Indhu Rubasingham to step down as Artistic Director of The Kiln, Kilburn after sometimes stormy tenure in post

 

 Indhu Rubasingham

 

The Kiln Theatre annouced today that Indhu Rubasingham is to step down as artistic director. She will finish her term in early 2024 and meanwhile the role of artistic director of Kiln Theatre will be advertised, and the recruitment process will begin later this month.

Aside from her impact on the cultural offer at the theatre Rubasingham was embroiled in controversy early in her tenure in 2014 when conflict in the Middle East was intense and the theatre decided not to accept Israeli monetary support for the UK Jewish Film Festival. In the face of misleading press reports the theatre issued this statement
LINK :

The Tricycle has always welcomed the Festival and wants it to go ahead. We have proudly hosted the UK Jewish Film Festival for many years. However, given the situation in Israel and Gaza, we do not believe that the festival should accept funding from any party to the current conflict.  For that reason, we asked the UK Jewish Film Festival to reconsider its sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy.  We also offered to replace that funding with money from our own resources. The Tricycle serves many communities and celebrates different cultures and through difficult, emotional times must aim for a place of political neutrality.

Nevertheless the Jewish Film Festival withdrew from what was then the Tricycle and Brent Conservatives proposed that Brent Council stopped contributing to its funding.

 

 May Bank Holiday Protest 2018

 

The renaming of the Tricycle was the next controversy on her watch when it was proposed that the name of the theatre should be changed to The Kiln as part of a relaunch. This led to demonstrations by angry theatre goers outside the premises, a Facebook group 'Our Tricycle not your Kiln'  and the launch of a petition:

The name of the theatre and cinema that the local community has loyally supported for many years has been changed, without consultation, from ‘The Tricycle’ to ‘The Kiln’. The attempt at re-branding is unnecessary, costly and squanders the established reputation of The Tricycle. The loss of loyalty may lead to the theatre closing - already many local people have declared their intention to boycott it when it reopens. In addition the name ‘The Kiln’ has unfortunate associations to a fire in the eighties, when the theatre burned to the ground. Please support us by signing the petition for the name to be changed back to The Tricycle - It only takes a moment...

Indhu Rubasingham oversaw a substantial £9m refurbishment programme at The Kiln and the statement from the theatre below sets out what they see as her achievements as artistic director:

Kiln Theatre today announces that Indhu Rubasingham will step down as Artistic Director of the company, leaving early 2024, having led the company for over a decade.

Indhu Rubasingham said today, “I never had an inkling of the journey ahead when I was first was appointed. I immediately felt the responsibility, but what emerged was both challenging and exhilarating, an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It has been an immense honour to be Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre. I have learnt and grown so much over these past 11 years. It has given me the privilege and opportunity to work with many brilliant people, who have contributed to the successes of Kiln; a theatre with a mission that is heartfelt and held by the whole team. I am deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees chaired by Sita McIntosh and former trustees and Chairs for their support and guidance and care of Kiln, and also to the many donors and Arts Council England who have allowed the Kiln to flourish and achieve all the things it has. It is a wonderful space, that welcomes us in to immerse ourselves in different worlds, narratives and experiences. I have been very lucky to be part of its story. It now feels the right moment to pass the baton and herald the next chapter of this unique theatre.”

Chair of the Board, Sita McIntosh commented, “Indhu has brought so many incredible qualities to the role of Artistic Director – a flair for programming, the innate ability to combine the commercial with artistic risk, and to bring a wealth of voices into the Kiln, never afraid to challenge, to ask questions, and to bring out the very best in those whose work she champions. However, it’s not only on the stage that her presence is felt, she’s put creative engagement at the very forefront of the company’s ethos, firmly believing theatre should be accessible to everyone through the work and through training opportunities. She’s a rare talent, and she will be much missed. Her greatest legacy is the building, which through a major capital project, she has future proofed for generations, and it’s that building that will host the next chapter for the company as we look for a new Artistic Director to build on Indhu’s evident successes.”

Rubasingham took up her role at Kiln Theatre (then Tricycle Theatre) in 2012 – having previously directed Women, Power and Politics, Stones in His Pockets, Detaining Justice, The Great Game: Afghanistan, Fabulation and Starstruck for the company – and immediately, with Board support, repositioned the company’s mission to bring unheard voices to the mainstream.

Her first production as Artistic Director was the critically acclaimed award-winning Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti, starring Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge. The production was nominated for the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre; and Chakrabarti won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright. The production later transferred to St Ann’s Warehouse in New York and to the Garrick Theatre as part of Kenneth Branagh’s season.

New writing became a mainstay of Rubasingham’s tenure and was followed with Philip Himberg’s Paper Dolls – a new musical inspired by a true story with an international company combining languages, musical genres, cultures and gender identity. Other highlights include Moira Buffini’s Handbagged which examines the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher. The production opened to critical acclaim in 2013 winning the Olivier Award for Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, before transferring to the West End and Washington, and Rubasingham revived the production last year in what was to prove timely programming. She also directed Marcus Gardley’s The House That Will Not Stand and The Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes (with long-term partners Lucian Msamati, Adjoa Andoh and Sharon D Clarke, the latter who returned for Susie McKenna’s production of Blues in the Night); and Ayad Akhtar’s The Invisible Hand, which was one of the last productions under the Tricycle Theatre name, and was later revived as part of the reopening season post the Covid-19 pandemic, garnering Olivier Award nominations for Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for both runs.

