youngvicneighbourhoodtheatre

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Neighbourhood Theatre Live! - 28th June 2019

Neighbourhood Theatre Live! a multi-disciplinary piece, made in response to the Young Vic’s current Main House show, Bronx Gothic.  It was open exclusively to NhT members, and involved them exploring how to use their own identity and personal stories to create performance material, in collaboration with a number of creatives, including Sean Graham (Movement Director/Lead Artist), Shade’ Joseph (DJ/Sound Associate), Jo Tyabji (Associate Director/Dramaturg), Bridget Minamore (Spoken Word Artist/ Dramaturg Associate), Bellatrix (Beatbox/Double Bassist/Sound Associate).  

The project invited participants to consider what they could create on their own and how they could use their own identity – such as the movement of their walk – to produce a wide range of stories and performances, taking aspects of their personal lives and experiences and using this to create a character that could be transformed into another form or medium, and presented finally as a piece of art. 

Participants were presented with creatives’ ideas in the NhT quarterly meeting in April and, once selected, had time to work on their material on their own, with the option of touch-in dates with the artists, poets, sound designers and dramaturgs above.  Throughout this week (commencing 24 June), the participants spent time with the creatives, piecing individuals’ work together with others’, creating a fully-formed show from the material, and rehearsing the piece in full, ready for tonight’s sharing.

The show provided unique glimpses into the lives of some of our NhT members, and how they had found expression for formative experiences from their lives.  It ranged from the surreal and bizarre, to the political and confrontational, to reflective and healing.  Several performances seemed to be part of a cathartic processing of raw and private experiences.  All left the impression of secrets told; and of the transformative power of theatre and art.  

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American Dream 2.0 - 23rd May 2019

American Dream 2.0 is the community show made in response to the current Main House show, Death of a Salesman.  Written by Emma Dennis-Edwards and directed by Daniel Bailey, it is a chilling dystopian vision of a world where everyone is suspicious and most are out for themselves.  It takes the idea of arrival in a ‘new world’, ‘the Land of Acirema’, and what it means when ‘pilgrims’ are at odds with each other as to how to create a new society and new order.  Through the central character, Alex, the play explores the conflict between navigating a new world order, and being consumed by it.

#americandream2.0 #neighbourhoodtheatre #community #communitytheatre #communityshow #youngvic

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Carnation for a Song - 11th April 2019

Carnation for a Song returned this week for a run of public performances for four days, as part of the Young Vic’s main programme.  Carnation is a community show made last year in response to the Young Vic’s Main House show, Fun Home, and originally performed in August 2018 to an invited audience only.  It was performed by, and told the stories of, people who identify as LBTQ+ and are over the age of fifty-five.  As the director of the piece, Megan Cronin, points out, “whilst the show is not a verbatim piece, it explores how, in one lifetime, our Carnations have lived through decriminalisation, Section 28, and the legalisation of equal marriage”.  

The show is made up of songs and speeches based on individual and common experiences of those performing in the piece, but also other people who were interviewed as part of the project and shared their stories, but were unable - or felt unable - to perform or tell those stories in public.  It is a truly beautiful piece,  interweaving personal stories and setting them in the context of an experience shared by many even if they didn’t know each other at the time.  In this way it felt very connective and truly communal, setting the historic alongside the personal.  As Joseph Atkins, Musical Director of Carnation, says, “while the speeches seek to capture snapshots of experience, the songs are less personal and more discursive; musical attempts to explore themes, anxieties and preoccupations that emerged in the interviews Megan and I conducted with the company”.  

The piece also felt universal, so that however audience members identified, the stories told a common tale of the struggle and/or determination to own oneself and one’s identity whatever that happens to be.  This is reflected by director Megan’s hopes that “audiences of all ages and identities see this work and are reminded of one thing; that we are all on our own journey to become the person we are meant to be.   Nothing or no one should stop us becoming that person”.

Carnation for a Song will return at the Tate Late at Tate Modern on Friday 26th April at 7:15pm.  It was initially conceived by Imogen Brodie, Director of Taking Part, and Kirsten Adam, former Two Boroughs Project Manager.  It was written and directed by Megan Cronin with music and lyrics by Joseph Atkins.

