"This isn't such a bad place to be though. I imagine you could get very fond of it from a distance" Shelagh Delaney, The Lion in Love
It couldn't have escaped anyone's notice that Salford is changing with the force of a development tsunami. A city that's been largely ignored for decades by the rich and decadent has almost suddenly been transformed into a Monopoly Board for speculators who have realised that they can call the place `Manchester' and cash in big style.
All of which leaves ordinary Salfordians, all 246,000 of us, a bit bewildered as to what the city is becoming. Shelagh Delaney had plenty to say about Salford and its municipal meanderings, and now the city's greatest playwright is inspiring a new generation of dramatists to comment on the state of the place.
This year's Shelagh Delaney Day at Salford Arts Theatre sees three performances with themes of the changing city and changing people. Sodding Salford by Bernie Shaw challenges the morph head on, via two men in a pub discussing the Manchester takeover during a good few bevies.
A Moment is a play that looks at the whole concept of identity through the eyes of Salfordians, and was created by Salford Arts Theatre's Roni Ellis in collaboration with two local teenagers, Libby, aged 15, and Emily age 17.
"Most of the ideas stem from things that happen to the characters in their lives that make them view things in a different way" Roni explains "So there's a line in there about `golden towers', which is obviously Media City, and it's kind of saying that `You need to know that you've come into Salford, and the streets around you and the people are worth something'. You can take that as a positive or negative.
"It's also about the stresses of making decisions" she adds "We all live in Salford or were born here, and we all have the same feeling that Shelagh had, of wanting to escape but getting pulled back; of seeking something and wanting more. It's very thoughtful."
The opening drama on the night is a stage adaptation of the Delaney radio play Out of the Pirates Playhouse, with the script provided by Shelagh's daughter, Charlotte, who has always backed Salford's Shelagh Delaney Day.
"It's a coming of age story in which children are moving onto the next stage of their lives, like going to high school, and are no longer allowed to play in those places indoors" says Roni "We're doing three extracts telling stories of young people moving on, adapted for theatre, and it's quite sweet."
Altogether the three plays should make for a top evening of drama and also, hopefully, spark more of a debate about Salford as a place and as a culture.
"The legacy for me on Shelagh Delaney Day is more about using her as a way of inspiring the new writers of today, whether that be young people or adults" Roni adds "Like, we're showcasing a local gentleman who isn't a writer but has written something about Salford and its identity. We also want people to submit a play idea or a new play which we can support throughout the coming year to be performed for the next Shelagh Delaney Day."
Meanwhile this special night of Shelagh Delaney inspired new theatre should fire everyone's imagination. Ms Delaney, we're sure, would be very proud indeed...
#Be Inspired
Friday 25th November 7pm
Salford Arts Theatre M5 4BS
Tickets £8
For further information and to book see www.salfordartstheatre.com
Box office 925 0111
Other events as part of Shelagh Delaney Day are...
* The House That Jack Built - lost Shelagh Delaney tv series screening in its entirety at the Mary Quaile Club, Three Minute Theatre - Saturday 26th November - click here for details
* Extracts from Shelagh Delaney's work being read at the Working Class Movement Library Fundraiser, starring Christopher Eccleston, Maxine Peake et al at Maxwell Hall Sunday 27th November - click here for details
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