The Bush Theatre has today announced two innovative initiatives that will support and accompany ‘This Place We Know’, a landmark project in the theatre’s ‘breaking out’ season. ‘This Place We Know’ will see six world premieres of specially commissioned plays produced in six borrowed, non-theatre spaces across Shepherd’s Bush. Through the Westfield Community Tickets scheme, 20% of the tickets for this season will be available free of charge to residents of the local area. Alongside the programme of plays, Eileen Perrier has been commissioned to complete a photography project which will profile the faces of the local and artistic communities integral to the Bush’s breaking out season.
Madani Younis, Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre said, “This Place We Know embraces the neighbourhood that surrounds the Bush Theatre; taking original plays to new and unexpected environments, meeting new people and encouraging local residents to become audience members for the first time. This aim will be realised through a partnership with shopping centre Westfield London, offering substantial financial support to fund an innovative ticketing initiative.”
Led by Eileen Perrier, large scale photography will be exhibited on the exterior of the Bush Theatre’s building, currently closed whilst the building undergoes redevelopment, throughout September and October. Whilst Perrier captures images of the community and people of the Uxbridge Road, local residents will be encouraged to get involved and submit their own photography. The project furthers the Bush Theatre’s aspiration of reflecting the community in which it sits and providing a platform for local people to be heard. Alongside this, the project will ensure a legacy for ‘This Place We Know’; providing an enduring and collaborative memento of the season.
The Uxbridge Road is one of the longest and most diverse roads in Europe and has been the Bush’s home for the last 4 years. In an extraordinary love-letter to its home, ‘This Place We Know’ brings together a series of specially-commissioned short plays to be performed in borrowed spaces along this West London artery.
Discover stories of heartbreak, joy, loss and retribution in pubs, churches and karaoke bars. At times funny, mysterious and foreboding, each is an intimate tale woven into the fabric of the city by the hottest new writers.
This Place We Know has a meeting and information point located at Shepherd’s Bush Boutique Hotel, 11/12 Poplar Mews, London W12 7JS. A venue map is downloadable here.
