EAST LONDON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PRESENTS
Welcome to Messina
East London Shakespeare Festival is committed to bringing high quality and accessible Shakespeare to East London audiences… and Much Ado brings a bit of the Mediterranean too!
In an attempt to mend a broken heart, Beatrice has escaped to visit her family in the stunning Mediterranean idyll of Messina, only to run into her self-centred ex, Benedict who is on leave from the army. Try as they might, they just can’t stop running into each other and can’t resist trying to outdo one another, with just a hint of flirting. Matters of the heart become a family affair as Beatrice’s cousin, Hero and Benedict’s protégé, Claudio fall under Sicily’s spell and fall in love. The warm terracotta tiles & balmy Italian evening heat up at a masked beach festival… but who is getting hot & sweaty on the dance floor; and who is declaring their love for who? And is someone trying to sabotage everyone’s holiday/happily ever ever?
This opulent tale is brimming with wit, trickery & mischief with heart coming out on top; and set against the luxurious backdrop of a modern-day Messina.
It will include ELSF’s trademark high-energy numbers, slapstick comedy characters for our younger audiences to enjoy, and a classic playlist including Busted, Dua Lipa, Irma Thomas, Jackie Wilson, and Sophia Loren, as well as original music by Patrick Rufey.
We hope you enjoy the party as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
CREATIVE TEAM
Rosie Ward - Director
As well as being Co-Artistic Director of East London Shakespeare Festival, Rosie is the founder & Company Director of UpFront Theatre Company. She is the Principal of Act Out Performing Arts Schools.
She is a professional actor & singer, and trained in Acting at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Theatre Credits include: Ariadne Ovid’s Metamorphoses (EdFringe & Vaults Festival, PantsOnFire), Cleopatra Anthony & Cleopatra & Goneril King Lear (Cambridge Shakespeare Festival); Lady Macbeth Macbeth – UK Tour & Viola Twelfth Night – Bloomsbury Theatre + UK Tour (Young Shakespeare Company); Soloist New Musicals Project – Leicester Square Theatre & Soloist British Musical Future Hosted by Stiles & Drewe – The Other Palace (As Told By).
Rosie is based in Leytonstone along with her partner, 2 year old and Darcey the dog!
Director's Note
I am thrilled to be directing ELSF’s show again this year and Much Ado is a special one as it was the first play that solidified my love for Shakespeare – I used to watch the Emma Thompson video nearly every weekend at my Granny’s and I’ve been in love with Beatrice and Benedick ever since! They are a formidable coupling, as witty as they are foolish and fiercely loyal – to me they are Shakespeare’s greatest love story, because they truly are equals. We are keen to play with the classic romcom format, with a nod to a few of the greats; there may even be an airport
scene… Richard Curtis – eat your heart out!
As with all ELSF shows, physical comedy, music and movement will feature throughout. I’m particularly excited about the Margaret character who will be absorbing the Balthasar role, as Messina’s resident lounge singer, underscoring the shenanigans and setting the scene of a (hopefully) balmy, Mediterranean backdrop. The production will explore how the characters slide, collide, confound, collude, disguise and hide, and that will be reflected in the movement of the cast and the set.
This would not have been possible without our phenomenal Movement Director, Jennie Dunne; set to the genius music (original and arranged) of our Musical Director Patrick Rufey. Nina Ayres has joined the team bringing some beautiful design to the piece; and a huge thank you to our stage manager ‘Ali Bear’ and my co-producer Ursula Early for all the hard and non-glamourous graft that goes on behind the scenes.
I cannot wait to invite you to Messina, hopefully we have the Mediterranean weather to go with it!
- Rosie Ward - Director
Nina Ayres – Designer
Having attained a first-class honours degree in Theatre Design at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1997, Nina began her career designing for a wide variety of theatre, dance and large-scale open-air productions. She is also the author of ‘Creating Outdoor Theatre’ a publication by Crowood press.
