The Bread & Roses Theatre

Innovative & award-winning fringe theatre in Clapham, upstairs at The Bread & Roses Pub


  • Home
  • Donations
  • What's On
  • Opportunities
    • Bring a Show
    • Networking Event
    • Joining the Team
    • Newsletters
    • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • About
    • Theatre
    • Team
    • News
    • Find Us
  • Playwriting
    • Playwriting Award >
      • Playwriting Award 2021 onwards
      • Playwriting Award 2018/2019
      • Playwriting Award 2016/2017
      • Playwriting Competition 2015
    • Playwrights Circle
    • Publications
    • Short Plays for The Platform
  • Home
  • Donations
  • What's On
  • Opportunities
    • Bring a Show
    • Networking Event
    • Joining the Team
    • Newsletters
    • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • About
    • Theatre
    • Team
    • News
    • Find Us
  • Playwriting
    • Playwriting Award >
      • Playwriting Award 2021 onwards
      • Playwriting Award 2018/2019
      • Playwriting Award 2016/2017
      • Playwriting Competition 2015
    • Playwrights Circle
    • Publications
    • Short Plays for The Platform

Final Farewell from Co-Founder Tessa Hart

19/3/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
We don’t believe journeys ever come to an end, they just change directions or split paths sometimes. Our Co-Founder Tessa’s time has come now to split paths with the wonderful endeavour of The Bread & Roses Theatre for good. Having left the UK exactly 4 years ago and stepped down as the theatre’s Artistic Director, Tessa stayed on as an Executive Director and there was much to manage for the theatre to make it through Covid-closures and what not. Our journey with trying out the space and how we could work together as people (or not) started 10 years ago in 2012, the theatre then officially opened in 2014.

‘Co-Founding this theatre, serving as its Co-Director, growing with this project for about a decade, has been a life-changing and life-shaping journey.’

Now it’s time to cherish the journey travelled together and the many journeys ahead, as Tessa bids farewell fully and also steps down as Executive Director and company owner. The theatre remains in the most incredible and capable hands, of course, of Co-Founder & Managing Director Rebecca Pryle, Artistic Director since 2018 Velenzia Spearpoint and the whole ever-growing theatre team and community.

And, if you fancy saying “hi” and/or “bye”, come join us on Tuesday 29th March at 5:30pm for a final farewell get-together, as it’ll also be Tessa’s first actual visit since 2019! ​(Current in-house production Who You Are and What You Do is also on at 7:30pm that day, if you fancy catching that too, whilst you’re there.)

0 Comments

Chop Me Up Or Let Me Go at The Bread & Roses Theatre

7/2/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
When a fashionable movie star is kidnapped by a mysterious stalker, he must learn how to negotiate his way out of imprisonment using all his skills and cunning.

Opening later this month, we spoke with Lesley Ann Albiston the writer and director of Chop Me Up Or Let Me Go about her dark comedy with a twist. 

 What inspired you to create this show? Why this story?
During the first lockdown people used it as an opportunity to be fully creative, some built robots out of household appliances, some searched the night sky for aliens who might offer a way off this pandemic-soaked planet, and I wrote a play about being trapped. Because I was trapped. A bit obvious really in retrospect. Luckily, it’s getting to be performed and appreciated.

Who are the collaborators on this production?
Firstly, I cast Alastair Coughlan, a brand-new shiny actor musician, fresh from training in New York Drama school in the main role of kidnapped famous actor Tom Reynolds, when I only had an early draft, then I sort-of built the rest of play around the Alastair’s incredible skill set. It took us a while to find a female actor who could match his dramatic/comedic performance whilst portraying Astrid Barton, a slightly unhinged stalker turned kidnapper, but much to our delight we found the striking actor dancer Ciara Murphy not long after graduating from ALRA. She inspired me to develop the character of Astrid away from being just another crazy stalker into someone a little more real. Astrid is still bonkers though. Adorable but bonkers. You must be to do what she does in the play…


Read More
0 Comments

Nicole Acquah's Top Tips For Creating Autobiographical Theatre

25/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ahead of Acquah&Co's run of SANKOFA at The Bread & Roses Theatre this February, Nicole Acquah talks us through her top tips for creating autobiographical theatre...

