£11,910 UKSPF grant helps prepare Beeston’s Parky Players Bond-inspired show for the Edinburgh Fringe

After rehearsal and local performances, the Broxtowe group are performing the show six times at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from the 12-17 August. 

The grant was made possible through the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) from the UK Government. The theatre group raised over £12,000 from other sources, to complete the project.  

Parky Players are a theatre group made up of people with Parkinson’s Disease. They use performance to raise awareness of the challenges of the disease. The show ‘Shaken not Stirred’ tips its hat to 007’s famous line and highlights the modern-day challenges of living with Parkinson’s through a variety sketch show. Their show is on at The Space on The Mile from Monday 12 August to Saturday 17 August.

Parky Players was formed during lockdown by Janet Shipton, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 at the age of 47, to raise awareness of the largely misunderstood condition Parkinson’s Disease. The group went from creating an award-winning online panto to developing it into a UK tour culminating in 3 performances at Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Since then they’ve won the 2023 World Parkinson’s Congress song competition and performed the song they wrote in Barcelona in front of 2,000 people.

Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Asset Management Councillor Milan Radulovic MBE said, ‘Broxtowe has a great arts and culture offer across the Borough and Parky Players are a shining example of this, I’m also delighted that this funding has also allowed the project to be part of such a popular and iconic festival as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.’

Janet Shipton, Parky Players’ Co-founder and Chair said, ‘The positive impact of Parky Players never ceases to amaze me: Empowering those taking part, whilst enlightening and entertaining those in the audience. It feels like what we're doing is making a difference.’

The new show “Shaken Not Stirred” demonstrates a development in confidence in both the Parky Player’s writing and performance skills. The sketches feature villains and heroes, and of course 007 himself. Witty, thought provoking and often silly, this show aims to change perceptions, raise awareness of what it is to have Parkinson’s, and what is still achievable after diagnosis. It’s suitable and relevant for those with or without any connection to Parkinson’s.

For those in Broxtowe who’ve yet to see the show, it’s not too late! The Victoria Hotel in Beeston has invited Parky Players to perform a ‘Shaken Not Stirred’ homecoming show on Tuesday 24 September at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 and will be on sale at The Victoria. 

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is UK Government funded and Broxtowe Borough Council has been allocated a total of £2,584,477 over a three-year period 2022-25. Activity funded in 2024/5 includes local business, skills and community projects, including a set of community grant-funded projects.