#carnationforasong #neighbourhoodtheatre #community #communitytheatre #communityshow #lgbt+ #megancronin #josephatkins #carnation #greencarnation

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Programme for Community Show Carnation for a Song, which returned this April, for a run at the Young Vic, open to the public. It will return at Tate Late at Tate Modern on Friday 26th April

#neighbourhoodtheatre #community #communitytheatre #communityshow #carnationforasong #tatemodern #Tate #LGBTQ+

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Letters to the Earth - 12th April 2019

NHT members were invited to attend/participate in the Young Vic’s event as part of the nationwide Letters to the Earth, in which letters written to the earth in response to the ongoing climate emergency were read out by members of NHT and the Young Vic’s Young People’s programme.  NHT members were also invited to events as part of the Young Vic’s March on Plastic, a month-long series of events exploring sustainability and the environment.

#youngvic #community #communitytheatre #neighbourhoodtheatre #environment #marchonplastic #climateemergency #letterstotheearth

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Neighbourhood Play Sharing - Jesus Hopped the A Train - 14th March 2019

This morning I was lucky enough to observe the final session in response to Jesus Hopped the A Train, and be audience for the sharing of their work.

The sessions are being held at St Andrews Church, across the road from the Young Vic, and there’s a lovely, relaxed atmosphere in the room.  Participants seem really at home, having worked as a group already over three sessions in response to The Convert, earlier in the year; and having already done two sessions on Jesus Hopped the A Train.  There is a little kitchen attached to the room, and tea and coffee is provided, and participants have been encouraged to bring their own mug, so it really does feel like ‘home from home’.

The sessions are facilitated by Corinne Meredith, who is friendly and relaxed with the participants.  After a gentle warm-up, which takes into account individual needs and abilities, the group set about finishing the creation of their piece.  Participants are professional and serious about their work, but the atmosphere is supportive and inclusive.

The final piece is interesting and engaging.  It uses the group as an ensemble to create a sense of both the isolation of prisoners and the intimidating nature of the judicial system.

Further sessions this year will respond to Death of a Salesman, Bronx Gothic, Tree and Blood Wedding.

#neighbourhoodplay #neighbourhoodtheatre #jesushoppedtheatrain #youngvic #community #workshops

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Our England - 11th January 2019

It was a great start to 2019 for Neighbourhood Theatre, with Our England, an evening of monologues written by community writers, performed by professional actors at the Young Vic, and directed by Stella Odunlami.  All nine of the writers had been mentored by professional playwrights over the course of 2018 to produce a short monologue about what it means to be English.

There was a brilliant diversity of voices, and, cumulatively, the monologues built up a picture of Britain at a distinct moment in history.  There was explicitly political material, such as Beth Smith’s monologue, which denounced the complacency of ‘Remain’ voters who appear to simply dismiss the beliefs and needs of those who voted for Brexit.  Questions were raised about race and identity.  We had glimpses and saw snapshots of characters affected by the Windrush scandal, the transport system, immigration.  The evening vividly captured the patchwork quilt of emotions, attitudes and needs of people in this country.  It felt truly - and excitingly - representative of voices that don’t always get heard.

In the words of director Stella Odunlami, “these collections of monologues offer a vital insight into the conversations currently being had in pubs, living rooms and offices up and down the country.  They are thoughtful meditations on who we once were and who we might be”.

#ourengland #neighbourhoodtheatre #communitytheatre #theatre #politicaltheatre #newwriting #monologues

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Quarterly Meeting #2 (Year 3) - 7th January 2019

As usual, there were lots of exciting things to update members on tonight.  Shereen, new Head of Neighbourhood Theatre, led the meeting, and there was lively discussion around new initiatives and hopes for the future of NhT.

Shereen talked about the new initiatives she has launched since taking up position three months ago, So You Want to Be...., Neighbourhood Play, and Neighbourhood Voices.

So You Want to Be....is a series of masterclasses, currently available to NhT members only (see details in earlier posts below).  

Neighbourhood Voices will be a year-long writing programme, run by Dramaturg Ola Animashawun, meeting once a month, and including an introduction to playwriting, trips to see a range of plays in fringe, regional and West End venues, as well as gig theatre.  There will also be visiting playwrights teaching one-off sessions.  

There have been over 100 applications for the twenty places on the course.  Shereen is keen to make it a progression route in to the industry for those seriously wanting to make a career in playwrighting, hoping that the course will bridge the gap between community and industry.   