Sankofa is a semi-autobiographical piece of theatre, recently shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting. It is about my heritage as a Ghanaian-British woman, and how I found out in only the last few years that I come from a long line of artists. The show explores how this discovery impacted the way I see myself and explores my experiences as a West African woman making work, falling in love, uncovering my personal history…all that fun stuff. 
I am performing onstage alongside musicians Vanessa Garber and Doyin Ade. It is directed by Carol Leeming MBE and produced by Tia Ray, with voice and dialect by Eleanor Manners and movement direction by Kwame Asafo-Adjei. In addition to writing, I perform in the piece. 
Here are some of the things that this process has helped me reflect upon and hopefully some tips to take away for your own shows:  


Read More
0 Comments

Velvet Smoke Productions introduce Disc Jockey

24/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Bread & Roses Theatre Emerging Company 2021 VELVET SMOKE PRODUCTIONS talk us through their new production Disc Jockey, the highs and lows and everything in-between.

What do audiences have to look forward to?
Audiences can look forward to a moving piece that will take you on the journey of Daniel Johnson, aka, DJ. An up and coming DJ who finally catches his big break, and as they say, the higher the climb, the harder they fall. But underlying this, they can also expect a heartwarming tale about friendship, and the trials and tribulations of that. The more you love someone the more you will be willing to fight for that person. Relationships are like roller coasters, they have their ups and downs. Friendships will be tested, passions will rise, laughter will be had. For those fellow underground house music lovers also, expect to hear a score of completely original music produced by Tiwai himself. At moments, it will transport you from the theatre to the rave. 

What inspired you to create this show? Why this story?
The initial concept for the story came from moments in my life and my journey into the rave culture that I experienced when I (Tiwai) went to University. In a lot of ways ‘Disc Jockey’ is a semi-biographical story or one that takes place in an alternate reality had my life gone down a different route. I think the use of substances at raves is such an important topic and in this generation it has become so desensitized, as it is almost part and parcel of going raving. Many people often say they only go to raves to do the drugs. I love the music and I wanted the chance to bring my two worlds, theatre and music, together and ‘Disc Jockey’ ended up being the outcome of that. And now together with Joseph Ward, the Co-Writer, it has evolved into this tragic forewarning of the dangers of substance abuse being viewed so lightly. We think this is an important story that a lot of people need to hear, as often it is shied away from. Hopefully this story can now inspire people to maybe just think twice, and try to emphasise being safe within the rave scene, to avoid the unnecessary deaths of many party goers. 



Read More
0 Comments

Jonathan Walfisz on a 'Road to Nowhere'

12/1/2022

0 Comments

 
We spoke to Little Creatures Theatre co-founder, Jonathan Walfisz, about their upcoming show 'Road to Nowhere' - a new play centring on a queer film-making collective who embark on an ill-judged road trip to Paris to coerce their one successful movie-star friend to help them, willing or not. Running 7th - 9th February 2022 at The Bread & Roses Theatre
Picture
What inspired you to create this show? Why this story?
​
I had felt stuck in the creative doldrums for quite a while when the pandemic began. It had been a few years since I had last made a play, and while I knew in my heart of hearts it was what I wanted to do, life had kinda got in the way. Being stuck at home in lockdown gave me time to re-evaluate that I had evaded playwriting for fear of failing, but wasn’t doing particularly well at the career I’d chosen instead. So I quit my cushy work-from-home job mid-lockdown and decided to write something about artists who create knowing they most likely won’t be successes - and what that does to their motivation. In a lot of ways, it was a means for me to ask myself, ‘am I willing to do this even if it fails?’

Who should see this show & why?
Anyone who’s ever tried to make something despite the odds! The story focuses on a group of artists facing different internal and external gatekeepers - from a trans character wanting to break free of stereotypes, to a Dutch character wondering how long he can stay in the UK. I think anyone can find something of themselves in the characters. 

​Have there been any obstacles in the creation of 'Road to Nowhere'?
​
We had a month where we couldn’t rehearse due to cast members almost taking it in turns to test positive with the Omicron variant. It’s definitely pushed up our blood pressure to know we’re inching towards opening night and haven’t been in a room together for the entirety of December. Thankfully, rehearsals are back on track now! 


Read More
0 Comments

In conversation with Farine Clarke on 'London Zoo' running 7th - 11th September

17/8/2021

7 Comments

 
Picture
'What is it like to be stabbed in the back; to constantly experience subtle prejudice; to be capable but feel powerless?'
We sat down with Farine Clarke, writer of London Zoo to find out more about her play which explores the characters surrounding the newspaper industry at the turn of the millennium.

​
What inspired you to write this play?  

Subtext! I’ve always been interested in the difference between what people say and what they really think. We’re sociable animals so brutal honesty can be damaging and hurtful; often it’s kinder not to voice our inner thoughts. But when our ‘harmless’ words mask ingrained prejudice, then that’s more sinister. I was a doctor and then worked in business at a senior level and in both I witnessed situations where the spoken word masked the inner thought. I love using humour to draw attention to the ‘thought conversation’. However tragic it can be, it’s also funny and ironic, and just makes people smile and think, ‘yes’.  This dichotomy applies in so many different situations that it resonates with us all.

You wrote this play many years ago. Why stage it now?   
My biggest concern was that it would be out of date. London Zoo is about the balance of power in the workplace and prejudicial layers, not just sexual or racial but between races and against ‘perceived weakness’. Over ten years later, when Sassy and Velenzia at The Bread and Roses invited me into their Playwrights’ Circle to have a scene read, I was convinced things had moved on. I’ll never forget the first piece of feedback from one of the contributors who said, “There’s good and bad. The good is it’s really funny and the bad is, nothing’s changed.” That really shocked me and getting it staged became a bit of a mission! Sassy put me in touch with Samantha Pears (our director) and here we are! 

You describe the play as a ‘pacey parody of life’; what do audiences have to look forward to?   
If the feedback from the rehearsed reading we held on Zoom in February is anything to go by, I think audiences will enjoy it, find it funny, and also recognise that in life you just can’t make it up. Lots of people have said it ‘chimed’ with them and that’s important. It’s satirical but it does have an edge which can be slightly uncomfortable. It also has a fantastical ending which everyone says they didn’t see coming. I hope the audience leaves  feeling they’ve seen a stimulating as well as entertaining play.


Read More
7 Comments

"I didn't want this. I just wanted you."

30/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ahead of "I didn't want this. I just wanted you." at The Bread & Roses Theatre this July, we spoke with Aaron-Lee Eyles to find out more about this fascinating show...

What inspired you to create this show? Why this story? 

The initial inspiration came from a personal desire to create a show about a lottery winner. I didn’t know which lottery winner, or what the story would be, but for some time I’ve wanted to interrogate the issues that arise from sudden financial gain and the pressure that it brings. After coming across Billie-Bob’s story I knew that this was the one. It is already a story full of drama and tragedy. 
 
You describe the piece as a 'musical tale', what do audiences have to look forward to? 
Many things! Musically this play is going to be a lot of fun; some country/ folk music and a little southern rock, we’re hoping to have some of the music played live too! It’s not just instrumental either, our cast are wonderful singers and Rob Hardie, our musical director, has some beautiful and chilling harmonies at the ready.  
 
Have there been any obstacles in the creation of 'I didn't want this. I just wanted you'? 
As a self funded company we pay our actors and creative’s through profit share – which is wonderful but has meant scheduling rehearsal around other work/ commitments- it’s been a challenge but one we are more than ready for. Another obstacle has been working out what to and not to include in the play, Billie-Bob’s story is already so full and dramatic that we couldn’t possibly stage it all!  


Read More
0 Comments

Sex, Lies & Improvisation at The Bread & Roses Theatre

21/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Bread & Roses is delighted to welcome four nationally-acclaimed improvisation shows to our stage from the 1st to 3rd July. The award-winning Sex, Lies & Improvisation hosts a different headline act each night. Performer Rachel E. Thorn tells us more.

Tell us about your award-winning show.
Sex, Lies & Improvisation is a dark comedy about why we lie to the people we love. We have a host of real-life lies which have been submitted anonymously to the show and we ask the audience to choose one to inspire the story we tell. All we know is that Alex and I will play a couple and one of us has a secret to keep. We were The Phoenix Remix Act Of The Year 2019.

