2011 Events
Dear Farnham and district!
We would like to invite you to give us your views about what a Community
Theatre in Farnham would mean for your group. We hope to provide Farnham
with a venue which can be of help to groups like yours.
Our campaign is to demonstrate community support for a theatre and to ask
the Council to return the Redgrave Theatre building to the people of Farnham
or to have it replaced in the new development in East Street or elsewhere in
the town. The Redgrave had excellent acoustics and sightlines as well as
good backstage and front of house facilities and it was built largely
through public subscription. The business case for a theatre in the town
would be modelled on other successful venues of this kind and would rely on
community participation with some seasons of professional theatre.
We are going to be present every Friday in the Lion and Lamb Yard, Farnham
in the Surrey and Hants Office (next to Laura Ashley) between 10.00 am and
3.00 pm until Easter and would welcome any of your members who might like to
discuss the issues with us there or by phone or email. Attached is a flyer
which outlines our aim to provide a theatre in the town with community
support.
FTA is also supporting a Community Play for Farnham, written professionally
from research carried out in the town, acted by volunteers and directed by
professionals from Claque Theatre - please see
www.ourfarnham.org.uk and
www.claquetheatre.com representatives from the community play team will be
in the office to enlist a wide range of volunteers with acting, singing,
music, dance, design and technical skills.
We hope to see you or hear from you in the near future.
Please download this form to register your interest and send
it to me...
Documents/You_and_a_Community_Theatre.jpg
Or simply email me with your details to
anne.cooper@farnhamtheatre.co.uk
With best regards,
Anne Cooper (FTA Chairman
2010 Events
FTA held its ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on Saturday 24th October, 2.45pm at the United Reformed Church Hall in South Street, Farnham. As well as formal business musical entertainment was provided.
‘Book Bonanza – grab a bag and bag a book’ Saturday 15 May 2010 at United Reform Church Hall South Street. Email: info@farnhamtheatre.co.uk for more information and if you have unwanted books CDs, LPs or DVDs to donate for our FTA fundraising event.
A Community Play for Farnham – FTA supports Claque Theatre Company in exploring whether a community play for our town is possible through a series of meetings with residents. For further information contact info@farnhamtheatre.co.uk .
Click here to go to the Claque Website
Charles Dance in ‘When Astor met Pablo’
"When Astor Met Pablo" is a unique evening of music and words and
music. Combining the love poetry of the great Chilean Pablo Neruda
and the music of the giant of Argentinean tango Astor Piazzolla. The
poetry will be read by Charles Dance, one of Britain's treasures of
stage and screen. Charles will be accompanied by Soundstage, a group
of some of the World's finest session and chamber musicians. The
evening, which was received to great acclaim at the Union Chapel,
London in 2007, has been devised by Tom Pigott-Smith who has written
all the arrangements and translated the poems. It is an intoxicating
mixture of Latin love poetry and the spirit of the Tango. Go
to programme -
Charles Dance in ‘When Astor met Pablo’
Where: Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QR
When: 10 May 2010
Time: 8pm
Price: £15
Booking: Box Office 01252 745 444 or email:
info@farnhammaltings.com
2005 - 2008 Events
Many of the entries below are referenced from articles in The Farnham Herald and other press titles. Contact the FTA for fuller details.
2008 Bourne Show Winner - the 3,000th objector to the
demolition of The Redgrave Theatre winning a bottle of champagne.
2006 Farnham Theatre Association launched to raise money for a Theatre Report and Business Study. Michael Holden Associates commissioned to conduct study and Waverley Borough Council accept the Report to support the Council policy rather than the Redgrave.
2006 Over 2,000 people register objections to the Crest Nicholson Sainsbury planning applications to demolish the theatre without replacement.
2005 Waverley Borough Council Chief Executive Christine Pointer refuses any investigation into the re-use of the Redgrave as Waverley’s policy is to have “theatre provision” at Farnham Maltings. Corin Redgrave's health problems mean he cannot take on the theatre.
2005 MP Jeremy Hunt receives letter from Waverley Borough Council Chief Executive refusing his request to let surveyors into the theatre to assess its suitability for re-use as a theatre.
2005 Farnham Buildings Preservation Trust slam Waverley for allowing Grade II Listed Brightwell House, to which the theatre is attached, to deteriorate.
1998 - 2004 Events
Many of the entries below are referenced from articles in The Farnham Herald and other press titles. Contact the FTA for fuller details.
2004 Corin Redgrave expresses interest in using the theatre.
2004 The Save London’s Theatres Campaign backs saving the Redgrave and The Theatre’s Trust re-affirm support for retention of the venue as the performance space at the Maltings is unsatisfactory. The developers say they will include a theatre if Waverley ask them to do so.
2003 Waverley Borough Council drop investigation into a site for a “stand alone theatre for Waverley”.
2003 Waverley Borough Council portfolio holder for East Street says “No room for Redgrave on East Street”.
2003 Farnham Maltings to receive funding of £500,000 for its South Wing improvements as “a performance space”.
2003 Waverley Borough Council Property and Development Manager says no structural survey has been carried out as the building “is due to be demolished”
2002 Crest Nicholson Sainsbury appointed as developers for East Street.
2000 Waverley Borough Council Consultation on Brief for East Street. Theatres Trust advise of their objection to the demolition of The Redgrave “unless equivalent theatre facilities were provided elsewhere or financial assistance made available for the Maltings”
1999 New Farnham Repertory Company submit petition of ‘over 5000’ names to re-open the Redgrave together with a business plan to Waverley Borough Council which is refused.
1998 After many years of success, like many others, the theatre struggles in the 90s and is finally closed by Waverley Borough Council.
