project is delighted to be working with the following artists for this project: designer Ali Maclaurin, musical director Lynda Peachey, dancer and choreographer Monica de Ioanni, and dramaturg Lynne Clark. Stephanie Knight is the project director.North Edinburgh Theatre Project history:

The North Edinburgh Theatre project was developed in 2011 after research into the requirements of local people. The main finding of this research was that local people wanted to make theatre again, after a history of using theatre and other art forms to create work which highlights their community and its needs and aspirations. In November 2011 North Edinburgh Theatre project developed Yes We CanCan – a Cabaret of Resistance which was the cementing of the project.

Since then, North Edinburgh Theatre project has participated in a number of performances including Theatre Uncut in 2012 & 2013 and the project regularly offers Sharing-of-Work and Work-in-Progress events. The opportunity to develop 1d Tenement Opera through the support of the People’s Health Trust is an exciting and important development for North Edinburgh. It supports the participants’ aspirations and hard work for well-being and full creative lives, making strong contributions to their own communities as well as participating in the North Edinburgh Theatre project.

Performance Information:

15 16 17 January at 7pm

Tickets: FREE (donations very welcome)

Contact Box Office to reserve tickets:

0131 315 2151  admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

More information here. 

NEA