And why do you work in improvisation?
Firstly improvisation is a great source of comedy, as anyone who watched Whose Line Is It Anyway? knows. But the best thing about improv is it’s probably the most engaging theatrical art form we have. 


Read More
0 Comments

The Bread and Roses Theatre proudly presents I and the Village

30/4/2021

0 Comments

 
The Bread and Roses Theatre proudly presents 
I and the Village 
Written by Darren Donohue | Directed by Rebecca Pryle & Velenzia Spearpoint 
Top three winner of The Bread & Roses Playwriting Award 2019/2020 
The Bread and Roses Theatre are delighted to have been awarded a grant from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. This funding has enabled the award-winning pub theatre to recover, reopen and bring an exciting new production to life.

The Bread and Roses Theatre will be reopening on Tuesday 25 May 2021, starting with an in-house produced play, one of three winners of Bread & Roses Playwriting Award (2019) , I and the Village by Darren Donohue. The play will be co-directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director and Managing Director, Velenzia Spearpoint and Rebecca Pryle. This is also made possible thanks to Lambeth Economic Resilience Fund, The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, Unity Theatre Trust and every single individual who donated to the online appeal.

Artistic Director, Velenzia Spearpoint, said “Myself and the entire team were moved to tears by this play, it opens us up to a hidden part of the world and sheds light on the urgency of the issues behind the Direct Provision Centre. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who donated and supported our theatre during these trying times, however big or small and every act of spreading the word has made this possible, we can’t wait to share this important story with you!” 

​
Picture
“No one knows we’re here, to them we are invisible” 

Starring Chido Kunene, Funke Adeleke, Laide Sonola and Mark Rush, I and the Village explores the consequences of long term confinement in a system designed to be flawed. A story of longing, survival and hope. Other creatives involved are Set and Costume Designer Constance Villemot, Lighting and Sound Designer Chuma Emembolu, Dramaturg and Researcher Matilda Velevitch, Assistant Director Tom Ward, Produced by Natalie Chan with Creative Producer Tessa Hart and Assistant Producer Rosie Sharp.

Living in limbo at an isolated Direct Provision Centre, Keicha and Jeta await decisions on their status to remain in Ireland. Sharing a room, their memories and fantasies seep into the dank walls merging into one story. When eighteen-year-old Hannah joins them she must fight to maintain her sense of identity or risk getting swept up in their reality. Limited in what he can do, kind hearted Carl, battles with his morals and his position as Centre Manager.

Tickets are now on sale, visit here
For press tickets and further information, contact Natalie Chan via natalie@breadandrosestheatre.co.uk or 07432193819

Recommended 16+, contains strong language and adult themes. 

Previews: 25th & 26th May 2021 | Press night: 27th May 2021
Tuesday 25th - Saturday 30th May at 7.30pm & Saturday 30th May 2:30pm 
Tuesday 2nd - Saturday 5th June at 7.30pm & Saturday 5th June 2:30pm
Tickets: £14 | Concessions: £12 | Running time: 90 minutes 

​

PRAISE FOR PREVIOUS BREAD & ROSES PLAYWRITING AWARD WINNERS 
"Funny, moving, powerful new play" ★★★★★ - Remotegoat 
"a renewed sense of wonder at the human spirit" ★★★★★ - Breaking the Fourth Wall 
"Full of mellow humour and tasty conflict of character" ★★★★ & Top Pick of the Month - LPT Magazine 
Picture

CAST 
JETA | CHIDO KUNENE

Chido Kunene is a Zimbabwean native and has lived in the UK most of her life. She has been acting and in continuous training for over 5years with Institutional Acting in London. Some of her theatre work includes Alfie playing (Vy), Lysistrata playing (Rhoddiphe). Chido is also in a short feature film playing the role of a Healer, titled N'anga that is due to come out this year. Chido is honoured to be playing the role of Jeta as she sees a little of herself in Jeta. 'I believe this is a story that would shed light to those who are blind at how confinement can change one's equilibrium, especially when treated less than humane'

​KEICHA | FUNKE ADELEKE
Funke is an actor musician who was a lead singer in a band called London Afrobeat Collective for 4 years where she won the Best Black British award in 2015 after releasing an album called Food Chain. She studied at Royal Central school of Speech and Drama. She is also a member of Clean Break where she won her bursary to study at Central. She has been working in the industry consistently since leaving Central in 2017. She has been in numerous commercials, most notably the Just Eat advert, an R&D with Wretched Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and Graeae Theatre. She can also be seen in short films Padre and Sweatbox. 