Although her passion for live performance never waned, Nina made the transition to film and TV over 13 years ago and now enjoys working in both genre’s.
Having worked across all areas of both costume and set departments she is well versed in Design, Styling, Construction, Prop Costume, Crafts, Textiles and Breakdown, she has an enormous wealth of experience and is a great problem solver.
She had the pleasure of working on five seasons of Game of Thrones (Emmy Nomination and Emmy Win, HBO), The Crown (Netflix), Fortitude (Sky) and also The Great (Hulu). She was then Costume Designer for The Last Kingdom (Netflix), (Costume Designer Guild Award nomination, Starz), Carnival Row (Amazon Prime) and most recently ‘Adelaide and Noel’ for Green Candle dance company.
She has a reputation for being a practical and highly creative Designer able to deliver quality, detailed, well researched and considered designs from concept through to realisation. Nina enjoys working throughout Europe and worldwide, in new and often challenging work environments.
An avid traveller, Nina is passionate about the anthropology of clothing and fashion, being ancient or modern day. Coupled with a love of story telling she strives to create sets and costumes which have the characters identities seamlessly interwoven with their surroundings to visually aid the story.
Genevieve Dunne – Movement Director
Jennie (Genevieve) Dunne is an actress who studied languages at Cambridge University. She then trained at Jacques Lecoq Theatre School and East 15 Acting School.
Jennie is Co-Artistic Director of NMT Automatics for which she has movement directed: The Orpheus Project; Dido + Aeneas: Remixed, Pandora’s Box and Tempus Fugit: Troy & Us
Credits as choreographer include: The Cambridge Fool’s When In Rome; Where’s Your Mama Gone (Hen and Chickens); The Matchgirls (RDC); The Abominable Snowman (Moon on a Stick Productions). Praise includes: ‘outstanding choreography’ (WhatsOnStage).
Jennie is a regular performer and facilitator for the internationally renowned theatre company 1927, including lead roles in worldwide hit shows Golem, The Animals and Children and Roots.
She spent last year filming Interview With A Vampire in Prague, and can be spotted running around with fangs in the upcoming season.
Jennie is a Leytonstone local and performed in ELSF’s first season whilst heavily pregnant and is very much looking forward to Movement Directing Much Ado, with a little help from her toddler!
Ursula Early: Much Ado Associate Director & Producer; Co-Artistic Director of ELSF
Ursula has produced all of ELSF’s productions and tours including: Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and co-wrote and directed ELSF’s launch show Two Metres to Shakespeare.
Ursula has also recently launched and directs ELSF’s Young Company – a youth theatre for East London 7-17 year olds. Alongside ELSF, she is also Producer for Walthamstow’s performance & community venue The CentrE17.
Previous producing/ directing projects include: Welcome Festival (Blackhorse Arts), Desdemona: a Play About Handkerchief (PARK THEATRE), A Bold Stroke for A Husband and Double Indignity (UK Tour / Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds); regular new writing/comedy night Laugh Your Farce Off (Pleasance Theatre: Main House & Edinburgh). She was a producer on Old Vic New Voices TS Eliot US/UK Exchange.
Patrick Rufey - Musical Director
Patrick trained at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama.
Musical Direction credits Include: Peter Pan, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty (Evolution Productions) NewsRevue 2012-2017 (The Canal Café Theatre, London) An Evening of Jerry Herman (St Pauls, The Actors Church, Covent Garden), Jack & The Beanstalk (The Beck Theatre, QDOS), Jack & The Beanstalk (Buxton Opera House) Cole Porter’s Jubilee (UK Premier, The Tabard Theatre, London), Peter Pan (Paul Holman Associates Pantomime, The Oakengates Theatre, Telford), My Lands Shore (UK Premier Concert Production, The Royal Academy of Music, London) Paprika Crisps (The Unicorn Theatre, London) Days of Hope (St Pauls, The Actors Church, Covent Garden) The Birds (The Leicester Square Theatre, London) Patrick Is also Principle Conductor of The Virtual Theatre Orchestra, formed in 2020 during Covid Lockdown.
