Common Panel
Is British theatre truly accessible to the working-class? And what potential does digital technology have to change it?
Is British theatre truly accessible to the working-class? And what potential does digital technology have to change it?
Tate Exchange, Tate Modern 2019
The podcast below was recorded at the Beta Society launch event at Tate Exchange, 5-10 March 2019, also see 'What is Beta Society?'
The podcast below was recorded at the Beta Society launch event at Tate Exchange, 5-10 March 2019, also see 'What is Beta Society?'
Podcast:
Why does a significantly smaller percentage of the working-class engage with theatre than more affluent socio-economic groups?
Are there barriers that stop the working-class from doing so? Are they physical? Psychological? Cultural? Or are they simply personal?
The below podcast recording took place on 8th March 2019. The panel discussion led by COMMON founder David Loumgair and a panel of academics and socio-economic specialists asks whether theatre as a form of culture is truly accessible to the working-class. And if it isn’t, what the power of digital technology might be to change that.
Are there barriers that stop the working-class from doing so? Are they physical? Psychological? Cultural? Or are they simply personal?
The below podcast recording took place on 8th March 2019. The panel discussion led by COMMON founder David Loumgair and a panel of academics and socio-economic specialists asks whether theatre as a form of culture is truly accessible to the working-class. And if it isn’t, what the power of digital technology might be to change that.
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Listen to this urgent discussion via the podcast or watch video from the recording below:
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Video:
What might the potential of digital technology be to remove some of these barriers? Multiple platforms now exist for audiences and institutions to engage with live theatre digitally. This includes National Theatre Live, who since their foundation in 2009 have broadcast more than forty productions live across the UK and internationally, alongside Digital Theatre, which enables subscribers to access over 80 recorded theatre productions anytime, anywhere. These platforms have been proven to make theatre more immediately accessible to audiences across the world, but who are engaging with these platforms? Is it the working-class, or is it the audiences who are already engaged with theatre?
Chair
David Loumgair
David Loumgair is a proudly working-class theatre director who was born and raised in the Scottish Borders. His work specifically aims to explore the complexity and humanity of realistic, working-class experiences across Britain.
David is also the Founder of COMMON, an arts organisation which exists to support the UK theatre industry in achieving greater socio-economic diversity, and to make theatre more accessible to the working-class; whether they be artists, audiences or communities: www.commontheatre.co.uk
David has directed new and existing plays across multiple Off-West End and regional theatres. He recently directed an award-winning revival of ‘TINY DYNAMITE’ by Abi Morgan at the Old Red Lion Theatre, the first professional revival of the play in 15 years, following its original production with Paines Plough and Frantic Assembly.
David was Associate Director on the ambitious production 'SKETCHING' by the Olivier Award-winning playwright James Graham, produced at Wilton's Music Hall in September 2018. He is currently working as Associate Director to Kate Wasserberg, Artistic Director at Out of Joint, on the UK Tour of one of the most iconic working-class plays in British theatre history; ‘Rita, Sue and Bob Too’ by Andrea Dunbar.
David Loumgair is a proudly working-class theatre director who was born and raised in the Scottish Borders. His work specifically aims to explore the complexity and humanity of realistic, working-class experiences across Britain.
David is also the Founder of COMMON, an arts organisation which exists to support the UK theatre industry in achieving greater socio-economic diversity, and to make theatre more accessible to the working-class; whether they be artists, audiences or communities: www.commontheatre.co.uk
David has directed new and existing plays across multiple Off-West End and regional theatres. He recently directed an award-winning revival of ‘TINY DYNAMITE’ by Abi Morgan at the Old Red Lion Theatre, the first professional revival of the play in 15 years, following its original production with Paines Plough and Frantic Assembly.
David was Associate Director on the ambitious production 'SKETCHING' by the Olivier Award-winning playwright James Graham, produced at Wilton's Music Hall in September 2018. He is currently working as Associate Director to Kate Wasserberg, Artistic Director at Out of Joint, on the UK Tour of one of the most iconic working-class plays in British theatre history; ‘Rita, Sue and Bob Too’ by Andrea Dunbar.
