|
 I
started CLICK in 1995 after being inspired by the mantra
“This looks like a good barn, lets do the show here!” It
wasn’t quite a barn, but one of the first shows I
produced, “A Slice of Saturday Night” by the Heather
Brothers was on a stage my dad built out of toilet doors
and bricks he found at a tip which the cast and I coated
with lemonade to stop us slipping...and my mum made the
costumes! The cast was a group of my friends who weren’t
even based in the same location, but just wanted to get
together and have fun – and do something positive with
our Uni holidays. We sold out, got a couple of great
local reviews and gave our proceeds to the local charity
we had also run some workshops for – The Hastings
Gateway Club.
Thus, the pattern started. I still save my money to buy
the performing rights of the shows that I want to
produce, ensure the run includes volunteer work with a
nominated charity and also hope that we have some
proceeds to offer at the end...and even though the
original casts and teams have now graduated to be
doctors, lawyers, teachers and other professionals...the
tradition has continued and every so often some old
stars (and many new ones) and I will pop up like some
sort of theatre flash mob!
To date I have had the opportunity to work with some
fantastic creative personnel on projects such as the BBC
on their Shakespeare festival (for which we are part of
a Guinness World Record); the Young Performers Group
enabling a local school group to perform at London’s
“Haymarket Theatre”; the Romero Trust, producing the
London Premiere of "Romero The Musical" (commemorating
the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Oscar
Romero) which featured on Vatican Radio; and with
amateur and semi-professional performers on a highly
celebrated production "The Full Monty" raising over £600
for local charities, (which was featured on Hillingdon
Local Radio and was attended by Alan Duncan MP, and the
Mayor of Hillingdon).
Internationally I have also worked with “Malaysiana Muda”
( Malaysian Youth) in a Youth Cultural Exchange project
to raise the profile of young people in Hastings and in
Kuala Lumpur, and I hope that a similar project will be
taking place in the near future.
In recognition of the philanthropic work done by all
those involved in the various theatre projects, CLICK
has also won the Hastings Mayoral Award, the Witney &
District Mencap Award, and the Gateway Award for
services to the community.
Although I am one person – I think big...I may not make
a huge difference in the big wide world of drama, but in
the local environment, for every project be it a full
scale production such as “Full Monty” (where I even
hired the UK touring set!), to original works premiering
in theatres over pubs – I think we build something
really special. For me, and for those involved in every
production (some new faces, many old ones – to whom I am
eternally grateful), there is no need for prior theatre
experience, just a positive attitude, commitment for the
duration of the project – and the willingness just to
give anything a go!!
WHAT IS
ON OFFER:
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Dance/Drama workshops to build confidence.
I will plan, write, and deliver arts-based workshops
to suit your needs, and have previously worked on a
voluntary basis with The Hastings Gateway Club,
Witney & District Mencap, Watford Mencap.
-
Forum
Theatre workshops to support business.
Using applied drama techniques to facilitate
reflection and generate solutions to work-based
problems, I have devised and delivered workshops for
Malaysiana Muda, Brunel University Business School,
and Brunel University Management Courses.
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Development of new work.
I have
worked with the writers and The Romero Trust to
develop a new musical commemorating the
assassination of Human Rights activist Oscar Romero.
I am also keen to promote and produce original work
by new writers and have a special interest in
multi-cultural topics and art forms.
-
Fund
raising through theatre productions.
I will undertake all types of theatre productions
(musicals, plays and pantomimes) to raise money for
local charities. The casts and team is invited from
all areas of the local community, although – if you
click on the Network pages, there are some people I
could not do without!! Within the rehearsal process
the cast and production team will also voluntarily
run dance and drama workshops with the charities
being supported, and where possible, we will try to
involve workshop participants in the final show
promoting inclusion.
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