Wolverhampton Grand at 125: Baby has handle on theatre fame
Little Ian Marshall got in on the act when his mum Maggie decided to go in for a spot of drama.
Maggie travelled from Low Hill Crescent, Wolverhampton, with her six-month-old baby son for a course at the Grand aimed at mothers.
She was among around 30 mums who attended workshops in dance, drama, make-up and costume at the Lichfield Street venue – where young Ian ended up with a stick-on handlebar moustache.
The sessions, run by theatre staff and humanities students from the then Wolverhampton Polytehcnic, were designed to give mothers a break whilst also giving them a taste of the theatre.
The photograph, taken in November 1990, illustrates how the Grand has always been more than just a theatre to the town.
Over the decades staff have worked closely with schools and Wolverhampton University, or polytechnic as it was then.
Today it offers theatre tours, maths trails, arts marketing presentations and other opportunities for primary school pupils up to undergraduates.
Interactive workshops are tailored, as they were then, to the people taking part. There are also talks and on-stage masterclasses with members of the creative team and academic speakers.
The picture is reproduced here as part of celebrations to mark the Grand’s milestone 125th anniversary. The Express & Star is publishing a weekly archives picture in association with the Grand’s own 125 Memories Project.
* If you have any stories or pictures of visits to the Grand, email 125@grandtheatre.co.uk or in writing to 125 Memories Project, c/o Stage Door, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1DE.
