SALT: Great Yarmouth's new theatre company debuting play

Contemporary Ritual Theatre began at the end of last year, aiming to introduce more people to the theatre and produce new work reflecting the experiences of people living in coastal towns and villages.

Artistic director Beau Hopkins said the new company aims to establish itself among the town's other live arts groups such as Out There Arts and St George's Theatre.

Beau Hopkins, from Contemporary Ritual Theatre. (Image: CRT)"We believe we can build something from the ground up," Mr Hopkins said. "So many people in the town want to do stuff and get stuck in. It's been brilliant."

Contemporary Ritual Theatre's upcoming play, SALT, begins at the Drill House, Great Yarmouth, on Thursday, May 2.

The play, set in an unnamed pre-industrial fishing community, focuses on a fisherman who lives alone with his mother. All goes awry when a strange woman arrives during the town's Michaelmas fair.

The upcoming play SALT revolves around the lives of a quiet fishing community. (Image: CRT)Certain scenes, including the fair, are based on Great Yarmouth traditions. The town used to celebrate Michaelmas with a large event in the South Denes.

Mr Hopkins added that the style of the play has a contemporary approach, forgoing the traditional stage set-up and instead having the cast perform inside a knot of rope.

"We want to appeal to people who have never been to theatre before," he added.

"The stories from the coast's past are powerful and exciting. We want to build on that to make the area's artistic future just as incredible." 

See SALT:

May 2, 3 & 5 at the Drill House  - Out There Arts, Great Yarmouth

May 18 at the Maltings, Wells-next-the-Sea

May 19 at Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich

May 24 at Southwold Arts Centre, Southwold

May 25 at Fisher Theatre, Bungay 

June 4 - 8 at the Space, Isle of Dogs, London

For more information, visit https://contemporaryritualtheatre.org/

SALT's Widow Pruttock is devoted to two things: the herring harvest and God. (Image: CRT)