Fighting for our future with ‘a theatrical takeaway’
In March last year we at fEAST Theatre were looking forward to our busiest ever year of touring theatre . We were planning to mark our 10 year anniversary with three Arts Council funded regional tours involving over sixty performances in packed-out theatres, schools and village halls across Norfolk and Suffolk.
As one of the region’s most popular and successful touring theatre companies we had every reason to believe that 2020 would be a great year. By early March, venues had booked all three tours, tickets were selling well and rehearsals for the first tour –a revival of Rob John’s The Canada Boys – were well under way. And then…well we all know what happened next.
Now in 2021 we’re about to start touring again but despite the fact that we have three high quality productions ready to take on the road productions fEAST is facing an uncertain future as it’s almost certain that we will be playing to Covid-safe restricted audiences for the foreseeable future. Arts Council funding covers some of our production costs but in order to be financially viable we need to play to capacity audiences and so, as things stand, our future is starting to look extremely precarious.
So we are now appealing to our friends, supporters and audiences across the Eastern region and beyond to help fEAST Theatre and give us a fighting chance to survive BUT we’re not just asking for a handout. In return for your financial support we are offering a unique opportunity to download an audio production of Rob John’s much loved play The Canada Boys. Featuring the original cast and with a new musical soundtrack composed by Mark Fawcett the recently recorded production presents the full play in two episodes. Set in Norwich in the shadow of The First World War The Canada Boys is a funny, sad and thought-provoking play which resonates with Norfolk voices and locations. Jayne Morgan in the EDP called it ‘a fine piece of writing which not only speaks to Norfolk but has something to say to us all.’
For just £10 you can access and download both episodes and enjoy this play in the comfort of your own home. Artistic Director Dawn Finnerty says ‘The Canada Boys audio production is the theatrical equivalent of a takeaway’. We hope that you will support this appeal and help us to carry on ‘bringing original and vibrant theatre to our region.’ (EDP).
To access The Canada Boys audio production please click here:
www.hea-r.me/canada-boys.
Below is a little teaser of the Canada Boys audio production.