HANNAH | LAIDE SONOLA
Laide trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Theatre credits include : Take Me Back (Criterion Theatre & UK Tour), The Countdown (Millfield Theatre), The Jungle Book (Tabard Theatre & Sala Umberto Theatre, Rome), Metamorphosis (Hen and Chickens Theatre), Beauty and the Beast (Colour House Theatre)/ Film credits include : Rethinktion, Behind Closed Doors, Deadly Distraction


CARL | MARK RUSH
Mark is an Irish actor who studied at Drama Studio London. He is delighted to be playing the role of Carl in I and the Village and to have the opportunity to work with an incredibly talented cast and creative team to tell this compelling and urgent story. His theatre credits include Napoleon Blown Apart (Arcola), Woyzeck (UK tour & Redbridge Drama Centre), The Waiting Room (Leicester Square Theatre & Arts Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (St. George's Gardens & UK Tour) Awkward Balloon (Old Red Lion Theatre), Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (Scene Productions) and Romeo & Juliet (Rosemary Branch Theatre). Mark is also the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Wanderers.





THE BREAD & ROSES THEATRE AND COMPANY 
A 40- to 60-seat award-winning and innovative fringe theatre above The Bread & Roses Pub in Clapham, which programs a wide-spread variety of productions for local as well as far-reaching audiences. Equality, diversity and artistic quality are at the forefront of the theatre's programming, which features in-house productions as well as many visiting companies. The theatre was launched in November 2014 and is managed by The Bread & Roses Theatre Company (BRTC), who had been using an upstairs function room at the pub since 2012 for their short play night ‘The Platform’. After converting the space into a theatre the BRTC also went on to produce full-scale productions of a new adaptation of August Strindberg’s 'Miss Julie' in 2015, 'Low Level Panic' by Clare McIntyre in 2016, ‘dirty butterfly’ by debbie tucker green and the premiere of their playwriting award winner ‘The Black Eye Club’ by Phil Charles in 2017 and runners-up 'Little Did I Know' by Doc Andersen Bloomfield and The Buzz by Lydia Rynne in 2018. 
PLAYWRIGHT | DARREN DONOHUE
Darren Donohue is an award-winning Irish playwright and poet.  His plays and readings for the Abbey Theatre include Home Game, The Death of Actaeon, Home-from-Home. 
Other plays include, Dayshift (Tramedautore Theatre Festival – Milan, Festival on the Crisis PIIGS – Barcelona), Voices in the Rubble (Rapid Lemon Productions – Washington D.C.), Tuesday Evening (following the news) (Fishamble), A Bucket Full of Fire (Sheer Tantrum/Pandora), The Bird Trap (Three Streets Theatre Company), Revelations, Propelled Upright (Dublin Fringe Festival), Bedlam (Dublin Theatre Festival), Dual Cats with One Crayfish (Irish Repertory Theatre - New York).
In 2020, Darren won the Radius Playwriting Prize, in association with Finborough Theatre and received the Dennis O’Driscoll Literary Award.  His work was also shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award, 2020.  He is currently a ‘Through the Mill’ Finalist at the Hope Mill Theatre.
Darren was writer-in-residence at Carlow College in 2019 and at the Science Gallery, Trinity College, 2020.