Two key relationships under her leadership were with the writers Florian Zeller and Zadie Smith. The company presented Zeller’s triptych of plays – The Father, The Mother and The Son, with both The Father and The Son receiving West End transfers. Rubasingham began her working relationship with Smith with White Teeth, which was adapted for the stage by Stephen Sharkey and formed part of the opening season at Kiln Theatre. A book firmly rooted in the local community, Smith and Rubasingham followed this with a new collaboration on The Wife of Willesden, which enjoyed two sell-out runs at the company’s home base, before transferring to American Repertory Theatre, Harvard University and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Smith now sits on the Board of Kiln Theatre.

Other writers commissioned, produced and presented during Rubasingham’s period as Artistic Director include Anupama Chandrasekhar, Samuel Adamson, Alexi Kaye Campbell, John Hollingworth, Marina Carr, April De Angelis, Inua Ellams, Suhayla El-Bushra, Alexis Zegerman,Lynn Nottage, Zodwa Nyoni, Amy Trigg, Chinonyerem Odimba, Colman Domingo, and most recently Ryan Calais Cameron with the critically acclaimed sell-out production of Retrograde, directed by Associate Director Amit Sharma. Partnerships and co-productions included with the National Theatre on The Great Wave by Frances Turnley, which Rubasingham directed (and is now on the school syllabus), Abbey Theatre, Tamasha, tiata fahodzi, Fiery Angel, Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Bath Theatre Royal, Paines Plough, Frantic Assembly, Complicité, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Opera Up Close and Muju.

Perhaps most significantly, Rubasingham oversaw a £9m major capital refurbishment future proofing the theatre for the next generation of theatremakers. The necessary works preserved the glories of the original building whilst making it a theatre for today, fit for purpose for modern companies and audiences. The newly-renovated theatre features an upgraded auditorium with a flexible stage, better seating, improved accessibility; and a street-front café on Kilburn High Road. The theatre reopened in 2018 with a new name, Kiln Theatre.

During this period, Rubasingham and her team spearheaded an expansion of creative engagement work, putting their commitment to the local community and emerging artists at the very core of the theatre’s output. These initiatives included the growth of Minding the Gap – a drama project for young people aged 14-19 who are newly arrived in the UK, with lived experience of migration and/or who identify as refugees and asylum seekers from Kiln’s partner schools and colleges in Brent, Youth Theatre, Young Companies, and The Agency, which was part of Brent 2020, London Borough of Culture. In addition to the extensive Creative Engagement programme, Kiln Theatre also runs an artist development programme for residents of North West London, to support and inform practice, inspire and release creativity.

She led the company, with Executive Director Daisy Heath, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and utilising the support of the Job Retention Scheme and the Culture Recovery Fund kept the staff and building together, whilst repositioning themselves during lockdown as a support and hub for the local area. In recognition of this work, and their reopening season, Kiln Theatre won The Stage 2021 Award for London Theatre of the Year. Also, as part of Kiln’s post-Covid reopening, in 2021 Kiln created their new Backstage Designer Residencies scheme, mentored by Tom Piper, which seeks to have a real impact both on the relationship between creative freelancers and building-based organisations, and on the lack of accessible pathways into theatre design careers.  With this paid training opportunity, Kiln piloted Universal Basic Income-type support for early career theatre designers. Routes in, access into the industry and artistic excellence are the cornerstones of Rubasingham’s Kiln Theatre.

The last three words may raise hackles amongst the Tricycle loyalists (It's OUR Tricycle not YOUR Kiln') with one Twitter commenter musing today, 'I wonder what the next artistic director will rename The Kiln.'

Asked about Indhu's futue plans The Kiln said there was nothing to add at this stage.

 

 

 

Candlelit vigil at the Kiln (Tricycle) Theatre's White Teeth first night

Production photo - White Teeth (Kiln Theatre)

Opponents of the change of name of the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn are organising a candlelit vigil at Monday's first night of Zadie Smith's White Teeth LINK.

Martin Fisher of the It's our Tricycle Not Your Kiln campaign told Wembley Matters:

Out of respect for our local author, we decided on this rather than a noisy demo. 

To be clear, this campaign has no argument with the artistic direction of the theatre but we - and nearly all of the thousands of people we have encountered over 6 months - strongly object to the change of name. 

The Tricycle was loved locally and hugely admired abroad. The change and the high-handed manner of the Kiln has alienated a significant part of its former supporters and most of the local community.   

The vigil will begin at 6,15pm on Monday.

'It's OUR Tricycle not YOUR Kiln!' Bank Holiday demonstration draws big crowd

It was a record breaking hot early May Bank Holiday and the heat was on the Tricycle Theatre management today when local people who attend the theatre and cinema assembled to protest outside the theatre at the name change to 'The Kiln.'

