Past Events

Queer Plays Then and Now: 1967-2017 SUNDAY JANUARY 15th 2017 In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality Arcola’s Queer Collective are presenting an evening of readings of LGBT plays from the Unfinished Histories archive. Proceeds will go to Unfinished Histories and their work. Venue: Arcola Theatre Date: Sunday, January 15th 2017 Time: 3pm FOR MORE DETAILS AND BOOKING CLICK HERE

A Benefit to Re-Home the Unfinished Histories Archive When: June 19th, 7pm Where: Pinter Studio, Queen Mary University, Mile End Road, E1 4NS (map) Siren Claire Dowie Rose Collis The evening’s performers: Siren lesbian feminist band, cabaret performer Rose Collis and MC Claire Dowie all grew up from the ferment of the alternative theatre scene in the 1970s and 80s.  The history of that movement will be celebrated in an evening of fun, entertainment and provocative song.  The event is to raise funds for the move of the Unfinished Histories Archive which documents the history of the alternative theatre movement […]

Images from our Benefit Gala ‘Homosexual Acts’ at the Arcola Theatre, February 15, 2015 Photos: Tony Coult Also see here for articles about the event: in Counterpunch by Michael Dickinson and in The Guardian by Simon Callow For video footage see here

Goldsmiths University in collaboration with Unfinished Histories are presenting a series of evening events during October and November, 2015, that look at different aspects of alternative theatre.                                                 Oct 1st: Sue Parrish: The Glass Ceiling – Women’s Theatre Oct 8th: Mustapha Matura: Black Stages Oct 22nd: Philip Osment and Kate Owen: Gay Sweatshop and beyond Oct 29th: Mark Long & Co: People Show – a Sum of the imagination Nov 12th: Roland Muldoon: CAST – Agitprop v Agitprop Nov 26th: Nabil Shaban – Graeae and beyond […]

Re-Staging Revolutions opens to the public at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on February 10th, 2014. For viewing times and details see Exhibition Launch: Tuesday, February 11th 6.30 for 7.00. Places limited – if you wish to attend please email us Events: Tuesday, April 8th, 6.45 for 7.15 start Alternative Theatre in Camden: a (Virtual) Tour Talk by Dr Susan Croft Click here to book. Tuesday April 22nd 6.45 for 7.15 start Camden Plays: readings from a selection of plays produced by Camden venues and companies, 1968-88. Introduced by Jessica Higgs, plays to include: Poppies by Noel Greig (Gay Sweatshop), Wyre’s Cross by Peta Masters and Geraldine Griffiths […]

Our Exhibition Re-Staging Revolutions will be on show at Kentish Town Community Centre from January 3th – 10th, 2014. Kentish Town Community Centre 17 Busby Place London NW5 2SP Phone: 020 7482 3212 Exhibition opening times: Launch Saturday 4th January between 12pm – 7pm Sunday 5th January, 10am – 7pm Monday 6th – Thursday 9th, January 2pm – 6pm Friday 10th, 3pm – 7pm Kentish Town Community Centre location map here. 

A day-long event exploring the history – through personal accounts – and the influence and impact of Inter-Action, the innovative and influential community arts-based organisation, based in Camden from 1968 until the mid-1980s. See https://unfinishedhistories.com/history/companies/inter-action/ for more information. 11.00 -11.30 Tea and coffee. Welcome by Dr Cathy Crawford, Chair of Kentish Town Community Centre 11.30 – 1.00 Panel 1, looking at the history of Inter-Action, sharing recollections of its work and impact at the time locally 1.00 – 2.00 Lunch – cost £5 2.00 – 3.30 Panel 2, exploring the influence of the Inter-Action experience on subsequent work both through […]

Our Ovalhouse season was nicely rounded off with an evening dedicated to celebrating the legendary lesbian and feisty feminist pantomimes of the 1980s. It was led by two of our volunteers, Ray Malone (Director) and Lucie Regan (Actor), and performed by a group of young actresses. Rehearsed extracts from Sue Frumin’s Fanny Whittington,  Masters and Griffiths‘ Cinderella Hardup, Nona Shepphard’s Robin Hood and Cheryl Moch’s Cindereall the Real True Story were intercut with words from original cast members and writers – Sue Frumin, Peta Masters, Gillian Hann, Mary McCusker and Adele Salem.  A message from Cheryl Moch (Cinderella the Real True Story) sent from New York […]

