Category: News

We sat down with Anthony Cozens and Shelley Davenport who play ‘Stucley’ and ‘Ann’ in ‘The Castle’ to talk power, love and what audiences can expect from playwright Howard Barker’s masterpiece…

‘The Castle’ tells the story of ‘Stucley’, as knight who returns home after seven years at War. What does he expect to find?

Anthony: Everything just as it was. He thinks his wife ‘Ann’ will have maintained the town in his image, remaining loyal and devoted to him. How wrong he was…
And what has Ann been up to?

Shelley: What hasn’t she been up to? She’s formed a matriarchy and a new relationship with a witch called ‘Skinner’. There’s no fighting, men are only used for baby-making and kneeling is banned.

How does Stucley feel about this?

Anthony: Angry, bemused, let down. Stucley has 9 or 10 emotions bubbling under the surface at any one time.

And what’s Ann’s reaction to seeing him again?

Shelley: She sees it as a threat to this new way of life and everything her and the women have achieved. I think there’s a moment of thinking that perhaps they can a find a way for him to fit into their world – but when she sees his reaction, she knows he can’t stay.

How to men show their ‘power’ in ‘The Castle’?

Anthony: By any means necessary.

And the women?

Shelley: By being caring and democratic instead of ruling by force. Their power comes out of mutual respect for life and for each other.

Describe The Castle in three words

Anthony: Beastly. Relatable. Epic.

Shelley: Funny. Earthy. Brutal.

What is the relevance of the play today?

Shelley: I think it’s hugely relevant.

Anthony: The idea of building walls instead of opening lines of communication. The notion of two sets of ideas and ideals clashing despite both sides having the best interests of everyone at heart.

Shelley: The nature of power and who has it in society and how that’s imposed on others couldn’t feel more timely. Looking at conflict in the world and how predominantly “male” that is. There is masses about the interplay between genders and who gets to make the rules.

Why is this play not to be missed?

Anthony: I’m not very good at tooting my own horn so let me toot those of my production-mates. Everyone is stretching themselves for this show, nobody is resting on their laurels, and the results in rehearsals have been stunning performances. People should come and see the show just to marvel at how damn fine these people (characters and actors) are.

Shelley: Agreed. It’s a really excellent, challenging piece of writing that makes you laugh and then punches you in the gut – who doesn’t want that from theatre?

‘The Castle’ opens tonight at the Space with performance Tues – Sat until 28th October. Grab your tickets at here.

For our latest interview, we sat down with A Womb of One’s Own director, Holly Bond, and playwright, Claire Rammelkamp. Here’s what they shared with us about the production.

 

What are three things that inspired you to create this production?

Holly: When I first read the script I was in hysterics. I kept telling my other friends how funny it was, so there was an excitement so get it on its feet straight away. Our aim as a company is to talk about difficult subjects so ‘A Womb’ was perfect in that it talked about abortion in such a funny and personal way, its not preachy at all, and its such an important issue right now. So I guess it was the time, place and a great script.

Claire: First and foremost, my abortion. It was quite a significant moment in my life and writing the play had helped me to process it. Secondly, thinking about what it must be like to be alone during an abortion. I was lucky enough to have the support of my mum and my friends, but so many women don’t feel comfortable telling others. This play is an exploration of what facing the journey alone would feel like. Thirdly, my fabulous band of women who make up our theatre company. They are a constant reminder of female strength and working with them to create a show about the importance of women controlling their own bodies was so empowering.

 

What puts the “dark” in your “comedy”?

H: It’s the story of a girl who has an abortion. Its going to be dark. She’s alone, drinking, smoking etc. We don’t hide from the hard stuff. But its a hopeful and I think overall a positive view of abortion.

C: The play deals with grief, religious uncertainty, isolation, pain… lots of nasty things which need to be laughed at sometimes in order to be overcome.

 

When performing with such controversial and sensitive topics as abortion, religion, and sexuality, what defines the line between “powerful” and “too far” for you?

