This week has largely consisted of rubbing shoulders with the successful and the famous as I paid two visits to Middlesbrough Town Hall - graduation day for the students of Middlesbrough College, and a pink-carpeted premiere for new BBC comedy Smoggie Queens. Pomp and pride in equal but different measures.
Graduation day is always a nice occasion to be part of - witnessing the ceremonial side of the event as the students are fitted with cape and mortar, posing for formal photographs, making the walk across stage to receive a congratulatory handshake from a college dignitary and finally, getting to share the successful achievement with family and friends.
Tradition was left to one side for my second visit to Middlesbrough's municipal facility. TV cameras, interviewer, bloggers, influencers and photographers gathered alongside the pink carpet while the Smoggie stars posed and provided comment. As interesting and exciting as it was to capture the actors, the array of individuals gathering in the rest of the room proved just as photogenic.
Smoggie Queens focusses on a tight-knit group of LGBTQ+ friends and the humour, tradegy and friendships that materialise between this less than conventional collection of characters. Set in and around Middlesbrough, the locations and turn of phrase used by the stars are both refreshing and fantastically familiar to see and hear. This artistic focus on the Teesside region is surely a huge positive and I hope it will generate further projects for the local arts and entertainment sector.
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