The year the arts stopped? Not likely at The Playhouse

But behind those red doors the determination to effect local and global change through story sharing remained- to educate and inspire, and to deliver art which shines a light on issues impacting the local community.

A plan for survival in a decimated industry was beginning, a programme of live performances, workshops, festivals and conferences inside the theatre began, all to be streamed across the world via a newly installed live broadcasting infrastructure.

Changes

A new Digital Playhouse was created, as the theatre’s website and social media channels became a thriving online resource for a new digital audience, incorporating resources to educate and inspire.

The theatre continued to work in collaboration with children, young people and adults to share their lived experiences to co-create art; to deliver projects with brilliant partners who have nurtured their ideas and extended their knowledge; and to deliver art which shines a light on what matters to our society.

Sixty courageous and honest people shared their most complex and difficult memories to help others to deal with the past in the Theatre and Peacebuilding Academy, completing The Playhouse’s largest Creative Engagement project to date.

A total of 90 young people took part in online mural art workshops and created eight murals in their local communities. 37 received OCN Certificates in Crime Justice and Citizenship, Young people from Springhill Park Area Residents Youth Association in Strabane and Lincoln Court Youth Club in Derry gained inspiration from visiting international artists who lead workshops from California, Philadelphia and Colombia.

The theatre delivered a module to 10 international students from Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Holland undertaking an International Masters Artist Educator degree at ArtEZ University of the Arts Netherlands.

Visiting musicians and artists also returned, as the theatre announced its 2021 programme for theatre shows and concerts- streamed live, and available to customers to watch back on demand for seven days through the theatre’s new Digital Playhouse began with Anthony Toner’s Evening of John Prine Music this month.

“When lockdown began, everything stopped, immediately. The doors closed and our whole industry was placed on pause,” Playhouse director Kieran Griffiths said.

“We, like so many in our industry, began to urgently adapt and respond to Covid, exploring new ways to bring live performance and art back to our building, with the hope that we will not just weather the storm, but thrive in a new artistic world.”

project

Despite that storm, in 2020 The Playhouse successfully completed its largest Creative Engagement project to date, the Theatre and Peacebuilding Academy (2018-2020) funded by Peace IV with a grant of €859K.

Over the past 12-months five acclaimed artists were commissioned, including American Japanese director Ailin Conant, Irish playwright and poet Damian Gorman and local artist Pamela Brown. In collaboration with community members the artists explored the Troubles by interrogating themes such as trauma, loss, exclusion, hurt and pain. Through the creation of five new artworks The Playhouse collaborated with and involved 60 members of our local community.

“These people are our peacebuilders, they are our community heroes who lead us towards greater community cohesion,” said Elaine Forde, Theatre and Peacebuilding Academy project coordinator.

The Playhouse’s digital theatre season began in August with Proud to Be by Mel Bradley and directed by Kieran Smyth, an innovative new play exploring the diverse experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Art in the place of Conflict Peacebuilding Conference followed, showcasing and discussing art produced through the Academy with acclaimed artists such as Jo Egan, Conan McIvor, Joe Campbell, Declan Keeney and Ailin Conant. The keynote address was given by the internationally acclaimed John Paul Lederach. Teya Sepinuck of Theatre of Witness, Hector Aristizabal, founder of Imaginaction, and war photographer and activits Giles Duley discussed and presented their work.

online

All of these events and productions are still available to watch back for free in the Playhouse digital Playhouse, on www.derryplayhouse.co.uk, The Playhouse’s YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter. Online audiences spent 12,500 hours watching the theatre’s work online in 2020, with 19,300 engagements, as people liked, shared, commented and took part in the conversation.

“Feedback from our new Digital Playhouse has been just extraordinary, completely overwhelming” Kieran Griffiths said.

“We’re so excited to look to the future, as this approach will continue long after the restrictions of the pandemic are lifted and our building is filled once again; it is the future for The Playhouse.”