H: It all comes from the audience. We had to drop jokes we thought were too far, but that only comes from what we have noticed in performance. But saying that, its different every time we perform. Somethings seem too far to one crowd or pretty comfortable to another crowd. There are some things we keep in the play even though it doesn’t quite land, but we want to add in some things that are uncomfortable. So its not really about ‘a line’ but what is necessary to what we trying to say and what is overkill.

C: We enjoyed being irreverent with this production. We’re all about exploding taboos, and talking about sensitive issues is really important. All the big themes we’ve looked at are shown through the perspective of a young woman who is going through a really hard time, so hopefully the audience will be able to empathise even if they disagree with her beliefs.

 

Why do you think the small theatre setting of the Space adds to this production?

H: Talking about abortion in an old church is a thrill! The ceiling and the windows really add to the atmosphere. Small theatres are great, its more intimate.

C: The fact that it’s in an old religious building adds a lot. During rehearsals the other day, I was saying a line about God, and the high church ceiling made me feel how powerful an influence religion is in the life of our main character.

 

What was your process like? Was there a primary creative or was it a collaborative effort?

H: We each have our roles, but its definitely more collaborative than anything. As director I make a lot of choices and often take final decision on stuff, but I would never make those decisions if I didn’t know what our collective idea was. There’s a lot of talking involved.

C: I wrote the script originally as a 15 minute play, which we expanded into an hour-long production. We did a lot of exercises to bring out the different facets of Babygirl’s character, and gradually we all crept into her skin and really started to physically embody her. It’s quite a physical play. I even play a bus at one point.

 

The play boasts an absurd cast of characters – who is your favourite character and why?

H: Ahh so hard, it has to be Grandmamie. She’s just great and Claire does the face so well.

C: Aside from the bus? I’m very fond of Great Aunt Mildred. She’s based on an anecdote my girlfriend told me about her real-life crazy Irish aunt who once smashed a ship-in-a-bottle over her husband’s head. When my girlfriend did an impression of her saying ‘DON’T WORK WITH COMPUTERS’ I nearly wet myself. I had to put that in the play.

Head for Heights production, Mad Man Sad Woman, has welcomed nothing less than glowing reviews from critics. Here are a few of our favourites:

‘Kudos to both actors for their grounded, but heartfelt performances, letting the humanity of their characters shine through and making us wish that there is a “house on the other side” for them too…Anybody with an ounce of empathy for the less fortunate will want to see this play.’
– Breaking the Fourth Wall *****

‘This is precisely the kind of play our society needs right now, to ask of itself what do we actually really mean by society.’
– There Ought to be Clowns

‘A bold new production demanding attention! …The converted church provided the perfect backdrop for a gritty and moving tale between two of society’s marginalised characters.’
– The Spy in the Stalls ****

‘Touches of humour pepper a well-wrought production, offering a rare chance to see Juan Radrigán’s affecting and still relevant work.’
– Act Drop ****

‘Despite living on the outskirts of life, the duo finally have a place that is theirs and, in a sense, someone to call their own. But coming to that realisation is what has made Huinca the mad man and Eva the sad woman and it is what makes this play increasingly perturbing and powerful.’
– The Upcoming ****

‘The power of Mad Man Sad Woman lies in its extraordinary immediacy and expression of feelings common to us all.A ‘small’ play with a huge heart, it deserves a much longer, larger life. Don’t miss.’
– Carole Woddis ****

Wondering what audience members have to say about the show? It seems like they love it too!

‘Really astonishing piece of theatre. Both actors are amazing in this complex, and bleak play. Highly recommend you see it.’

‘The Space is programming some amazing theatre! Mad Man Sad Woman is a powerful indictment to poverty and disenfranchisement.’

Book tickets now for Mad Man Sad Woman to see for yourself what all the praise is about.

