Recent Comments
Dave Smith on Here’s suggested (polite… Dave Smith on Perry looks to inflict pain fo… Jim Bush on Here’s suggested (polite… Frank Ward on Let the heartaches begin as Ba… insidecroydon on Let the heartaches begin as Ba… Chris Flynn on Let the heartaches begin as Ba…
Tag Archives: Ashcroft Theatre
Depression-era drama brings Mersey beat to Ashcroft Theatre
The first national tour of Helen Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey is coming to Croydon’s Fairfield Halls next month. The new touring production of Twopence To Cross The Mersey is produced by Rob Fennah and Lynn McDermott and directed … Continue reading
Mayor has weeks to save Fairfield Halls and Borough of Culture
It is symptomatic of BHLive’s lack of real connection with the borough in which they are supposed to manage its largest arts venue that they chose the day of the Croydon local election results to make the announcement of the … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Neil Chandler, Paula Murray, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Theatre, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Bournemouth, Chris Symons, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Fairfield Halls, Jason Perry, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
10 Comments
Bafta-winner Scanlan joins calls for new bosses at arts centre
‘Things are far from perfick at the Fairfield ‘Alls’ says the award-winning actress who plays Ma Larkin, as the campaign to sack BHLive gathers momentum. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Joanna Scanlan, the BAFTA award-winning actress, has called on Croydon Council … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music, The Wreck, Theatre
Tagged 2022 Mayoral election, Ashcroft Theatre, BAFTA, Borough of Culture, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Democratically Elected Mayor of Croydon, Fairfield Halls, Joanna Scanlan, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Oliver Lewis, The Larkins
3 Comments
£67m arts centre – with no art gallery and few performances
EXCLUSIVE: The Fairfield Halls fiasco gets worse by the day, with Bournemouth-based venue operators BHLive staging shows on just 24% of available dates. Croydon is supposed to be London’s ‘Borough of Culture’ in 2023… By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon is London’s … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Arnhem Gallery, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Mayor of London, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Sadiq Khan, Talawa Theatre Company, The Wreck, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, Oliver Lewis, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Tony Newman
7 Comments
Dick and Dom do the Fairfield panto: which one’s the Beast?
Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s Croydon pantomime at the Fairfield Halls, with the curtain going up next Friday at the Ashcroft Theatre on Imagine Theatre’s glittering production of Beauty and The Beast, starring Dick and Dom… though no … Continue reading
‘The damage to the Fairfield Halls reputation is severe’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: While the cash-strapped council remains preoccupied with its finances, the once prestigious arts centre on the other side of Park Lane risks sliding towards cultural oblivion. By our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK There are growing concerns that … Continue reading
Posted in Arnhem Gallery, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, GLL - Better, Mayor of London, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, Paula Murray, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Theatre, Tony Newman
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Borough of Culture, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Oliver Lewis, Paula Murray, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Tony Newman
13 Comments
Millions of questions for BHLive over Fairfield grant aid
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It’s like nothing has ever changed at the borough’s prestigious arts centre, where tribute acts still dominate its sparse programme, while the venue operators are staying schtum about how they’re spending public money. By our arts correspondent, … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Neil Chandler, The Wreck
Tagged Arts Council England, Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, The Wreck
5 Comments
Culture deals with covid-19 without making a song and dance
The sense of doom and gloom caused by the covid-19 pandemic had well and truly taken hold of London by the middle of last week. There was a dark humour about the place reflected by the public address system at … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Cinema, Croydon Bach Choir, Croydon Male Voice Choir, Croydon Philharmonic Choir, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Music, Talawa Theatre Company, Theatre, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Croydon Council, Croydon Male Voice Choir, David Lean Cinema, Fairfield Halls, London Borough of Croydon, Save the David Lean Campaign, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon
1 Comment
Fairfield Halls director quits less than six months after opening
EXCLUSIVE: A £42.6m white elephant without its mahout? Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, reports on the most dramatic of exits from the Fairfield Halls Neil Chandler has left the building. The Fairfield Halls’ venue and artistic director has left his … Continue reading
Newman fails to deny that Fairfield Halls bill has reached £60m
The refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls could end up costing Croydon’s Council Tax-payers £60million – or even more. And there are fears within the town’s arts circles that BH Live, the events and management firm brought in by venue owners … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Paula Murray, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Tony Newman, Tory