As a Composer, Patrick has written for Talkwood Productions; a Musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which was performed at The Charing Cross Theatre in London in 2013, a musical parody of the Stephen Spielberg movie ‘Jurassic Park’ called Jurassic Lark The Musical (from the perspective of the Dinosaurs), which premiered at the Leister Square Theatre April 2015. Most recently He has written 1066 A New Musical and the studio cast album is available on all streaming services.
Alistair Brown - Stage Manager
Alistair graduated with a drama degree from Aberystwyth University, and has worked on and off stage. As company manager for Quantum Theatre he was responsible for directing and supporting their touring productions including ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ ‘The Tempest’ and ‘The Snow Queen.’ He has manged theatres including the Omnibus in Clapham and has toured with The Down for the Count Swing Orchestra as front of house/ tour manager. His favourite on stage roles include Orsino (‘Twelfth Night’), Neal (‘Love and Understanding’) Peter Rabbit, Mr Toad (‘The Wind in the Willows’) and ‘Straight to the Heart’ (Arts Theatre.)
Alistair also works in television production as a researcher and assistant producer, with credits including ‘Tipping Point’, ‘Who Wants to Be A Millionaire’, ‘The Wheel’ and BT Sport.
He is delighted to be joining the team at ELSF this summer and is ready for whatever the Great British weather has to offer!
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CAST to be announced
Each year, ELSF employs talented young professionals to join the team. Our aim is to discover and nurture new talent. In addition to a professional credit, ELSF provides mentoring and training.
Joining the team this year will be an Apprentice Actor and Work experience placements.
APPRENTICE SCHEME
COMMUNITY CAST
The next opportunity to get involved will be our 2024 Summer Tour, please join our mailing list to be kept updated.
COMMUNITY CAST - be part of the show:
This is an exciting (and free!) opportunity for aspiring actors or those who simply love to perform to be in a professional production:
The Community Ensembles will take part in workshops/rehearsals, led by cast members.
You will take part in workshops/rehearsals, learning:
Short sections of the show, songs, a dance routine…you may even get some lines!
Then you will perform alongside the professional actors in the productions at your local venue.
The opportunity is open to anyone aged 11+
If you would like to be part of the Community Cast for MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING summer 2024, please sign up via link below.
Community Cast will be featured throughout the show
SYNOPSIS
Act 1
Trying to mend a broken heart, Beatrice boards a plane to Messina to visit her wealthy Uncle Leonato and cousin (& best friend) Hero. But as soon as she arrives, her Uncle announces they are going to be visited by some old friends, Don Pedro, Claudio & Benedick who are soldiers. The soldiers arrive & the leader, Don Pedro, introduces Leonato to his half brother, Don John. Beatrice and Benedick know each other already and do not get on - they start squabbling as soon as they meet, meanwhile Hero (Leonato's daughter) & Claudio (one of the soldiers) start to get on very well! Claudio admits to Don Pedro and Benedick that he is in love and would like to marry Hero. Meanwhile Don John admits to his friends Borachio & Conrad that he hates his brother and his friends and will do anything to ruin their fun.
To welcome the soldiers, Leonato throws a lavish masked ball - while they are all disguised, Don Pedro pretends to be Claudio & dances with Hero to help him win her affections; but Don John tells Claudio (who is pretending to be Benedick) that Don Pedro is tricking Claudio and is going to propose to Hero himself. But Don Pedro sets the record straight and Hero and Claudio agree to marry. In the excitement, the friends decide that they should set up Beatrice and Benedick who clearly love each other, despite their constant bickering.
The following day, Leonato, Claudio and Don Pedro wait until Benedick is nearby, then in loudly talk about how Beatrice is in love with him. Meanwhile, Hero, Margaret and Ursula do the same to Beatrice. The pair fall for the trick and admit to the audience that they do, in fact, love another.