No annual review, and there are many around this time, can start in any other way than by acknowledging that 2016 has been a difficult, traumatic, confusing and frightening year. We’re exhausted from picking ourselves up off the floor after every disaster, tragedy, beguiling decision or the loss of yet another hero/entertainer/role model. Like many arts organisations, the Space has suffered from cuts to our funding or charitable relief, but pick ourselves up again we do, resolving to work harder, be stronger and bring people together more often. For when we get to work with such brilliant, creative and talented people, it becomes easier to put our troubles to the backs of our minds and imagine brighter days ahead. So, this piece will focus on celebrating our achievements and landmarks over the last 12 months, whilst looking forward to what’s in store for 2017.

The Lighthouse
Rachael Claye’s debut play was the subject of an Arts Council funded Research and Development project in 2014/15 so the full production scheduled for January 2016, was hotly anticipated. The very early days of the year were spent helping Faye Bradley to construct the 5 storey lighthouse that used the full height of the venue. ‘Truly compelling’ performances from Rafe Beckley as Nikolas and Annabel Smith as Rose, delighted audiences and critics alike. Expertly supported by Director, Danielle McIlven, Sound Designer/Stage Manager, Keri Chesser and Lighting Designer, Anna Sbokou, it was a glorious start to the year and prompted one reviewer to describe the Space as ‘one of the most exciting fringe venues in London.’ If you want to read more about the Lighthouse’s success, click here. Annabel would reprise her role as Rose at our Space20 event later in the year, whilst also performing in Space Productions’ MANIFESTO. An immensely talented individual with a future as bright as the sparkle in her eyes, it gives us great pleasure to name Annabel Smith as the Space’s Performer of the Year. And you can catch Annabel in 2017’s One Festival…

One Festival 2016
Shunted from its usual January slot by the Lighthouse, the 2016 One Festival ran for two weeks in February and featured 19 solo performances. It seems wrong to pick out one piece from a festival designed to bring solo artists together, the quality of performance and courage shown by those involved was as consistently strong as ever.   Special mention deservedly goes to Troll, written by Isabel Dixon and directed by Katherine Timms, which has been chosen as our Play of the Year. Performed by Andy Gourlay, the piece ‘beautifully showcases the dangers of the internet alongside the pitfalls of adolescence’. Andy picks up another accolade as our Volunteer of the Year, we’re extremely grateful for all the support he’s given us and the cheerfulness with which he mucks in wherever required! Two pieces written during 29 Plays Later also featured, with two more of them being selected for 2017’s One Festival.

29 Plays Later
Following the success of 2015’s 28 Plays Later, the leap year meant we could make the February write-a-play-a-day challenge that little bit harder. In total 190 playwrights started and 4,101 plays were written! You can read more stats from 2016’s challenge here and find out how to sign up for 2017 here. Our extreme thanks go to Literary Manager, Sebastian Rex, who handled 5,649 e-mails whilst managing the challenge!

Records
The Lighthouse was the most attended production of the year, it also had the most performances! The highest total box office was achieved by the only other show in the year to run for three weeks – Ottisdotter‘s revival of Lessing’s Emilia Galotti.

The highest average audience of the year (minimum of 5 performances) was Bric a Brac‘s biopic of smoker George Crozier, Ash. The show went on to perform at the Paris and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, we liked it so much, we booked it in to perform at the Roof Garden and it can be seen again at the Vaults Festival in 2017.

Amongst the many great shows this year, notable mentions go to Changing Face Collective‘s Love on the Dole, Buster Keaton at the Hollywood Canteen…as told by Orson Welles by Mike Carter, the prophetic Force of Trump by Sami Ibrahim and the delightfully surreal Where the Hell is Bernard? by Haste Theatre. We give huge thanks to all the wonderful theatre companies and artists involved and our Visiting Company of the Year award goes to Music Box Theatre. Led by Writer/Composer, Laura Kaye Thomson, the company first came to our attention when Isabel scouted them at the Edinburgh Festival in 2015. Poppies was described by the Stage as “A rousing new musical with fine songs and winning performances”. The company were invited back to open the performances at our Space20 gala celebration in October.

