Pupils from St. Joseph’s RC Primary School were treated to a special performance of a theatre show performed in an ice-cream van, courtesy of 100 Borron Street business park (Thursday 19 June).

School children viewed a showing of ‘The Pokey Hat’, the latest production from Grinagog Theatre, which is touring Scotland as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme.

Grinagog has been rehearsing at 100 Borron Street for the last two months, using one of the business park’s warehouse units to modify an ice-cream van, which acts as the set for the show.

The children, who attend school nearby, were also taken on an educational ‘heritage walk’ along the Forth and Clyde canal on their way to the business park, accompanied by a guide from Scottish Canals, which owns the business park in a joint venture with Igloo Regeneration.

Drawing on memories of Glasgow’s East End, The Pokey Hat is a family show, using songs, stories and sketches based on research provided by the local community of East Glasgow. The production takes an entertaining look at the way Glaswegians use to live, combining childhood songs, games and sweets plus the significance of the ice-cream van as part of Scottish heritage.

The show is created by key artists, Clare McGarry, artistic director of Grinagog Theatre; Oliver Searle, Glasgow-based composer and educator; and writer and theatre maker, Martin O’Connor. Performed from a customised ice-cream van, which tours with its own especially composed jingles,Crolla dairy ice-cream from Glasgow will be handed during the show.

The business park is also occupied by 85A Collective, an arts group from Glasgow which is also involved in the 2014 Cultural Programme.

Operating on the theme of ‘business, arts and leisure’, 100 Borron Street has a diverse range of tenants including 4c Design, the company which designed the 2014 Queens Baton and Cordia Services, an arms-length organisation of Glasgow City Council.

Last week the business park organised a circus for its residents, hosting a troupe of jugglers, stiltwalkers and unicyclists who performed beside a big-top tent.

There is also a busy pipeline of interest in the flexible work spaces, including a ‘grip-house’ style gym and a skate-park.

Markus Kroner, asset manager of the joint venture at 100 Borron Street said: “It’s great to be able to put on such a fantastic performance within the park, inviting along a local primary school.

“The show was excellent and the children really enjoyed it, with some particularly good feedback received about the ice-cream cone at the end. It was also rewarding to be able to offer a tour of the history behind the canal and surrounding area to the children, en-route to the show.

“We’ve been very busy up at the business park, attracting new tenants, making updates to site and even organising a circus for residents – which really does make it an exciting place to do work.”

Posted: June 24, 2014 12:50 PM