Act 2
Don John & Borachio have come up with a plan to ruin the wedding - Borachio (who is having a relationship with Margaret) trick Don Pedro and Claudio into believing that Margaret is Hero and that Hero is unfaithful. They decide to expose her at the wedding.
Meanwhile, Leonato's security staff - Dogberry, Verges and the Watch have a meeting to ensure all is safe and sound at Leonato's before the big day. Hero and her bridesmaids, Beatrice and Margaret prepare for the wedding and before you know it, she's walking down the aisle. However, Claudio refuses to marry her and shames her in front of everyone, accusing her of being unfaithful. Hero collapses and everyone except Beatrice, Leonato and the Friar leave. They come up with a plan - Hero will pretend to be dead until they can find a way to prove her innocence. Benedick returns to find Beatrice crying - they declare their love for one another and he asks if there's anything he can do. She demands he kill Claudio which he refuses, but he promises to help with the plan.
Borachio is bragging to his friend Conrad about tricking Claudio & Don Pedro, which is overheard by the watch - they have the proof they need to exonerate Hero. Dogberry leads a trial & Borachio confesses that Hero was never unfaithful & that it was all a plan concocted by Don John. Claudio sings at Hero's funeral and Leonato says he will forgive Claudio if he marries Hero's identical cousin and loves her as he promised to love Hero.
Wedding Take 2 - Hero reveals that she is alive, vows she was innocent and she and Claudio are married. & after a bit of too-ing and fro-ing, Beatrice and Benedick admit to the congregation that they are in love too and they get married! All's well that ends well!
If you have seen the show & enjoyed it, please share & tag us on social media
PRODUCERS - URSULA EARLY & ROSIE WARD
Ursula
Producing and Directing: Alongside being one of the founders and directors of ELSF she is director for Waltham Forest based theatre and community company Blackhorse Arts. She is also Producer and Programmer for Walthamstow’s performance venue CentreE17.
Rosie
Founder and Company Director of UpFront Theatre Company, touring educational PSHE workshops and plays around UK Schools. Principal at Act Out Performing Arts and co-founder and co-director of East London Shakespeare Festival.
The East London Shakespeare Festival aims to bring joyful, contemporary and professional productions to outdoor community spaces. We want to make Shakespeare accessible to all, be that creatively, financially or logistically. Alongside our fantastic productions, we are running a Community Programme including an Apprentice scheme for aspiring actors/directors; Community Ensemble for local people to get involved; Performances & Workshops for Local Schools and plenty of Volunteer opportunities. We have partenered with local companies and aim to support other local businesses though our productions.
MARKETING - ELODIE FORAY
Elodie Foray works in all aspects of theatre, from the stage, as an actor, backstage as a director, some way away from the stage as a playwright and in graphic designing and marketing. Some jobs are dull but there are few briefs that are more fun than “it’s Shakespeare and it’s 80s inspired, go!”.
PHOTOGRAPHER - to be confirmed
Our Venues
As an outdoor production, it was really important that our venues were as magical as our story. We have found some East London gems, that truly reflect the East London Shakespeare Festival vibe.
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HIGHAM HILL HUB
Thank you to Lillian Gerber for allowing us to use the magical outdoor space at Higham Hill Hub.
Higham Hill Hub is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation based within Higham Hill Park whose social purpose is to facilitate, host and deliver a diverse range of activities & seasonal events for all generations of the community.
Higham Hill Hub’s facilities include a hall, small kitchen, toilets (including disabled toilet), and limited storage. The 6m x 12m hall includes a sprung dance floor and mirrors.
The building is wheelchair accessible and we also have a large, private lawn.
The Hub is affordable to hire for everything from classes and events, to meetings and birthday parties.
SENSORY GARDENS, BEHIND TOWN HALL AT FELLOWSHIP SQUARE
Thank you to Kirsten Paterson, Dannie Hodson-Michael, Carol Moloney at the Fellowship Funding Scheme.
