“The Space is special. It’s intimate, it’s friendly, it can be cosy and I should think, if you were watching the right thing, you could be terrified out of your wits.”- Sir Ian Mckellan, The Wharf (more…)
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“It’s a little bit of the old Docklands that has been rescued. It still looks and feels like what it would have been. Through think and thin, the Space has come through with links to the glory days of the Docks,” Sir Ian McKellen, The Wharf.
The Space is celebrating its 20th anniversary! From its humble origins in a derelict church the Space was transformed into a vibrant arts centre back in 1996. It is both an important creative hub, producing outstanding professional productions, and an asset for the local community. Over the years the Space has required a high level of commitment and dedication from its staff, volunteers and trustees. The incredible lengths that they have gone to in order to make the Space a success are recognised here in our feature ’20 people who shaped the Space’. Of course there are many others who have contributed, we would also like to thank all of our volunteers, artists, performers, supporters and audience members for making the Space such a great place to be.
Pradeep Jeyaratnam-Joyner
Pictured above with Space director, Adam Hemming and Sir Ian McKellen
“Don’t panic, we may be in Dave Granger” occasionally but the Chairman of the Board happens to be one of our new members of the 20 people who shaped the Space so we are in safe hands. We’re extremely fortunate to have his support, insight and leadership as he takes us forward as an organisation into the next 20 years.
From the very first Space production where Pradeep enthusiastically leapt over a chaise longue and mispronounced the words “We’re all in Grave Danger” he has been one of the heartbeats of the Space. Artistically, he went on to perform in such classics as the Graduate, The Master and Margarita before taking a lead role in The Space Christmas Space Show (set in space). Not content with treading the boards he has distinguished himself as a director – co-directing the epic Caucasian Chalk Circle and formed his own company: A Monkey with Cymbals to direct The Shape of Things. After serving on the Space’s Arts Committee and Board of Trustees for a number of years he was appointed as Chair in 2015.
As befits someone who has contributed much to Space, bringing his professional skills as a trainer and facilitator to the board room and green room it was not difficult to find some tributes for him from his peers.
“Pradeep is a delight. He is a true champion of the Space bringing an enthusiasm and sincerity to all of his endeavours. He has the rare ability to make everyone feel welcome and appreciated and happy that they joined the team,” Kate Osborne –Treasurer.
“Pradeep has a ‘what can we do to make it better?’ philosophy and his willingness to help us grow and develop by telling us about opportunities for courses is highly valued,” Keri Chesser Theatre manager, sound designer.
“Pradeep has been part of the inventory of the Space for the longest time. He was in the very first Space Production and has been a great advocate for our theatre spreading the word of the venue far and wide. During my time at the Space, he was a great supporter of the staff, always offering us valuable encouragement,” Mari Rettedal Westlake Former centre manager, producer.
Sebastian Rex
Living locally, Sebastian first came into contact with the Space as an assessor for the Off-West End awards (nominating Space Productions’ A Doll’s House for a Best Set Design Award). After meeting with Adam and Mari, he swiftly joined the Space Arts Committee. Sebastian took on the ScriptSpace project for playwrights and became the Literary Manager. Continuing the work in supporting new writing, Sebastian developed and ran the Script6 project in 2014 and then the popular 28/29 Plays Later events in 2015 and 16. Sebastian’s involvement in developing the programming at the Space has helped to raise the quality of work and brought us the One Festival which is about to enter its 5th year.
As a writer the Space has staged some of Sebastian’s works including The Man who Found his Freedom, Fulfil me Fully, Phil and the recent Manifesto. Sebastian has directed numerous pieces at the Space and was director of the Roof Garden Players, working with a rep company to create and produce 3 pieces for performance during the summer of 2015 at the Crossrail Place Roof Garden in Canary Wharf.
Jodie Botha – SAC member: It’s hard to write plaudits for a man who is in equal measure humble and talented. Yes, he is a perfectionist, but also a team player and he works hard to get the best out of everyone for the benefit of everyone. He has a truly individual perspective which adds depth and colour to all projects he is a part of.
“Sebastian is a truly brilliant and original creative. I think he sees things in a really unique way and this translates into his work, be it his choreography, writing or directing. I’ve always loved working with him, with his kooky exercises, honesty, attention to detail and challenging direction. He knows how to get the best out of actors and I love to see and be a part of his work. He always has a good pun up his sleeve!”, Avita Jay – Actor and SAC member.
