Two nights of sell-out audiences for our fabulous ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore… grab your tickets quick or miss out! Ends Saturday!
‘Tis Pity – selling fast, don’t miss!
Author: James Taverner
‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore – on now
And we’re off! Massive congratulations for a stormin’ first night for the ‘Tis Pity bunch. Come see them this week before it’s too late!
Also, sneak preview of the Spring 2020 season in the programme, the only way to find out what they are this week is come see the show. Incentives!
Tickets here
Autumn Season casts
We are delighted to announce our castings for our Autumn Season shows. We had a very popular audition, and it was a pleasure seeing so many talented enthusiastic people. This is the casts for our November shows, congratulations to all involved. We’ll be cheering you on from the audience. (Quietly. We won’t actually cheer. Until the end, or a specifically-authorised cheering-point. Directors, can we have one of those please?)
You can follow all the Autumn Season news here
‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore
Annabella – Julia Pagett
Bergetto – Stephen Lucas
Giovanni – Calvin Crawley
Grimaldi – Iacopo Pozzana
Lord Soranzo – Matt Tylianakis
Poggio – Charlotte Robbins
Putana – Kelly Nicholas
Signor Donado – Stephen Russell
Signora Florio – Danielle Capretti
Sister Bonaventura – Camilla Walters
Vasques – Annabel Thomson
Animal Farm
Old Major / Napoleon – David Pearson
Squealer / Moses / Frederick – Nick Fraser
Snowball / Benjamin – Rhydian Harris
Narrator / Jones – Rahul Singh
Clover / Various Animals – Ylenia Mezzetti
Boxer / Pilkington – Yannis Lionis
Mollie / Muriel – Portia Leslie
Hear from the directors
See our chair & artistic director talk about us, and hear this season’s directors talk about their new shows in these videos from our season launch party this week.
KDC & ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore
Sarah & Carl talk about KDC, and then Nick talks about ‘Tis Pity (skip to 16:35 for him!)
Animal Farm
Saskia talks all things Animal Farm!
Open auditions – 16,17,18 Sept
Audition notices for our autumn productions! Open to all and it is free to audition. All the information you ever needed or wanted below!
Artistic direction
As the incoming Artistic Director of KDC, I wanted to write a little about my views. What I think we’re good at, why we’re here, what theatre is for me, and what I plan for us over the coming year. About the artistic direction I would like us to take.
Theatre is almost unique in the performance art forms in that it has the ability to personally connect the performers with the audience. This audience and actors exist in the same place, the actors affect the audience, and also the audience feedback to the actors, there is a closed loop that makes each performing instance unique, and personal. Only live music rivals theatre in its ability to connect bi-directionally… but we can tell more stories.
Currently in London we are in an era of theatrical renaissance. Blockbusters like Hamilton have re-introduced musicals to the popular mainstream culture. Fringe shows have a place each winter in the excellent VAULT Festival. We have world-exclusive improvisation extravaganzas. London itself is even building more theatres.
So, why KDC?
Amongst all of this we should question why KDC particularly is here. What are we good at, what are we weak in. Amongst all of this opportunity what actually is our place? What are our strengths?
- We’re agile – we’re a low-budget operation, so we don’t need to attract large audiences. We can take more risks.
- We’re open – as part of those risks, we don’t need to know you before you get involved. Looking back at our recent show, on average half of each cast are brand new to KDC.
- We’re varied – last year we did a devised horror, a translated Russian comedy (komedy!), a Terence Rattigan classic, and several pieces of new writing. We aren’t beholden to any genre.
- We are focussed on actors and directors
We have weaknesses too, that’s uncomfortable thing to admit but it would be disingenuous to pretend they don’t exist. We’re not awash with cash, we’re a fairly bare-bones operation. Often our shows aren’t technically stunning, or sometimes the sets are quite limited. These limitations aren’t without exceptions – the audience of last year’s Hush Now was experienced through headphones with live stage dialogue mixed with a sound effects and music, and Hand To God had a fully destructible set for nightly main-character breakdowns. But examining our weaknesses does as good a job as our strengths in showing who we are.
Which means… what?
KDC is a place to learn and experiment. I would like us to emphasise what a good time we have in making our productions, the key word is play, after-all. Shows that are fun to put together are fun to watch, it comes through. I also would like to focus on development of skills. With KDC you can try things that you can’t elsewhere, maybe because you are being assessed, or are under pressure to produce a high-selling low-risk show, or because there are other production distractions. We intend to provide a sandbox where enthusiastic amateurs and professionals can hone and develop their skills.
How we plan to do that… well that’s probably a post for another day 🙂
…Carl
Artistic Director – KDC
Autumn Season auditions
Disappointed with the summer ending early? Ready to throw off the shackles of the break and get right back into it? How about with another rip-roaring season of amazing theatre? I can hear your cheers!
Come join us for the Season Launch Party, from 7pm, 12th September at the Hoop & Grapes pub in Farringdon Street. Meet the directors, hear about the shows, generally get to know us we’re a friendly bunch!
Our shows for this Autumn:
‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore
by John Ford
Directed by Nick Mouton
Animal Farm
adapted by Nelson Bond from the book by George Orwell
Directed by Saskia van ‘t Hoff
All the important dates for the season
Auditions are 16/17/18 September, are free, open to all and you don’t need to register.
