THERE’S a new team at the helm of Liverpool’s Lantern Theatre – mother and daughter Margaret Connell and Siobhan Noble.

The Blundell Street venue reopened for 2012 this week, with The Snow Queen, in an adaptation by Liam Scott, of Tiny Giants, its resident theatre company.

“We want to develop it as a really strong fringe theatre,” says Connell.

“There isn’t one that’s affordable and welcoming to young artists, and my last eight years have been working with young people.”

With previous jobs including working in the Playhouse’s youth department, community arts programmer at the Citadel, in St Helens, and head of community arts for Liverpool Hope University, she is ideally placed to carry this out.

There are also plans to stage more music events and promote the Lantern as a venue for comedy.

“I want to develop a community arts programme,” she explains.

“I’d like to develop a performing arts course out of education and training, taking place in our space here, and a youth theatre for 14 to 18-year-olds.”

Meanwhile, there’s a packed programme planned for early 2012, including double bill Hope in Boxes and a Light in Every Window, Valentine’s thriller Gathering Jack and Our Country’s Good.