editor
hiraethified
Following on from this monster thread, I thought it might make sense to have a thread dedicated to the soon-to-open theatre, which has now been renamed Brixton House.
Brixton House (Ovalhouse Theatre) - news and discussion
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editor
hiraethified
More here:
www.brixtonbuzz.com
Ovalhouse Theatre announce name change to Brixton House, and appoint new artistic director, Gbolahan Obisesan
Ovalhouse Theatre has announced that their new theatre currently being constructed on the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Somerleyton Road (opposite the Village) will be renamed Brixton House. They …
www.brixtonbuzz.com
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I see Deborah who has managed Ovalhouse for a long time is standing down.
She has put a lot of commitment into making Ovalhouse what it is today.
Without her I don't think Ovalhouse would have succeeded in moving to its new premises.
I first met her as I was secretary of the Carlton Mansions Housing Coop. She was looking at the next door site for a new theatre.
I always found her to be a person who was good at dealing with the local community.
Something I can't say of Brixton Green.
Im glad the theatre is finally coming to Brixton and Carlton Mansions will have new life as workshops.
She has put a lot of commitment into making Ovalhouse what it is today.
Without her I don't think Ovalhouse would have succeeded in moving to its new premises.
I first met her as I was secretary of the Carlton Mansions Housing Coop. She was looking at the next door site for a new theatre.
I always found her to be a person who was good at dealing with the local community.
Something I can't say of Brixton Green.
Im glad the theatre is finally coming to Brixton and Carlton Mansions will have new life as workshops.
editor
hiraethified
Big up to Ian Townson for his comments on FB about this (when someone suggested this was more gentrification)
*Hope this is OK to repost Ian - it's just that you said it better than I could!
*Hope this is OK to repost Ian - it's just that you said it better than I could!
Shippou-Sensei
4:1:2.5
We found some old ovalhouse stuff in our place dating back to the old squatting days. i'll go take a picture.
Ok forgive the over exposure of the first one. Still just learning my camera.
this last one was with them so i don't know if it is/was an associate group.
Ok forgive the over exposure of the first one. Still just learning my camera.
this last one was with them so i don't know if it is/was an associate group.
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CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Fine for Ian Townson to defend Oval House's record - but the past is not necessarily a guide to the future.
I mean I liked the Ritzy more as it was before in became a multiplex and was absorbed into an international chain.
Appreciate I'm always banging on about the good old days, but I do agree that using Brixton House as name is very unimaginative - and sounds rather like Soho House to me, and I hope and pray they do not want to give that impression.
Personally from an individual and paranoid point of view I would have liked a tribute to Steppenwolf:
I mean I liked the Ritzy more as it was before in became a multiplex and was absorbed into an international chain.
Appreciate I'm always banging on about the good old days, but I do agree that using Brixton House as name is very unimaginative - and sounds rather like Soho House to me, and I hope and pray they do not want to give that impression.
Personally from an individual and paranoid point of view I would have liked a tribute to Steppenwolf:
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
I think the name thing is just the logical change isn’t it?
Was called Oval house.
No longer in Oval.
Now in Brixton.
Now called Brixton house.
What else would be better?
Anyway this is brilliant news for the area. Theatres like this are charity funded based on their community outreach initiatives. Forget the wealthy young professionals of Brixton... the community this will serve is the unglamorous bits of Lambeth.
I must see about getting them to offer our sixth formers work experience.
Was called Oval house.
No longer in Oval.
Now in Brixton.
Now called Brixton house.
What else would be better?
Anyway this is brilliant news for the area. Theatres like this are charity funded based on their community outreach initiatives. Forget the wealthy young professionals of Brixton... the community this will serve is the unglamorous bits of Lambeth.
I must see about getting them to offer our sixth formers work experience.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Following on from what CH1 said its not just old people banging on.
I was at work today, We were waiting for a delivery and chatting to the young women who was dealing with it about London among other things. She said she wouldnt go to the cinema if it was not for the Peckham Multiplex.
We talked about how people on low wages in London are effectively excluded from a lot of culture. Its just to expensive to justify going regularly.
I was at work today, We were waiting for a delivery and chatting to the young women who was dealing with it about London among other things. She said she wouldnt go to the cinema if it was not for the Peckham Multiplex.
We talked about how people on low wages in London are effectively excluded from a lot of culture. Its just to expensive to justify going regularly.
