A new exhibition from Unfinished Histories celebrating the work of alternative theatre companies and venues in Lambeth and Camden Ovalhouse Cafe, 52-54 Kennington, London SE11 5SW Sun 10 November – Sat 21 December, Tuesdays – Saturdays, 3-8pm
The exhibition marks Ovalhouse’s 50th anniversary as a venue and the launch of Unfinished Histories’ new company web pages: Company Links supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Re-staging Revolutions covers a period of enormous creativity, experimentation and questioning in theatre, seeing the formation of over 700 companies. This included street theatre, community arts, physical and visual work, political theatre, gay, lesbian, Black, Asian, Disabled and women’s companies, with such evocative names as Hesitate and Demonstrate, The Phantom Captain, Sadista Sisters, Recreation Ground, Umoja, Sal’s Meat Market and Beryl and the Perils.
The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Kate Crutchley Oval House Theatre Programmer 1981-91.
Scroll down for details of Events Programme and bookable Exhibition Tours.
Events
At the same time we will be running a series of related events in the theatre and cafe:
Peter Oliver. Photo: Sheila Burnett
Mon 18 November
UNFINISHED HISTORIES SALON: OVAL HOUSE IN THE 1960s AND 1970s
Introduced by Judith Knight and Sue Timothy (Oval House programmers in the 1970s),
with a panel featuring Paddy Fletcher (Incubus), Geraldine Pilgrim tbc (Hesitate and Demonstrate).
Kate Crutchley
Tues 3 December
OVAL HOUSE IN THE ’80s: A TRIBUTE TO KATE CRUTCHLEY
With Claire Oberman, Karen Parker and Debbie Klein (formerly ‘Parker and Klein’), Stella Duffy,
Sandra Freeman, Sarah McNair, Nicolle Freni, Crin Claxton, Susan (Clark) Hayes,
Martha D Lewis and Eve Polycarpou (aka Martha and Eve, formely know as ‘Donna & Kebab’)
Caroline Mylon, Clare Summerskill, Hot Doris, Sue Frumin, Adele Salem, Steve Gooch,
Alwynne Taylor and many more.
Theatre Centre programme
Thurs 5 December
THEATRE CENTRE 60th ANNIVERSARY PLAYREADING EVENT
Readings of the company’s plays for young people 1968-88 featuring extracts from plays
by Brian Way, David Holman, Noel Greig, Bryony Lavery and others.
Fri 6 December
BLACK THEATRE IN LONDON IN THE ’70s and ’80s
The Ambiance season, Black Theatre of Brixton, Motherland, Umoja and much more.
Contributions from: Anton Phillips (Carib), Gordon Case (Brixton Arts Theatre, Temba),
Bernardine Evaristo (Theatre of Black Women), Mustapha Matura (Black Theatre Co-op), Roland Rees and others (Foco Novo).
Chaired by Olusola Oyeleye.
Design: Angela Stewart Park
Sat 14 December
ALTERNATIVE PANTOS REVISITED
A celebration of such Christmas delights as Cinderella Hardup (A Woman’s Right to Shoes)
by Geraldine Griffiths and Peta Masters, Fanny Whittington and Her Glorious Pussy by
Sue Frumin Cinderella – the Real True Story by Cheryl Mochand other Drill Hall alternative pantos,
that shamelessly and deliciously exploited the inherent gender confusions of the genre…
Tickets
All performances will start at: 7pm
Tickets £5 can be booked via Ovalhouse box office.
If you have any specific access requirements such as BSL interpretation can you please let us know at least a week in advance of your visit.
Free Exhibition Tours
In addition to the events above Unfinished Histories can provide small group tours of the exhibition for groups of up to 15. These can be general in focus or looking at a particular topic such as Women’s Theatre, Black Theatre etc. Times available: afternoons Tues 3rd Dec, Tues 10th Dec Wed 18th Dec. Other times by negotiation. Group tours are free but please book by emailing: contact@unfinishedhistories.com