Space20
We marked the 20th anniversary of the Space in some style and with some wonderful special guests. Our patron, Sir Ian McKellen, delighted the full house with his recollections of the early days of the Space and the efforts of our founder, Robert Richardson. James Seager from Les Enfants Terribles and Louise Jameson also spoke glowingly about the Space. Louise was joined on stage by her writing partner, Nigel Fairs, as they performed extracts of their work. The pair return to the Space in 2017 with Nigel’s newest play, Ebeneezer and Me. The evening also featured some extracts from the Space Productions’ back catalogue, with pieces from plays such as the Graduate, Festen and Vernon God Little, performed by an ensemble of actors past and present.

We inducted 5 more people into our very own little hall of fame in 20 People Who Shaped the Space – Isabel Dixon, Keri Chesser, Sebastian Rex and Danielle McIlven have already been mentioned in despatches – the final inductee, our current Chair, Pradeep Jeyaratnam-Joyner. There were other milestones achieved in the year, Artistic Director, Adam Hemming celebrated his 40th birthday whilst the Emerge Festival curated by C-12 Dance Theatre celebrated its 5th anniversary. WorkSpace Productions performed 36 Cable Street, a new play written by Tim Blackwell, marking 80 years since the Battle of Cable Street.

SpaceWorks
Our community theatre company also celebrated Space20 with a special event bringing together our youth groups and adult group. In 2017, the company will come together again at the end of a new Sharing Stories project, where our members will create short plays inspired by the lives of local residents. Samantha Spurgin ended her run as Lead Tutor for our youth groups with an epic new version of the Jungle Book performed in partnership with Embrace Dance. Guleraana Mir stepped up as Lead Tutor and joined us as Public Engagement Officer later in the year. Our Director of the Year, Danielle McIlven took on the challenge of adapting three Greek plays in the Myths She-Told series that our adult group performed at the start of the Crossrail Place Roof Garden Summer Season. In addition to The Lighthouse and 36 Cable Street, Danielle directed MANIFESTO. for Space Productions in October.

Crossrail Place Roof Garden
Our second Summer at the open air performance space in Canary Wharf saw over 3,000 people attend free performances between May and September. Our Late and Early Bloom Festivals featured a host of local theatre, music, dance and spoken word performers, Half Moon Children’s Theatre provided four plays from their portfolio and the Grand Union Orchestra brought us Trading Roots.  We hosted our first Shakespeare performances with Time Zone Theatre‘s Othello and Thick as Thieves‘ The Tempest, whilst other family shows included Tea Break Theatre‘s Bobbin and Metta Theatre‘s Blown Away. We hope to bring you news of the 2017 Summer Roof Garden Season soon!

And speaking of 2017…
All of the events for our Spring Season are now up on the website, starting with our Season Launch on Friday 6th January. We’ve lined up more great shows by wonderfully talented people and are delighted to be welcoming back Tom Ward, Matthew Lyon and Skin Deep Theatre to the Space. We’re looking forward to sharing it with you!

 

Mike Carter and OddServants Theatre Company return to the Space later this month with new play Buster Keaton at the Hollywood Canteen … As Told by Orson Welles. We caught up with the creative team behind this exciting two-hander for a behind-the-scenes sneak peek!

 

Anthony Cozens plays Buster Keaton.

You’ve always loved Buster Keaton and were involved in the early development of the play – where did your fascination with him come from?

I was an insomniac as a small child and would sneak downstairs after my parents had gone to bed and watch old films on the TV. I remember seeing Laurel and Hardy and Chaplin and Buster films and thinking they were hilarious. As I got older I’d revisit them. I still love Chaplin and Stan and Ollie but Keaton films, his technique, the humanity of his characters, his sheer bloody skill, get richer each viewing.

If Buster Keaton was alive today and you had the chance to talk to him, what questions would you want to ask?

I think I’d be too in awe to ask him anything. I’d tell to him pick a topic and just let him talk. He was so ahead of his time in terms of camera technique and trickery that, now cinema has surpassed a lot of things he was doing, it would be fascinating to hear him predict what will come next.