CO-DIRECTOR | VELENZIA SPEARPOINT 
Theatremaker Velenzia Spearpoint has over 10 years experience on the fringe theatre scene as a director, performer and producer. As of April 2018 she became Artistic Director at the Bread & Roses Theatre & in January 2019 co-founded the Chapel Playhouse. She is also co-founder of women-led theatre company Get Over It Productions and consistently works with several other companies and theatres across London. Recent credits include, Difficult Conversations (Union Theatre), Hungerland (Bread & Roses Theatre), Lucky 8 (Glass Half Full- Online) & The Scene (Chiswick Playhouse / Podcast).
CO-DIRECTOR | REBECCA PRYLE
Rebecca Pryle is the Managing Director and Co-founder of The Bread & Roses Theatre. Graduating with a BA Hons in Drama before training as an actress at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in New York on a two year Meisner Conservatory program. Rebecca has worked in theatre for the past 12 years as an actress and creative producer and in more recent years as a director. Rebecca has appeared in four of BRTC's full length in-house productions, including 'Miss Julie', 'Low Level Panic', 'Dirty Butterfly' and 'The Black Eye Club', ‘The Vagina Monologues’ several times, ‘Age of Love’ at the Camden Fringe Festival and numerous new writing nights around town with other theatre companies.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | TOM WARD 

Tom Ward (Bread & Roses Emerging Director 2021) is a theatre director interested in finding new, dynamic ways of telling stories that affect marginalised, vulnerable groups of people/individuals. He has worked internationally (in Beijing and Barcelona as an Assistant) and has been making work on the fringe for the last 3 years. He can’t wait to call The Bread and Roses Theatre home for the year, and he looks forward to building his confidence as an artist, developing his skills, making connections with exciting new writers, and becoming a more effective theatre maker. 

PRODUCER | NATALIE CHAN 
Natalie is a theatre producer from Hong Kong. Currently she is General Manager for Creative Youth and Associate Producer for The Bread and Roses Theatre. Prior to this she has worked with Spun Glass Theatre, Arch468, The Coronet Theatre and Pleasance Theatre in varying capacities. Natalie started her career as Resident Assistant Producer for Theatre503. Recent highlights include working with BFI Network to deliver fundraising workshops and producing Dumbledore Is So Gay which won the VAULT Festival’s Origins Award 2020.

ASSISTANT PRODUCER | ROSIE SHARP 
Rosie Sharp is a producer, actor and writer. Before graduating from Italia Conti in 2019, she co-founded the female-led company Ginger & Blonde Theatre. Writing alongside partner Anna McKelvie, their debut production "IS THAT ALL THERE IS?" sold out at The Bread & Roses in October 2019. Since then the piece has been developed and will be staged at The Old Red Lion in March this year. Since graduating from drama school she has been working with The Young Shakespeare Company, playing Macduff on their theatre tour of Macbeth. Rosie is passionate and excited by new writing. She cannot wait to be part of such an innovative and inclusive theatre and is proud to be The Bread & Roses emerging producer of 2021.

LIGHTING & SOUND DESIGNER & OPERATOR | CHUMA EMEMBOLU
Chuma Emembolu is a Lighting/Sound/Video Designer and a director. He training at the RSC as a designer and has had over ten years of experience designing shows for theatre in the Rep and Fringe. As one of the original directors of Aequitas theatre company he has designed shows around the London fringe circuit. Chuma is a professional member of the Association of Lighting Designers and Equity. An expert programmer working on Avolites, EOS, grand, strand lighting desks and QLab he continues to create innovative, intriguing and unique designs on every show.

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER | CONSTANCE VILLEMOT
Constance is a set and costume designer based in London. What she really appreciates about theatre and performing art in general is the collective effort leading to a performance. She designs simple and poetic spaces to enhance and engage with the audience’s imagination beyond what they can see.  Her most recent credits include Love, Genius and a Walk (director Leah Townley, LGW Productions), Tell it Slant (director Erica Miller, Merry Spinsters), Miss Julie (director Gavin McAlinden, Acting Gymnasium), A Doll's House (director Gavin McAlinden, Acting Gymnasium), The Seagull (director Julien Balajas, Tamise en Scene), The Frogs (director Zara Walwyn, Wallfrog LTD), Dare to Dream (director Karen Gillingham, Buckinghamshire Music Trust), Jekyll & Hyde (director Jonny Morton, Chickenshed).  

