Over 60s at an Edinburgh retirement housing development have taken a step back into the past and shared their memories from the 1950s for a locally produced memory book. Continue reading Edinburgh over-60s share stories for memory book
Tag: Citadel Arts Group
Whaling Days: tenant shares memories of Leith’s bygone industry
A Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) sheltered housing tenant has shared memories of her father working as a whaler in a book about this long-lost industry. Continue reading Whaling Days: tenant shares memories of Leith’s bygone industry
Portraits of Leith: Citadel’s exhibition opens on Monday
FACE TO FACE WITH LEITH
Citadel Arts Group’s photography exhibition will be launched at Leith Library on Monday 1 August at 2.30pm with refreshments and music by Laure Paterson and John Lamb. Continue reading Portraits of Leith: Citadel’s exhibition opens on Monday
The best of times, the worst of times: Memories of Leith Docks
Residents of Port of Leith Housing Association’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex rolled back the years this week when they were treated to a play reading by Citadel Arts Group. Continue reading The best of times, the worst of times: Memories of Leith Docks
Leith memories brought to life at Hermitage Court
A book has been launched recounting the dancing memories of seven very special Leithers. ‘Dancing Days’ has been produced by the Citadel Arts Group and tells the stories of Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) Hermitage Court residents.
A launch event was held at the complex, with musician Laure Paterson entertaining the residents and Gina Martorelli, one of the contributors to the book, singing Ave Maria.
Suzie Connery who manages the complex, said: “It brought back happy times for so many residents who like to reminisce and it’s lovely getting to hear their stories.”
‘Dancing Days’ is a collection of memories, not only about going to the dancing in the 1940s, but of school days, work memories and travelling abroad, collected by Citadel Arts Group living memory workers, Laure Paterson and Liz Hare.
The book stars Hermitage Court tenants Irene Graham, Sally Kyles, Robert McCauldlin, Isa MacKenzie, Gina Martorelli, Babs Russell and Chris Whelan.
Citadel Arts Group’s Liz Hare said: “The residents kindly shared their memories and we have collected them into this book which will be a resource for the whole community. Copies will go into local libraries and PoLHA’s other sheltered housing complexes – Jameson Place and St Nicholas Court.”
The project is supported by Tesco Community Awards.
Citadel performs Leith at War
Residents from Port of Leith’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex and pupils from St Mary’s Primary school were treated to a wartime play presented by Citadel Arts Group last week.
‘Leith at War’ is about a Leith-based family living through World War II. Brother and sister Eck and Frankie are living with their grampa, a WWI vet. As schools temporary closed during the war, and lessons held in pupils’ homes, this gives Grampa the chance to talk to the class about the War in Leith.
Cast members Rob Flett, Nicky McCabe, Iona Soper, and Nick Cheales entertained the audience with a performance that rekindled memories of the dark days of war for many members of the audience. It also offered an opportunity for youngsters to hear wartime experiences war from people who lived through it.
Liz Hare, Artistic Director at Citadel Arts Group, said: “We’ll be performing the play at Leith Festival in June and hope to get some useful ideas and feedback from our inter-generational audience today.
“The school pupils and tenants enjoyed a chat after the show in which they talked about the older people’s own war memories, and after Easter the children will come back to Hermitage Court with some of their own scenes based on Leith at War.”
Susie Connery, Scheme Co-ordinator at the Port of Leith Housing Association’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex, said: “The residents really enjoyed the performance as it gave them the opportunity to talk about their memories and experiences, whereas it was educational for the pupils learning what happened on their doorsteps over 70 years ago.”
McScrooge brings Christmas spirit to Leith
Bah! Humbug! Residents from Port of Leith’s Jameson Place sheltered housing complex and pupils from St Mary’s Primary school were treated to a mini pantomime presented by Citadel Arts Group this week.
McScrooge, based on Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, saw cast members play Alice and Marge, McScrooge and Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future, as well as McCratchit and McMarley.