Neighbourhood Play is an ongoing series of workshops for those aged 55+ centring around the themes and ideas of Main House shows.  Participants will see a show at the Young Vic, and will then take part in a set of three workshops, using movement skills to create a short piece for a ‘soft sharing’.  The workshops will be facilitated by Movement Director, Corinne Meredith.  The project launched in December with a taster session, including a trip to see Spring Awakening (see earlier posts below), and has proved extremely popular, with 80 applicants for sixteen places.  The next set of workshops will revolve around The Convert, currently showing at the Young Vic.

Other work Shereen updated members on included Our England, the community response to the Young Vic’s My England project (see earlier posts below for details), for which selected writers from the community were mentored by professional playwrights, and wrote monologues.  These monologues are being rehearsed this week, and there will be a sharing this Friday (11th January) for an invited audience of friends, family and industry professionals.  There is very limited space for audience as it is a one-off sharing, and it is important that the writers are able to share their work with family and friends, but NhT members are invited to express interest if they would like to come.

NhT members have also been invited to see a preview of Draw Me Close by Jordan Tannahill, a National Theatre and National Film Board of Canada production, presented by the Young Vic.  The production combines virtual reality and animation and is experienced in separate sessions that start every 25 minutes and last about 70 minutes.  NhT members will be asked for feedback on the experience.

Shereen also talked about the next community show, which will be American Dream, in response to the Main House production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, which opens in May.  Recruitment workshops for this piece will be held in the next few weeks.  Many members have already signed up for these.

There will also be a community response to the show Bronx Gothic, which opens at the Young Vic in June.  The show is written and performed by Okwui Okpokwasili, and uses theatre, dance and visual art installation, to explore her memories of growing up in the Bronx.  Shereen suggested that the community response could also entail a multi-disciplinary approach, inviting different artists of different disciplines in over the course of a week to teach their skills, meaning that participants could choose the form which best suits them to express their ideas.  NhT members were very enthusiastic about this idea, and the proposal that the performance would take the form of a cabaret night.

Before closing the meeting, Shereen invited feedback from members about the projects she has initiated so far, and what else they would like to see coming up.  Members had the opportunity to discuss this with the person next to them, before feedback to the whole group.  Discussion included terminology for what is currently called the ‘recruitment’ or ‘selection’ process for community shows, and how individuals might obtain feedback from these processes if they are unsuccessful in securing a place/part; and the desire for more opportunities to learn about directing.  

One of the key areas of discussion was around members’ thoughts about initiating a forum for skills sharing and creativity that is not purely reliant on NhT/Young Vic staff.  Mathilde suggested some form of intranet which could host members’ profiles so that members are able to ‘”tap into each others’ skills” if they wanted, for example, to put on a show independently, or contact each other to create their own social activities.  Many members are already proactive in asking to use space or resources at the Young Vic, and this seems to be an area that could perhaps be developed more formally.

There was also a lot of praise for what NhT is providing for members.  In particular, members were pleased about the provision of activities for over 55s.  Deborah talked about how difficult it can be to change career at that age, and how exciting it is to have the opportunity to do this through the Young Vic.  

The desire for more opportunities to socialise was another key area of discussion.  The provision of refreshments at workshops and meetings was also mentioned, as it is an opportunity for everyone to meet and socialise equally before an event begins, removing the need to purchase food or drink elsewhere.  Many members also really valued the Kitchen Conversations that have taken place.  The opportunity to use the quarterly meetings as a chance to socialise as well as meet was raised; and one member also suggested a ‘pot luck’ dinner (where everyone brings a dish), which Shereen has agreed to organise before the next meeting in April.

#neighbourhoodtheatre #community #kitchenconversations #lambeth #southwark #youngvic #communityshow #theconvert #springawakening #neighbourhoodvoices #neighbourhoodplay #ourengland #bronxgothic #soyouwanttobe #masterclass #drawmeclose #americandream #deathofasalesman

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So You Want to Be....A Drag Artist or Cabaret Performer: Feedback

Participants clearly enjoyed last night’s first So You Want to Be.... masterclass.  Here’s what one NhT member had to say about his experience:

“This was a very enjoyable and effective workshop which took us from very general conversations and exercises around gender to some extraordinary transformations within a remarkably short space of time. We all had great fun dressing up and trying on different clothes.It was like being a kid again!

But it was not only a question of creating characters but complete scenarios, along with our own individual soundtracks! In fact, it was a bit sad when it all came to an end and we had to wipe off the make-up and put the characters we'd created back into their boxes! They certainly took on a life of their own!

Many thanks to Luke and Lucy for all their skill and encouragement in enabling us to achieve all this.

