>> Older People
>Ma Kelly: Community Safety ShowsATTIC have created three community shows aimed at the elderly and vulnerable that highlight
the issues of Distraction Burglary, Home Safety and Staying Fit and Healthy;
Ma Kelly's Doorstep,
Ma Kelly Plays It Safe
and Ma Kelly Goes To The Games.
These entertaining shows tour lunch clubs, day centres and sheltered housing throughout London and have been incorporated into many community safety events. The shows highlight the issues and demonstrate how to tackle them with musical accompaniment and songs to emphasise the message. This live theatrical performance empowers the audience members and provides them with the knowledge and tools to recognise and combat the danger and identify the need to change.
They have been extremely successful. Each show has representation from support services within the borough such as the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade or Primary Care Trusts.
Since the first tour in 2002 ATTIC have performed Ma Kelly 232 times in over two thirds of all
London boroughs to 13,000 people and their carers.
The shows feature up to five actors plus a musician, with a small, flexible set designed for touring. A stage manager also accompanies the show.
For more information please click on the links above or contact Victoria Hibbs at the office.
>GOING FOR A SONG - Singing workshops for the over 55's
Led by Musical Director and Tai Chi instructor Paul Crompton these workshops are an excellent way to exercise the vocal chords and body. The group works on a variety of songs, encompassing many styles with live musical accompaniment.
The groups are made up of people of all abilities and are open to anyone wanting to improve their voice or those who simply enjoy singing.
We want to provide creative activities for older people thereby increasing their health and well being. The workshops provide them with an activity where they can make new friends and have fun. We work towards performances, such as the IT'S THE RITZ shows and the Celebrating Age Festivals.
>The RITZ! shows
ATTIC enables older people from diverse ethnic communities to come together to present an entertainment in the theatre.
We liaise with the venue and the groups, provide the stage management, sound and lights and run the show for them. This is an intergenerational project where young people from the communities also take part.
IT'S THE RITZ! at the Charles Cryer Theatre Carshalton Sutton
in 2004 was the culmination of a year's work by The Merton and Morden
Guild Singers, The Goan Elders, Keep Fit Merton, and
Sylvia's Line Dancers, The ATTIC Theatre Young People's Company,
and a Rock 'n Roll band, XS Baggage.
In 2006 we had IT'S THE DIAMOND RITZ! which was followed in April 2008 by
IT'S THE RITZ GOES ROCK 'N' ROLL.
The most recent IT'S THE RITZ was in October 2009.
We hosted both shows in partnership with Merton and Morden Guild of L.B. Merton.
Do you want a RITZ! show or GOING FOR A SONG workshop in your London borough?
We are happy to provide the same service for communities in other boroughs
for information contact Victoria on 020 8640 6800, or email us at info@attictheatrecompany.com
>> The Dementia Project
In 2012 ATTIC will be working with Lightning Ensemble to create a cross-arts theatre experience that illuminates the problem of dementia, interpreting it through physical theatre and music as well as dialogue and storytelling.
We are intending to explore the heights and depths of dementia, basing the piece on research and medical information, personal experiences, documentary and anecdotal evidence. Central to our research and development process will be consultation and discussion involving the older groups in Merton that we work with. This will help them to share experiences, and think objectively about what they would like to transmit to the wider public about the condition - and how they think it could be expressed. A focus group or workshop will make up part of the New Writing Lab held early in the year.
>> Vintage New Writing
Development of new writing by and for Older peopleIn the Vintage New Writing programme ATTIC is developing the work of writers who are mature in years, but not in the number of plays they have written. Under the guidance of the Artistic Director and Director in Residence we work towards presenting a series of rehearsed readings and/or full productions.
ATTIC is interested in the voices of people with a lot of life experience who have not necessarily written for the theatre as a medium before, and developing their unique talents.....
Our most recent rehearsed readings took place in January 2010 at Tara Arts Base With two of the evening's plays from the Vintage New Writing programme. The third was from and up and coming Ghanaian writer Yvonne Dodoo, making the evening a collaboration spanning generations and cultures.
ATTIC will be staging a New Writing lab early in 2012 to further develop THE PLOT THICKENS by Tony Kane.
>> The Refugee Project
The Many Voices project offers a variety of drama and music workshops and performances for young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-18.
We are currently working with Bishopsford LINK (Merton) and the Afghan Association Paiwand (Brent).
For more information please click here or contact Victoria Hibbs at the office.