Panellists
Dr Jo Shah
Dr Shah is an academic at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, where she oversees learning development for the school’s full student body as Programme Leader for Learning Skills and teaches Screen Studies on the MA Acting for Screen. She is also an Associate Lecturer in Contextual Studies for Theatre and Screen at the University of Arts London.
Dr Shah’s work is interdisciplinary and aligns with the Visual Arts, Sociology, Policy, and Media Education fields with expertise in representation and socialisation. She has recently extended focus in this area through the establishment of the Social Performance Network, which is a research and practice-orientated platform that aims to open up critical conversations and practices that interrogate and reconceptualise the social world and our place within it.
Dr Shah is particularly interested in evolving dramatisations and representations of “protected groups” (as identified in the UK Equality Act, 2010). Much of her work in this area extends to gender, race, class, and identity, and the representation of these groups in mediums such as theatre, film, and television.
Dr Shah is an academic at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, where she oversees learning development for the school’s full student body as Programme Leader for Learning Skills and teaches Screen Studies on the MA Acting for Screen. She is also an Associate Lecturer in Contextual Studies for Theatre and Screen at the University of Arts London.
Dr Shah’s work is interdisciplinary and aligns with the Visual Arts, Sociology, Policy, and Media Education fields with expertise in representation and socialisation. She has recently extended focus in this area through the establishment of the Social Performance Network, which is a research and practice-orientated platform that aims to open up critical conversations and practices that interrogate and reconceptualise the social world and our place within it.
Dr Shah is particularly interested in evolving dramatisations and representations of “protected groups” (as identified in the UK Equality Act, 2010). Much of her work in this area extends to gender, race, class, and identity, and the representation of these groups in mediums such as theatre, film, and television.
Steven Kavuma
Steven Kavuma recently graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and a BA in Drama, studying Drama, Applied Theatre and Education: Writing for Performance. Kavuma works as a director, writer and producer. His recent Assistant Director credits include 'Still No Idea' at the Royal Court Theatre, 'An Octoroon' at the National Theatre and 'An Octoroon' at the Orange Tree Theatre. He has also written and directed short plays for the Royal Court Theatre.
From 2014 – 2018, Kavuma was the Co-Executive Director of The S+K Project: a theatre and performing arts company with the objective to make the arts for everyone. Since their conception in 2014, they have gone on to work with the likes of the Royal Court Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Bush Theatre and Camden People’s Theatre. In January 2018, The S+K Project was appointed Associate Artists at Talawa Theatre Company. In 2017, Kavuma directed 'BOYS', an adaption of Lord of the Flies which was staged at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden.
Kavuma is also the founder of The Diversity School Initiative, which is a non-profit campaign organisation set up to address under-representation and diversity in UK drama schools. Since their launch in 2017, they have gone on to collaborate with the Young Vic Theatre, Graeae Theatre Company, the Royal Court Theatre, Everyman Theatre Liverpool and more, to make drama schools accessible for everyone. Kavuma was also a trustee for Hackney Showroom, and now works at The Yard Theatre as Local Coordinator.
Steven Kavuma recently graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and a BA in Drama, studying Drama, Applied Theatre and Education: Writing for Performance. Kavuma works as a director, writer and producer. His recent Assistant Director credits include 'Still No Idea' at the Royal Court Theatre, 'An Octoroon' at the National Theatre and 'An Octoroon' at the Orange Tree Theatre. He has also written and directed short plays for the Royal Court Theatre.
From 2014 – 2018, Kavuma was the Co-Executive Director of The S+K Project: a theatre and performing arts company with the objective to make the arts for everyone. Since their conception in 2014, they have gone on to work with the likes of the Royal Court Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Bush Theatre and Camden People’s Theatre. In January 2018, The S+K Project was appointed Associate Artists at Talawa Theatre Company. In 2017, Kavuma directed 'BOYS', an adaption of Lord of the Flies which was staged at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden.