What do you hope that Buster Keaton…’s audience gets from the show?

The play is more than a Keaton biography. It is more about the ideas of art versus commerce, the nature of success and at what price do you chase your dreams than it is about Buster or Orson. I’d hope people would see modern relevance in those questions as much as they see how much work went into Buster making it all look so easy. That and the fact I can fall over without any major damage done.

Have there been any interesting moments in rehearsals so far you can tell us about?

JP literally chasing me around a rehearsal room was a new one on me. He was told to by Guleraana so I’ll forgive him. Aside from that, I find it interesting to supply some of the back story those two might not know. You’d have to ask them how interesting they think it is after several hours of me singing Buster’s praises.

 

JP Conway plays Orson Welles.

What’s been the most interesting part of Orson Welles’ character for you?

The wonderful thing about Welles is his vision – it’s romantic, pure, dogged and magical. But the most interesting thing is his unrelenting belief in that vision, and in himself, even when his confidence could fall to paper-thin levels.  There is a juxtaposition in that, of the headstrong and the deflated at the same time, which is captivating to play with.

If Orson Welles was alive today and you had the chance to talk to him, what questions would you want to ask?

First off, I’d ask him to dinner, and for him to choose the place (though I’m sure he would anyway). Somewhere with delicious red wine where we could while away the afternoon, I imagine. Then I’d ask him what he hopes for.

What do you hope that Buster Keaton…’s audience gets from the show?

There is a line in the show where Orson asks Buster whether his early days in show business were “happier, simpler times?” I hope the audience gets an idea of what those early days were like for both men, how the world was then, and to what extent it fashioned them, and they it. And perhaps that has something to say about how people approach art and performance today.

How has the process of staging a two-hander – with multiple characters! – been so far?

Wonderful! Both Anthony and I love clowning and improvisation and Guleraana has – very cleverly I’d say! – facilitated things that way. We are playing with the wonder of Keaton’s early work and the silent movie age. It is showcased by the way we weave in and out of these different characters and create their worlds on stage. It’s going be a lot of fun.

 

Mike Carter is the show’s playwright.

Why Buster Keaton and Orson Welles? What drew you to these two stars in particular?

Anthony and I decided to work together last summer and his enthusiasm is ridiculously infectious. We agreed, after a few meanderings, to go for it and tell Keaton’s story. That said, I wanted to write a compelling three dimensional play rather than a “by numbers” biography so kept a very open mind.  Learning Keaton met Orson Welles was the spark I needed.  They’re both incredibly fascinating characters.

Can you tell us about their meeting? Did it really happen? How did you use it to form the basis of your play?

We know they both volunteered at The Hollywood Canteen in 1944. Movie stars entertained troops there as part of the US war effort. There’s lots of footage and reporting from the time, so it’s almost inconceivable they didn’t meet there. There is no record of it, though, other than a Welles anecdote – “I was doing conjuring tricks. Keaton was washing the dishes”   Our play takes that as a literal and metaphorical start point.

What’s it like being back at the Space after you staged The Trunk here in 2014?

I love the Space. It is hands down the most supportive venue in London. It’s great to see it go from strength to strength.  Audiences seemed to enjoy The Trunk back in 2014.  I am really hoping they’ll find this show interesting too.

What else are you looking forward to this season?

Will check out Duncan Battman’s Consequences and The Book. As new writing, it sounds “write” up my street. Plus you are spoiling us with two Oscar Wilde shows including adaptations of his wonderful short stories.  There’s ‘reduxed’ Shakespeare and a new musical?  It’s a fabulous season.

 

And finally, we caught up with the show’s director Guleraana Mir…

What’s it like directing a (semi-) true story, featuring two very well-known personas?

I’m trying to leave the “real” Orson and Buster behind. Not to say that I haven’t done my research, and expected the actors to do their own. I want to direct a theatrical play that has strong, interesting characters, with clear personalities and motivations that an audience can enjoy in their own right. That’s more important to me than obsessively trying to replicate the Buster Keaton and Orson Welles that everyone thinks they know. I’m hoping we can recreate the two personas in a way that feels natural to the actors and believable to the audience.

