Last Dance On The Riviera

12/07/2025

Tonight is your last opportunity to see this stunning piece of theatre. And a bit of a long post about the creative team who bought the show to the stage.

From new writer Chris Berry.

Bought from page to stage by director Sharon Old.

Produced by Kate and Ben Sweeny.

Chris is well known as an amateur actor across Calderdale's community theatres, as well as working with professional company Talking Stock. Also a professional Celebrant, this piece has been 3 years in the making for Chris. He has set up Chris Berry Theatre as a vessel for this production.

Sharon is usually found as a volunteer/member of the HALIFAX THESPIANS at Halifax Playhouse, where she is currently a board member and chair of play selection, and due to direct their December play A Christmas Carol, also a professional theatre practitioner, having worked with All-Star Academy for a number of years in various production roles, as a producer for The Brutish Multitude and delivering one of the key Culturdale projects in 2024, with Hebden Bridge Arts, to the stage as Production Manager, Sharon is also director and founder of Haunted Halifax, a performing arts company offering promenade immersive theatre alongside heritage and historic tours.

Kate Sweeny has a multi coloured and rich portfolio of work. A playwright, producer, actor, and all round font of expertise, Kate is always ready with a story about her days of Dublin Fringe.

Kate has helped no end to bring this production skillfully together, alongside her brother Ben, who is the tech genius behind the light and sound of the show, as well as assisting with his extensive knowledge to produce Last Dance On The Riviera .

With collaboration from the cast and producers at every level, and with a dramaturg hat on, Sharon has nurtured and supported the writer's written voice with well-timed feedback on structure, content and context with the audience ALWAYS in mind.

A long process for all creatives involved, and from the audience reactions and feedback, a successful venture.

If you are going to be hot and bothered, come and be hot and bothered in the Hebden Bridge Little Theatre auditorium, with a wonderful cast, in the French Riviera. They also have a well stocked bar, a wonderful front of house team and a delightful outdoor canalside terrace.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

Some crew photos of the journey.

11/07/2025

Halfway point in the show, and still two nights to go. Tickets are still available here:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

Today we are celebrating all things digital.

Using multi media processes, an added layer of our production is dream sequences played over Gauze, to create an ethereal and immersive experience and original compositions for the beaurifully designed title credits, ending and some of the incidental music.

A collaboration of videography from Chris Berry
Original design elements and sequence editing from Sharon Old
Editing and design of title graphics from Peter Denton and Rick Smith
Vocal from Hannah Head
Guitar from Peter Denton
Keyboards from John Bacon
Original song composition and writing from Chris Berry and Peter Denton

And music production from Scott Lees.

Creating a treat for the senses.

Don't miss the chance to see the first run of a new Original piece of writing by Chris Berry.

Directed by Sharon Old.

With:

Fergus Kitching
Louise Deans
Trish Ellis
David Howes
Hannah Head

And

Guy Parry

10/07/2025

Last night was a wonderful start to what is shaping up to be a busy run.

With some lovely feedback about cast, set, story and staging, we can safely say the team's hard work has paid off.

Thank you to all the people involved in the production, particular thanks to the lovely volunteers and staff at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre, who have gone the extra mile for us over the last few months.

Tickets are still available. But booking is advised.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

08/07/2025

💻Tech ✔️
👗Dress✔️
🎭Opening night... Tomorrow!!! 🎭

We have rehearsed in a school, in an apartment, briefly in a Cemetery, and finally 2 days of frantic build, rigging, painting, stencilling, curtain hanging, prop setting, and most importantly rehearsing a truly talented cast ready for our audiences. These actors are ready for you and you do not want to miss this show.

The tech team need a mention today, with only a short turn around Ben, Charles and Sylvia gave us a beautifully calm and fuss free delivery of some gorgeous light and sound, at both tech and dress, with only a few tiny hiccups, sound includes some original compositions from Chris Berry, the writer, performed by our Serena Giordano, Hannah Head.

Last Dance On The Riviera

Espionage, treachery, love, passion and a real kicker of an ending. Tickets are flying out for this production premier.

Tickets are now available for Last Dance on the Riviera by Chris Berry at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre, West Yorkshire between Wednesday 9th July 2025 and Saturday 12th July 2025. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

06/07/2025

We are moving in!!!!

Setting up in a new space is always a stress, but we are so looking forward to having a home at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre until Saturday.

We have had fun rehearsing, but now for the serious business.

Two of the unsung heroes of this production must get a mention.

Kate and Ben Sweeney. A brother and sister team, and what a team!!!

With years of collective experience, the Sweeney's are our producers.

Ben, an absolute legend of tech, has been working with lighting and projection and working on innovative ideas with the director, to ensure that the show looks slick. On hand always with experience and advice about how to make things work. He will be racing to get us ready for Tech and dress rehearsal now.

Kate, where do we even start... From start to finish she has been our crutch and the absolute, foundation of this production, from script editing, through furnishings, prop direction, prompting, creative input, a shoulder to cry on, you name it, Kate has been there. Never ending support and care for our fledgling show, cast and crew.

We love you both.

There is a sneaky picture of Kate here, amongst some rehearsal shots.

Tickets are now limited, book to avoid disappointment.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

01/07/2025

With only a week to dress rehearsal, Last Dance On The Riviera is not to be missed. Cast and production crew are working incredibly hard to bring this new piece of writing to life.

Directed by Sharon Old, who is more often than not found at Halifax Playhouse, getting creative with the HALIFAX THESPIANS, but for a four day run next week has migrated to Hebden Bridge Little Theatre. Showing Wednesday 9th until Saturday 12th July. Come join us for a tale of espionage, love and betrayal with a backdrop of pre-war French Riviera.
Written by Chris Berry.

Cast:

Louise Deans
Fergus Kitching
Trish Ellis
David Howes
Hannah Head
And
Guy Parry

Tickets are available here:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

29/06/2025

Today, writer Chris Berry will be painting the airwaves purple, and chatting all things Last Dance On The Riviera with our very own Caballier, Guy Parry, on Calder Valley Radio

With only a week and a bit to go, get the lowdown at around 11am.

Tune in live, now. Either ask your smart speaker to play Calder Valley Radio, or follow this link!!

https://www.caldervalleyradio.co.uk/player/

25/06/2025

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/west-yorkshire/hebden-bridge-little-theatre/last-dance-on-the-riviera-by-chris-berry/e-oerkzb

Tickets are now available for Last Dance on the Riviera by Chris Berry at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre, West Yorkshire between Wednesday 9th July 2025 and Saturday 12th July 2025. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

25/06/2025

Hebden Bridge Little Theatre are being very supportive, of our gorgeous play about love, espionage and treachery.

Working now on the home stretch and the cast have been absolutely amazing, some real talent in the room, and we had the opportunity yesterday to get some furniture (and the cast) on stage for a rough idea of how it will look.

Excited is not the word. A little bit about the play:

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/arts-and-culture/little-theatre-serves-up-1930s-spy-cocktail-5135947

With cast from professional and community theatre backgrounds, there is bound to be a face you recognise if you have ever visited local theatres like Halifax Playhouse or Huddersfield Thespians productions.

With cast as follows:

Fergus Kitching as David
Louise Dean's as Heloise
Trish Ellis as Jane
David Howes as Alec
Hannah Head as Serena
And Guy Parry as Cabalier

Present day political flirtations with appeasement and tariffs have ensured that the 1930s is often in the news. But invitations to truly immerse ourselves in the era via a contemporary artist’s work remain rare.