Camden People’s Theatre: Staging Local Voices
In 1994, The Camden People’s Theatre was founded in an old pub at the bottom of Hampstead Road. The goal of the theatre was to take an unconventional approach to the dramatic arts, engaging with the local community and exploring the possibilities of taking theatre out of the elite west-end bubble. Nearly three decades later, the project and the theatre’s resolve is stronger than ever. “It really is the people’s theatre,” Christina Ford, the community engagement manager tells us, “it’s a very collective space, and 100% there is this kind of community ownership”. Backing onto the legendary Drummond Street and surrounded by the unique social housing architecture of Tolmers Square, the theatre is truly embedded right in the heart of the community.
“It’s important to share those stories because it’s coming from the people themselves, and their lived experiences, and if we don’t create these spaces to do that, then those voices are going to go unheard.”
Christina Ford – Community engagement manager at the Camden People’s Theatre
Unlike most of the other spaces in London, Camden People’s Theatre is non-commercial thanks to support from the council, allowing them a far wider range of opportunities in terms of their programming. “For example, we worked on one project with Hopscotch Women’s Centre next door,” Christina tells us, “about how the HS2 project was displacing low-income women. It’s important to share those stories because it’s coming from the people themselves, and their lived experiences, and if we don’t create these spaces to do that, then those voices are going to go unheard.”
The theatre itself is a space where local people can, not only feel represented but, also acts to strengthen community cohesion, through sharing narratives with the arts as a medium. This approach even extends beyond the physical walls of the theatre, with projects taking place in the local public square, literally bringing arts to doorsteps. As Christina put it “really we’re able to platform community art, and in doing so bring the community together”.