- and grateful thanks for setting up this excellent workshop”

#soyouwanttobe #youngvic #takingpart #community #drag #cabaret #lambeth #southwark #masterclass #neighbourhoodtheatre

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So You Want to Be....A Drag Artist or Cabaret Performer - Monday 11th December 2018

Tonight was the first of a new series of one-off masterclasses for NhT members, launched in response to feedback in meetings asking for more workshops focused on different areas of the theatre industry.

So You Want to Be....A Drag Artist or Cabaret Performer was run by director Leo Skilbeck, and spaces for the workshop filled up quickly.  Participants took part in discussions around gender, and had the opportunity to experiment with costume and make-up, creating characters and developing scenarios for them.  Participants were also treated to food from Nando’s, delivered directly to the workshop.

The next masterclass will be on January 14th 2019, and will be So You Want to Be....A Theatre Change-Maker, and will be led by festival and theatre producer, facilitator and curator Tobi Kyeremateng.  This masterclass will explore the current political and social landscape and make-up of theatre, and what individuals can do to change this or take action on it, as well as information on producing, facilitating or curating arts events. Places are limited, and those interested must sign up by emailing Neighbourhood Theatre by January 7th 2019.

#soyouwanttobe #youngvic #takingpart #community #neighbourhoodtheatre #drag #cabaret #lambeth #southwark #leoskilbeck #masterclass #tobikyeremateng

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So You Want to be.... New Series of Masterclasses for NhT Members - Launching December 2018

So you want to be… is a new series of one-off masterclasses for NhT members, launching in response to feedback in meetings asking for more workshops to develop skills and experience in different areas of the theatre industry.  In these workshops members will be able to explore theatre and performance in all forms, both off and on stage. 

Have you ever wondered how to become a Stage Manager, Theatre Director, Producer? This is your how to guide.  The masterclasses will provide an opportunity to explore an introduction to a different career path, and, led by the industry’s top professionals, these 2 hour workshops will attempt to demystify it.

The first masterclass will be So you want to be…a cabaret or drag performer and is being run by theatre maker and director Leo Skilbeck. This will be on Tuesday 11 December, 7-9pm in the Club Room.

Leo is part of award-winning theatre company Milk Presents and directed The Bear / The Proposal at the Young Vic last year. Leo was the Assistant Director on Fun Home this summer.

This will be a fun and lively exploration into drag and cabaret performance – all are welcome, but spaces are limited. Expect to wear make-up!

#youngvic #community #neighbourhoodtheatre #takingpart #masterclass #lambeth #southwark #cabaret #drag #soyouwantobe

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Neighbourhood Play Taster Session - Spring Awakening - 6th December 2018

Neighbourhood Play is a brand new series of playful workshops, for people aged 55+, inspired by main house productions at Young Vic Theatre.  It’s a chance to use your imagination to create a range of theatrical responses to the themes and ideas explored in the performances. 

Today, a taster session took place, followed by a group trip to a performance of the Young Vic Unpacked production of Spring Awakening.  The Young Vic Unpacked productions tour to a range of non-traditional locations, including pupil referral units (PRUs) and hostels, with the aim of taking theatre to people who might not usually have the opportunity to see it, so Spring Awakening is back at the Young Vic, in The Clare, for a short run following this tour.

Neighbourhood Play will continue after Christmas, with weekly sessions throughout January responding to the themes and ideas of The Convert (following a trip to see the production on the 9th January 2019), which opens in the Main House later this week.

#youngvicunpacked #springawakening #youngvic #communitytheatre #community #neighbourhoodplay #neighbourhoodtheatre #carolinebyrne #southwark #lambeth

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Spring Awakening - 5th December 2018

Neighbourhood Theatre members were invited to see the Young Vic Unpacked production of Spring Awakening, which opened in The Clare earlier this week, following a tour of community spaces such as prisons, homeless shelters and women’s refuges.  This is a new strand of work that will take theatre to places where theatre doesn’t usually happen.

The play Spring Awakening takes a bold look at childhood, adolescence, and sexuality, pitting rebellion against convention and rules.  For this version, Franz Wedekind’s text has been adapted by Caroline Byrne, who has also directed this production.  The production is beautifully stripped back and raw, with very little in the way of set and props, and no lighting or recorded sound.  Instead, the audience - as well as the actors - are very much visible to each other, as well as being in close proximity.  The production is underscored by live music which is, again, often very raw and percussive.  These things make the production all the more visceral and direct, although the sensitivity of the actors’ performances mean that the audience feel safe throughout.