If you want to brush up on your skills beforehand then come to our Audition Techniques Workshop – register here.
Committee 2019-20
Congratulations to the new committee, confirmed at the AGM this week:
Sarah Dobson — Chair
Carl Fletcher — Artistic Director
Sarah Beebe — Treasurer
Stephen Reimer — Producer
Aneirin Evans — Publicity
Will Baltyn — Executive Officer
Vicky Olusanya — Executive Officer
Saskia van ‘t Hoff — New Writing Coordinator (co-opted mid year)
Anna Markland — Executive Officer
Huge gratitude to our outgoing committee members, Steph Urquhart (Artistic Director), Dave Balfour (tech), Helen Jackson & Grace Le Bachelet. They have put in a colossal amount of work — running KDC is a labour of love and we rely on people to care and give their time. So, massive thanks to them, particularly to Steph and Dave who have served the group for many years.
If you want to get involved in running a theatre group you can join the committee at any point in the year! Find out more here.
Autumn 2019 auditions
Waiting for your next chance to tread the boards? We will very soon announce our shows for Autumn Season – watch this space! Is you diary already filling up? Keep the key dates free to have a chance to be cast.
Notice of the KDC AGM 2019
Notice of the KDC AGM 2019
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Annual General Meeting of KDC Theatre will be held at the Hoop & Grapes, 80 Farringdon Street, London at 7pm on Wednesday 31 July September 2019 to transact the following business.
Draft AGENDA
- Reports and accounts
To receive and consider the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2019 and the reports of the charity trustees.
- Member proposed resolutions
Details any proposed resolutions will be made available. Proposed resolutions should be sent to the Chair by noon on 17 July 2019. If applicable, a revised agenda will be issued by 24 July 2019.
NB. Proposed resolutions may be submitted by full members of KDC. Information about full membership is available from the KDC website.
- Appointment of charity trustees
Nominations are required for the following officers: Chair, Artistic Director, Treasurer.
Nominations for all trustees, including non-officers, must be received by noon on 24 July 2019.
NB Details of how to make a nomination are available from the KDC website.
- Appointment of non-trustees to specified roles to assist in the running of the charity
Nominations of non-trustees to specified roles to assist in the running of the charity must be received by noon on 24 July 2019.
NB Details of how to make a nomination are available from the KDC website.
- Any other business
To deal with any matters raised at the meeting.
By order of the Board of charity trustees.
Sarah Dobson
Chair
15 June 2019
AGENDA (Revised 24 July 2019)
1. Reports and accounts
To receive and consider the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2019 and the reports of the charity trustees.
2. Alterations to the Constitution
2.1 To consider and vote upon the following resolution.
That clause 8 (1)
“Full (voting) membership is open to individuals over eighteen or organisations who are approved by the trustees and is obtained:”
of the Constitution of KDC Theatre adopted on 13 September 2018 be amended to read
“Full (voting) membership is open to individuals over eighteen or organisations who are approved by the trustees by virtue of their involvement in the charity’s activities during 12 months prior to a general meeting of the charity, and is obtained:”
2.2 To consider and vote upon the following resolution.
That clause 8 (5)
“The trustees must keep a register of names and addresses of the members which must be made available to any member upon request.”
of the Constitution of KDC Theatre adopted on 13 September 2018 be amended to read
“The trustees must keep a register of names and email addresses of the members. The names of members may be made available to any member upon request.”
3. Appointment of charity trustees
To vote upon the following nominations:
3.1 To appoint Sarah Dobson as a Trustee and Chair of KDC Theatre.
3.2 To appoint Carl Fletcher as a Trustee and Artistic Director of KDC Theatre.
3.3 To appoint Sarah Beebe as a Trustee and Treasurer of KDC Theatre.
3.4 To appoint Vicky Olusanya as a Trustee and Executive Officer of KDC Theatre.
3.5 To appoint Will Baltyn as a Trustee and Executive Officer of KDC Theatre.
4. Appointment of non-trustees to specified roles to assist in the running of the charity
To vote upon the following nominations:
4.1 To appoint Stephen Reimer as a Non-Trustee and Producer of KDC Theatre.
4.2 To appoint Anna Markland as a Non-Trustee and Executive Officer of KDC Theatre.
5. Any other business
To deal with any matters raised at the meeting.
By order of the Board of charity trustees.
Sarah Dobson
Chair
24 July 2019
Appendix
The full text of clause 8 (1) of the Constitution of KDC Theatre adopted on 13 September 2018 reads:
“8. Membership
(1) Full (voting) membership is open to individuals over eighteen or organisations who are approved by the trustees and is obtained:
(a) by virtue of being a trustee or official of the charity ; or
(b) by having been involved in a production in a role for which subscription fees are payable and having paid the subscription fee due; or
(c) by having been involved in a production in any other role for which subscription fees are not payable; or
(d) by having been appointed by the trustees to assist in the running of the charity, in a specified role, without joining as a trustee.”
For reference, the description of full member used as a matter of course on the KDC website is:
“Who is a full member?
You will be considered a full member if, during the 12 months prior to a general meeting where a vote takes place, you have
- been involved in the running of the charity as a member of the organising committee, or
- been involved in a show, as a director, actor, production, crew or some other role.”
Appendix prepared by Sarah Dobson, Chair of Trustees on 24 July 2019