We are excited and absolutely delighted that our Theatre has been chosen as the venue for the upcoming What Bliss is Home! concert.
The concert is a fund raising event and proceeds will be donated to the Britten as a Boy statue appeal. It is planned to position a statue of Benjamin Britten looking out to sea in Kirkley, South Lowestoft.
For those unfamiliar with his work, Benjamin Britten was an internationally famous orchestral, opera and film music composer, conductor and pianist. He was born in Kirkley on 22 November 1913, the son of a dentist. He died on 4 December 1976 at just 63 years following congestive heart failure. He funeral service was held at Aldeburgh Parish Church where he has a gravestone.
Although there are already tributes to Benjamin Britten in the town – a high school and a shopping centre, plus a memorial window in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Aldeburgh, a group of well-known people have joined forces to fundraise to cover the cost of the statue.
The John Ward Trio
Performing at the concert will be an assortment of folk music acts - The John Ward Trio, The Blow-Ins, Finn Collinson, Chris Harrison, Britten Pears Arts Group A young voices, musicians from Suffolk Music Hub and a virtual appearance by award winning folk trio, The Young'uns.
The Blow-Ins
Broadcaster and author, Zeb Soanes, also born in Lowestoft is the Vice Chair of the group leading the Britten as a Boy statue fundraising campaign. Zeb Soanes visited our Theatre as a guest speaker at Radio 4’s Any Questions, which was broadcast live from Lowestoft in August 2021. He was then invited by Theatre volunteers to record a set of front of house announcements. Mr Soanes agreed without hesitation. He generously donated these to our Theatre. The announcements have been in use ever since and will of course be used at the What Bliss is Home! concert
Zeb Soanes, Broadcaster, Author and Vice-Chair of the group leading the Britten as a Boy statue fundraising campaign
Martin Wilson who is coordinating the hosting of the event at the Players Theatre told us
“It’s fantastic and very fitting that The Britten as a Boy statue committee have chosen our venue, which is also of historical interest, for this concert. The building was just 24 years old when Benjamin Britten was born. I’m sure that the audience will appreciate the amazing acoustics which the former church provides.”
Tickets for the What Bliss is Home! fundraising concert are available from www.playerstheatre.info or by contacting the Box Office on 01502 770020.