7 Comments
‘Overnight sensation’ Kojo Anim is coming to Ashcroft Theatre
Kojo Anim, the comedy star “discovered” by Britain’s Got Talent after spending just 20 years playing the club and stand-up circuit, is booked to perform at the Ashcroft Theatre at the end of next month as part of his first … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, Comedy, Fairfield Halls
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Kojo Anim
3 Comments
Oscar-winning musical makes uncertain steps on the stage
They’ve had Angela’s Ashes – The Musical, and the traditional panto has returned (Oh yes it has) as the Fairfield Halls tries to re-establish its creative credentials after the theatre was dark for three years. So how does Once, the … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Music, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Once, Rory Kelly
Leave a comment
‘I paid £45 to see Dame Judi, and this is the view I had’
The management of the Fairfield Halls is facing having to make thousands of pounds-worth of refunds after the latest nuclear weapons-grade balls-up connected to the re-opening of the venue this week. Our loyal reader has been in touch, desperately disappointed … Continue reading
What’s in a name? Ashcroft Theatre is sign of commonsense
Our arts critic, BELLA BARTOCK, on how pointless meddling with an established venue’s name could be a cause of marketing confusion There’s been something of a victory for commonsense, for the views of local councillors and, it has to be … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BHLive, Croydon, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Fairfield Halls, Neil Chandler
4 Comments
Will long-delayed Fairfield Halls re-open on time? ‘It’s got to’
Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, donned a hi-viz jacket and hard hat to check on the progress being made on the £41million-plus project on the borough’s arts centre, where the first month’s programme runs from royalty to Redknapp No expense … Continue reading
Who’d pay £50 to see Barry from accounts as Max Bialystock?
It may be more than a year late in re-opening, and is at least £11million over budget, but that hasn’t stopped the operators at the Fairfield Halls from continuing to pursue their pointless exercise of re-naming the Ashcroft Theatre. Workmen … Continue reading
You can help CODA produce a return to the Ashcroft Theatre
After a seven-year absence, Croydon’s foremost AmDram group is preparing for a return to the Fairfield Halls when the council-owned arts venue re-opens in September after a £41million-plus refurbishment. And CODA wants you to be part of their week-long run … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls chief tells councillors not to ask questions
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on how the manager hired to run the Fairfield Halls won’t tolerate questions about the venue from the borough’s elected representatives Neil Chandler, the former cruise ship entertainments officer who has been placed in charge … Continue reading
Now Fairfield operators want to re-name the Ashcroft Theatre
Our arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on the latest piece of meddling going on around the much-delayed arts venue’s refurbishment Neil Chandler, the former cruise ship entertainments officer who has been placed in charge of the Fairfield Halls’ artistic programme has … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls: progress being made, but still no opening date
The London Open House weekend gave Croydon residents a chance to peek inside the workings of the £30million refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls. Already months late for completion, and with suggestions that it is also running over-budget, plans for performances … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls ‘Grand Re-opening Gala’ date set for June 2019
EXCLUSIVE: Arts correspondent BELLA BARTOCK on the latest delay to the borough’s ‘Cultural Quarter’ plans The Fairfield Halls’ “Grand Re-opening Gala”, to be staged in the Concert Hall in the presence of the Earl of Wessex, won’t be taking place … Continue reading
Delayed Fairfield Halls now won’t fully open until March 2019
A cabinet report ahead of Monday night’s meeting has revealed that the Fairfield Halls now won’t be ready to open fully until the end of March 2019 – a full nine months later than promised. The Halls closed for a … Continue reading
Posted in Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Brick by Brick, Fairfield Halls
Tagged Arnhem Gallery, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, Fairfield Halls
5 Comments
Fairfield manager wanted. Must be able to cope with council
BH Live, the Dorset-based conference and events venue managers who have been appointed to operator the Fairfield Halls, are recruiting for general manager. The daunting job spec is similarly demanding to that which the Football Association put out when looking … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Theatre
Tagged Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls
Leave a comment
‘Residents will be thrilled’ after Fairfield Halls’ £30m refit
A year since its closure, and there’s no perceptible signs outside the Fairfield Halls of much in the way of progress in its £30million redevelopment project. But Timothy Godfrey, the council’s cabinet member for arts and culture, says that, with … Continue reading
Fairfield Halls CEO was paid in full prior to administration
The financial collapse of the charitable body which managed the Fairfield Halls did not prevent its chief executive, Simon Thomsett, receiving his salary payments in full right up to last Friday. Thomsett, who had worked at Fairfield Halls for six … Continue reading
