Play takes centre stage for street party in Wolverhampton
A theatre company in Wolverhampton has produced a new play to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Central Youth Theatre (CYT), based at Newhampton Arts Centre in Whitmore Reans, will present ‘Coronation Chicken’ in Church Walk, Penn Fields, for 200 people, including mayor councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, on Sunday, June 5.
The play, written by CYT founding director Jane Ward MBE, tells the story of a fictional party in the same street in 1953 to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation.
Jane, a Church Walk resident, has based the production on the memories of older locals in order to capture the spirit of the many street parties held up and down the country when the Queen was first crowned.
She said: “To find out who lived in Church Walk in 1953 I made numerous visits to the city archives to go through the electoral role. This gave me the names of the adults, but as children were not listed I had to create their characters.
“I then gathered the oral memories of some of our longest standing residents and matched their anecdotal stories to the names. Where possible I gave the character’s real occupations, but had to use artistic licence to create others
“In considering where residents would have worked, I paid tribute to those long-standing Wolverhampton companies who were major employers in the 50s such as Midlands Dairy on Penn Road, Banks’s Brewery and Goodyear Tyre Factory,” she added.
“Was there a real coronation street party in the walk in 1953? I don’t think we will ever know, as there are no residents living there from that time to confirm this one way or another.
“But it would be nice to think the community did come together in the same way as we are to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
“For the CYT members aged 8-14 who are getting the chance to perform here, this is a particularly joyful event after two years of being unable to appear in live theatre shows because of Covid restrictions,” she said.
Councillor Jacqui Sweetman who represents the Graiseley ward where Church Walk is located, added: “What a smashing way to celebrate our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with a street party and a play.
“Jane Ward is one of our city’s great actor managers and I know her play Coronation Chicken will be a tasty morsel for a splendid day.”
Planning for the party has been in full swing since the start of the year, with funding being awarded by the council and the Asda Foundation.
The street will be closed off for the entire day with the play taking place at 12.30pm. This will be followed by a sit-down picnic meal, entertainment from singer Tammy Blue and dancing until 10pm.