The sensational Fellowship Square in Walthamstow, which has undergone an extensive renovation. Based outside the iconic town hall, Fellowship Square has become a vibrant new cultural hub for residents and families to enjoy, complete with colourful power-jet fountains and music.
We will be the first company to showcase the newly renovated area behind the town hall which includes a calm & serene sensory garden.
APPLECART ARTS AT PLASHET PARK
Many thanks to Peter Moreton and Will Alder from Applecart Arts, Monica Thomas from Newham Council and Nicole Mackie from the parks team.
We are very excited to venture to Newham to the stunning Plashet Park, behind Applecart Arts.
We at Applecart Arts believe that stories are potent and have the power to challenge, change and strengthen communities.
We work with a wide range of artistic disciplines – creating original music, film, visual art and drama. We combine this with our long-standing commitment to community engagement and a pursuit of artistic excellence.
We aim to reach across cultural divides and tell stories which engage, inspire and entertain our audiences.
In December 2021 Applecart Arts moved to The Passmore Edwards Building in Plashet Grove, East Ham. Read more about our new building here.
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KUKOOLALA CAFE GARDEN AT LEYTON JUBILEE PARK
Thank you to Joy at KukooLaLa Cafe & Chris Bonney from Greenspace, for allowing us to use the lovely space behind the cafe.
KukooLala has charm by the bucket load, and we can't wait to add some fairy magic into the mix.
We have been awarded the permanent contract to run the community cafe in Leyton Jubilee Park. It is our hope to make the cafe a meeting point for local residents to come together in a diverse warm space. Whether you need a formal, but light & airy meeting room or a magical garden, we can make your event a success. Just feeling lonely? Come for a chat. Are you a new parent or carer & looking to meet others? Check out our events or just head on down anytime & let the little one(s) have a go at our toybox for a well deserved break.
HOXTON COMMUNITY GARDENS
Thank you to Max Mason & Paul Fleming at Hoxton Trust.
The Hoxton Trust exists to make the area of Hoxton and Shoreditch a better place for everyone who lives or works there.
We do this by supporting those most economically and socially disadvantaged with opportunities to build their levels of skills, knowledge and confidence; by providing free legal advice and assistance to those without the means to otherwise obtain it; and by managing and maintaining a community garden for the health, wellbeing and general enjoyment of everyone.
Our award-winning garden is a private space for the benefit of everyone who lives and works in the area. It is maintained by our volunteers and is not a council-run park. The garden provides an oasis of beautiful green space in a densely populated urban area where more than 80% of people rent a flat (3 times the national average), most without their own garden. As well as a place to be, the garden hosts numerous groups and community events that help reduce isolation, break down barriers and boost social cohesion.
HIGHAMS PARK
Thank you to Gordon Turpin and Toni Hanshaw from the wonderful Humphry's Cafe
Set in the beautiful park “The Highams Park” and surrounded by nature with stunning views of Highams Park Lake, Humphry’s is a vibrant but relaxing café and community space.
Humphry’s is also home to many community based activities and is used as an exhibition space for work by local artists
LAUDERDALE HOUSE
Thank you to Katherine Ives & Helen Lakeland from Lauderdale House
Packed full of activities, which you can discover in our What’s On section, and revealing historic features dating back almost 450 years, Lauderdale is a ‘house of many colours’ where no one day is like another. We offer different things to a wide range of different people, always seeking to reflect the original charitable gift of the house and park as a centre for arts and heritage for all and a ‘garden for the gardenless’. We are:
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a creative and tranquil place of inspiration
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a personal and unique building in which to celebrate key life changing events – weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, memorials
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a vibrant hub for the arts and social interaction; a place to experiment and a place to discover new creativity
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a window into almost 450 years of history
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a valuable and stimulating resource for schools
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a provider of new opportunities through our extensive community and outreach programme
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an organisation where volunteers can gain experience to help them find jobs or simply enjoy being part of our team which makes all of this possible
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an excuse to enjoy a cup or tea or a sausage sandwich looking at the park, or have a rest while walking the dog!