#springawakening #neighbourhoodtheatre #community #communitytheatre #youngvic #youngvicunpacked #takingpart #carolinebyrne #southwark #lambeth

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New Head of Neighbourhood Theatre - Shereen Jasmin Phillips

In September, Shereen Jasmin Phillips was welcomed as the new Head of Neighbourhood Theatre.  She was introduced to Neighbourhood Theatre members at their quarterly meeting in October.  I met with her to talk in more detail about her plans for Neighbourhood Theatre going forward.

Shereen has worked in a number of different theatres and institutions, including the National Theatre, as well as as a support worker in a hostel, so has experience of marginalised groups both within and outside of an arts context.  The Young Vic is her favourite theatre and, she told NhT members, “we can achieve whatever we want to achieve”.

One of Shereen’s ideas is Neighbourhood Play, which will entail workshops for those aged 55+.  The aim is to create long-lasting relationships with people, who will have the chance to become part of a regular group.  The idea is that participants will see a show at the Young Vic, and the next day will take part in a set of three workshops that will revolve around themes from the play, and movement skills.  The workshops will be facilitated by Movement Director, Corinne Meredith, and will culminate in a ‘soft sharing’.  A taster workshop will take place on 6th December 2018, after participants have seen a performance of Spring Awakening, by Young Vic Unpacked.

Shereen is particularly interested in new writing, and helping to develop this strand of work with NhT.  Neighbourhood Voices will be a year-long programme, meeting once a month, and including an introduction to playwriting, trips to see a range of plays in fringe, regional and West End venues, as well as gig theatre. The idea is to help make people feel connected and supported.  The course will be run by Dramaturg Ola Animashawun, but there will also be visiting playwrights to teach one-off sessions.  Shereen hopes this programme might lead to supporting one emerging writer to write something for the Young Vic.

#shereenjasminphillips #youngvic #neighbourhoodplay #communitytheatre #neighbourhoodtheatre #neighbourhoodvoices

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Meet the Community Chorus | Twelfth Night - a link to a feature on the Young Vic’s main blog Posted on November 15, 2018 by yvkyle

https://youngviclondon.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/meet-the-community-chorus-twelfth-night/

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Twelfth Night - Main House Theatre - Thursday 8th November 2018

It was a real pleasure to watch Twelfth Night tonight and see so many familiar faces from Neighbourhood Theatre performing as part of the community chorus.  Alongside NhT members, were other people from the Young Vic’s local community, recruited partially through Neighbourhood Theatre.  

It is a strong and exciting statement from Artistic Director Kwame Kwei Armah, and puts his money where his mouth is in terms of his pledge to build on the Young Vic’s work with people from the theatre’s community, to “conflate” community and Main House work and “bring some more [of the community] onto the main stage”.

The production is a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, with more singing and dancing than dialogue.  Watching the community chorus - most of whom have no formal dance training - undertake complex choreography with professional ease was breathtaking.  It was genuinely impossible to draw a distinction between the principle cast and the chorus.

An exciting look at what is to come.

#twelfthnight #kwamekweiarmah #community #communitychorus #communitytheatre #takingpart #neighbourhoodtheatre #lambeth #southwark #singing #dancing

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Quarterly Meeting #1 (Year 3) - 9th October 2018

There was a good turn-out for the first meeting of NhT’s third year, and lots to update members on, including meeting new Head of Neighbourhood Theatre, Shereen Jasmin Phillips.  

Firstly, Imogen talked about some of Taking Part’s recent projects which NhT members have participated in and/or advocated for.  Carnation for a Song, which was performed at the end of August (see previous posts), included NhT members Seamus and Val, who shared some of their thoughts about the experience at the meeting.  Both were very positive, and proud to have been a part of a show giving voice to LGBTQ people aged fifty and over.  These are voices of people who were often “on the front line of the fight for cultural acceptance and equal rights”, but who are not often heard.  The show featured original songs by composer Joseph Atkins (who also composed the songs for Sing Before You Speak Again, an earlier NhT show), and was a response to the Young Vic’s Main House show, Fun Home.

