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Dateline: 2nd January, 2006
A high-rise tower block in East London is to host a unique theatre project just weeks before its demolition. The newly commissioned play, Home, has been described by Richard Rogers, chair of the government’s Urban Task Force and chief advisor to the mayor of London on architecture and urbanism, as “important”: “It engages with key social, architectural and political issues using residential towers, which are about to demolished, as the props. It gives a voice to the local community and engages with heartfelt local problems.” The three tower blocks of the Beaumont Estate in Leyton which have dominated the local skyline for decades will be pulled down in 2006 as part of London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s regeneration scheme for the area. But before the controversial destruction takes place, a brand new play inspired by the experiences of local residents will be performed in a vacated flat of St. Catherine’s Tower. Offstage Theatre have spent the past three months interviewing and videoing former and current residents of the estate from an astonishing range of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds including local elderly couples, adolescent youths, single mums and school children. The material has been handed to young playwright Gbolahan Obisesan. His new play, Home, will be based on the material provided and the resulting piece will involve video projections and sound recordings of the local area, as well as traditional scenes performed by a company of professional actors. “We are involving local people in absolutely every stage of the process,” explains director and company founder Cressida Brown. “The piece has been created from local people’s comments on what the buildings represent to them, what living here was like and how they feel about the impending demolition. Even our poster was designed from an art competition we held at the local primary school. “You could say we’re trying to discover the legacy of the place but we’re also asking some important questions how are local people greeting the regeneration scheme in East London and, as we get ready for the Olympics in 2012, what effect is being had on London’s skyline?” Soon the company move into an empty flat in St Catherine’s Tower to start rehearsals in its unique performance space. Different parts of Home will be performed in all the areas of the living space. Audience members will be led from room to room. “The West End is so expensive these days, well beyond the reach of most residents in this area” Cressida said. “For some people, our show could be their first experience of professional theatre. And we hope that the fact it is in and about their former home will make it all the more exciting. Tickets for residents will be subsidised to allow as many people from the area as possible to see the play,” she added. The project builds on a growing trend for site-specific theatre in London, particularly in areas where access to theatre is limited. But the company believes that this is the first time a play about a particular place will be performed in the very location it celebrates, just weeks before it is destroyed. Home will be performed in St Catherine’s Tower, Beaumont Road, E10 from Wednesday 18th January to Saturday 4th February. Residents of the Beaumont Estate can buy special, subsidised tickets for just £2. For more information and a performance schedule call 020 7424 9441. Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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