Kavuma is also the founder of The Diversity School Initiative, which is a non-profit campaign organisation set up to address under-representation and diversity in UK drama schools. Since their launch in 2017, they have gone on to collaborate with the Young Vic Theatre, Graeae Theatre Company, the Royal Court Theatre, Everyman Theatre Liverpool and more, to make drama schools accessible for everyone. Kavuma was also a trustee for Hackney Showroom, and now works at The Yard Theatre as Local Coordinator.
Jordan McKenzie
Jordan McKenzie is a British artist, educator and curator living in London and lecturing at University for the Arts. His most recent research and artworks have been engaged with the politics of social housing, and in particular with council estates.
Having lived on an estate in East London for fifteen years, McKenzie has made several performances that explore the cultural positioning of the estate, and the ways that as a site it has been attacked and discredited by the mass media and successive governments.
As well as making many site-related performances as his alter-ego (Monsieur Poo-Pourri), McKenzie has run a performance space from a disused garage on his estate, LUPA (Lock Up Performance Art), held a housing summit for socially engaged practitioners in from his own flat and, in conjunction with UAL Camberwell presented a major symposium across venues in Peckham that invited artists, community groups, activists and academics to explore the challenges facing social housing and council estates and the ways in which we, as residents and creative practitioners, respond to these challenges.
Jordan McKenzie is a British artist, educator and curator living in London and lecturing at University for the Arts. His most recent research and artworks have been engaged with the politics of social housing, and in particular with council estates.
Having lived on an estate in East London for fifteen years, McKenzie has made several performances that explore the cultural positioning of the estate, and the ways that as a site it has been attacked and discredited by the mass media and successive governments.
As well as making many site-related performances as his alter-ego (Monsieur Poo-Pourri), McKenzie has run a performance space from a disused garage on his estate, LUPA (Lock Up Performance Art), held a housing summit for socially engaged practitioners in from his own flat and, in conjunction with UAL Camberwell presented a major symposium across venues in Peckham that invited artists, community groups, activists and academics to explore the challenges facing social housing and council estates and the ways in which we, as residents and creative practitioners, respond to these challenges.
Tom Ryalls
Tom Ryalls is a Writer and Theatre Maker who works collaboratively with other artists and non-artists to tell stories that reclaim extraordinary ideas for ordinary people.
He is interested in class, aspiration, imagination, and how our shared stories define us. His work often sits on the border between Science and Art, and he spent 2 years creating a project which explored the relationship between Autism and Artificial Intelligence, which manifested in a simultaneous performance and video game.
Recently, Tom has spent time working with electronic sound artist Christian Czornyj exploring Tom's experience of growing up epileptic, mixing documentary interviews with live sound on stage. His work has been seen at Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Arcola and Pleasance London, as well as working men's clubs, a cafe in Wood Green, and twice in an old basement.
Web: www.boyandpen.com
Twitter: @BoyAndPen
Tom Ryalls is a Writer and Theatre Maker who works collaboratively with other artists and non-artists to tell stories that reclaim extraordinary ideas for ordinary people.
He is interested in class, aspiration, imagination, and how our shared stories define us. His work often sits on the border between Science and Art, and he spent 2 years creating a project which explored the relationship between Autism and Artificial Intelligence, which manifested in a simultaneous performance and video game.
Recently, Tom has spent time working with electronic sound artist Christian Czornyj exploring Tom's experience of growing up epileptic, mixing documentary interviews with live sound on stage. His work has been seen at Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Arcola and Pleasance London, as well as working men's clubs, a cafe in Wood Green, and twice in an old basement.
Web: www.boyandpen.com
Twitter: @BoyAndPen
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About the facilitator
Common is a nationwide arts organisation which exists to support the uk theatre industry in achieving greater socio-economic diversity. We aim to make british theatre more accessible to the working-class; whether they be artists, audiences or communities. |
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