Friday 18th October
JMK & COMMON: Reclaiming Working and Under-Class Identity
6pm – 8.30pm
Cost: Free
Are you a working or under-class creative who works in theatre? Do you feel like an imposter within the arts? How often have you convinced yourself you aren’t right for a job or opportunity because of your class? Are you exhausted by being labelled a creative from a socio-economically “disadvantaged” background?
Responding to almost two years of research and the lived experiences of over 800 working and under-class creatives, COMMON have developed a workshop which aims to eradicate the imposter syndrome, the learned behaviour of inadequacy, and the internalised oppression so often imposed on creatives from these backgrounds. We believe working and under-class identity is something to celebrate. We believe that our voices should be heard, our lived experiences given equal platform, and our work, creativity and skills both celebrated and meaningfully supported.
This workshop is for all the Eliza Doolittle’s out there; for those from a working and under-class background who feel their identities have been distorted to fit the overwhelming “middle-classness” of the creative sector. It’s time to change the narrative.
Join COMMON’s Founder, David Loumgair, for this supportive and personalised workshop exploring ways of reclaiming your working or under-class identity. Through a combination of open discussion, written exercises and responding to provocations, together we’ll seek to change personal narratives from “disadvantage” to one of strength, pride and confidence, and identify what your lived experiences enable you to offer arts organisations that they can’t find elsewhere.
This workshop is part of a pilot, and during these sessions we are exploring what the most meaningful facilitation and structure of the workshops are. We will therefore be asking for the feedback of those who take part during and following the session.
Space are limited. Please email maria@jmktrust.org to reserve a place.
Wednesday 4th December
JAMES GRIEVE: The writer / director relationship on new plays
1pm – 4pm
Cost: Free
A workshop for directors and theatre makers, exploring the crucial relationship between the writer and director of a new play from commission to press night via redrafting, casting, design, rehearsals, tech and previews. How to build trust, give great notes and support playwrights as the lead creative artists in premiering bold new plays.
James Grieve was Joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough, the UK’s national theatre of new plays, for 10 years during which time the company produced 50 world premieres on tour to more than 300 places. For Paines Plough James directed new plays by writers including Mike Bartlett, James Graham, Kate Tempest, Elinor Cook, Tom Wells, Anna Jordan, Brad Birch, Penelope Skinner and Nick Payne. His freelance work includes the world premiere of David Baddiel’s debut play God’s Dice, a new production of Les Miserables for Wermland Opera in Sweden, Brian Friel’s Translations which won Best Production at the UK Theatre Awards 2014 and the new musical The Assassination of Katie Hopkins which won Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards 2018. In 2020 he will direct a new production of Cabaret for Gothenburg Opera.
Please email maria@jmktrust.org to book your place or for any more information.
