'It means everything to us' - Stockport's Forum Theatre reopens after RAAC nightmare

A theatre in Stockport has reopened after being closed for nearly a year due to dangerous concrete. The Forum Theatre, in Romiley, welcomed the public through its doors for the first time in more than 280 days, in an emotional evening which left audience members shedding tears at the end of the night.

The NK Theatre Arts-operated building was forced to close last September due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), sparking fears over its long-term future. The situation left the community devastated, but residents and campaigners got to work to find a solution.

Eventually, £300,000 was offered by Stockport council to fund temporary repairs to the roof. While more work is needed in future, to the tune of around £2m, it was enough to make the building safe and open the Forum Theatre once again.

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On the opening night, extra seating was needed in the auditorium to accommodate the huge demand of people wanting to be part of the special occasion. Guests were treated to a brilliant performance of 'Everybody's Talking about Jamie', a musical show about a teen's journey to becoming a drag queen.

The teenage NK Theatre Arts cast delivered a heart-warming display full of genuine humour and talent, ending the night to rapturous applause from spectators. Star of the show was 18-year-old Sam Jeffries who played lead character Jamie New.

The shows are Sam's last at the Forum Theatre before he moves to London to attend the Italia Conti performing arts school, which is described as one of the leading drama schools in the country. Sam has learned his craft at the Forum Theatre since being a child, and said