The Lighthouse Players are a theatre group based at the London Lighthouse, one of Europe’s premier care and resource centers for HIV and AIDS. In the spring of 1997, two Lighthouse volunteers, Ruthven Roberts and Kevin Spence collaborated with the idea of forming a permanent in-house performing company and thus the Players were born. The group mandate became: "To involve individuals of diverse backgrounds in the exploration and development of avant-garde theatre techniques."

The group is open to Lighthouse service users, volunteers, paid staff and anyone that is genuinely interested in being involved. We are not necessarily looking for "professional" actors or technicians, although they are certainly welcome. ‘The Players’ are about the desire to explore creativity and have fun, no matter what individual experiences are. As the founders of the group, Kevin Spence and Ruthven Roberts have respectively adopted the roles of Administrative Director and Artistic Director. As for the existing members, they comprise quite a varied spectrum of people. Most are otherwise employed as anything from hotel workers, restaurant staff and dance instructors to IT Managers, gardeners and housewives. Some are using the group as a positive tool to get back into the work force.

Why were the Players formed?

Initially, the group was formed with the following benefits in mind:

• To build a sense of community.

• As a form of therapy.

• As a free avenue for pursuing artistic and theatrical mediums.

• To help individuals back into the work place in a positive way through creative energy and interaction.

• To generate further interest in the London Lighthouse and it’s mission.

• To generate income and revenue, be it through funding or donations.

With the sudden and dramatic cuts in funding from local sources, the Lighthouse endeavors to make any new sources of funding for services as secure as possible, while continuing to adapt them to meet changing needs. We feel that the Lighthouse Players theatre group fits in well with the strategic directions that have been outlined for 1998-2001, in particular that of providing care and support for people facing the challenge of HIV and AIDS.

 

Our management meetings are held quarterly along with a member of management from the London Lighthouse. Additionally, the Players meet regularly with staff from the Lighthouse to discuss projects, funding and general group development. Further to this, we meet around the rehearsal schedules provided for set projects. Although the Players are a separate entity in that they are managed by the two directors, they fall under the umbrella of the many London Lighthouse services available.

Our first project began in June of 1997, when a public meeting was called at the Lighthouse to generate interest. From that initial meeting, 20-25 members continue to give ongoing support, with more joining all the time. We meet either at the Lighthouse itself or at private homes, where the meetings are chaired by the two directors with continual input from all in attendance. With a specific project or performance in mind, the group partake in warm-up exercises and personal or interpersonal activities. Members participate in workshops of physical movement, voice, energy channeling and alternative role-playing inspired by themes of the play. Although some may only be interested in the technical aspects of theatre, all are included in the exercises as we feel this builds a strong bond. One of the unique aspects of the Players is that members are not necessarily "cast" into specific roles for performances. A precedent was set with our first show, where members were asked which character they felt closely related to. The show was tailored around each member’s particular personality, with many of their own traits coming into play. This eases the transition from street to stage, for those who do not have theatrical experience.

Since our birth in June of 1997, we have completed four performances. November 1997 saw our first , ‘The Great & Secret Show’, the story of a young woman, Sally, who runs away from home after a series of personal catastrophes. She unwittingly comes under the association of an odd, dreamlike travelling circus. The actions of the somewhat surreal circus troupe end up assisting Sally in her quest for personal freedom. The Ringleader, Fortune Teller, Lion Tamer and Magician are the main four caricatures that seem to represent sides of Sally’s internal conflict. Our second performance in June of 1998 was ‘Anansi, The Spider Man’, based around the adventures of the West African/Caribbean trickster himself. Anansi is synonymous with the trickster of the sixteenth and seventeenth century court plays. In this story, Anansi’s mission was to gain title of the stories originally owned by King Tiger. To do this, he conned many a creature in the jungle, including King Tiger, Queen Bee and Snake. A bright and colorful cast including 10 children helped to bring Anansi and his friends to a whole new audience using comedy and songs written especially for this show. January of 1999 saw us performing another original script entitled ‘Evolution: A Work In Progress’, the story of a blank canvas travelling through various periods of history. As it travels, characters use it to express their emotions. The canvas is met by cavemen, a medieval queen, two lovers battling the odds of their respective warring kingdoms, the Demon of Industry and a lone man attempting to come to terms with his newfound liberty. The piece is a live exploration of the actor and his often spontaneous onstage emotions.

 

• To host a variety fundraiser, showcasing the individual talents of the group

• Production of 5^th original script entitled ‘Spectrum’

• Initiate new and innovative workshops for voice coaching, physical movement, techniques for on stage preparation, set and costume design and writing for the small stage

• Generate and maintain a feasible budget through varied sources of funding

• Production of 6th original script entitled 'Tube Flash', written by Kevin Spence

• To broaden our member base in order to bring a continual flow of new ideas and perspectives.

• To take the group travelling both through the UK and overseas, as part of a performance exchange program.

• To bring other performances to the Lighthouse from various areas in order to learn and appreciate new methods of performance.

• In keeping with the Lighthouse international outreach work, the group would like to assist foreign nationals affected or infected with HIV and AIDS, either at their home or in Great Britain.

• To use ‘The Great & Secret Show’ as an evolving signature piece, seeking to explore social issues, for example, the personal and social responses of those affected and infected by HIV and AIDS.

About the Directors: