🎭 Chickenshed: 50 Years of Inclusive Theatre

​Chickenshed is the world’s first truly inclusive theatre company. It’s celebrating its 50th year in 2024 and they create bold and beautiful work from their limitless belief in each other.

​
​

Chickenshed was founded by teacher Mary Ward MBE, and composers Jo Collins MBE and Anthony Filby in 1974. It began in a disused chicken barn in Barnet, which is how it came to be called Chickenshed.

​
​

Chickenshed has a purpose-built theatre complex in Southgate with four performance spaces.

​
​

In 2011, Chickenshed launched a new branch in Kensington and Chelsea to expand the company’s ability to offer the same life-changing opportunities in an area of London with the widest disparity between life chances and choices.

​
​

Since 2000, Chickenshed has established 19 'Sheds' in the UK, Finland, New York, and two in Russia. These Sheds have been set up and trained by Chickenshed but then go to run independently, linked to Chickenshed by a shared vision of inclusive practice and philosophy

​
​

The Golden Buzzer performance on Britain's Got Talent in 2023 spread Chickenshed's message of inclusion to millions of people around the world. The power of inclusion made its way into people's homes and we were flooded with interest, support, and excitement.

​
​

Chickenshed has performed at several public events, including Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002. A show to commemorate 100 years of J. M. Barrie's children's story Peter Pan was staged at the Albery Theatre, London in 2004 to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

​
​

As part of the 50th year celebrations they are embarking on a new heritage project, Echoes, keeping alive the stories of those who have contributed to Chickenshed’s past and present, and preserving Chickenshed’s heritage for future generations to come. Insta.

​

There are events and exhibitions throughout the year, culminating in a film documentary capturing the 50-year history and heritage of Chickenshed. 🎭

Events

Saturday 2nd March

​Wingate & Finchley vs Hastings United | Sat, Mar. 2 | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Maurice Rebak Stadium, N12 0PD | Adults £12, Concessions £8, Under 18s Free | After a 2-2 draw in a local derby at Enfield Town, the Blues are back at home on Saturday and looking to continue their playoff push.

​

​Show Pony | Sat, Mar. 2 | 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Jacksons Lane, N6 5SS | £16 | March is Women's History Month and we are thrilled to present Show Pony: Part circus show, part training session, part trip-down-memory lane, Show Pony takes a hard look at life onstage and the gut-wrenching moment when the stage no longer wants you.

​
​

Sunday 3rd March

​Golders Green: a guided walk | Sun, Mar. 3 | 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Meet outside Golders Green Tube station. | £15 | Formerly a rural part of the parish of Hendon, Golders Green has grown to become a fascinating urban melting-pot of Jews, Greeks, Turks, Japanese, and Koreans. We'll explore it all on this fun and informative two-hour guided walk. Email pbaker54@hotmail.co.uk​

​
​

Tuesday 5th March

​Show, Tell and Tea! at Golders Green Library | Tue, Mar. 05 | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Golders Green Library, NW11 8HE | Free | Do you have an interesting item in your home? Maybe something with a story? Here is your chance to share your culture, passions, hobbies and the tales that come with them with the community.

​
​

Sunday 10th March

Mothers Day Sunday Lunch | Sun, Mar. 10 | All day | Malt and Hops, N12 8QA | Join for an unforgettable dining experience in honour of all the amazing mothers out there. Call 02030111317 for reservation.

Local Lowdown

​

New year, new you

• Dragon roars. Families across Finchley welcomed the Lunar New Year with a vibrant celebration at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre earlier this month. They waved goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and welcomed the Dragon. There were mesmerising lion dances, live tunes, and talent shows.

Pilates class

• New local Pilates class alert. Join a strength-based weekly Pilates class on Wednesdays 9:15 am to 10:15 am at New North London Synagogue in Finchley, run by Kerry from Happy Body Pilates. All levels and non-members welcome. £13 per class or £60 for a block of 5. Get stronger, healthier and happier.*

Books

• Book lovers, rejoice. The North London Book Fest makes its grand debut at Alexandra Palace this March. Catch literary heavyweights like Lemony Snicket and Erin Kelly. You can laugh along with Natalie Haynes, or dive into the whimsical world of Andy Stanton. Muswell Hill's iconic venue will transform for four days, offering everything from readings to workshops.

Community

• Cinema conundrum. East Finchley's beloved Phoenix, standing since 1910, faces a plot twist. Plans to expand with a second screen have been scrapped, and the adjacent land, acquired 40 years ago, is now up for sale. Locals aren't sitting back with popcorn. Nearly 5000 of us have petitioned against the sale.

Old lighting

• Step back in time. Four of Covent Garden's historic gas lamps, charming relics from 1910, have just achieved Grade II listed status. Big win for the heritage campaigners, the London Gasketeers, who are keeping the city's flickering history alive against the push for modern LEDs. Not Finchley, but still cool.

Highgate Cemetery: Gothic Ghouls

​

​Highgate Cemetery is designated Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It’s next to Waterlow Park and comprises two sites, on either side of Swains Lane.

​

The cemetery dates from 1839 and was designed by Stephen Geary, who is buried in the cemetery himself. He also created the monument to George IV that gave King’s Cross its name.

​

There are approximately 170,000 people buried in graves across the West and East Cemeteries.

​

Highgate Cemetery is also a nature reserve.

​

Notable interments include Beryl Bainbridge, Charles Chubb (lock and safe manufacturer) Alfred Lamert Dickens (younger brother of Charles Dickens) as well as his parents. Michael Farraday in the dissenters section. George Michael, Karl Marx, Douglas Adams, and Malcolm McLaren.

​

It also inspired Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. Gaiman fans: rare Watchmen page, Coraline puppet and various signed Sandman comics from Neil's personal collection are up for auction.

​

You can still get buried there – to purchase a plot in advance you must be over 80 or terminally ill. Gustafson Porter + Bowman are working on a 25-year experience plan of the cemetery.

How Did You Like Today's Newsletter?

​

​

• ​💌 Love it!​
• ​😞 It's okay.​
• ​❌ Do better.​

Editors' Note - From Tessa

​

This week I finished watching the Netflix series One Day.

I am biased, because it's the project of Nicole Taylor, a fellow Glaswegian and old friend.

​

But it was WONDERFUL.

​

Plus the Spotify playlist had me dancing in my kitchen.

​

​Check it out.

​

Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

​

You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

​

​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

​

Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze