Oral Histories

So I was a jobbing actor via the Half Moon Theatre, the Half Moon Young People’s Theatre as it was back then. My first experience was going in there [Polka] as a touring company, who were touring a show around the country, and they were one of our venues. It would have been in the old Adventure Theatre, but then the second time I went back, which was with ‘When Snow Falls’, I think was the following year. That’s when you start having repeat visits, that’s when you start going “Oh!” So, yeah, that was my first, sort of, introduction to Polka. It was like a building with lots of different personalities, really, and spaces. The café had its own sort of bright, sort of identity, and that was so bright compared with when you went into the first space, the big space, because that was, always, I remember, just being a bit dark. Yeah, so it was a little bit of a labyrinth as well, really, of all of these different spaces that all had their own unique vibe about them. Like, the education space was way out at the back and to the side, so that felt, that had a very different light to it. It was more of a sort of, it felt like, not an add-on, but it was like an external building. That’s what I mean, it was like a labyrinth. But they also had the best workshop, they had a workshop on site where people were making stuff, so that was quite exciting. And when you were in the Adventure Room, there were some occasions where you could see through to there. They were behind that bit, working. I don’t know, it felt cosier! In around 2005, I became Artistic Director of a theatre company called Kazzum. And so then I was leading, directing and producing an established company that Peter Glanville originally founded, and I took over from Peter in 2006? That was it. And I ran that company for ten years. So then I was in the position of a different role and a different relationship with Polka, which was around potentials of co-production, or as a company that was touring work into Polka. So, again, the relationship sort of changed and evolved. And then of course, now, Peter Glanville is Artistic Director of Polka, so I’ve had a relationship with Peter for many, many years. So when he then started at Polka, that meant I had a new relationship with the organisation, and now, Peter invited me onto the Artistic Advisory Board, so again, my relationship has evolved. Most of those relationships were sparked by Polka and evolved outside, but in a way, now, especially with the sort of, the development and the building and everything going forward, it feels like the focus is going back into it being a space that is more opening, welcoming, has, you know, looks in different ways. Yeah, I’m a Disabled theatre-maker. There had already been quite a few, sort of, groundbreakers, disabled performers and companies before me, Graeae, (inaudible). All of that generation, had already, really sort of, been the first charge into it, you know, and really sort of, plotting a path for others to follow. So I was following in their footsteps to begin with. And that meant that there were those smaller organisations and smaller theatre companies that were employing Disabled artists, Disabled performers, casts. It wasn’t like “Oh, we have to look for a role for a Disabled character in order to employ a Disabled performer.” For me, that always felt like a nice space to be in and to develop work. I suppose it’s about never being apologetic about it. And of course, I’m going to view the world through my ‘Disabled’ filter, just as most people view the world through a ‘non-Disabled’ filter. It doesn’t mean either is right or wrong, but it doesn’t mean that I’m going to pretend that mine doesn’t exist, because that makes life easier. I suppose what I’m saying is, I feel like I’ve stayed the same throughout, and it’s actually only when you bump into people and they change their direction that you start to realise that, actually, there are lots of routes, opportunities, all of that type of stuff, but people just can’t see them for themselves. So, sometimes, it’s only through working with a disabled artist that you start to go, “Oh, ok, so I can change this, this and this…”, and it feels, yeah. So I think, what I’m saying is, it feels like lots has changed, but there’s still lots that needs to change. And I think, again, coming back to Polka and the new build, that’s part of that process. If a normal place where people meet and share art, if people can’t physically get in the building, how can they show their art? You know? You can’t have inclusion before you’ve dealt with, sort of, basic access. And, sort of, you know, back in the early days with Graeae, when I was a performer with them as well, there used to be a really blatant, basic rule of, like, “If the venue’s not accessible, we don’t take a show there,” as a political statement. So as they got more popular, if people said no, you know, it became sort of a thing. And, you know, that was small, but if you look at where we are now, in today’s landscape, no one would even comprehend not thinking about access or inclusion within a public space. But back then, you were fighting that. So it’s always been little fights, but the biggest fight still to go is that, sort of, mind shift of working with rather than working for, I suppose. That, actually, meaningful change around inclusion evolves through collaboration and partnership. Doing it together, don’t, sort of, to do it on your own and thinking you know what’s best. Theatre for young audiences is seen as the, sort of, poorer relative of the mainstream theatre, and that’s very frustrating, but in some ways, can be a blessing, because it feels for me, it’s a little bit more experimental. There’s a lot more trying out and a lot more wanting to work with different artists, so it feels like it’s always been pushing those boundaries, much more than other sectors in mainstream theatre. But also in the diversity of the work, and therefore diversity of the age range of the work, and you’re not going to present that in the traditional theatre model. It feels like, that’s what I sort of mean by experimental and evolving, it feels like a fun place to sort of, stretch out a bit. I love the honesty of a young audience, they’re just brilliant, they’re so funny! A lot of my work, there’s no fourth wall, all of that sort of stuff, so, yeah, always allowing me as a performer to live in those moments when they say things to me, or question you, and not be, yeah, embarrassed, or think I’ve got to move on. I’m quite happy to hold them, be playful in those, sort of, moments. So yeah, the audience are just a joy, I love hearing them. And also when you’ve really worked on a moment that you know is going to get a good reaction, and it gets that reaction virtually every time, you’re sort of like, “Yes, that’s a good one!” With Polka, it’s mainly been around, sort of, having a space to meet, network, see work. And I know that sounds really sort of, businessy, and I don’t mean it like that, because obviously, part of that is the social element, and you can’t really, sort of, have it without the other. So for me, it’s had an impact because it’s allowed me to live in that sort of world and meet the people I want to have those sort of conversations with. I’m looking forward to getting into the new building and just seeing how that’s going to open up those conversations that maybe need to move on just from the artists, you know, the professionals… actually, how does that open up relationships and conversations with audiences, with schools, with participants?