FOREST GATE COMMUNITY GARDENS
Thank you to Myanah Saunders
Forest Gate Community Garden is a constantly evolving living environment, it is cared for and supported in an Organic way with biodiversity at the core of every part of its growth and development.
Rich in species and in habitats the garden offers structure and solace to many lifeforms as the seasons and the climates we live in change ever faster around us.”
CRYSTAL PALACE PARK CONCERT PLATFORM
Thank you to the Trustees of Crystal Palace Park Trust
Update: Following the hugely successful #BackTheBowl crowdfunding campaign, which raised over £65,000 thanks to individual pledges of more than 1,000 people and the generous support of the Mayor of London, the new stage surface was installed in July 2022. This marks the end of the first phase of our project to revive Crystal Palace Bowl, with the next phase aiming to modernise the backstage area and improve access to the venue.
https://www.crystalpalacebowl.com/community
CLISSOLD PARK
Thank you to Amarah White
One of Hackney’s best loved traditional parks, Clissold Park was opened in 1889 and has held a Green Flag award since 2006. Green Flags are awarded annually to the best green spaces in the country.
Clissold Park and House were renovated in 2011 as part of an £8.9 million Heritage Lottery Fund restoration project.
Situated in the beautiful Clissold House, Park Life Café is the perfect place to unwind.
Enjoy locally roasted barista crafted Coffee which pairs excellently with tempting cakes and bakes that are made right here in Hackney.
Freshly made ‘to go’ food options are available for a tasty bite to eat on the move, as well as signature hot dishes from the kitchen. With a wide range of options available to suit all tastes and dietary requirements, there’s something for everyone.
VALENTINES PARK
Thank you to Janice Hunte from Vision and the wonderful team at Valentine Park's Gardeners Cottage Cafe.
Valentines Park is our premiere award winning park. It has been given a Green Flag Award and has been voted top 10 in the country in the People's Choice Award on 5 occasions.
The park was originally the parkland to Valentines Mansion and Gardens.
Valentines Mansion was built in around 1696 - the Council acquired the house in 1912. Since then, the mansion has been home to wartime refugees, a hospital, a public health centre, and a council housing department.
After standing empty for 15 years, Valentines was restored in 2009 with Redbridge council and Heritage Lottery funds, and strong community support to create the historic but contemporary venue it is today.
Gardener's Cottage Cafe
Nestled in the Kitchen Garden you’ll find the Gardener’s Cottage Cafe. Open everyday, the cafe has ample indoor and outdoor seating, Choose from a variety of hot and cold drinks, snacks, cakes, soups, sandwiches and other lunch options.
The Old Bowling Green in SPRINGFIELD PARK
Thank you to Amarah White from Hackney Council.
Springfield Park officially opened as a public park in 1905 and takes its name from its unique geology. The park was formed from the grounds of three private houses, of which only Springfield House (The White House) remains.
The park is 14.73 hectares in size, with formal gardens and conservation areas and has extensive views across Walthamstow Marshes.
The park holds a Green Flag award. Green Flags are given to the best green spaces in the country and are awarded each year to make sure the quality of the green space remains high.
LANGTHORNE PARK AMPHITHEATRE
Thank you to Helen Crockford from Leytonstone Toy Library.
Our mission is to provide a safe and stimulating space for families with under 5s to play, learn and interact and loan toys which don't cost the Earth. We are woking in partnership with the local community to run the Friends of Langthorne Park.
We have been hugely lucky to have our fair share of fairies, who have made this project possible.
Our Partners
WALTHAM FOREST COUNCIL
This project has been funded by Community Ward Funding from Higham Hill.
Special thanks to Cllr's Karen Bellamy. Thanks to Simon Miller, Paul Douglas, Grace Williams & Stella Creasey for sharing the project.
They have been on board from the very early stages of this project and their continuing support and guidance has been invaluable.
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
This project has been funded by Arts Council England.
