Gods of Salford

“So, remember my name…”

25 young people who live and learn in Salford recently achieved God-level-status with 5 star reviews, standing ovations but more than that - community. From the outside, Gods of Salford is the successful 25th anniversary production commissioned by Lowry with Not Too Tame. A new raucous and ambitious piece of theatre staged in Lowry’s Quays Theatre in April 2025. The show was a high-energy, theatrical adventure reimagining Greek myths through the lens of Salford’s working-class spirit.

The show has been incredibly well received on a national and local level and has made waves of impact for young people from our city. We welcomed policy-makers, families and curious strangers to our audiences and every one was equally moved by the show’s final ringing message “remember my name…”.

What the world didn’t get to see are the interlocking of friendships, the overcoming of challenges and any complications in their personal life, the balance of college coursework and line learning. The commitment from the young cast has been blazing since January and was 4 months of intense and powerful rehearsals, getting to know each other and forming a cast that truly lived the message of the show : we ARE important.

Their hard work on stage and in the room warmly supported by the concept and feeling of being part of something bigger: of building something together, of the WhatsApp group chats and support that every single young person offered someone else in the cast. The smiles, the arms around the shoulders, the applause. The cast would never fail to applaud each other and themselves when they reached a pivotal moment, they recognised each other and felt recognised.

Under the direction and facilitation of Jimmy Fairhurst and his team, the cast were encouraged to be more, find more, to fight for the moment and to earn the win.

There were moments when people struggled, there were forgotten lines, there were mistakes, but it was never about blame, it was never about the individual. It was about the shared moment of overcoming that challenge of getting back up and trying harder. Trying harder because your mates were right there to help you. The whole of Olympus was behind you even if the Gods were against you.

It was more than making a show together, it was building “together”, a community of shared moments, lived experiences and love for the work and the process. This 25th Anniversary project mirroring the many hundreds of casts that have gathered, community companies formed, artists making new discoveries, groups that have made Lowry home, employees and visitors who find sanctuary within our walls and within our wider Olympus (Salford). It spoke of connection, for collective purpose and had the pay-off that it was also an incredible piece of theatre that was worthy of the journey.

This experience: it’s process, the show, their work- will be hard to forget. We’re excited to see what these Gods of Salford will decree for themselves next...