Award Winning Manager appointed for Tamworth Theatre

An award-winning theatre director, producer and playwright has been appointed to lead the new-look Tamworth Assembly Rooms, with a vision to put the town firmly on the map as a destination for the arts.

The historic Tamworth Assembly Rooms theatre reopens in the New Year following an ambitious £5million refurbishment to modernise, extend and preserve the venue for future generations.

As it enters a new chapter in its history, the much-loved entertainment venue will be led by a dedicated theatre, artistic and events manager – Adey Ramsel – who brings with him a vision to create new opportunities for the arts in Tamworth. This includes the aim of working with local artists, businesses and the community, while becoming a major regional arts venue, attracting top-selling shows.

Adey said: “I’m joining a great team in the Tamworth Arts & Events department which includes some popular faces who have been at Tamworth Assembly Rooms for up to 20 years, as well as newly recruited members who will help us deliver even more shows, events and activities going forward. Together we are now incredibly well-placed to achieve our goal of putting Tamworth on the regional arts map.”

Adey Ramsel has impressive credentials for the job. He comes to Tamworth Assembly Rooms from The Regal Theatre in Worcestershire, where he spent three years introducing more live theatre, creating a 60-seat black box studio space and writing shows which broke all previous box office and attendance records.

Before that he spent 20 years working in New Zealand as a full time comedian and playwright and was voted ‘Comedian of the Year’ by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand. He then returned to his childhood love of the theatre as an actor, theatre director and then producer of more than 60 shows.

He founded the Caught Jesters Theatre Company and created the Newmarket Stage Company, winning awards for directing, set design and best productions.

Adey has written numerous plays which were premiered in New Zealand, one of which also opened in Germany this year.

Adey’s new role at the helm of Tamworth Assembly Rooms – as it goes through the biggest change in its 130-year history – is a particularly special one, as it sees him returning to the town he grew up in and where he first found his love of the theatre.

It was performing in a play at Woodhouse High School that led Adey to change his intended career path from law to the theatre and he went to study drama at Burton College. From there he progressed into children’s theatre, Pontins holiday camps as entertainment manager, before moving to stand-up comedy – and New Zealand.

He’s now gone full circle back to his childhood home.

Adey said: “I’m really excited to be re-launching a venue that was a major part of my youth – albeit at a slightly later date due to the delayed opening. I saw many shows there; most notably the Gang Shows, when I was a 1^st Amington Cub. I always thought there was a major untapped audience for live entertainment in the area and with the excellent transport links and infrastructure we are ideally placed to attract bigger touring shows.

“In the short time I have been here, producers and promoters are eager to come in and see what we’ve done. With the Assems reopening soon, the castle, the church, the castle grounds and more, there is so much possibility for arts and events to work together with all the venues and make Tamworth an arts destination.

“It’s the old cliché of having to move away to come back and appreciate what there is. Most towns would give their back teeth for a castle with a roof, let alone a performing arts venue, huge church, a rich history, multi layered gardens and grounds – we have it all!

While tickets are currently on sale for the opening season of Tamworth Assembly Rooms (which has been slightly delayed from November to January),  Adey has been busy booking shows for 2020, which will include big names such as John Challis, Ann Widdecombe, The Christians, The Fureys, Anton Du Beke and stage productions of David Walliams’ books.

But attracting big name acts is just one part of the ambition. Adey also has a strong focus on working with the community to develop the artistic agenda and provide opportunities for local artists to flourish.

He said: “I have started programming but I would love to hear from the community – what do you like, what don’t you like? It’s your theatre; tell me what you want to see.

“I obviously have the juggling task of making the venue work on a business level but more importantly, it needs to work on a community level. We have to build the strong professional business model for the venue first, in order to be able to help and support the community.

“Having said that, education and community outreach is always at the heart of what I do and every decision in the long term will benefit the community, our audience and the venue.

“We have a chance to become a major player in the regional arts scene, but it all starts with the community. Come in and talk to me. When the theatre reopens, we will be holding drop in sessions with myself and the Arts & Events team to meet local artists, singers, anyone who is in, or wants to be active in, the arts. When I grew up in Tamworth, there wasn’t that much help for a young boy who wanted to go into theatre, so I looked out of town for experience and we want to change that.

“We have plans for arts projects within the community and an ideal outcome is that a child can engage with the arts from their earliest memory, until they leave school and possibly have the chance to return to us as a professional.

Tamworth Assembly Rooms will also become a venue for seminars, exhibitions, open mic nights, and just simply a coffee and a cake.

Information about the new look Assembley rooms can be found at www.tamworthassemblyrooms.co.uk , featuring the current planned line up of what to expect from early 202.