Have you found out any interesting facts that you’ve brought into rehearsal?

Anthony knows basically everything there is to know about Buster Keaton, and an awful lot about Orson Welles too. Mike has based his text on the characters’ own words and first-hand accounts. I doubt there is anything I can discover that would be new!  The actors and I bring our knowledge, research and opinion on the two personas into rehearsal, and allow that to influence the characters. It’s a fun way of working – tweaking and heightening aspects of personalities to really bring a script to life.

This is your first full-length play as a director – what’s been the best bit so far?

The best bit is also the worst bit- its length! I am used to short plays so I really like that there’s more than ten pages of script and a lengthy rehearsal process. I adore both Anthony and John-Paul (I’ve worked with them before as a director and writer) and really value their energy and commitment. I like to work collaboratively, but you don’t get that opportunity with short plays. It’s often just a case of ‘get it done’. Whereas with Buster Keaton… the three of us have spent a lot of time talking about how the piece is going to work visually and conceptually. Having their input (as well as Mike’s) makes me confident that we can craft something that really does justice to the two Hollywood greats and gives the audience a strong sense of the age of silent movies.

… And how about the most challenging?

You never think you have enough time, especially as the script is quite complicated. Knowing everyone involved surprisingly made it scarier, but I overcame that initial fear the moment we were all in the same room reading through the script.  The challenge now is creating twelve characters, sixty years of history and something like eight different locations within 70 minutes only having two actors. But I don’t want to give anything away. All I’ll say is that in my mind, this should be an extravaganza – a celebration of great films and the artists that made them. The challenge is making it so!

 

Intrigued yet? Buster Keaton at the Hollywood Canteen … As Told by Orson Welles runs from 15th – 19th March, 7.30pm at the Space. For more information and to book tickets, click here.

We’re officially into our last week of Rachael Claye’s beautiful debut play The Lighthouse and we’ve had such an overwhelmingly fantastic response to the show that we wanted to share our highlights!

We’ve received six four-star reviews in total – here are some of our favourite quotes:

 

“Unexpected gem of a fairy tale two-hander, acted with conviction on an imaginatively constructed lighthouse set.” –The Stage

“A towering piece of intelligent imagination and soul-bearing tenderness, The Lighthouse is a beacon of new writing and top-notch production.” –Grumpy Gay Critic

“An unexpected treat lovingly crafted with ambition, brilliance and charm.” –Views from the Gods

“Passion and belief … an extraordinary production.” –Female Arts

“Beautiful set, wonderful writing, magical performances and a truly captivating story.” – Everything Theatre

“An impressive show … keeps the audience hooked right from the start.” –LondonTheatre1

 

And of course, we always love hearing from our audiences! Here’s some of our favourite tweets about the show – you can join in the conversation by following #TheLighthouse hashtag on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Can’t recommend #TheLighthouse enough! Beautiful words ambitiously staged & wonderfully performed @SpaceArtsCentre – @MikeWritesABit

Congratulations @SpaceArtsCentre on #TheLighthouse! A totally captivating story and magical production. Truly remarkable debut for @NEBRC! – @OldSoleTheatre

Enchanting, heart-wearing, can’t fail to brighten up your January! #TheLighthouse @SpaceArtsCentre last night, go see it! #supporttheatre – @kinkyfish_drama

@SpaceArtsCentre Just saw the most beautiful play at The Space. GO AND WATCH THE LIGHTHOUSE!!! #thelighthouse – @StaceyHasLanded

@SpaceArtsCentre is such a hidden gem of a venue. #TheLighthouse last night looked so beautiful. I cried. – @ElinorMaeFortune

Original and brilliant play #TheLighthouse on at the space theatre on the Isle of dogs. Thoroughly recommended. – @MirandaEeles

#TheLighthouse is like an unexpected Xmas present you found down the back of a sofa in January. Gorgeous in-house show @SpaceArtsCentre. – @Shona_Catherine

 

The show must close this Sunday – so you’ve only got a handful of chances left to meet Rose and Nikolas at the edge of the frozen world!