Many of the NhT members have already seen Kwame’s inaugural production as Artistic Director of the Young Vic, a musical version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.  The company of Twelfth Night includes a 60-strong community chorus (some of whom are NhT members), a clear signal from new Artistic Director Kwame that community will remain right at the heart of what the Young Vic does under his leadership.  As is always the case with the Young Vic’s work with the community, the chorus have been treated throughout as professionals, and this is clearly reflected in their performance - NhT member Mathilde said that, as an audience member, she “had to remind myself the chorus was made up of community”. Several of the NhT members present at tonight’s meeting are in the Twelfth Night company, and shared their thoughts on the experience, including Jennifer, who said that, “for me its been an extraordinary experience.  Once in a lifetime.  I’ve learnt so much”.  She also talked about how the experience “really bonds you as a group as well”.  Not all 60 members of the chorus perform every night - smaller groups rotate throughout the run - but on press night, all were invited, and those not performing watched the performance together on relay in the Maria.

Imogen also spoke about the release of films for the My England project.  There will be a private viewing at the Young Vic on 20th November, as part of a night of celebration of the project.  My England is a celebration of playwrights from across regions of England, hosted by the Young Vic.  It will explore what it means to be English through video monologues, released in January 2019, that will be shown on the Young Vic social media channels.  Half the monologues are performed by professional actors, and half by young people and members of Neighbourhood Theatre.  Although these monologues are written by professional writers, another strand of the project - Our England - involves nine writers selected from the community, who have written monologues to the same brief as the professional writers, and each been mentored by one of those writers.  These writers will come back together in January for their plays to be rehearsed and given a reading by actors.  Our England is, in part, a response to the request from many NhT members for more opportunities to write, and develop their writing.  It is the first step towards hopefully hearing more voices from the Young Vic’s immediate neighbourhood on the stage there; and something that will be further developed under Shereen, who has a particular interest in new writing.  

There was also a discussion around work experience, which many NhT members are interested in doing in order to gain more insight into various areas of the theatre profession, alongside performing.  There will be an opportunity for someone to shadow the Stage Manager of Twelfth Night - more such opportunities will now become available, and members were invited to get in touch if interested in a specific area. 

In the latter part of the meeting, Shereen introduced herself to the company in more detail (you can read more about Shereen in a profile above), and talked about her ideas and aspirations for Neighbourhood Theatre going forward; and there was the opportunity for members to ask her questions and make suggestions.  Lots of the members are keen to continue their work with refugees through Neighbourhood Theatre’s Kitchen Conversations, and there was positive feedback about the event with Migrateful earlier in the year.  Taking Part are closely in touch with the Southwark Welcomes Refugees project, and members have been invited via email in September to a meeting in October on this subject, as well as given more details on how to become involved in social events to welcome refugees into the community.

Other suggestions and ideas included working with older people through intergenerational projects; giving opportunity for audiences to interact with the cast after community shows; making a piece about the Windrush Scandal; an African drumming session; combining with other community theatres; learning different acting techniques, such as Meisner; and finding ways of responding quickly to events and other communities - this latter being linked to the kind of civic building that Kwame is passionate about developing.

Members were keen to know more about The Jumper Factory, which was made and performed at HMP Wandsworth in May - Taking Part have been back to Wandsworth with Young Vic Unpacked, and The Jumper Factory has been performed by young men outside of prison at risk of offending.  NhT member Mathilde has just completed training with the Youth Offender Panel, and raised the idea that she might be able to connect this with the production in some way.

There was also a discussion about the need to continue to keep some community work off the Main Stage - to continue to make work that will only be performed to invited audiences.  NhT member Joyce talked of how, if people are always rehearsing for shows performed to the public, they “could get trapped into people feeling they have to bring their ‘A-Game’ - and not everyone can”.  Joyce’s views on this are already reflected in Taking Part’s policy, but it was good to have the discussion played out amongst NhT members and Young Vic staff.  NhT member Carol also raised the point that it would be great to take community shows out into the community more, to extend the (usual) current run of two or three days.

As always, the meeting included lots of active parts.  Shereen and Imogen led several games, and there were snacks for the members to enjoy whilst they mingled.  Shereen asked members to get to know five people they didn’t know so well, which gave structure to the latter activity, which was particularly nice for anyone who might feel shy or struggle socially.  Once everyone was back in a circle, we went round each person, with the people that had just chatted to him or her chipping in with their new knowledge of that person.

#neighbourhoodtheatre #takingpart #community #communitytheatre #youngvicunpacked #hmpwandsworth #thejumperfactory #carnationforasong #twelfthnight #kwamekweiarmah #youngvic #myengland #ourengland #writing #newwriting