All the shop's a stage

By Jemima Laing
BBC Devon

The shops become theatres for a day

When you pop to the shops in Exeter on Saturday you might get more than a couple of chops at Lloyd Maunder or a bag of spuds at Stokes.

The shops are just two of 15 in the Sidwell Street area joining forces with Exeter Northcott on 14 November for a project called Trading Local.

Each shop will be temporarily transformed into a theatre as they host a specially-commissioned new play.

Bristol-based theatre company Show of Strength is behind the project.

The company has been producing new plays in non-theatre spaces since it was formed in 1986.

It came up with the idea of Trading Local and first tried it out during a successful day in Bedminster, Bristol earlier this year.

Jen Burton's shop will close on the same day as the performance

Then the Exeter Northcott invited Show Of Strength to create a new version for Sidwell Street as part of the Exeter Autumn Festival.

More than 40 people took part in workshops to create the 14 five-minute monologues which have been penned by writers with a variety of backgrounds and levels of experience.

Each play will be performed by professional South West actors.

The idea of the project is to celebrate independent traders, with each five-minute play written specifically for the shop in which it takes place.

Freda Barnes who owns the Knitting Basket is looking forward to seeing the play - The Expert by AJ Oxford - being performed for the first time on Saturday.

"Someone came into the shop with a leaflet and I thought it sounded like a good idea and then the writer came into the shop to talk to me.

"I think she might have included some stuff about me in the play because the actress who is doing it came in today and knew about my silver rings but I don't know any more than that.

The Cat's Whiskers will be performed at Kirk Radio

"The first time I will see it will be on Saturday, I'm looking forward to it, it should be good."

'Pretty unusual'

Jen Burton is looking forward to it too although Saturday will be a bittersweet occasion for her.

The day of the performance will be the last day of trading for her business Two Birds Photography, which she says has been defeated after 14 months by high rents and business rates.

The play being performed in her shop is called Quick As A Flash by Ben Cannon.

"I'm really looking forward to it and I'm really happy to be part of it although Saturday will be a very odd day for us.

"I like to go to the theatre and to have a play performed in the shop is pretty unusual and it should be good."

---

Trading Local performances:

Exquisite with Knives by Sam Randall performed by Lynette Read at Lloyd Maunder Butchers, 29 Sidwell Street.

And How We Danced by Andy Melhuish performed by Eli Thorne at Stokes Greengrocers, 30 Sidwell Street.

After Hours by Margaret Murphy performed by Jenny Coverack at Stoneman & Bowker, 69-73 Sidwell Street.

High Fidelity by Martin Sorrell performed by Jenny Coverack at Richer Sounds, 89-91 Sidwell Street.

The Brazilian by Janet Kipling performed by Marie Kelsall at Bizzaz Hair, 94a Sidwell Street/Old Tiverton Road.

The Expert by AJ Oxford performed by Lynette Read at The Knitting Basket, 1 Blackboy Road.

Don't Know Nothing by Lori Hilson performed by Eli Thorne at Smorga, 5 Blackboy Road.

A Good Press by Robert Joyce performed by Steve Bennett at Silverspin Cleaning Centre, 12 Blackboy Road.

London Town Barbers will host The Philosopher

Not All There by Steve Coxon, performed by Eli Thorne at DC Watchmaker, 102 Sidwell Street and Exeter Pet & Garden, 148 Sidwell Street.

Quick As A Flash by Ben Cannon performed by Jenny Coverack at Two Birds Photography, 120-121 Sidwell Street.

The Cat's Whiskers by Deborah January performed by Lynette Reade at Kirk Radio, 126 Sidwell Street.

The Philosopher by Belinda Dixon performed by Steve Bennett at London Town Barbers, 132 Sidwell Street.

Ride the Night by Joe Hancock performed by Steve Bennett at Sidwell Cycles, 140-141 Sidwell Street.

Waiting by Clare Girvan performed by Marie Kelsall at Somerfield, 160 Sidwell Street.

The free performances run from 10am-4.30pm on Saturday 14 November - for the time of each individual show log on the the Exeter Northcott website .