To read about the other fifteen people that have helped shaped the space click here.
By no means a definitive list, a selection of audience members from the last 15 years have nominated and commented on some of the stand-out memorable performances witnessed at the Isle of Dogs venue. We’d like to recognise every performer that has added to the history of the venue, from lead roles to third spear-carrier from the left, from virtuoso musicians and legendary comedians to theatre companies taking their first steps, we thank you for entertaining our audiences.
Read part one here.
Read part two here.
Add your favourites by tweeting us @spaceartscentre – and don’t forget the hashtag #Space20 as we celebrate our 20th year!
A Doll’s House, Feste and Flood
7-9 in a series of 20 memorable performances celebrating 20 years at the Space
Irina Borisova and Emma Thatcher – Set Design for A Doll’s House
In 2010, as part of our Canon season, Alex Crampton took up the directorial reins for Space Productions autumn show with a superb production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
It may seem odd to credit the Set Designers in a list of memorable performances but Irina and Emma so completely and beautifully transformed the Space into Nora’s world that we had to include it. The walls were draped with white and peach material bunched together in the middle of the Space. Also hanging from the wooden frame were teapots, dolls and other trinkets. The effect was enchanting and for the two weeks that the performance ran at the Space, everyone who entered the hall gasped with delight.
The pair also created faceless puppets to play the parts of Nora’s children, providing two memorable scenes, the first a playful scene with their mother Nora (played superbly by Gina Abolins) and the second a haunting movement piece as Nora fears for their safety.
The puppeteers were a chorus of three performers (Hannah Dean, Charlotte Tallack and Carolina Main) who echoed Nora’s thoughts throughout the play, replacing Nora’s monologues with movement pieces and additionally played minor roles (one audience fondly remembers Hannah’s deadpan maid).
So impressive was the design of the show that Irina and Emma were shortlisted for the Off West End Awards for Best Set Design, a first for the Space.
Special mention must also go to wonderful performances by Dominik Golding and Emma Deegan, who along with Alex, Gina and Creative Producer Mari Rettedal-Westlake took the production on to the Arcola for an extended run, receiving critical acclaim and full houses.
Jane Lawson – Feste in Twelfth Night
In 2007, Bluedoor theatre company’s vibrant production of Twelfth Night, directed by Katie Hartwill, featured a talented and enthusiastic young cast. The Docklands gave the show a deservedly glowing review:-
“Watching EastEnders or Hollyoaks, it’s easy to forget the wealth of acting talent in this country. But this superb adaptation of the Shakespeare classic will leave you in no doubt how gifted some of our young actors are.
I haven’t got the space to give each performer the credit they deserve – suffice to say each brought a presence and energy that left me totally convinced.
Jon Nathan, playing Sir Toby Belch with booming voice and emptying wine bottle, was like a young Brian Blessed.
He was only outdone for laughs by Jamie Griffith-Jones, whose pompous Malvolio – complete with a voice from the Valleys – was played to perfection.
Best of all was the pint-sized jester Jane Lawson, so charming and delightful I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her home.”
One of our regular audience members recalls Jane’s performance:-
‘Jane brought the play to life with a huge dollop of fun, great vocals and comedic presence. Jane’s Feste was the glue that held the other characters and plotlines together.’
Chloe Osborne and Alex Evans in Flood
Private Ambulance performed Flood as part of the Enterprise festival in 2006. Enterprise was an annual multi-arts festival celebrating bold and ambitious work which ran for five years at the Space.
The copy provided by Chloe Osborne and Alex Evans was intriguing:-
‘Flood’ whispers the secrets of the city. A live performance exploring personal territories, movements and emotional engagements with urban space.
Eschewing the atmospheric interiors of the Space main hall, Chloe and Alex approached me with ‘We’d like to perform in your portacabin.’ A temporary building that had only recently arrived at the Space seemed an unlikely place for a live performance but the enthusiasm of the pair won me over and we set about applying for a license.
The performance itself was one of the most charming and enjoyable theatrical events I’ve experienced. Beginning in Hubbub’s beer garden, eight members of the audience were asked to wear waterproof shoes before being led into the portacabin.
Decked out with black bin liners, a network of string latticed the ceiling, hanging from which were different coloured light bulbs and clear bags filled with water and plastic goldfish. For seats, the intrepid audience sat on sandbags.
