On 30 August, Ali Pritchard, founder and artistic director of Newcastle fringe theatre Alphabetti, announced on Facebook that the venue was facing closure.
“Since opening,” he wrote, “we have had the odds stacked against us in certain ways; we have an amazing team and countless willing helpers but unfortunately in a climate such as this it has become increasingly difficult to sustain a 50 seater venue in the heart of the city centre.
“I started Alphabetti to create a platform for emerging and experienced artists in the North East to experiment and evolve. I have made it one of our missions to keep it affordable, ensuring that there are cheap options behind the bar and that the ticket prices are either low enough for anyone to afford or are pay what you feel allowing the audience to give what they can dependant on their circumstances. With all the things that are happening at the moment I think it’s quite important to have an affordable place where people can be entertained, educated and feel safe in a welcoming environment for all.”
He announced that the two very different shows which were due to be performed on Thursday and Friday would be fundraisers and asked for the theatre community’s support. Between them, these two shows raised £819 in bucket donations.
Encouraged by this and by the amount of online and vocal support, he announced a Kickstarter campaign to raise £2,500 on 6 September, exactly a week after the first announcement. Within hours, the target had been reached and, at the time of writing, with twelve days of the campaign still to go, the total has reached £5,776 from more than 180 donors.
The aim now is to cover all the venue’s debts, which amount to £10,000.
“These past two weeks have been an absolute emotional roller coaster, from facing closure to this incredible response,” Pritchard says. “The support is quite unbelievable and really assuring that people want and need us. Not only have people been donating their money but we have also had fundraisers pop up all over the city and even have one theatre-maker—Alex Ferguson—arranging a fundraiser in London.
“Alphabetti really wouldn't have got this far if it wasn't for the amazing team we have around us of paid and unpaid people, and our regular audience. Seeing people dig deep and show their support takes a huge weight off and confirms the need for a venue like ours in the North East performing arts community.
“Alphabetti is by no means out of the woods, and these funds are just steadying the ship, but this support makes the tough days a lot easier to bear.”