Pay What You Decide Theatre at The Lowry
The Lowry in Salford are launching a new season of theatre where you get to try before you buy
Going to the theatre can be a gamble. Every performance is different, and that is the thrill of live theatre. Even with prestigious productions and touring shows with rave reviews, the audience is often stepping into the unknown, and this is even more so with smaller productions and experimental theatre.
If you're on a limited budget, however, you might be more reluctant to take these leaps of faith. That’s why The Lowry’s new four-play season Pay What You Decide is such a breath of fresh air.
The premise is self-explanatory: the season’s audiences will be asked to pay what they think each show is worth at the end of the performance. “Pay What You Decide is a great opportunity for theatregoers to see something a bit different without committing a set amount upfront,” explains The Lowry’s programmer and producer, Matt Eames.
The season’s programme is divided into two wonderfully titled sections: Hush Hush Night and WTF Wednesdays. “WTF Wednesdays are for those who want to test their theatrical boundaries,” notes Eames, “while Hush Hush… well we wanted to surprise audiences with something fun – a treat for those who like a bit of mystery!” So in other words, the audience will know nothing about what they are about to see on Hush Hush Nights; it’s a complete shot in the dark.
The Lowry’s aim for this initiative is that theatregoers will take a chance on something new. “We hope that it removes barriers for people who want to take a risk on something but are worried they would be paying for something they may not enjoy,” says Eames.
The brace of WTF Wednesday plays are Massive Owl’s Castle Rock (Wed 25 Jan) and Prototype Theatre’s A Machine They’re Secretly Building (Wed 1 Mar), while the pair of Hush Hush Nights are on 17 Feb and Fri 21 Apr.
To find out more about the Pay What You Decide season, go to thelowry.com/event