Stoke A Love Story

Two local theatre makers are staging a new show which will have you falling in love with the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

“Stoke a Love story” which has been written and directed by local theatre makers Kat Boon, from Penkhull, and Kat Hughes, from Audley, tells a thrilling story of five residents who wake up to discover their city covered in smog and under siege from peculiar occurrences. The residents then have to journey across the six towns of stoke-on-Trent to take back their City.

Inspired by Stoke-on-Trent’s rich history, from potbanks to mines, from Northern
Soul to its 90s rave culture, and brought to life with a cast of five and a live band, the show is set in over twenty locations across the city and invites audiences to
rediscover and fall in back in love with the place.

Writer, Kat Boon said: “We’re really passionate about Stoke-on-Trent and understand it’s been through a lot of good times and some more difficult ones. The show is all about falling back in love with the place. We want to invite audiences to see the city they’re used to differently, to rediscover it through this unusual, thrilling story. It’s both about the City’s past but also about what the future might look like. It’s a show for everyone and, told with a live band, will be a fantastic, fun night
out too.”

Director Kat Hughes added: “This is our most ambitious show to date and set in over twenty locations across the six towns we’ve got a huge challenge our hands to bring it all to life, but we’re so excited to make it happen with our fantastic creative team. Even if you’re not usually into theatre, we hope you come and experience it and hopefully fall in love!”

Potboiler is a Stoke-on-Trent based company who create brand new shows inspired by the City’s people and places and present them in unexpected spaces. In 2014 they did a pub theatre show – “Stories from Pub Corners”  at The Holy Inadequate, in Etruria and most recently “GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS” at The Exchange, in Hanley in 2017.

Stoke, a Love Story will take place in Longton Methodist Central Hall, a chapel
dating back to 1842. This will be the first time the hall has staged a theatre
performance and it will be transformed into a theatre venue with a live band, set,
lighting and audiences sat right around the action.

Kat Hughes says: “Potboiler love making performances happen in unusual spaces and are so excited to be presenting Stoke, a Love Story in Longton, a town with such a rich history, and in the Methodist Central Hall in particular. The hall is a stunning space, a proper little known Stokie gem and a perfect backdrop for the epic story we want to tell.”

In the lead up to Stoke, a Love Story, Potboiler will be working with local residents in a series of theatre workshops to investigate people’s relationships with the city. The company will rehearse in Longton taking over an empty shop in Longton Exchange and staging pop-up music jams during September.

Stoke, a Love Story is supported by Arts Council England, Stoke-on-Trent City
Council and Unity Theatre Trust.

Stoke, a Love Story will take place at Longton Methodist Central Hall, The Strand, ST3 2JH from Wednesday 18 September to Saturday 28 September. Doors open at 7:30pm.
Tickets are available from £8.00 and can be bought online at www.potboilertheatre.com. For more information visit www.potboilertheatre.com

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