OpenStoryTellers to debut ‘Through the Front Door’ at the Memorial Theatre

Frome-based creative group OpenStoryTellers is set to captivate audiences with their groundbreaking performance, Through the Front Door, on 31st January at 7pm at the Memorial Theatre. 

This ambitious production, created by and for people with learning disabilities, marks a milestone in the group’s mission to celebrate untold stories and challenge perceptions.

The play draws inspiration from the personal experiences of Brian Marshall, one of OpenStoryTellers’ original founders. Reflecting on his emotional return to his childhood home – now luxury flats – Brian shared that he was physically shaking because it was the first time he had entered the building through the front door.

His experience echoes that of the many people with learning disabilities who have lived within institutions, providing a deeply personal foundation for the project.

The yearlong creative process has included archival research, the collection of oral histories, and a collaborative approach to storytelling. The result is a one-night-only performance at the Memorial Theatre, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, promising a vibrant blend of cabaret, original music, theatre, and storytelling.

The play shares the personal and public heritage of people with learning disabilities in a way never seen before and uncovers stories and truths full of joy, music, nature and community. It also looks directly at the harder truths – of sadness, loss and language.

The OpenStoryTellers are forging valuable local connections with key organisations who have helped in this endeavour. Honourable mention goes, they say, to the guardians of The Mendip Hospital Cemetery and the team at The Frome Memorial Theatre all of whom have welcomed the people involved with the show with generous curiosity. 

Performer Ellie Burton says, “I’m very excited about doing this at The Memorial as it’s one of my favourite places which I know inside out and where I feel very comfortable.” 

OpenStoryTellers say, “The show is a journey through dreamworlds, music hall, histories, asylums and workhouses. Laws of the land, hands in the earth and The Harmony Ball; from the 19th Century to the here and now.”

Tickets are available through The Memorial box office.

Cover Image: Stuart King