To celebrate our critical acclaim, we’re running a special offer – quote FOUR on booking and get an adult ticket for concession price (£14 reduced to £10!) There are only a handful for each show and the discount only works on advance booking, so get in there quickly before they’re all gone …

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Lighthouse for creating a shining beacon of a show for our 22nd in-house production!

Book for The Lighthouse here.

After a fantastic reading in 2014, the end of a successful R&D earlier this year, a crowdfunding campaign supported by friends of the Space and a huge amount of audience acclaim, Space Productions is delighted to announce the next step for Rachael Claye’s stunning new play The Lighthouse. We are incredibly excited to begin work on a full production of the show, which will be arriving at the Space in January!

What’s it about?

This beautiful alternative Christmas story takes place on Christmas Eve, where a grumpy old saint – who just happens to have a reindeer and magical sack – crashes his sleigh on an iceberg far out at sea.

Stranded at the frozen edge of the world, Nikolas is soon rescued by Rose, a fourteen year old girl determined to save even the most begrudging of lost mariners. When he agrees to travel to Rose’s lighthouse to fix his sleigh, it soon becomes clear that this magical building holds both memories and secrets. What stories does the mysterious building hold from Nikolas’s past? Why is Rose burning books and toys for fuel? And most importantly, where is her father, the Lighthouse Keeper?

Uplifting, hopeful and magical, The Lighthouse is a story of two lost people – a young girl on the brink of disaster and an old man who has forgotten his way. As each emerges unwillingly from isolation and denial, they must find a way forward together.

Who’s involved?

The full production reunites cast members Rafe Beckley (Nikolas) and Annabel Smith (Rose), who first brought the characters to life in the project’s R&D earlier this year. We’re also excited to welcome back Anna Sboku (lighting), Faye Bradley (design) and Keri Danielle Chesser (sound) alongside new director Danielle McIlven, who has received critical acclaim for previous Space Productions Festen and The Man Who Found His Freedom.

When can I see it?

The production runs from 9th – 30th January 2016. We’ve got plenty of evening performances across the run, but there’s also family-friendly 2pm matinees at weekends – perfect for a chilly winter afternoon!

Can school groups attend?

For the first time ever, Space Productions is running special schools-only matinees for the show. School groups are welcome at any performance, but you can book an affordable group ticket for our weekday matinees by contacting the box office. Our experienced team will also be running workshops as part of a package deal with performances, and we’ve even come up with some creative tie-in classroom activities for different age groups. Download our Schools Pack for more information.

How much is it?

Our usual price of £14/£10 concessions will remain the same across The Lighthouse’s run, but we do have a couple of special discounts to tell you about …

If you’re planning a family outing, you can book a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for £40, saving you £8 on individual tickets.

We’ve also got a discount for those booking more than a month in advance – The Lighthouse is part of our Early Bird scheme, meaning you’ll automatically save 25% if you book by 9th December. (Please note this discount does not include family tickets).

There’ll also be post-show talks with the cast and crew across the run which will be included in your ticket price – so make sure you keep an eye on our event page for updates!

How do I book?

The Lighthouse is now open for booking – simply head to our website event here. You can also contact the Box Office on 020 7515 7799.

If you’re looking to bring a school group to a performance and/or workshop, we can arrange payment on invoice – simply contact isabel@space.org.uk or call the Box Office for details.

Are you as excited as we are yet? We hope you’ll join us for Rose and Nikolas’s adventure in January!

Regular audiences may know that we recently premiered our 21^st Space Production, The Man Who Found His Freedom, here at the Space. Inspired by the life of local disabled resident and SpaceWorks member David Grindley, the play was devised and rehearsed over four weeks, finally playing to packed out houses for a week-long run.

The project started way back in early 2014, when David decided he wanted to tell his life story. With theatre shaping so much of David’s experiences (he’s a regular performer with mixed-ability dance theatre company Amici as well as being a Space regular!) there was no better way to tell his story than onstage.

