UCL’s Lockdown Entrepreneurs: Church St. Theatre
UCL has seen a myriad of student-led initiatives flourish during lockdown. In the first article of this series focused on student entrepreneurs, Pi speaks to Beth McAulay and Thomas Harcourt, founders of the new theatre company Church St. Theatre.
Illustration by Church St. Theatre
The last few months have, for the most part, been a testing time for students looking to advance their careers in the summer. From the drop in available internships and graduate jobs to the stark economic predictions for coming months, it is perhaps unsurprising that many young people have begun to feel pessimistic about their futures.
Yet, in spite of these adverse circumstances, there has been an apparent proliferation at UCL in recent months of students starting small businesses or otherwise organising to collaborate on exciting projects. Perhaps partially as a result of the free time quarantine has provided many students with, so many intriguing student-led initiatives have begun to blossom at UCL that they warrant a series.
The first of the “lockdown entrepreneurs” featured in this series are the founders of Church St. Theatre, third-year English students Beth McAulay and Thomas Harcourt. Both accomplished playwrights, with plays performed at the Arcola Theatre and Etcetera Theatre respectively, Beth and Thomas have now founded their own theatre company with the aim of cultivating and bringing together young talent.
The needs of young writers looking to develop their talents are, as Beth explains, generally very distinct from the needs of professional theatre establishments. Church St. Theatre is founded on the premise that, although many theatres in the UK boast writers’ groups and even youth programmes, there are remarkably few spaces where young theatre-makers can come together in complete freedom from deadlines, requirements, and the implicit expectations of audiences and financial profits.
Photography by Church St. Theatre
The aim of Church St. Theatre is therefore to create a place where writers can experiment alongside people their own age, both creating fruitful connections and bypassing much of the insecurity that can come with only being exposed to the work of more mature and commercially-successful playwrights. As Beth succinctly puts it, it is a company that aims to give writers permission to “make bad theatre but learn and grow from the experience.”
When asked why this initiative has materialised during lockdown, which has been notoriously harsh on the UK’s creative industries, Thomas suggested that it is precisely this new added difficulty for young people who want to enter the world of theatre that spurred them into action.
According to Thomas, the company is “a bit of a fightback against the way in which Covid-19 obliterated a lot of the channels and opportunities we all would otherwise have had. Church St. Theatre is an attempt to recreate that kind of space, where creative risks and new ideas are encouraged, and where everyone involved can support one another in taking those risks.” He added that Church St. Theatre will hopefully provide an avenue for the work of young, talented individuals to be seen even at a time when theatre is struggling.
Recent months have seen bleak reports of job losses and potential theatre closures across the country. In June, industry leaders warned that around 70 per cent of theatres in the UK could be forced to shut permanently if more is not done to help keep these venues afloat during the Covid-19 crisis. This month, the number of job losses in the UK theatre industry has risen to 5,000.
Although Church St. Theatre has emerged partially in response to these unfavourable circumstances for aspiring theatre-makers, it has also come into being as a result of the languor and relative inactivity that has characterised the lives of many during lockdown. Beth notes that when theatres closed, a significant proportion of what she did with her free time was taken from her, and Church St. Theatre is partially an attempt to get it back: “I suppose, in some way, Church St. Theatre arose from idleness, though primarily it came about because of my desperation to get back in touch with the one thing I love most.”
Photography by Church St. Theatre
Beth’s first play, which remains untitled, premiered at the Arcola Theatre in March 2019 and explores the effects of the lack of representation in the media of many LGBT+ identities and groups. Thomas’ first play, “Quitting Smoking” – which premiered at the Etcetera Theatre – is a black comedy about substance abuse and the problems that often underlie it. His second work, a monologue titled “Sashay Away,” was featured at an LGBT+ showcase in the Bloomsbury Studio and dealt with questions of internalised homophobia and gay identity.
Having experienced first-hand what it’s like to write and stage full plays, Beth and Thomas are now looking to lend a hand to other young people looking to do the same. Beth underscores that the opportunity to bring a play to life has given her “far greater an education [in theatre] than any other [she’s] received,” and would like to facilitate this same experience for other young people.
While Church St. Theatre is currently focusing on developing writers and is only accepting script submissions at the moment, they are also keen to hear from actors, directors, and designers that might help bring plays to the stage once theatres reopen. In the near future, they will be promoting collaborative work and establishing connections with a variety of theatres.
Above all, Church St. Theatre is meant to be a creative and inclusive space, and Beth and Thomas encourage participation “from anyone with even the slightest impulse to join.” “We really do want people of all abilities, confidences, experiences and backgrounds to get involved with us. That’s it, really. We love theatre so, if you love it too, come hang with us and let’s see if we can do something cool together.”
Church St. Theatre is on Instagram and Facebook, and is currently accepting script submissions at churchsttheatre@gmail.com.