December 6th, 2013 Black Theatre in London, 1970s and 80s A sharing of memories, histories and archive materials along with performed extracts Chair: Olusola Oyeleye Speakers: Susan Croft, Director, Unfinished Histories on Images and Archive Materials Mustapha Matura (Black Theatre Co-op) Roland Rees and others (Foco Novo) Gordon Case (Brixton Arts Theatre, Black Theatre Co-op, Temba) Bernardine Evaristo (Theatre of Black Women) Readings: Extracts from Party (Black Pieces) by Mustapha Matura, performed by Bevan Celestine-Vincent as C, Darrel Bailey as Z, Lucie Regan as Carol Extract from Pyeyucca by Bernardine Evaristo (Theatre of Black Women), performed by Carol-Ann Walton Co-ordinator: […]

December 5th saw a presentation by Theatre Centre of a selection of readings from Theatre Centre plays, 1960s-1980s. Directed by Natalie Wilson, Artistic Director of Theatre Centre, the plays were read by students from Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance. The plays: Magical Faces by Brian Way (1969) Susumu’s Story by David Holman (1982) The Zulu Hut Club by Bryony Lavery (1985) Laughter From the Other Side by Noel Greig (1986) A Feeling In My Bones by Lin Coghlan (1988) The Marx Brothers Go East by Sue Frumin (1988)

Our second Ovalhouse event was a tribute evening celebrating the life and work of  Kate Crutchley, Oval House programmer 1981-91 (dubbed ‘Kate’s Great’ by those participating). Around 40 people contributed to the creation of this event which gave an overview of her life and career, focusing especially on her Oval House years. Many companies, groups and individuals lined up to pay tribute including: Karen Parker and Debby Klein (formerly Parker and Klein), Eve Polycarpou and Martha Lewis (Eve and Martha formerly known as Donna and Kebab), Stella Duffy, Sandra Freeman, Sarah McNair, Nicolle Freni, Crin Claxton, Susan (Clark) Hayes, ), Caroline […]

A salon event held in Ovalhouse Café, November 18th, that looked at the work of alternative theatre companies at Oval House in the 1960s and 1970s. Introduced by Judith Knight and Sue Timothy (Oval House programmers in the 1970s), it had a panel of eleven including, Paddy Fletcher (Incubus), Geraldine Pilgrim (Hesitate and Demonstrate) and Neil Hornick (The Phantom Captain).

Our exhibition Re-Staging Revolutions was launched on Sunday, November 10th, 2013 at Ovalhouse where it will stay until December 21st, 2013. The exhibition, dedicated to Kate Crutchley (Oval House programmer, 1981-91) was opened for us by Bill Patterson (7:84) with speeches from Deborah Bestwick (Ovalhouse Director), Susan Croft and Jessica Higgs. Susan later ran a live interview with members of the Pip Simmons theatre group. The Launch was a joyous celebration of Alternative Theatre and attended by many of those interviewed for the exhibition and our newly created Company webpages: Action Space, Artaud Company, Belt and Braces, Beryl and the Perils, Black Theatre Co-op, Blood Group, BLOOLIPS, Bloomers, Bristol […]

You will find details of events taking place as part of the Ovalhouse Season here.

Tuesday 15th October 6.30-8.30 doors open at 6.15pm. Refreshments will be available during the session This event brings together artists involved in the alternative theatre movement between 1968-88 who now practice as therapists, to discuss links between theatre and mental health. Using examples of their theatre work as a starting point, each speaker will explore connections between their artistic projects and the therapeutic work that they do with their clients. The discussion will look for relationships between performance practices such as improvisation and collaboration and the processes that therapists use in their work. It will also explore the theatrical possibilities […]

  Tuesday 17th September 6.30-8.30 doors open at 6.15pm. Refreshments will be available during the session The Artaud Company revisited. With Michael Almaz, Sally Willis and Pam Martell founded the company in the late 60s, with productions including Monsieur Artaud, Dreyfus, Letters from Kafka, Story and Masoch which toured extensively in the US and Europe. Sally Willis’s performance as Kafka’s long suffering fiancé was acclaimed by audiences wherever she went on her solo tours through Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany and Austria both in English and German. Sally and Pam will lead a session revisiting the Letters from Kafka and Story. […]

Tuesday 16th July 6.30-8.30 doors open at 6.15pm. Refreshments will be available during the session This event focuses on the vital role that squatting played in the alternative theatre movement, allowing artists to live in cheaply in communities where they could work together. Including James Saunders’s Squat: a documentary play about Grosvenor Road, Twickenham and Rough Theatre’s Squat Now While Stocks Last. We would like as many people as possible to join in and read a part – there are plenty of parts in the James Saunders play. As Unfinished Histories is not funded to host these events and they […]