Welcome to Catherine Smyth Media
I am a professional journalist and have worked on daily and weekly newspapers across East Lancashire since 1988.
In 2009 I opted for redundancy and became self-employed using my writing skills and experience of working in busy newsrooms to create a bespoke business.
I have a passion for telling other people’s stories through words and am also handy with a camera.
Outside of work, I am a Cub leader and chairman of Bacup and Stacksteads Carnival Organisation.
REVIEW - Home, I’m Darling
The Rossendale Players at The New Millennium Theatre
This play, by Laura Wade, tackles a wealth of relationship and business issues – so much my fellow reviewer said it would have made a good soap opera.
And so much that there was unexpected audience participation on several occasions, which we found surprising – and also very funny especially when guy said, ‘How much has she had to drink?’
This is a play about relationships between men and women, a mother and daughter, and work colleagues and how they can all intricately intertwine.
The play starts with a modern day stay at home wife Judy played by Heather Radler and a hard-working husband Johnny played by Leon Walker, who is determined to be promoted; but they live in bizarre a 1950s style home and world.
The six-member cast did an excellent job of making their characters believable and it was great to several new names on the cast list.
Fran, played by Sophie Whittaker, stood out for us with her professional delivery making her lines come came very naturally. We loved her character and the way Sophie made her so believable.
Marcus, played by Kevin Clarke, was suave initially and then became somewhat sleazy while Helen Nuttall as Alex was an over-the-top character, but the humour shone through.
Dawn Rowe is no stranger to this stage and she plays the formidable mother of the Judy character. She has a very lengthy monologue to deliver as she defends her parental style while tearing a strip of her daughter’s way of living.
Heather and Leon were excellent and we were impressed with their interaction and the amazing facial expressions and mannerisms displayed by Leon which came across very natural.
Once again, the stage was brilliantly set and we were delighted that there were no black stages and silence, just a subtle lowering of the stage lights and the characters in silhouette moving props around this meant the production flowed so much better.
We both felt the play really came alive in the second half and it proved to be a great opening to The Players 90th Anniversary Season.
Directed by Helena Rose Lockett.
Play continues to November 14.
Catherine Smyth
Well, Peru feels like an age ago now, but in real terms it was only 11 days ago that I got back.
I have promised to get round to processing photos but in the meantime here is my page lead in this week's Rossendale Free Press all about the amazing achievement of Stacksteads Countryside Park Group, not only was the Lantern Festival bigger than ever, thanks for taking the photos Jeff Johnson but at the first attempt entering the Royal Horticultural Society It's Your Neighbourhood Awards, the charity did really well.
I picked up last week's Rossendale Free Press and was pleased to see my story for Whitworth Community High School celebrating the sporting achievements of three of the students had been used. Well done everyone.
Do you have a business in Rossendale? Large or sole trader - why not come along to the next Valley at Work meeting and share your business news, learn about the diverse range of businesses that we have in Rossendale - got an issue - put it to the meeting and see if the people who attend might just have the answer you are seeking.
You will also learn all about the Horse + Bamboo who as meeting hosts will lead the business part of the meeting - we may also get a behind the scenes tour of the premises.
All meetings free to attend - please let organisers know if you wish to go along.
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My Work with Schools
Ask a child to do a literacy lesson and they may roll their eyes, ask them to produce their own school newspaper and suddenly writing no longer seems such a chore.
I have developed a range of bespoke programmes designed to bring literacy lessons to life.
In a fun learning environment, the pupils produce an exciting end product – their own newspaper.
The paper is written in their own words, they write about what interests them and what they love about school. Their names appear as bylines on their work and they get to take their own photographs.
They become junior journalists for the day!