They complained about lack of consultation with the local community and the theatre and cinema's customers and lamented the loss of the historic links of the original name - ironically links that the billboard outside the theatre described. (below)  One demonstrator commented that as customers they should have been consulted and that as Brent Council had given the theatre 1,000,000 for the refurbishment the Council should also have had a say and discussed the proposal with residents.  Their council tax had helped pay for the refurishment.

'It is not the private property of the directors,' one demonstrator said, 'It is a community facility - it belongs to all of us.'

Another demonstrator, a local man who has attended the theatre and cinema for decades, went further saying that the action of the artistic director was one of a piece with other community losses in Kilburn.  He spoke about the loss of local pubs and the demise of community projects with local people feeling a loss of control as things that really mattered to them were taken away or shut down. Now, he suggested,  the community outreach work of the Tricycle seemed to be threatened in the wake of the relaunch.

Two young women spoke about what they had gained from the drama workshops held at the Tricycle and how this has increased their confidence and social skills.

It is likely that there will be more demonstrations and protests before the new season opens with a petition already gaining more than 1,000 signatures. Sign the petition HERE.

UPDATE: Don't trash the Trike! Petition set up following name change.

I have reported on the social media backlash over the rebranding of The Tricycle Theatre as The Kiln although the rebrand does have its supporters. For a full account of the change see LINK

Now John Duffy fighting Kilburn as an independent in the local election, has thrown his weight behind a petition calling for the retraction of the name change.

Duffy said:

I urge everybody from Kilburn and Brent to sign the petition below to ensure the Tricycle Theatre retains its name.

I have lived in Kilburn all my life and during that time the Tricycle Theatre has played a major role in the lives of  many Kilburn Residents.

I was on the board of the Tricycle in 1987 to help rebuild the theatre  following the fire in  1987 , which burn a large part of the Theatre to the ground. At the time it seemed like it  we would be unable to rebuilt the theatre, because of the lacking of funding. However with the help of the Arts Council and local residents we did. At the time I remember the fund raising slogan was the “ Tricycle has Risen from the Ashes'.

The name the Tricycle is important as a landmark for Kilburn, everybody knows “The Trike” I think the brand name of the Tricycle is a good brand  and the Theatre will always be known as “The trike” whatever whatever  the ad-men say.

The idea that marketing men , Brent Council and the board, can change tradition and history without any consultation with the residents is fundamentally wrong. Local residents pay for The Tricycle via Brent Council grants and should have a say in any name change.

The petition set up by the Brondesbury Next Door group can be signed HERE. As yet there is no rival petition supporting the name change.

The petition blurb says:

The name of the theatre and cinema that the local community has loyally supported for many years has been changed, without consultation, from ‘The Tricycle’ to ‘The Kiln’. The attempt at re-branding is unnecessary, costly and squanders the established reputation of The Tricycle. The loss of loyalty may lead to the theatre closing - already many local people have declared their intention to boycott it when it reopens. In addition the name ‘The Kiln’ has unfortunate associations to a fire in the eighties, when the theatre burned to the ground. Please support us by signing the petition for the name to be changed back to The Tricycle - It only takes a moment...

Whichever side of the debate is correct I can't help but think the name change has garnered much more publicity than a simple re-opening after refurbishment would have done. 

Clever?

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A FACEBOOK GROUP HAS NOW BEEN SET 'OUR TRICYCLE, NOT YOUR KILN' LINK

Kilburn's Tricycle goes potty

Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of the Tricycle Theatre, , announced this morning that the well known and respected Tricycle Theatre, known affectionately as 'The Trike' by locals, has been renamed the Kiln Theatre. She said:

This is an opporunity for us to be really proud. A name can't do anything itself. It goes hand in hand with our ethos, or mission statement and our programme. This is the time to do different things.

The theatre has reopened its doors after an extensive refurbishment and fundriasing programme.

Kiln Theatre website HERE

UPDATE Friday April 13th

Since the announcement there has been much criticism of the change on social media.

A petition to reverse the name change can be found HERE  

Brent Conservatives misleading on Tricycle

The following motion has been submitted by Brent Conservative Group for the next Full Council meeting on Monday July 10th:

TRICYCLE THEATRE
 

This Council notes with dismay the recent awarding of £1m. to the Tricycle Theatre by Brent’s cabinet. 

This Council is particularly surprised at the decision in the light of.....
- apparent lack of monies in Brent’s coffers.
- failure to invite other community groups to bid for the available £1m.
- the artistic discrimination previously shown by the Tricycle in cancelling the Jewish Film Festival. 

This Council calls upon cabinet to allocate the £1m. through an open bidding process inviting applications from all community groups ....not just the Tricycle. 

Councillor John Warren


Leader of the Brent Conservative Group Brondesbury Park Ward

I have no problem with the Tories querying the bidding process for the grant but would point out that the claim that the Tricycle Theatre cancelled the Jewish Film Festival is incorrect. The Tricycle did not cancel the Festival - the UK Jewish Film Festival organisers withdrew the festival from the Tricycle. Although the Tricycle later changed its position this is what it said at the time LINK:

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We have been contacted by several patrons who have been given misleading information about the Tricycle and the UK Jewish Film Festival. We would like to set down an accurate account. 

