ELSF is a Waltham Forest based theatre & community company (registered charity no. 1203349) merging the contemporary culture of East London with the inspirational storytelling of Shakespeare’s plays. Presenting high-quality accessible professional outdoor production alongside community participatory programmes for local people. With a particular focus on engaging audiences and participants who have previously had limited access to live performance.

We want to make performance available to all – and reduce some of the barriers people have to experiencing & participating in it:expensive tickets, travel, isolation – by bringing

accessible theatre and cultural engagement activities to their doorstep. 

ELSF productions are not traditional outdoor Shakespeare, they are contemporary, filled with music, dance, audience interaction & relevant to diverse audiences/families/all ages. For the summer tour a festival vibe is encouraged with gates opening an hour before shows, pre-show craft making workshops and BYO Picnics. There are Pay-What-You-Can performances & heavily reduced school matinees for local schools, with pre-show workshops led by cast.  

​

We have a successful & established community engagement programme including:

• Community Casts of up to 20 local residents (from ages 11+) joingin the professional casts of our outdoor summer theatre tour each year,

• Apprentice Schemes: Kickstart apprentices and a paid apprentice actor roles for a local aspiring actors (18-25). The gain: professional credit & experience, free mentoring

• Work Experience Schemes

​

Previous projects: 

In just three seasons ELSF have been nominated twice for Best Company by the OFFIES (for 2023's 'Romeo & Juliet' & '2021's A Midsummer Nights Dream')

​

ELSF launched in 2021 with a magical, riotous, sold-out production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, receiving an Off West End Award Nomination for Best Company. This project was funded by Arts Council, England. In 2022 we followed this with a highly successful production of Twelfth Night with a community Cast of 16 members who performed in 8 shows at 2 of the venues (see feedback below). 

ELSF have recently completed 2023's summer tour of  'Romeo & Juliet' (May - Aug 2023), joined by a cast of 18 local people in the community cast. It toured East London Parks and community spaces including: Fellowship Square (E17, Waltham Forest), Leyton Jubilee Park (E10, Waltham Forest), Valentines Park (Ilford), Higham Hill Hub, Wanstead Park (Redbridge), Springfield Park (Clapton, E5), Clissold Park (N16), Hoxton Community Gardens (N1, Hackney), Hornsey School for Girls (N8)

​

Other previous productions include '2 Metres to Shakespeare', a COVID-safe live production during the pandemic at Leyton’s Langthorne Amphitheatre; 'Behind Closed Doors (Shakespeare)' as part of Waltham Forests’ Virtual Programme of Culture; and Response Project, a community-led response to Behind Closed Doors. ELSF has been awarded grants from: Arts Council, England, Swire Trust, Armitage Trust London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF) Fellowship Fund, 8 grants from LBWF Ward funding, wards include; Higham Hill, Leyton, William Morris, Chapel End) .

​

​

​

​

​