The piece included some dancing wellington boots, goldfish representing accommodation units and a lot of water. My absolute favourite moment was when an ordnance survey map of East London was unfolded, two audience members held the bottom corners whilst the performers held the top. Chloe and Alex poured water down the map whilst describing the items of furniture that were floating down the flooded London streets. It was a beautifully poignant moment and I was just as moved when the pair presented me with the map as a gift at the end of the run.
By no means a definitive list, a selection of audience members from the last 20 years have nominated and commented on some of the stand-out memorable performances witnessed at the Isle of Dogs venue. We’d like to recognise every performer that has added to the history of the venue, from lead roles to third spear-carrier from the left, from virtuoso musicians and legendary comedians to theatre companies taking their first steps, we thank you for entertaining our audiences.
Read part one here.
Add your favourites by tweeting us @spaceartscentre – and don’t forget the hashtag #Space20 as we celebrate our 20th year!
Ben Gunn, Ugly Sisters and Maddid
4 – 6 in a series of 20 memorable performances celebrating 20 years at the Space
Matthew Gould as Ben Gunn (and the cheesettes)
In the Summer of 2010, Space Productions took on Phil Willmott’s hugely enjoyable adaptation of the classic Treasure Island. A fantastically talented ensemble cast brought the pirates to life with great gusto and a little sauce. Towards the end of the piece, we find Ben Gunn left alone with his thoughts which are never too far away from his favourite food, cheese. Unexpectedly, Ben breaks into song, using well known hits and replacing key words with cheese (or types of cheese). ‘The Circle of Cheese’, ‘Let it Brie’ and ‘I’m Singin’ in the Cheese’. Matthew Gould arranged the piece alongside our pirate pianist Marc Forde and performed the piece with incredible energy. With the audience already tittering away, Ben Gunn is joined on stage by the cheesettes – Jamie Richards, Amber Elliott, Raya Myntevik, Vicki Gaskin, Amy McGavin and Maddie Moate – all adorned with large blocks of cheese on their wrists. The laughter escalates throughout the numbers until the audience realise they have to join in with a version of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and the final crescendo on ‘I will always love cheese’ never failed to bring rapturous applause. It was a superbly executed comedy routine, delivered by some fine actors with buckets of enthusiasm and not a little cheese!
Stephen Barden & Rob Stott as The Ugly Sisters
With the success of the Graduate behind them, Space Productions decided to take on two Christmas shows in 2009. Lucy Frederick, performer in The Master and Margarita and The Graduate at the Space, turned her hand to writing an original comedy based at the venue, The Space Christmas Space Show (set in space). The play featured a fictional Centre Director and a host of characters based on the Cinderella story. Chief amongst these were the owners of the Space, re-cast as the Ugly Sisters, Sylvia and Cherie. Taking on these roles, in their best falsetto voices, were Space regular, Rob Stott and newcomer to the venue, Stephen Barden.
In the great tradition of pantomime dames, Stephen and Rob had some excellent put-downs, superb comic timing and a wonderful combination of masculine and feminine qualities. Clearly relishing the roles, great pleasure was taken in marmalising both English and French phrases whilst outlining their dastardly plans. Added to this was the comedy value of two tall men in heels playing alongside a rather diminutive actor in the lead role!
The play also featured members of WorkSpace, our adult community group, performing alongside professional actors and one of these recalls working with the two. ‘Stephen was a gem to work with and a generous performer and Rob was absolutely hilarious in the role and contributed brilliantly to the comedy of the play’.
Vala Ómarsdóttir as Maddid
Vala (pictured above left) is both director and performer of MADDID, a company she co-founded with the Space’s own Mari Rettedal-Westlake. Back in 2007 she performed the solo performance of What Now, Maddid? the company’s debut piece. Maddid, a young girl on a quest to become the person that she promised herself she was going to be. As the performance began the lights came up on a girl, upside down in a sofa… she starts twisting and twirling trying to express why she’s there in the first place, and the reason for the audience to witness it. It’s strange, a bit bizarre but hugely charming! Vala drew the audience in from the start and kept them there until the end. As she asked her audience ‘do you understand? can you be in my head…it would help… can you understand me?’ more than a few people were observed sitting on the edge of their seat, unaware that they were nodding their heads.
Vala is a strong performer who has since moved on to perform with renowned companies such as Tangled Feet and Bottlefed. She still creates her own work in MADDID with Mari and has just returned from another tour in Iceland. She recently graduated from Goldsmiths with glowing reviews from her tutors there.