David spent 18 months working with fellow SpaceWorks member Bill Keenan, interviewing friends and family to create an initial script. We then received Arts Council England funding this summer to turn these ideas into reality with a professional cast and crew. David and Bill were joined by playwright Sebastian Rex, director Danielle McIlven and Space Productions actors Sadie Parsons and Tim Blackwell (Festen) and Paul Tonkin and Avita Jay (the Roof Garden Players).

We spent the first few days in the rehearsal room exploring the characters and moments in David’s life. From this, a narrative started to emerge and the company decided to focus the play on David’s time at the care home and his subsequent ‘escape’ to an independent residential flat with a 1 to 1 carer. An early decision was made to fictionalise the story, changing the names of all characters and using David’s experiences as an inspiration for a new story rather than the staging of a biographical work. The plot focused on the central character Mikey’s struggles to communicate, his relationship with his carers and family and how alcohol affected his thoughts and behaviour.

David’s speech is affected by his Cerebral Palsy, making it challenging to understand what he is saying. Having a director that David had worked with before and the support of some of the SpaceWorks community theatre members who have known David for some time, eased the communication between David and the other actors, who quickly became attuned to David’s speech. One of the company told us:

“It was such a brilliant and valuable experience working with a mixed ability cast. I was initially apprehensive about how I’d communicate with David but finding out how patient he is encouraged me to persevere to understand him because it was always worth it! Having mixed abilities often meant we had to think of different exercises and warm ups, and be more imaginative to find new ways to do things as a group. I think this enhanced our creativity and it made me wonder why mixed ability casts aren’t more common.”

Every performance was warmly received, with two shows even getting standing ovations! We were especially proud that numerous people emailed us with their thoughts on the play, and we also received positive tweets on our Twitter feed. It’s tough to decide on some of our favourite audience comments, but here’s a few of the quotes that have really stayed with us:

“Amazing production that delivers a heart wrenching punch, through an honest, funny and gripping performance of one man’s resilience and determination to live his own life.”

‘demonstrates theatre’s power to inform as well as entertain. Moving, funny and eye -opening…..what theatre is for: giving voice to the untold stories’.

“Theatre hasn’t moved me, made me speechless, and tickled me that way for a LONG time.”

“#FoundHisFreedom at @SpaceArtsCentre is one of the most important productions I have ever seen. What a cast, what a man. Thank you.”

“Gripping, impressive, thought provoking. Bravo to all concerned – this was the most moving piece of theatre I have seen in a long time.”

“This was a powerful insight into one incredibly brave man’s disability and all the traumas and day to day (moment-by-moment, in fact) struggles sufferers go through.”

We also had a 4* review from FemaleArts, who said:

“There’s much to commend about The Man Who…, from its actors, direction and innovative staging. But perhaps more striking than any of these accomplishments is that it is free from sentimentality. Mikey is three-dimensional character with foibles and idiosyncracies, and the play isn’t afraid to show that his dogged determinism to ‘make it’ may also show other, less pleasant sides to his personality…”

But it wasn’t just the show that was a success. We held a number of tie-in workshops and activities, including post-show talks with the cast, crew and guest speakers, workshops with our community theatre company SpaceWorks, and schools workshops at local secondary school George Greens.  Our post-show guests included disability campaigner Sophie Partridge, pos-ability performer Barbara Stewart, Alison King and Wolfgang Stange from Turtlekey Arts and freelance practitioner Holly Stratton. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came along and gave up their time to help spread the message of the show even further.

So, what next for The Man Who Found His Freedom? This was the first time that Space Productions had created a devised show based on a real story, but the end result has far surpassed our expectations and there has been an overwhelming suggestion from our audiences that the piece needs to have a future. We hope this won’t be the end of the story and exciting plans are afoot for 2016 – so stay tuned, and don’t forget to join our mailing list to be the first for updates!

All photography copyright of Renata Strabla.