The Tricycle has always welcomed the Festival and wants it to go ahead. We have proudly hosted the UK Jewish Film Festival for many years. However, given the situation in Israel and Gaza, we do not believe that the festival should accept funding from any party to the current conflict.  For that reason, we asked the UK Jewish Film Festival to reconsider its sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy.  We also offered to replace that funding with money from our own resources. The Tricycle serves many communities and celebrates different cultures and through difficult, emotional times must aim for a place of political neutrality. 

We regret that, following discussions, the chair of the UKJFF told us that he wished to withdraw the festival from the Tricycle.   

To be clear, at this moment, the Tricycle would not accept sponsorship from any government agency involved in the conflict. We hope to find a way to work with the UK Jewish Film Festival to allow the festival to go ahead at the Tricycle as it has done so successfully for the past 8 years.’  

Indhu Rubasingham

'Is Trike's grant of up to £1m fair?' asks ex-councillor

It looks as if a proposal by Brent Council to pay the Tricycle Theatre a grant of up to £1m for a renovation project is going to prove controversial.  The grant would replace any ongoing funding that was due from April 1st 2018.

A report LINK  to be presented to Cabinet makes on April 24th makes the case:

The Tricycle Theatre has recently embarked on a major renovation project due for completion in February 2018. Once completed the work will significantly increase capacity and allow the theatre to extend the range of activities that they run. As well as enhancing an iconic cultural venue it will also give a much needed major boost to the economic regeneration of one of the borough’s priority high streets. The Tricycle has secured £5.6m of the £6.6m required to complete the renovation. 


In recognition of the Tricycle Theatre’s economic, social and cultural benefits to Brent this report recommends that Brent Council support the theatre with a grant of up to £1m to enable its ongoing capital renovation project to be completed in its entirety. The Tricycle’s success has meant that while its productions have improved, the venue has not kept pace and no longer meets the needs of the community, producers or performers. This renovation work addresses problems related to insufficient seating capacity, accessibility and helps to mitigate social exclusion. 

Alongside the renovation work within the Tricycle Theatre, Brent Council is considering developing a project to commission improvement works to be carried out on the Kilburn High Road pavement around the theatre. If funding is approved, the improvements will include levelling the footpath and adding street furniture to encourage footfall and dwell time in the area. This broader regeneration project can be seen as complimentary to the ongoing renovation work within the theatre. 

The council is being asked for a grant of up to £1m because the Tricycle Theatre has aspirations of achieving some of the shortfall from elsewhere including through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The theatre has passed HLF’s Stage 1 but in order for it to progress and receive HLF funding (expected to be circa £450k) it needs to be recognised as a cultural heritage asset on Brent’s ‘Local List’ of Heritage Assets. The building is deemed to meet the criteria for the List and this report recommends its inclusion. 


Recommendation(s) 

To approve a grant to the Tricycle Theatre of up to £1m representing the difference between the existing and potential HLF funding sources secured for the renovation of the theatre and the amount required to complete the renovation.  

To approve the grant detailed above on the basis that it is a one off grant that replaces any ongoing grant due to be awarded to the Tricycle Theatre by Brent Council from 1 April 2018. 

To approve the appointment of the Tricycle Theatre on to the Local List as a cultural heritage asset thus enabling the theatre to progress with its application for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

In a letter to Carolyn Downs, Brent CEO, former councillor Paul Lorber presents his misgivings:

Until a few years ago the Council had a Grants policy which provided support for various Cultural and Festivals activities run by our diverse community. This Grant programme was scrapped by a Labour Administration on the grounds that it was costly and unaffordable.

Since the scrapping of those Grants the Leadership of the Council has been lobbied to reinstate  part of the Grant by Community Groups operating in Brent - these requests have been denied.

It is surprising to find that a Grant of between £500,000 and £1 million is now being offered to the Tricycle Theatre without a proper and a fair Grant bidding process being followed.

The justification for this is very weak as clearly the Tricycle have once again overstretched themselves and bouncing the Council into meeting their shortfall. This is not the first time this has happened as previous projects were overspent and the Council called on to bail them out.

Many of the activities used to justify the grant do not require an expanded building and could just as easily be carried out in other premises - include all the surplus and available space at the Civic Centre.

The report states that 20,000 people from all over London visit the Tricycle each year. The Hindu Council in Brent would like part of the Grant for Navratri reinstated (it used to be £67,000 per year and even £500,000 paid to them equals to 8 years worth) as over a 9 day period of this Festival around 30,000 residents take part. Eid in Brent used to attract many thousands of residents too.

Irrespective of the above there is a fundamental principle of fairness and equality at stake here. It is simply not right to deny large sections of the Brent Community access to Grant funding and then award up to a £1 million to an organisation just because they pursued an over ambitious project for which they had not secured sufficient funds in advance.

If money is suddenly available then it should be distributed fairly through a properly organised Grant making process accessible to everyone equally.

In view of the above I call on you to defer the decision on this item on the 24th.

