THIS LAST PIECE OF SKY: THEATRE FOR TOWER HAMLETS
Donation protected
We are seeking funding for a theatre production for young people in Tower Hamlets, one of the most disadvantaged areas of London. This Last Piece of Sky by Kevin Keiss is translated from French and explores themes of isolation and connection, neurodiversity and family. As well as a short run at The Space theatre, we will bring the work to a local secondary school to explore issues of isolation arising from the pandemic.
Who are we?
We’re Charis (a translator) and Sibylla (a theatre director) and we’re working on a project to bring a beautiful play about isolation and connection to young audiences in Tower Hamlets.
How it started
We first met on Zoom in the January 2021 lockdown at a translator-director speed dating event, and agreed that This Last Piece of Sky (translated from French by Charis) would really capture the imaginations of young people. With its themes of isolation, connection and transcending barriers, we felt the play could offer young people some solace and escape after the stresses of lockdown. Since then, we’ve been working to find a theatre and a local school to provide a home for this timely show.
The great news is that we’ve been offered a run at The Space theatre in May. In addition to the five-night slot, we’ll also be offering free showings for a local secondary school in The Space’s local community of Tower Hamlets.
What’s the fundraiser for?
We’ve tried the usual funding routes (and some less usual ones, too!) and now it’s crunch time. We need to raise £2,000 by Sunday 10th April – and we’d be so grateful if you could help us.
Why does this project matter?
This play is for and about young people, one of the groups hit hardest by the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Apart from wanting to share it with “traditional” theatregoers, it’s really important to us to bring the show to a wider audience. We believe that theatre is for everyone, and that everyone – whatever their background and situation – should be able to access the arts.
A few facts and stats:
- The mental health of 15-24 year-olds worsened significantly in 2020-21, with mental health issues doubling or more in most countries. (Source: OECD: Supporting young people’s mental health through the COVID-19 crisis)
- Schools that are rich in arts enhance children’s life chances, their mental health and the health and wellbeing of their surrounding communities. (Source: the Cultural Learning Alliance – the Case for Cultural Learning)
- Children from low-income households do not show the same levels of post-lockdown recovery as children from higher income households (Source: the UK Government’s Covid-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Surveillance report)
- In 2019/20, 56% of children in Tower Hamlets were living in a low-income family (taking into account housing costs). This is the highest level of child poverty in the UK. (Source: Tower Hamlets Poverty Review at TowerHamlets.gov.uk)
We want young people from the theatre’s community to be able to see the show and for it to be a memorable experience that supplements current arts provision in their school.
What’s the play about?
This Last Piece of Sky is by French writer Kevin Keiss, and has been translated into English by Charis. It follows the story of two young people, far apart but with a strange ability to connect. In Paris, Louis thinks he’s discovered the secret of the universe; his family think he needs professional help. Only Sarah understands – but she’s thousands of miles away, in a country facing a military coup. The play explores themes of family, isolation and mental health through a poetic, other-worldly lens.
We hope that, after the stresses of lockdown, This Last Piece of Sky will offer a little solace to young people and the sense that they are not alone.
Listen to an extract from the play
How will donations be used?
Our goal is to reach £2,000 by 10th April. We have already raised a small amount of money, but this extra amount will mean we can pay the cast and creative team a fair wage and get the word out about the show. Donations will be used in the following ways:
- Paying the actors and creative team a fairer wage (with a cast of 6, covering rehearsals and performances, plus our extra shows for local schoolchildren, this soon adds up!): £800
- Sound design to express the musical themes in the play and suggest the mysterious connection between Louis and Sarah: £600
- Lighting and tech: £400
- Marketing (flyers, posters and online advertising): £200
If we made a little extra, we’d love to make the experience extra-special by bringing the writer, Kevin Keiss, over from France for a Q&A with the students.
How can you help?
Please help us reach our target. Every donation makes a difference, and by supporting this project you are helping us bring this beautiful play and a wider experience of the arts to young people in Tower Hamlets. For the price of an average theatre ticket (£10-40) you can provide a cultural experience that will offer new perspectives and inspire conversations about life post-lockdown.
Thank you!
Charis and Sibylla
Follow us on social media:
Twitter: this_piece
Instagram: thislastpieceofsky
Organizer
Charis Ainslie
Organizer
England