Maverick Planning 'A People's Theatre Company'
West London group is crowdfunding to introduce a new theatre concept
The Maverick Theatre Company, which had acclaimed success this year at the Edinburgh festival and the Tabard Theatre (now the Chiswick Playhouse), has a new project; the Hammersmith and Fulham people’s theatre company.
The concept of bringing theatre to the people and of creating a spirit of community cohesion is at present crowd funding on spacehive, and has attracted so much attention that Hammersmith and Fulham council has agreed to contribute £5,000.
The Artistic Director, Nick Hennegan said, “we are very excited to bring to London a concept that has been successfully tried and tested previously in Birmingham, and would like to thank the council and everyone else who has pledged money so far.
"We have done amazingly well in just a few days but are still looking for more local support; so if you can help or want to get involved please look at our website.
They currently have almost half of the money needed pledged (£13,906 pledged of £29,945
needed) and have just over a month before the deadline.
They say that he Hammersmith & Fulham People's Theatre company will give anyone and everyone living or working in the area a chance to be involved in a big, new theatre show.
Maverick was established on a council estate in 1994 to increase access to the performing arts. It has won numerous arts awards and critical acclaim for its work in attracting new audiences and participants to what is sometimes seen as ‘high’ culture.
In 2002, Maverick produced the first ‘People’s Company’ theatre production in Birmingham to great critical and audience acclaim.
Nick says, "We now want to upscale and repeat the project - in the borough of H&F!
"It works on the basis that ANYBODY who wants to have a go at theatre - acting, dancing, backstage, music, social, finance, film or producing - can join in and be tutored FOR FREE whilst doing so by some of the top practitioners from the National Theatre, the RCM, the RSC, etc, to work with the company and increase their level of skill and talent."
They promise to deliver the creation of a new, top-quality, large-scale professional play with music, written, produced & performed by the community, to attract major creative talent to work with all the communities of Hammersmith and Fulham and to sow the seeds for further productions including new, community-based plays and comedies with 1 hour 'taster' discussion workshops in Pubs, Schools, Community Centres, etc
If all goes well, the company hopes to begin rehearsal in May 2020, and if the project is a success to roll it all out over the country.
December 4, 2019