Carolyn Downs replied:

The report regarding the Tricycle Theatre is entirely lawful and has been placed on the agenda for cabinet to decide in line with all rules etc. Accordingly I will not seek to defer the item from Monday's meeting. 

If you disagree with its content it is far better that you seek to make your views known at the Cabinet meeting by requesting of the Chair that you be permitted to speak on the issue. The Leader, if alerted in writing in advance, usually allows members of the public to address the cabinet. Otherwise you could email Cabinet members along the lines that you have emailed me. 

Lorber responded with an FoI request:

Can you please treat this email as a FOI request and arrange for the following questions to be answered.

1. Who has carried the Equality assessment on respect of this Grant and what conclusion have their reached on the issue of a Grant being granted to one cultural organisation in Brent while Grants not being available or denied to other organisations.

2. When did the Tricycle Theatre request a Grant from the Council - was it before or after they became aware of the full cost of their project and shortfall in grant funding or has the Council been involved right from the outset?

3. What assessment did your officers carry out of the proposed works and whether they represent value for money and are affordable in view of the past record of the Tricycle in respect of large capital projects.

4. What is the published policy of Brent Council for considering Grants requests of this type and how is this policy publicised. 

5. Provide a list of all meetings between the Council (Councillors and Officers) where the Tricycle project was discussed and a request for a Grant made including a list of everyone who attended each meeting.

6. Which Council Budget is the Grant being paid from and which Council Tax fixing meeting agreed this Budget.

7. Please list all requests for a Grant made to Brent Council in the last 12 months and confirm how each request has been responded to.

Unfortunately I am not able to attend the Cabinet Meeting hence my questions in advance. As someone who was around when proposals were made to cut grants to a large numbers of Groups a few years ago I am concerned at the selective way that a substantial Grant us now being handed out without a proper Grant process which ensures equality of opportunity.

Great Tricycle events at Yellow Pavilion today and tomorrow

The Tricycle Theatre is reaching out into various venues around the borough as part of their #Takeover2017 Mapping Brent activity.

These are the events taking place at the Yellow Pavilion, Engineers Way, Wembley Park

Culture Clash
Venue: Yellow Pavilion, Engineers Way, Wembley Park, HA9 0EG
Monday 3 April, 18.00 – 19.00
Suitable for all ages

Musicians, dancers and singers from Brent representing different backgrounds, ethnicities and nationalities are collaborating for the Tricycle Theatre’s Culture Clash. Through their art, different groups will come together for Takeover 2017 to create new pieces of work. Featuring the renowned St Michael’s and All Angels Steel orchestra’, Armenian and Bollywood dancers it is not to be missed.

 BOOK TICKETS

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Puppetry Workshop
Venue: Yellow Pavilion, Engineers Way, Wembley Park, HA9 0EG
Tuesday 4 April, 10.00 – 12.00
Suitable for all ages.

Harlesden’s Mahogany Carnival Designs is offering a workshop for Brent’s budding puppeteers. For 90 minutes you will learn how to wield and move with exciting, unique and colourful designs. By the end of the session you’ll be ready to perform with professionals! Mahogany has performed at numerous events such as the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and has contributed to BBC commissioned events.

 BOOK TICKETS

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Mapping Futures: A Q&A about Creativity in Brent
Venue: Yellow Pavilion, Engineers Way, Wembley Park, HA9 0EG
Tuesday 4 April, 15.30 – 16.30
Suitable for all ages.

An opportunity for Brent’s youth to come together and discuss creativity and exploration, express opinions and ideas, in order to look at how they can build and better themselves whilst also changing their communities. With a panel including Brent Youth Parliament representative Dilan Dattani and Authors of the Estate poet Andre Anderson as well as local business owners and prominent figures, this promises to be an engaging and inspiring event.

 BOOK TICKETS

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Mariah Idrissi: Talk and Q&A
Venue: Yellow Pavilion, Engineers Way, Wembley Park, HA9 0EG
Tuesday 4 April, 17.30 – 18.30
Suitable for all ages.

A talk and Q&A with Brent resident and former Tricycle Youth Theatre member Mariah Idrissi. Mariah is known for being the first hijab-wearing model to be featured in a campaign for H&M, and is also signed to ‘Select’ model management. The discussion will focus on Mariah’s life, achievements and obstacles she has faced, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

 BOOK TICKETS

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WEEE collection at the Tricycle from Monday

From the Tricycle Theatre blog

Mobile phones, digital cameras, tablets, TVs and battery-operated toys – are all likely to figure high on wish lists this Christmas.

As a large proportion of those shiny, new gadgets will be replacing yesterday’s unwanted or broken models, the question facing their owners is what to do with the old ones?

We’ve teamed up with The Waste Minimisation Team at West London Waste Authority to host another free recycling bin for small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, or WEEE., from Monday 4 January until Sunday 10 January 2016.

This event will provide local residents and visitors to the theatre with an opportunity to declutter their homes of broken or unwanted small electrical items such as alarm clocks, toys, kettles and hair dryers and dispose of them at a convenient location.