CREATIVE PRODUCER | TESSA HART 
Tessa Hart is a culture maker in performance, film and sociocultural fields, who has primarily worked and studied in the UK and Germany. Besides being a co-founder & Executive Director of The Bread & Roses Theatre, Tessa also served as its Artistic Director from 2014 to 2018, when she stepped down to focus on her work in Berlin, where she is currently the Project Director of AfroPolitan Berlin. Tessa is also the Artistic Director of Goblin Baby Co. and holds an MFA in Acting International from East 15 Acting School as well as a BA in Theatre Studies from the Free University of Berlin, where she is currently also completing a PhD.

0 Comments

2021 Here We Come: Emerging Company Award, New Team Members, Continued Closure.

8/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Happy New Year! May 2021 be a year of recovery. Whilst we remain closed due to the national lockdown we are hopeful for a full programme later in the year and look forward to welcoming back visiting companies and audiences at some unkown, unpredictable, uncertain point this year. In the meantime we continue to battle for our own survival with the uncertainties ahead, but are also glad to have some good news in store to kick off the year.

The Bread & Roses Emerging Company Award 2021 open for submissions

Picture
Thanks to funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, we are able to go ahead with The Bread & Roses Emerging Company Award 2021, which will offer an emerging BAME/BIPoC*-led theatre company a one-week funded research and development (R&D) period, envisaged for March 2021, with the additional possibility of a professional production run at the theatre at a later point.
*See full details and information on how to apply here.
Deadline is January 31st, 2021.

Welcoming new team members

With much delay - after the 2020 whirlwind and hold up on particularly in-house projects - we have finally found our new Associate Producer: Natalie Chan.

Natalie is a producer from Hong Kong and now based in London. She works in the fundraising team for Creative Youth Charity and is a recipient of the Blackbaud Scholarship for pursuing a part time MA in Philanthropic Studies at the University of Kent.
Recent highlights include working with BFI Network to deliver fundraising workshops and producing Dumbledore Is So Gay which won the VAULT Festival’s Origins Award 2020. She previously trained as Resident Assistant Producer at Theatre503 and worked as Box Office Deputy Manager for Pleasance Theatre Trust.​
Picture
Picture
Also joining the team is Lynne McConway as our newly appointed Finance & Funding Manager.

​Lynne is an independent producer and arts fundraiser. She left a career in the City three years ago to pursue a career in theatre and produced Vibrant 2017 and Returning to Haifa, both at Finborough Theatre , and Tiger Mum at VAULT festival 2020. Lynne was Assistant Producer in 2018 at Vicky Graham Productions where she worked on Thor & Loki at Edinburgh Fringe. In 2019, she was awarded a Stage One New Producer bursary.
Most recently, Lynne worked with Iris Theatre as Fundraising Coordinator raising funds for their summer seasons and a Covid19 emergency appeal. She was also responsible for bid writing and fundraising as part of her role as Line Producer with Flute Theatre.

We welcome them both to the team and are very excited to have them on board to work on the theatre's survival and growth, as for the time being the future remains uncertain.

We are incredibly grateful for the funding, donations and support we have received throughout this troubling time, but continue being reliant on further help whilst on lockdown or pyhsical-distancing-restrictions. If you can support us in keeping fringe theatre alive and exciting, we are grateful for any donations. 
0 Comments
<<Previous

    News



    RSS Feed


The Bread & Roses Theatre
68 Clapham Manor Street, Clapham SW4 6DZ, London

Ticket purchases are non refundable. Concession prices apply to students; under 18s; pensioners; those on disability and unemployment benefits; Equity, BECTU & SDUK members; Portico Places cardholders. ​As a young venue we are still upgrading and developing the space, any additional donations are much appreciated and will be used towards improving the theatre even further and keeping the venue going in the long-term.

Newsletter


Donate

Recipient of:
Picture
Picture
Picture
Commended "Most Innovative Arts Project"  2018

Picture
Picture
Picture
Recommended by:
Picture
Picture
Featured on:
Picture
Upstairs at:
Picture
Listed on:
Picture
Picture

​Phone: 020 8050 3025 | info@breadandrosestheatre.co.uk
© The Bread & Roses Theatre Company (
Company Number 9700840), 2012-2022 | Disclaimer/Privacy Policy


Supported  using funding by:
Picture
Picture
Picture