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spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Theatre is different. It’s almost never commercially self sufficient and so its very existence depends on quality community offer, and unless this organisation decides to overturn decades of artistic MO to chase the gentrification cash (and heaven knows they could’ve done that in Oval), they are going to have to play nice with the community.
Does that mean Peckham Plex prices for tickets? Probably not, because live theatre costs a fucktonne to put on. But it’s not bad compared to most gigs, pricewise. Theatre shouldn’t be kept away from working class communities, and I think anyone with an even basic knowledge of non-commercially-motivated theatre in uk cities would be confounded by this scepticism.
editor
hiraethified
The admission prices are going to be absolutely crucial as to whether this theatre succeeds as a true community theatre. No matter how laudable the productions, if people on the estates next to theatre are priced out, then it's only going to contribute to the growing cultural divide opening up in Brixton. But then they must know all this anyway.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Price is relative. For everything.
Are people from the estates priced out when they buy three or four pints in a pub? Because that’s what we’ll be looking at.
Even with subsidy you can’t make theatre as cheap as the Peckham Plex. Actors and technicians have to pay their rent just like everyone else - they have to be paid every time they work.
But what theatre outreach does is heavily subsidise tickets for local state schools etc. It’s essential if we are to attack the lack of class/ethnic diversity in theatre that people grow up feeling that they belong in the spaces. Putting theatre buildings physically into WC areas is crucial. Look at Joan Littlewood and the postwar socialist theatre tradition in Stratford (E15, not Warwickshire). Hull Truck. Untold Welsh theatres. Or look at Oval House.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I think a healthy scepticism based on past experience is in order.
Im going to have to see how it goes under the new artistic director.
Unlike the Oval area central Brixton has been under a process of partial gentrification. Its a danger for Oval that they could gradually slip into being part of the Nu Brixton run by Lambeth Council/ Brixton BID. I get concerned when I hear leading Cllrs say how great its all going to be.
Topping out ceremony held for new Ovalhouse theatre development on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton
Im not saying its inevitable. Im saying moving to Brixton is going to be a challenge. At Oval they were tucked away in there corner. This new theatre is slap bang in centre of Brixton. Which has a history of conflict. I can see why some are sceptical of how it could turn out.
So far under Deborah they have been doing the right things in the run up to moving here . But people go and organisations change.
The new artistic director is going to have to take into account that this is a high profile site. In an area under pressure from gentrification with a population (surrounding central Brixton) who are still in the top 20% of deprived Council wards in the country. This is a very divided area.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
But if they change their mandate and their commitment to community they will go bust. Because they’ll lose their subsidy from ACE.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Depends which pub. A lot of people I know use Wetherspoons ( the Beehive) as its cheap.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
If only the working classes didnt waste money in pubs.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Huge numbers of them don’t. And those who do drink in pubs aren’t wasting their money. It’s nobody's business what anyone spends money on.
editor
hiraethified
Quite a few of the people I know on my estate can't afford the pub - that's why there's usually so many people drinking outside - and I'm not sure where this beer comparison is coming from anyway, but I would be supremely disappointed if the theatre turns out to be something that is priced out of the reach of a large chunk of the community, to be filed along with all the other new Brixton stuff they can't afford.
editor
hiraethified
In Brixton? More like £4.50/£5, although I'm still failing to see the validity or relevance of this seemingly arbitrary beer index.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Its you who started making this comparison between going to theatre and drinking in pubs.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
It’s just a way of drawing parallels with other costs of an evening out.
Some people can’t afford any extra spending. Hopefully at least their kids will get to the theatre for free.
Surely this is gentrification? It’s pretty much the definition of gentrification I would have thought?
editor
hiraethified
Do you have any understanding of what the Oval House Theatre are about? They're not some lah-de-dah theatre company putting on picnic basket Shakespeare champagne productions for toffs.
OvalhouseDB
Well-Known Member
Hello everyone!
Thanks Editor for starting this, I was going to the other night and then had to dash off.
Thank you all for your interest and comments, and thank you Gramsci for your long support for the theatre and workspaces, your advice has been invaluable.
The name change: it's a funny one for me, Ovalhouse is under my skin and I have been with the organisation so long. We know how much history has been made by artists and community members under that banner. But almost everyone's first question when we have said we were moving to Brixton is 'will you keep your name?' in a 'but that doesn't make sense' sort of way. It's a simple and logical evolution, we didn't want a trendy 'conceptual' name, and the house bit does reflect how we feel - especially as an 'open house' for all to meet and come together in.
The most important thing is what we do, whose stories get told on our stages, and who is able to come and see them. The points raised about our policy, programme and pricing are all valid. Our theatre has always moved with the times, supporting each new wave of theatre and social activism over the years, and this will not change. I am really pleased that Gbolahan Obisesan will take over. He was born and raised in S London, he has a background in Youth Theatre, and is a fantastic writer and director. His style is collaborative, he will both fit right in and stir things up.
Meanwhile, look out for our Let's Build Project. We have been working with architects Matt+Fiona and 20 local school children to design and build a 'pop up' venue on the old school playground next to the former school / Galliford Try site office. We are also running off-site projects: Imagining Futures, which is a research partnership with SLAM at the Maudsley and young women at risk creating fantastic theatre. Also Demonstrate! our project with children with complex disabilities...both these projects are examples of work that we will be able to bring into the new theatre rather thn having to hire accessible spaces - the old place just couldn't accommodate them. Look out for Undersong, performed in 100 Barrington from April 21st, and then a bit later in the summer an interactive digital project for all, in a shop near you....
Lots more to say, keep the discussion going, we're based in the Galliford Try site offices until December. I will be working for the organisation in a part time consultant capacity, seeing the build project through until we open.
For our close neighbours, thank you for your patience during another Big Build. Galliford Try have done their best to be good neighbours, for us they have been a great construction company, and as soon as we can we will open up the site for a 'hard hat' visit for anyone who is interested to come and have a look while the theatre is still under construction.
Thanks Editor for starting this, I was going to the other night and then had to dash off.
Thank you all for your interest and comments, and thank you Gramsci for your long support for the theatre and workspaces, your advice has been invaluable.
The name change: it's a funny one for me, Ovalhouse is under my skin and I have been with the organisation so long. We know how much history has been made by artists and community members under that banner. But almost everyone's first question when we have said we were moving to Brixton is 'will you keep your name?' in a 'but that doesn't make sense' sort of way. It's a simple and logical evolution, we didn't want a trendy 'conceptual' name, and the house bit does reflect how we feel - especially as an 'open house' for all to meet and come together in.
The most important thing is what we do, whose stories get told on our stages, and who is able to come and see them. The points raised about our policy, programme and pricing are all valid. Our theatre has always moved with the times, supporting each new wave of theatre and social activism over the years, and this will not change. I am really pleased that Gbolahan Obisesan will take over. He was born and raised in S London, he has a background in Youth Theatre, and is a fantastic writer and director. His style is collaborative, he will both fit right in and stir things up.
Meanwhile, look out for our Let's Build Project. We have been working with architects Matt+Fiona and 20 local school children to design and build a 'pop up' venue on the old school playground next to the former school / Galliford Try site office. We are also running off-site projects: Imagining Futures, which is a research partnership with SLAM at the Maudsley and young women at risk creating fantastic theatre. Also Demonstrate! our project with children with complex disabilities...both these projects are examples of work that we will be able to bring into the new theatre rather thn having to hire accessible spaces - the old place just couldn't accommodate them. Look out for Undersong, performed in 100 Barrington from April 21st, and then a bit later in the summer an interactive digital project for all, in a shop near you....
Lots more to say, keep the discussion going, we're based in the Galliford Try site offices until December. I will be working for the organisation in a part time consultant capacity, seeing the build project through until we open.
For our close neighbours, thank you for your patience during another Big Build. Galliford Try have done their best to be good neighbours, for us they have been a great construction company, and as soon as we can we will open up the site for a 'hard hat' visit for anyone who is interested to come and have a look while the theatre is still under construction.
editor
hiraethified
I'd love to come in and take a few snaps if possible!
OvalhouseDB
Well-Known Member
Shippou-Sensei - that's great! I am really pleased that Lambeth Archives have taken the Oval House archive and are cataloguing it and will make it available to everyone. We do have lots of the Roz-designed posters and letterheadings, not sure if we have that festival one. Dance Umberella would have brought a festival, I think. I'd love to see anything else you have!
They certainly do Shakespeare, all credit to them.
I think they’re fantastic by the way!
