2013 and prior
Trying to encapsulate all of the work created since our inception as a company in 2007 is impossible. We launched SAVVY with an inter-generational production of "Second From Last in the Sack Race" at the Charles Cryer Theatre, which was the perfect vehicle to start our SAVVY journey - bringing older and younger theatre makers together. This then continued with other notable productions including "The Snow Queen" (bringing Action Replay and our Young Company together), and the audio/visual community project Imagine Water . We worked with local SEMH and SEN pupils on a year-long drama project, unlocking the Tudor History of Carew Manor through jousting tournaments and banquets.
We produced two touring shows based on the reminiscence and experiences of two of our Adult Company members. "Coke Floats & Chemo" was based on the blog of the same name by Yvonne Newbold, MBE and "The Girl on the Platform" was a fully-masked production, that featured Brenda, talking about her memories as a WWII evacuee.
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Despite this being our 'early days' as a theatre company, SAVVY was already finding its voice and its purpose, developing exciting and unique community-led work.
In Addition
We continued our work with Wandle Valley Academy, producing their annual Christmas shows, and bringing in professional artists to work with them, including fight directors, puppeteers and drummers from the West End production of STOMP . It was during this period that we started our annual traditional of bringing groups together at Christmas, starting with a shared production of "Romeo & Juliet" at the Secombe Theatre in Sutton.
We also had fun every summer at Guilfest performing at the theatre tent, while our Young Company took part in the National Theatre's annual Connections Festival. We continued to set up partnerships with local organisations including Bloomin' Arts and the Orpheus Centre, as well as the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.
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For three years took part in the Surrey Youth Drama Festival at the Ivy Arts Centre, hosted the annual Sutton Youth Drama Festival at the Secombe Theatre and launched the Equally Diverse Training Programme at Fairfield Halls, for adults with a learning disability, wanting to learn more about other aspects of theatre including Front of House, backstage, design and facilitation.