SPOOKY CINEMA IN CHESTER THIS AUTUMN
21st September 2009
Chester's most haunted building will host the screening of a multi-award winning British film next month.
Black Sun - the extraordinary story of French artist and filmmaker Hughes de Montelambert - will be shown at Stanley Palace, located at the bottom of Watergate Street, at 8pm on Thursday 1st October. It’s believed that the monks who inhabited the monastery the Stanley Palace foundations are built upon still roam the building... The documentary tells the story of how De Montelambert learned to cope with the blindness he suffered as a result of a vicious attack, defying expectations to travel the world alone.
The screening is taking place as part of the second season of SOAPBOX, Chester Performs' regular programme of contemporary performance and film.
The unique programme presents a variety of works in venues not conventionally used for performance. The summer season included events in a 700 year-old water tower, a jazz bar, disused churches and city centre vaults.
This season’s programme is set to utilise equally as diverse venues, presenting more of Chester’s impressive architectural heritage, as well showcasing the work of internationally renowned theatre companies and composers, and film screenings in some of Chester’s finest and more sinister buildings.
Amber Knipe, Programme Manager, Chester Performs said ‘The first SOAPBOX season offered something completely different for people to witness in Chester. We wanted to ensure we continued to offer cutting edge contemporary works, in venues the public are often unable to visit.’
The programme will continue to present an alternative cinema offer :
Renowned composer Charlie Barber has written a new score that will be performed LIVE by four musicians positioned on two giant scaffolds either side of a movie screen. A rare screening of what is dubbed as one of the most extraordinary and bizarre silent movies to come out of Hollywood in the 1920s, Salomé is set in the tyrannical court of King Herod. The film is adapted from the controversial play by Oscar Wilde and cost $350,000 to make - a staggering amount at the time. The event will take place for one night only in Newtown’s stunning Arts and Craft style building, Christ Church, on Thursday 29th October, at 8pm.
i-witness is South Wales based Volcano Theatre’s physical theatre show, that relates the four performers’ extreme response to a book they have read. The piece recently won the Best of British Theatre award at the Edinburgh Festival and is being performed in St. Mary’s Centre, located behind Chester Castle, inside the city walls; on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th November. The property is another example of Chester’s rich architectural heritage, built in the 14th Century; the centre is rarely open to the public.
Winner of 55 awards Let the Right One In tells the story of a bullied school boy who befriends a young vampire. The Swedish film, screened with English subtitles, will take place in Chester’s Deaf Centre on Thursday November 12th. Built in 1984 the building was originally a Church, now it’s a centre for the deaf community of Chester.
The second SOAPBOX season offers something special for the festive season with a screening of classic Christmas flick, It's A Wonderful Life starring James Stewart. The film will be screened on Thursday 10th December from 7.30pm during a Christmas evening at Guildhall, Watergate Street. It’s likely the original building dated back to the 14th century; Guildhall is another property that is normally closed to the public.
Tickets for the SOAPBOX programme are on sale now, visit www.chesterperforms.com or call into Chester Tourist Information Centre, Northgate Street or call 0871 428 0781.
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