KOKO Foundation, the registered charity of London’s iconic venue KOKO, hosted a special fundraising edition of Letters Live on Thursday 7th November, entitled “A Night In The Theatre”. Led by KOKO Foundation’s newly appointed global ambassador with a focus on environmental advocacy Benedict Cumberbatch, the evening featured previously announced performers, English artist and polymath FKA Twigs, BAFTA and Academy Award winning actor and producer Cate Blanchett, UK rapper and actor Ghetts, and Grammy award winning US rapper, producer and founding member of The Fugees Wyclef Jean.
In keeping with the unique Letters Live style, an array of star-studded special guests were revealed on the night including Idris Elba, Minnie Driver, Richard Gadd, Taika Waititi and Marisa Abela along with KOKO Foundation Ambassador Riz Ahmed, and KOKO Patron Damian Lewis. Additional surprise musical performances included Brit Award and BBC Sound of 2020 winning artist Celeste and Nigerian highlife band The Cavemen.
In support of The KOKO Foundation’s charitable mission, the charity also announced an special online auction, open until midnight on Friday, 8th November. This unique auction offers exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime items and experiences to help raise essential funds, including a guitar lesson with Wyclef Jean, and a personal set visit and lunch with Benedict Cumberbatch. The auction can be found HERE.
The evening was introduced by Sophia Pasetti, CEO of The KOKO Foundation. Speaking on the night Pasetti said “Tonight is the culmination of over two years’ work, when KOKO Foundation was created to be a unique force for good, contributing to the community that KOKO is a part of. Collaborating with our new environmental Ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch, the Letters Live team and all these amazing performers will help us create impactful activity and programmes with a focus on the environment, young people and the next generation of artists.”
Speaking about his role as the KOKO Foundation, Benedict Cumberbatch said “I have been so inspired to watch the amazing impact that Foundation has quietly had over the past few years, making real and lasting change in Camden. This evening is a fraction of what the Foundation can do, when we all come together to champion important causes, and I am excited and committed to growing the special work being done and scale the foundations work around the country, and the world.”
Letters Live is a unique performance concept, which sees famous figures read out historical or personal letters, bringing them to life through live performance. Given his new role as KOKO Foundation global ambassador for environmental advocacy Benedict Cumberbatch read a letter from 1986 from American novelist and environmentalist Edward Abbey in which he protested the fact of being asked for suggestions for four-wheel-drive trips.
Minnie Driver performed a letter by BAFTA award winning writer Sharon Horgan, sent to the Men she’s known and loved, written in 2016. Richard Gadd read a letter from Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh to the film’s producer Andrew McDonald written in 1995. FKA Twigs performed a letter written by Cuban diarist Anaïs Nin, entitled Sex does not thrive on monotony, sent to American novelist Henry MIller in the 1940’s.
Cate Blanchett read a letter by American author Helen Keller, who wrote compassionately in 1924 to the New York Symphony Orchestra to thank them for their impressive performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ninth Symphony’. Idris Elba read a letter by American saxophonist and bandleader John Coltrane, Damian Lewis read a letter by crime novelist John le Carré to his wife, and Ghetts performed a beautiful spoken word performance of his song Double Standards.
The Cavemen and Celeste each gave musical performances, with Wyclef Jean closing the show with a 10 minute medley of some of his most famous songs.
KOKO launched its Foundation with a vision and commitment to make Camden greener, alongside creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people through artistic workshops and music bursaries. Through environmental projects launched to date, its efforts have contributed to an estimated 40% of newly planted trees in Camden and created a sustainable funding and employment model through a network of ‘KOKO Foresters’ – young people living in the community who are trained and paid to run and maintain the Foundation launched initiatives, year round. The Foundation has already worked with a number of estates in Camden with an inspiring rewilding campaign which has planted over 100 trees on 11 estates and 26 local schools, in the last year.
To find out more about The KOKO Foundation or to donate and support its arts and green initiatives that empower local young people across Camden, please visit: www.kokofoundation.com. More information about the special online action can be found HERE
