having a laugh

The road to hell is a very long paved one if you go by my good intentions, so I started a blog and then got blog block. Its not that I hadn’t got anything to reflect on, the last two months have been extremely busy at The Ropewalk, just that I hadn’t actually got time to reflect.


Last night comedian Rich Hall performed to a very full, hot Ropery Hall. He was excellent and a really nice guy as well. I always marvel at the ability of performers, especially stand ups to get up in front of a room full of people. The confidence required is immense and yet most of the comedians I have met over the years I have found to be quite normal beings off stage, with a few exceptions. What made the night so special was that Rich Hall was willing to play such a small venue and did so with such relish. I have shied away from promoting top flight comedians on the whole as the ticket price has to reflect the fee to capacity ratio. I have seen comedians this year in large 1000 plus venues for more than £18 a ticket and it made me realise that the actual experience in a small venue is worth the same money if not more – I hope others agree and that we can continue to attract sell out audiences, which we need to do to just break even!


I am just putting the finishing touches to the autumn programme which has a good mix of films, poetry, comedy and music. Mark Keable from mtm promotions has again done us proud with a great line up including Martin Simpson in September and the Carthys in December whilst I am looking forward to a Jazz autumn with the welcome return of Snake Davis and a first time visit by Gwyneth Herbert. Not to be left out the wonderful Mark Steel returns to Barton for the third time and just what I’ve always wanted…. Mari Wilson on the stage at Ropery Hall. The full details will be in print soon but it looks like Janine and I will be behind bars for a long stretch this autumn.


I hope people who read this have had the opportunity over the last year to read Article, the arts listings guide for Northern Lincolnshire which Nick, Richard and I put together with contributions from Damien, Cheryl and Loz. Article is loved by all that read it if the feedback is anything to go by and we had a meeting to round up the first year and discuss year two earlier this week. Article has been in Richard’s head for some years - a gap that needed filling, something that people can sit and read to find out what is going on arts wise in this area. There is such a lot that within one year we have found it impossible to fit it all in and we (well, Nick actually) have the unenviable task of cutting and trimming pieces to fit. To solve this problem we would like to increase the size of the publication but therein lies a problem, the one that blights most arts events/organisations ……. money. So if you have read it and enjoyed it and want to make sure it continues and increases in size please consider subscribing – for just £10 it will be delivered to your door for a year. What value!