Liz Hare, Artistic Director at Citadel Arts Group, said: “Citadel Arts Group regularly performs for Jameson Place residents and we are delighted to have been able to spread some festive cheer. The pantomime is part and parcel of Christmas and we’re pleased the audience enjoyed themselves.”
Elaine Edwards, Scheme Co-ordinator at the Port of Leith Housing Association’s Jameson Place Sheltered Housing Complex, said:
“Our residents look forward to performances by Citadel Arts Group, but this year’s performance was certainly their favourite and made everyone feel very Christmassy.”
Citadel Arts to stage free panto
Citadel Arts Group, a Leith-based theatre and living memory company, are to perform ‘McScrooge’, a free family panto, at the Kirkgate Community Centre later this month …
We’re performing a pantomime, ‘McScrooge’on 20th December at 1.30pm in the Kirkgate Community Centre. It’s a free show for all the community and to mark the launch of a book of living memories, ‘You Never Forget the Stories’ – reminiscences of Leith and beyond’.
All the participants live locally or have strong Leith connections. The group includes a Newhaven celebrity, Ron Cattell, who directed the Gang Show and the ‘Children’s Hour’ shows in the Ross Bandstand for years. Some of his fascinating stories are in the book.
We’re also inviting members of the Leith Drama Team, our youth drama group, to the show to lead the shouts of ‘He’s behind you!’ – it’s a traditional panto lasting just half an hour.
It would be great to see you!
Liz Hare
Citadel double bill for Leith Festival
Citadel Arts Group is presenting a double bill of environmentally friendly plays during Leith Festival, which gets underway this weekend.
‘The Junk Food Vampire’ which features four Leith school pupils who delighted audiences in Citadel’s 2012 Leith Festival show, and ‘Granny was a Rock Star’ which uses humour, pathos and song to drive home the importance of recycling and explores cross generation friendship between two Leith teenagers and the older lady whose veggies they were trying to nick!
Two shows for all the family for the price of one!
Venue: The Granary, The Shore, Leith
Dates: Wed 12 June 7.30pm, Fri 14 June 2pm and Sat 15 June 7.30pm
The Granary are offering a 20% meal deal to our ticket holders so why not make it a night out with a healthy meal – no junk food of course!
Tickets@ £7/£5 from lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk or 0131 337 8570
Living memories of adventures in Leith
A book has been launched recounting the memories of eight Leithers. ‘An Adventure! – Happy Days in Leith’ has been produced by the Citadel Arts Group and tells the stories of residents of Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) St Nicholas Court Sheltered Housing Complex.
A launch event was held at the complex on Monday, when musician Laure Paterson entertained residents and a class of Trinity Primary School pupils who called in to join the celebrations and bring the generations together.
Maureen Tait, Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA who manages the complex, said: “It is nice for the children and staff to hear stories of the past from the tenants and tales of things that we’ll never experience. The children are so good, always polite and helpful. It means a lot to the tenants here.”
‘An Adventure! – Happy Days in Leith’ is a collection of memories about childhood, school days, first work experiences and family life collected by Citadel Arts Group living memory workers, Laure C Paterson and Liz Hare.
The book features St Nicholas Court residents Rita Falconer, Bertha Glancy, Margaret McKinlay, Annie Mulvaney, Mary McNicol, May Stevenson, Jean Tait and Frances Veitch (pictured above) – each of whom shared their memories of Leith past and present with the book’s authors. Margaret said: “Things have changed a lot over the years and it’s been great to share those stories”.
The book is the culmination of seven weeks of sharing, recording and transcribing the stories of the eight residents. Citadel Arts Group’s Liz Hare said: “The tenants generously shared their memories and we have collected them into this book which will be a resource for the whole community. Each member of the project will receive two copies and copies will go into Trinity Primary and local libraries. It has been one of the most enjoyable projects we have been involved in.”
The project is funded by The Robertson Trust.
