Barbara at The Edge

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Barbara at The Edge
Image courtesy of Lee Baxter.

Barbara at The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre, Chorlton 23 — 24 June 2023 Tickets from £13.00 — Book now

Gather around the piano for Stockport theatre-maker, Mark Croasdale’s new show at The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre. Music-filled and joyful with the warm nostalgia of a buttered crumpet, Barbara is a humorous and touching new theatre production inspired by our relationships with our grandparents and what it means to care for them.

Heartfelt, beautiful and witty, Barbara is based on creator Mark Croasdale’s own relationship with their grandmother (the real-life Barbara) and their experience of caring for a loved one when they have dementia.

Barbara lives in an effortless era, when tea came from a pot, the milk was poured first and crumpets were for butter, not jam. But this is the present and it’s all got a little more complicated…

The beginnings of the show were first workshopped at Hope Mill Theatre’s Turn On Fest in 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt. Now, three years later, Barbara is set to shine in Chorlton as a full-length and interactive production, thanks to funding from Arts Council England and support from The Edge and Contact Theatre.

Set in the evening, audiences will join Barbara, portrayed by Croasdale, and her husband Bernard at one of their legendary candlelight suppers. Expect a sing-song around the piano as Barbara and her ivory-tingling husband, played by musician and performer Tom Guest, transport you to a bygone era with music, courteous conversation and exceptional hosting.

Sensitively exploring lived experiences of dementia, this is a theatre production that aims to tackle a challenging subject matter with warmth, joy and lots of humour – actively encouraging others to share their own experiences in a safe and supportive way. Lifting the lid on what it means to care for someone you love, Barbara encourages us to talk, share and understand dementia together.

Barbara at The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre, Chorlton 23 — 24 June 2023 Tickets from £13.00 Book now

Accessibility

  • Relaxed

Performances

Date
Time
Session Features
23 June 2023
7:30pm — 8:30pm
24 June 2023
3:00pm — 4:00pm

Accessibility Features

Relaxed

24 June 2023
7:30pm — 8:30pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Where to go near Barbara at The Edge

Chorlton Library Exterior
Chorlton
Library
Chorlton Library

This cornerstone of Chorlton life is a Carnegie library, listed building and the second busiest library in the city.

Chorlton
Shop
Chorlton Bookshop

A family-run bookshop in Manchester’s bohemian suburb, Chorlton Bookshop is a haven of great titles and unknown gems.

Horse and Jockey Chorlton
Chorlton
Restaurant
Horse and Jockey Chorlton

The Horse and Jockey is a popular gastro pub located on Chorlton Green, at the end of Beech Road, a beautiful building and a Chorlton landmark.

Chorlton
Bar or Pub
The Beagle

Helmed by the people behind Common and Port Street Beer House, The Beagle is one of the most popular bars in Chorlton.

Chorlton
Restaurant
Tea Hive

Tea Hive is simply the best breakfast in Chorlton. Sure, there’s nice places along Beech Road and the many (many) bars dotted around the area make a pretty good fist of it, but Tea Hive reigns supreme.

Beech Road, Chorlton
Bar or Pub
97 Chorlton

97 is a smart new cocktail bar from the team behind Tariff & Dale and The Lead Station, based on Beech Road in Chorlton.

Chorlton
Shop
Barbakan Delicatessen

Barbakan Deli is an award-winning, continental bakery in Chorlton, named after the historic gateway leading into the Old Town of Kraków in Poland.

What's on: Theatre

Free Activity at Aviva Studios
Until
ComedyManchester
Free Activity at Aviva Studios

From comedy nights to drop-in family craft sessions, Factory International bring an accessible and inclusive programme of events this spring – the best thing, it’s all free.

free entry

Culture Guides

Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Exhibitions in the North

Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month

Sextile
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.