Their fund supports thousands of artists and creative projects per year. Let’s Create, our strategy for the next ten years, describes their vision that, by 2030, England will be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences.
NEWHAM COUNCIL
Many thanks to Monica Thomas at Newham Council for supporting the project with space in kind, marketing and community outreach.
APPLECART ARTS
Many thanks to Applecart Arts who have offered space in kind, marketing and community engagement outreach.
A huge thank you to Stow Brothers for generously covering our print. They have supported the project and have been sharing and spreading the word!
Established in 2014 in the heart of one of London’s most diverse and energetic areas,t they are estate agents with a real desire to redress the balance and do things differently.
A huge thank you to the John Armitage Charitable Trust for supporting the project and our
Community Engagement Programme.
Many thanks to Toni from Humphry's Cafe who is kindly providing storage space.
Food & refreshments will be available during the show and all of it is delicious!
Joy at KukooLala Cafe has been a huge supporter of the project when we first shared our idea in 2020!
Kukoolala is kindly donating rehearsal & storage space.
Food & refreshments will be available during the show and all of it is delicious!
Lillian Gerber at Higham Hill Hub was one of the first people to hear about our idea for the festival and has been an invaluable support since then. They are kindly donating performance, storage and rehearsal space.
The outdoor space at Higham Hill Hub is truly magical; and hosts a huge array of projects for the community, including fantastic charitable work with PinPoint Inc & COG.
An enormous thank you to Max and Ruth Peters at CentrE17, which has been our main home for rehearsals.
If you enjoy our show, be sure to check out CentrE17's amazing programme of theatre, which spans from new writing, Children's Theatre and plenty of opportunites to get involved.
Many thanks to Max and the Hoxton Trust who is kindly providing storage space.
Food & refreshments will be available during the show and all of it is delicious!
Many thanks to the team at Crystal Palace
Park for supporting outreach.
Huge thanks to Kristen Thomas, Carol Moloney & Dannie Hodson-Michael for their ongoing support with logstics and outreach.
An enormous thank you to Helen Crockford & the amazing Leytonstone Toy Library for supporting ELSF's performances in Langthorne Park.
Many thanks to John Walker at Crate for sharing opportunities with their network.
Introducing an exciting business community for creatives, retailers, food outlets and service businesses in the heart of Waltham Forest, E17. CRATE also offers all businesses accross the UK business support with the CRATE BOOST platform: boost.crateuk.com
ELSF partnered with BCE to share opportunities for students to get involved. We have had a blast working with these talented young people, who have conducted cast interviews, photographed rehearsals and helped with social media & ushering.
Huge thanks to Graham Goddard for organising.
SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST
This project received support from Swire Chartiable Trust.
The Swire Charitable Trust is an independent UK grant making trust. Since 1975 we have been supporting charities that share our commitment to delivering positive and lasting change to UK society. We receive our funding from John Swire & Sons Ltd, the parent company of the Swire Group.
UpFront Theatre Company is kindly lending us their tour vehicle for the run. They have also provided assistance in writing the schools workshop.
UpFront Theatre Company is an educational theatre company providing interactive PSHE workshops for KS2-5.
London Theatre1 have kindly
shared the project
HACKNEY COUNCIL
Many thanks to Hackney Council, who have been sharing the project and engagement opportunities. As well as all their help securing some beautiful performance venues.
VISION & REDBRIDGE COUNCIL
Many thanks to Vision who have been sharing the project and engagement opportunities. As well as all their help securing some beautiful performance venues.
Special thanks to Lizzy Renihan at Natural Voices, Sammy at RAW Academy, Ian Noble at Redbridge Drama Centre, UpFront Theatre Company, Act Out Performing Arts, Mary Dunne Theatre School for spreading the word about the project and sharing our opportunities to get involved.
Thanks to Joe & Emma Ward, Jack Bence & Rob Dent for their assistance with transport and kit.
© East London Shakespeare Company Ltd, Registered in England, Company No 064-961760
East London based theatre company