James Foran, our Operations Manager at the Tricycle Theatre said:

‘At the Tricycle we’re committed to becoming a more environmentally sustainable theatre, reducing our energy emissions and establishing green initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint.

This is a wonderful opportunity to work with West London Waste and the local community in Brent on an initiative which only takes a little effort for each individual but can have a real impact for all of us.’

Landfilling of WEEE can be particularly dangerous as it contains hazardous substances such as mercury, lead, beryllium and cadmium. Recycling these items means fewer raw materials need to be used in the manufacture of new goods and precious metals are used again.

So when you enjoy entertainment at the Tricycle Theatre in the New Year, take along your unwanted small electrical or electronic items to ensure it gets recycled and doesn’t end up in landfill!

Contact The Waste Minimisation Team at West London Waste Authority on 0208 825 9468, or info@westlondonwaste.gov.uk.

Hampstead & Kilburn Hustings at the Tricycle March 24th

Hampstead & Kilburn Hustings at the Tricycle Theatre
hosted by the Tricycle and Age UK (Brent & Camden)

Tuesday 24 March 2015, 7.30pm

Parliamentary candidates for the Hampstead & Kilburn constituency debate issues and policy affecting children, young people and older people in the area and answer questions from constituents.

Questions must be submitted in advance to creativelearning@tricycle.co.uk, or in person on arrival at the event.

Chair: Geoff Martin, Editor in Chief, Ham & High

Confirmed candidates: Dr Rebecca Johnson (Green), Simon Marcus (Cons), Maajid Nawaz (Lib Dem), Tulip Siddiq (Lab)

This hustings is free to attend, and it is primarily intended for residents in Hampstead & Kilburn constituency.

Click to book FREE tickets. Tickets required to attend (one the site click on the calendar date).

After the Tricycle: Can Arts Organisations say 'No' to Embassy Funding?

TUESDAY OCTOBER 7TH - 7PM 17-25 NEW INN YARD EC2A 3EA

Amnesty has sent the following invitation which will be of interest to readers involved in the debate over the Tricycle Theatre's refusal of Israeli Government funding (via the Embassy) and the subsequent events.

Do artists and arts organisations have the right to say ‘no’ when governments with negative human rights records try to co-opt culture in the service of their public relations strategies? 

Please join the discussion – After the Tricycle: Can arts organisations say ‘no’ to embassy funding?

In August 2014, during the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, the Tricycle Theatre asked the UK Jewish Film Festival to forego Israeli embassy funding. The festival refused, walked away from the Tricycle, and briefed the press that the theatre was boycotting a Jewish festival. The theatre came under sustained attack: campaigns to de-fund the theatre, denunciations by liberal newspaper columnists, even intervention by the Secretary of State for Culture himself.

Do we have to accept that the kind of backlash the Tricycle experienced is inevitable as far as funding by a powerful state is concerned, and make sure we never follow where this theatre led?
Panel chair: Kamila Shamsie, novelist.

Speakers: April De Angelis and Tanika Gupta playwrights, Antony Lerman writer & commentator, and Ofer Neiman of the Israeli group Boycott from Within.

Panel discussion. Free entry, but reservation is recommended.
There will be a drinks reception afterwards.
When: Tuesday 7th October, 19:00 – 21:00. Doors open 18:30
Where: Amnesty International UK Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London. EC2A 3EA.

On Yer Trike: The Perils of Taking A Principled Stand

I am reprinting  this excellent article by Aisha Maniar from her website One Small Window... LINK

Aisha reflects on the summer controversy over the Tricycle Theatre's rejection of Israeli government funding during the current Gaza conflict and its wider ramifications.

Showing solidarity…
 
The targeting of Gaza’s infrastructure, including its only power plant, and UN safe havens where unarmed civilians sought shelter has inspired some Latin American states to recall their ambassadors to Israel, effectively cutting diplomatic ties in protest. Elsewhere, the international community has largely maintained a deafening silence on the latest war and destruction of the Gaza Strip. Some states have signalled their tacit approval of possible war crimes. On the other hand, the solidarity of ordinary people has been well demonstrated in this conflict as millions of people worldwide have taken to the streets of their cities in solidarity with the beleaguered people of Gaza.

In Britain, the response has been varied and has involved solidarity actions as diverse as pop star Zayn Malik tweeting “#FreePalestine”, for which he received death threats, to England cricketer Moeen Ali wearing “Free Palestine” and “Free Gaza” wristbands, which were later banned by the International Cricket Council on the basis that they were political and in breach of the rules. With the England Cricket Board (ECB) and others agreeing that the bands were humanitarian and not political, the action received widespread support.

Many ordinary people have chosen to take peaceful direct action through boycotts of companies and products that support Israel. As elsewhere in Europe, the BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) movement has been gaining traction. As part of a national day of protest against the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s on 2 August, activists in Brixton, south London, closed down two shops. Other similar protests have been held outside other retailers.

