• Review For Us
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Last Minute
    • Cinema
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
    • Attractions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Last Minute
    • Cinema
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
    • Attractions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Interviews

Interview: Suba Das on Hightide’s Lighthouse Programme

Greg Stewart by Greg Stewart
May 1, 2020
Reading Time: 5min read
Suba Das

Suba Das

Suba Das is artistic director of Hightide and talks about HighTide’s Lighthouse Programme, which consists of free, brand new projects and programmes for artists, audiences and communities, specifically created to bring light in the weeks ahead.

HighTide are the first NPO to launch such a comprehensive programme of support for the sector, offering a range of programmes to help artists. These strands reflect the values that sit at the heart of HighTide: to introduce audiences to new work that speaks to the times we live in by the most exciting and diverse writers in the UK; to support emerging writers on their journey; and to engage communities in their home region in Suffolk.

More information about Hightide and The Lighthouse Programme can be found here.

What can you tell us about Hightide and your role with the company?

HighTide is one of the UK’s leading producers of new plays, having helped launch the careers of now world-renowned playwrights including Jack Thorne, Nick Payne, Ella Hickson and Vinay Patel; alongside directors such as Michael Longhurst, Kate Wasserberg and Roy Alexander Weise. We commission, produce and present the most exciting new work we find in an annual festival in Suffolk, East England.

I’m HighTide’s Artistic Director, having taken up the reins last year as the company turned thirteen. In addition to directly supporting writers in the rehearsal room and creating new productions, my job really is to help create circumstances for as many writers as possible to thrive.

You mightalso like

The School of Hightide

Hightide Announces Next Phase Of Artistic Development Work; School Of Hightide And Two New Higher Education Partnerships

Hightide Lighthouse Programme

HighTide’s Lighthouse Programme Has Supported Over 150 Artists in Lockdown

How is the current pandemic affecting Hightide?

Although it hasn’t been quite the first year I envisaged, we’ve found ourselves reinvigorated by the pandemic. Of course many plans have changed or been postponed, but we’ve had an opportunity through this to dig deep into our values and ensure that everything we do helps take care of the people we care about the most – the UK’s incredible community of playwrights and our audiences and communities in the East of England.

You’ve created a comprehensive programme of support called the Lighthouse Programme, what does it offer?

The Lighthouse Programme comprises seven strands of activity ranging from simple playwriting tasks people can do at home (in partnership with the brilliant team at Nick Hern Books), through to a digital youth theatre for the most vulnerable people in the East of England, through to mentorship, script-reading and regular classes. All of these opportunities are provided for free thanks to the incredible support of our donors, including our Principal Corporate Partner Lansons, and Arts Council England.

What inspired you to pull together such a far-reaching programme?

Hightide Lighthouse Programme
Hightide Lighthouse Programme

I was actually on a conference call with about 20 other of the UK’s artistic directors as the Prime Minister gave his first daily press conference, which led fairly immediately to the closure of theatres across the country. HighTide doesn’t operate its own theatre venue, rather we focus on the development of work that then slots into theatres in the East and across the UK.

Consequently, we did not face the sheer scale of disruption and devastation that so many of my peers have had to contend with – the immediate cancellation of shows, letting go of front of house staff, huge refunds and such like. So really, I knew how incredibly lucky we were in that moment and it felt absolutely imperative that we used that little bit of additional breathing space to get out there and do whatever we could to create a conversation about hope and the future in a fairly scary time.

What will be the biggest challenges for the Lighthouse programme?

That there’s a limit of course to how much we can do. Our programmes so far have already had literally hundreds of artists and companies register to get involved and we know we won’t be able to offer meaningful support to everyone. One particular strand is our “Cancellation Catalogue”, where we’ve invited writers and companies to provide details of any world premiere productions of British new writing that have now been lost due to the crisis.

As you might imagine post the cancellation of the Edinburgh Fringe, we’ve had so many people come forwards. We very much hope we can find the resources to ensure as many of those writers still get some opportunity to showcase their voices and talents to audiences and industry peers in order to take their next step. I am especially concerned that in these times, artists from financially precarious backgrounds will be the first that we lose, and I really think that those are the voices we need to hear the most from.

How can people get involved and support Hightide’s Lighthouse programme?

Full details of the programme and opportunities for artists and our next script submission window are online at www.hightide.org.uk. We’re humbled that having set an initial fundraising target of £10,000 to support this work, we smashed that target in just over a week. Any additional support we now secure will flow directly into our plans to rescue lost work and ensure artists’ hard work does not go to waste.

Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart

Greg is an award-winning writer with a huge passion for theatre. He has appeared on stage, as well as having directed several plays in his native Scotland. Greg is the founder and editor of Theatre Weekly

Related Articles

The School of Hightide
News

Hightide Announces Next Phase Of Artistic Development Work; School Of Hightide And Two New Higher Education Partnerships

Hightide Lighthouse Programme
News

HighTide’s Lighthouse Programme Has Supported Over 150 Artists in Lockdown

Playwright Crisis Support Programme
News

Playwright Crisis Support Programme Cohort Announced and HighTide’s Submission Window Reopens

Hightide Lighthouse Programme
News

HighTide Reveals Further Details for Lighthouse Programme Plus Cast for Love In The Time of Corona

HighTide Disruption at Assembly
News

Hightide Announce Disruption Programme at Assembly

The Cat in the Hat Rose Theatre Kingston Review
Reviews

Review: The Cat in the Hat at Rose Theatre Kingston

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Follow Us

  • #Review: Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse (Online) @southwarkplayhouse #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #adamlenson #francescaforristal #jordanpaulclarke #publicdomain #southwarkplayhouse
  • Olivier Award winning The Showstoppers are still creating live theatre in the face of adversity - and are back on screens Saturday 30 January following a series of smash-hit livestreams @showstoppermusical #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #showstoppertheimprovisedmusical #theshowstoppers
  • #Review: Scammed at Online@theSpaceUK @theSpaceUK #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #joangreening #juliamunrow #scammed #stujackson #thespaceuk
  • #Review: Bard Overboard presents: A Global Pandemic Holiday Special at Onilne@theSpaceUK @theSpaceUK #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #aglobalpandemicholidayspecial #bardoverboard #extracreditensemble #thespaceuk
  • Total Insight Theatre has received a grant of £18,240 from Co-op Foundation to help young people support each other during bereavement @totalinsight_uk #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #coopfoundation #totalinsighttheatre
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram

At Theatre Weekly we give theatre a new audience. You'll find our theatre news, theatre reviews and theatre interviews are written from an audience point of view. Our great value London theatre tickets will get you the best deal for your theatre tickets.
Theatre Weekly, Kemp House, 152 - 160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse Review Photo Credit The Other Richard

Review: Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse (Online)

Showstoppers Improvised Musical Livestream

Showstopper The Improvised Musical Returns for More Livestreams

© 2020 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Theatre Weekly

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Cookie Policy.