The UK’s continuing military support and arming of Israel has been targeted. Protests have been held outside and in Barclays Bank due to its investment in arms sales to Israel, leading in some cases to temporary branch closures. Amnesty International has set up a petition calling on the UK government to end all arms sales to Israel: “We must not facilitate war crimes”. On 5 August, nine activists from the London Palestine Action group successfully closed down a drone component factory owned by Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems in Staffordshire for two days. The 9 were forcedly removed and charged with aggravated trespass, and are due to appear in court on 20 August. The Campaign against The Arms Trade (CAAT) has announced it is bringing legal action against the British government “unless it stops sending arms to Israel and conducts a review of its current arms export licences”.

…at the Tricycle

Against this backdrop, an arts protest might seem almost twee or hipster. Applying the “think global, act local” philosophy, this month a small theatre in north London has found itself at the centre of a storm pitting it against the full force of the powerful pro-Israel lobby and the duplicity of the mainstream media.

The Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, north London, has hosted the UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF) for the past 8 years of the festival’s 17-year history. This year, however, in a statement dated 5 August, now permanently removed from its website, the theatre announced, “Given the situation in Israel and Gaza, we do not believe that the festival should accept funding from any party to the current conflict… [Thus], we asked the UK Jewish Film Festival to reconsider its sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy”; “at this moment, the Tricycle would not accept sponsorship from any government agency involved in the conflict”. The funding by the embassy is worth around £1400 and the festival would have involved 26 film showings and 6 gala events at the venue.

The theatre, which “has always welcomed the Festival and wants it to go ahead” instead “offered to replace that funding with money from our own resources”. Ultimately, however, this offer was turned down: “We regret that, following discussions, the chair of the UKJFF told us that he wished to withdraw the festival from the Tricycle”. It was perhaps naïve of the theatre to assume the UKJFF would turn down funding from a sponsor that has supported it throughout its history.

The crux of the matter is that the Tricycle Theatre refused sponsorship for an event it was hosting from a state currently accused of war crimes by the UN. It offered the organisers an alternative which they rejected. The organisers have since found alternative locations for this year’s festival. That should have been the end of the matter, with perhaps the Tricycle and the UKJFF being able to reach an agreement on next year’s festival. This, however, is no ordinary sponsor. Israel is not a state that can be defied at any time by anyone. This was not a rejection of sponsorship; this was a call to arms.
The 5 August statement was put out as the theatre had been “been contacted by several patrons who have been given misleading information about the Tricycle and the UK Jewish Film Festival”.

On the same day, the UKJFF issued a press release that stated “The Tricycle Theatre has refused to host the UK Jewish Film Festival for the first time in eight years, for so long as it is supported by the cultural department of the Israeli Embassy in London”. The organisers said they had been told in a letter by the Tricycle’s chair, Jonathan Levy, “Given the present situation in Israel/Palestine, and the unforeseen and unhappy escalation that has occurred over the past three weeks, including a terrible loss of life, The Tricycle cannot be associated with any activity directly funded or supported by any party to the conflict…the Tricycle will be pleased to host the UKJFF provided that it occurs without the support or other endorsement from the Israeli Government”.

David v Goliath

The mainstream media, which took days to acknowledge the bombardment and carnage in Gaza, pounced on the story immediately. Not the story above, but a narrative of its own making. Applying a selective and restricted reading of the UKJFF press release, the theatre “has refused to host” the festival, has cancelled “plans to host UK Jewish Film Festival”, and elsewhere was reported to have “banned” and “boycotted” the festival. This was clearly not the case. The Tricycle itself did not refer to its action – of refusing sponsorship – as a boycott. The media has little interest in reporting the truth and the news story quickly degenerated into comment pieces and op-eds on the nature and relevance of cultural boycotts and the anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish nature of the Tricycle’s action. Anti-Semitism is a charge sometimes applied uncritically and broadly to mute any opposition to Israel, conflating Jewish people and the state of Israel, with the latter using the former as a shield to hide behind. This line of attack was pursued with full force.

Many of the articles were also written by commentators who have clearly never visited the theatre or the area. In spite of the usual middle-class connotations of the arts and theatre, the Tricycle is truly a part of the working-class community that surrounds it in Kilburn and shows a wide range of films and theatre. In recent years, its theatrical repertoire has included cutting-edge and challenging material on the 2011 riots, the inquiry into the murder of black south London teenager Stephen Lawrence, the Baha Moussa Inquiry and Afghanistan. The Tricycle does not only show works of Jewish interest during the UKJFF and has often hosted works by the talented Muslim-Jewish theatre company MUJU. Its repertoire fosters social dialogue which until this year, the UKJFF was a part of.
The theatre also does a lot of outreach work with local schools in an area where children would not otherwise necessarily have such access to the arts and provides training schemes for black actors; theatre, as an establishment, is hardly known for its opportunities for ethnic minorities.

The local area, Kilburn, is highly diverse and no one ethnic or religious group could claim to dominate, as reflected in the diversity of the shops and entertainment available. The wider area, Brent, is the second most diverse part of the UK after Newham in east London, and enjoys relative harmony in its community affairs. It is also home to the largest Hindu temple outside of India, the popular Jewish Free School and has many houses of worship of all faiths and denominations. Recent visits by racist right-wing agitators have failed to divide the local community. This is not to imply that racism and other forms of discrimination do not exist in Brent.

Charge!

The attack on the Tricycle has not been limited to the newspapers. At the same time, a more sinister parallel campaign was underway – if the Tricycle’s actions could be construed as a “boycott”, then the Tricycle too was a legitimate target to boycott. The arts after all are dependent on their patrons. If the Tricycle was about to start a trend in the arts, it would have to be nipped in the bud. If the Tricycle was to naively set an example by defying Israel, then the Tricycle would have an example made of it by facing the full force of the pro-Israel lobby.

Calls were made for Brent council, which provides almost £200,000 of funding each year, to discontinue its support. Conservative councillor, John Warren, launched an investigation into the council’s funding of the theatre. Clearly a populist move, he told the local newspaper “We disagree with artistic discrimination, and as such disagree with the Tricycle decision to cancel the Israeli Film Festival”, yet he seems uninformed that the theatre made no such decision.

On 7 August, the Jewish Chronicle printed the names of several patrons of the theatre who refused at the time to comment on the situation, yet one week later, one of those people, Sir Trevor Chinn, had decided to withdraw his financial support for the theatre. In the week following the announcement of the news, other donors, who may well have been pressurised into doing so, also publicly withdrew their funding. On the same day, a noisy protest was held outside the theatre by around 100 people. It was organised by a group called the Campaign Against Antisemitism, formed to deal with this issue. Placards held up by protesters read, among others, “Don’t Punish London’s Jews”, “UK Jewish Community Stands with Israel” and “No! To Jewish Film Festival Ban”. The issue was further politicised when Culture Secretary, Conservative MP Sajid Javid, called the Tricycle’s actions “misguided”.

The Tricycle Theatre’s position garnered its own admiration and support. With other local residents, I signed a letter to the media in support of the theatre and against the misleading claims made in the national press. One hundred and six local residents also signed a letter of support that was published in three local newspapers in Camden and Brent. In addition, over 500 artists and theatre professionals added their names to a letter of support published in The Guardian on 15 August. On Saturday 9 August, one theatregoer reported two members of the audience stood up at the beginning of the performance and told everyone else “with the recent actions of the Tricycle Theatre we are boycotting this performance”, to which the rest of the audience responded that they could go.

Another protest against the Tricycle was planned for 20 August. It is unlikely to go ahead as on 15 August, the beleaguered theatre crumbled under the pressure. In a new joint statement with the UKJFF, the Tricycle Theatre stated, “Following lengthy discussions between the Tricycle and UKJFF, the Tricycle has now withdrawn its objection and invited back the UK Jewish Film Festival on the same terms as in previous years with no restrictions on funding from the Embassy of Israel in London”. The final paragraph, in light of the events of the previous two weeks, is almost entirely one-sided: “We both profoundly hope that those who take differing views on the events of the last few weeks will follow our lead and come together to acknowledge that dialogue, reconciliation and engagement will resolve points of difference and ensure that cultural diversity thrives in all communities”. The return of the festival to a venue it should never have left is welcome, but unless one considers bullying and intimidation a reasonable course of action, this can hardly be considered a victory for anyone.

Microcosms and macrocosms of conflict

Wars are not as spontaneous as the media would like us to believe; weapons arsenals do not grow on trees. Consequently, before the first shot is even fired, the truth is already a casualty. In many ways, this episode, no way near as significant or important as the actual war and destruction in Gaza, is a microcosmic demonstration of what happens on the larger world stage: here too the narrative of the media, which has found this story far more engaging and newsworthy than war in Gaza or elsewhere, differs sharply to the actual facts of the matter.

It is not the only the Israeli state and its agents that face censure for their actions abroad: last year, Brent was also the location of protests calling for a potential visit to the UK by the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, not to go ahead; he had previously been subject to a decade-long ban due to his implication in war crimes following a 2002 massacre of Muslims in west India. Other high-ranking Indian state officials have also had their travels overseas accompanied by protests, particularly by the Indian Sikh community, which was subject to a massacre in 1984 that has never been properly investigated by the Indian authorities. US NGO Sikhs for Justice is currently seeking a ban and will protest if Modi visits the US next month.

Not only do so-called democratic states act as though they are above the law and beyond prosecution, they use increasingly sophisticated methods to quell any dissent and questioning of their actions, so much so that expressions of human solidarity and kindness are more likely to be penalised than criminal acts. Israel must not be penalised for its actions in Gaza but the Tricycle must be penalised with the threat of closure and disrepute. On the macro level, this is demonstrated through the imprisonment of Chelsea Manning for 35 years for disclosing US war crimes while the war criminals whose actions were disclosed plot their latest bloody moves in Iraq. On the micro level, this translates into the victimisation of victims of violent crimes such as rape and paedophilia: the aggressor wins every time.

Although the Tricycle’s decision to back down from its commendable position is regrettable, it did so under immense pressure. In all possible outcomes, it loses. Supporting the people of Gaza besieged under war in the world’s largest open prison is not wrong or an immoral act. Taking peaceful action to oppose the actions of a belligerent state is not wrong either. It is simply a human expression of support for the human rights and indeed the very right to life of fellow human beings.