September Newsletter
Happy Recovery Month! Although we celebrate recovery all year, September gives us an extra excuse to shout about the amazing people in recovery who make up our community. This month we have a lot of new things for you to look out for, including the return of the Moving Recovery dance group…IN PERSON! And not to forget about the upcoming launch of our Write Two script writing group in partnership with The Royal Court. The office team have now also moved premises to join the East London workshops at Brady Arts Centre and look forward to seeing all of you there soon.
During August we loved getting back into rooms with many of our participants and hope that those of you who have been awaiting our in-person return will soon feel confident enough to attend too; no matter how long you’ve been away from Outside Edge, you’re always welcome. Yesterday we were excited to share our contribution to the amazing Overdose Awareness Day Live project, working with creatives in recovery from across England. If you missed the video you can find out how to catch up below.
As always we need your support in sharing the news of our work with your friends, colleagues and networks, so please keep telling people what we are about and how they can get involved. If you want to see some of our groups share the work they’ve created, then see details below of where you can find us this month (both online and in person)!
September Workshop Schedule
Monthly Schedule of Activities
September 2021
If you are new to OETC and would like to participate in any of these activities then please register your interest here, and someone from our team will contact you.
Mondays
6:30pm-8:30pm – Edge Two (Christopher & Julia)
7th & 14th September only, followed by a performance on Friday 24th September.
If you have attended 3 months of any of our Drop-In activities and would like to join Edge Two for their next module please email admin@edgetc.org.
6pm-8pm- **NEW** Write Two (Starting 13th September)
The first cohort of writers has been notified. To join the second cohort (starting February) you will need to have attended one of our Write Now groups for 3 month.
Tuesdays
3:30pm-5:30pm – East London Write Now (Tunde & Charon)
6:30pm-8:30pm – East London Drop-in Drama (Shiv & Alessandra/Tess)
Wednesdays
3:30pm-5:30pm – West London Write Now (Stewart & Hannah HK)
6:30pm-8:30pm – West London Drop-In Drama (Tunde & Julia)
Thursdays
12:30pm-2:30pm – Women’s Drama Group (Charon & Gemma)
6:30pm-8:30pm – **NEW** Moving Recovery (Hannah R & Paul)
Starts 30th September
Fridays
1:00pm-3:00pm – Peer-led Check-in (Liam & Billie)
The chat room is open for participants to support each other or just meet up to chat about how they are feeling. Open to all participants who have attended 1 other group previously.
6:30pm-8:30pm – South London Drop-In Drama (Julia & Shiv)
Please note that all OETC groups (excluding Peer-led Check-in, Write Two & Moving Recovery) are now running a blended delivery, so you can attend in person or on Zoom.
To keep up to date with the latest schedules check us out on Twitter (@OutsideTheatre), Facebook (@ Outsidedgetheatre) and Instagram (@Outsidedge) every Monday! Follow us on social media to see what Outside Edge is up to.
Outside Edge’s Office Move to Brady Arts Centre
We are pleased to announce that the office team (Matt, Molly & Tess) have now moved to Brady Arts Centre (192-196 Hanbury St, London E1 5HU). We are excited to be on site with our East London activities and look forward to being able to see many of you more often as a result!
The Brady Arts Centre is a hub of arts in the heart of London’s East End and we look forward to sharing a building with such exciting arts and community neighbours.
Come say “Hi”
To celebrate our new home, Matt, Molly & Tess invite you to join them for some fun improvisation games and maybe a biscuit or two at East London Drop-In Drama on Tuesday 7th September 6:30pm-8:30pm.
How to find us?
Brady Arts Centre is a short 5 minute walk from Whitechapel station, which boasts a number of lines (Overground, Hammersmith & City and District) making it easy for our community across London to visit.
NEW GROUP ANNOUNCEMENT – MOVING RECOVERY IS BACK!
We are thrilled to announce that after its success last year our ‘Moving Recovery’ group is back!
In collaboration with our friends at Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, we are bringing back this weekly dance and movement activity for Outside Edge service users from September 30th. Sessions will run from 6.30pm to 8.30pm every Thursday at Brady Arts Centre and are open to newcomers as well as current service users.
This isn’t dance as you know it, you will learn how to unlock your own movements and it’s accessible for everyone regardless of ability. This is an informal group for people who are in recovery or have been affected by addiction, including their family, carers and champions. Come laugh with some new friends and get your body moving to help improve your wellbeing. Sessions are suitable for those who may have little or no experience of drama/ movement/ dance, or are in early stages of recovery.
Moving Recovery will help you to:
1. Build confidence
2. Have fun
3. Explore your body
4. Find the joy in movement
5. Develop focus and commitment
This group will run in person only in the wonderful main hall at Brady Arts Centre, Tower Hamlets, the new home to our Outside Edge offices.
If you have any questions about the group please don’t hesitate to email: admin@edgetc.org
Write Two is Starting this month!
This month will mark the start of our much-anticipated **NEW** intermediate script writing group ‘Write Two’. It will be led by award-winning playwright Chris Thorpe and marks the beginning of an exciting partnership with the Royal Court Theatre!
Meet Write Two Facilitator Chris Thorpe:
Chris Thorpe is an Associate Artist at the Royal Exchange, Manchester – work for them includes There Has Possibly Been An Incident and The Mysteries. Other theatre work includes Victory Condition and The Milk of Human Kindness for the Royal Court, Chorus for the Gate Theatre and Hannah, Beowulf and one of Aesop’s Fables for the Unicorn. He also has ongoing collaborations with Rachel Chavkin produced by China Plate (Confirmation/Status), Lucy Ellinson (TORYCORE), Portugal’s mala voadora (Overdrama/House-Garden/Dead End/Your Best Guess) and Hannah Jane Walker (The Oh Fuck Moment/I Wish I Was Lonely) Chris was a founder member of Unlimited Theatre, is an Associate of Live Art/Theatre company Third Angel and has worked frequently with Forest Fringe. Chris has also recently collaborated with Rachel Bagshaw, writing the award-winning The Shape of the Pain. He has also worked as a translator, most frequently with Serbian playwright Ugljesa Sajtinac and Belarus Free Theatre. His short film for the Royal Court and the Financial Times about the climate crisis, What Do You Want Me To Say? Was released in September 2019.
Chris was the Arvon Foundation mentor for playwrighting, 2016/17 and tutors courses regularly for them, he also works with the National Student Drama Festival. He has written radio and film, and is currently working on new projects for NT Connections, mala voadora (for the National Theatre, Lisbon), China Plate/Rachel Chavkin, and the Royal Court.
‘Write Two’ is a new script writing group led by a Royal Court-produced playwright at the Royal Court Theatre. Writers will build on the work they have undertaken in Write Now to delve deeper into structure, story, character and to develop their unique voice as a playwright. A selection of short pieces will be rehearsed by professional actors and directors to share with an audience in 2022.
We plan to have two intakes over the next six months for the group, so make sure you start attending regularly if you wish to qualify for a place in Write Two!
For more information about joining the second cohort of ‘Write Two’ watch this space!
Write Two is generously supported by:
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON…
East London
This month we shine a spotlight on our East London Drop-in Drama group. This group runs every Tuesday, 6.30-8.30pm in the large main hall of Brady Arts Centre in Tower Hamlets (the new home to the Outside Edge offices). These sessions are two hours of interactive drama and improvisation games that will get you moving, creating and laughing out loud!
Meet our East London Facilitator: Shiv Sharma
Shiv Sharma is our East London Facilitator, a former service user and an Outside Edge veteran, you might have seen him facilitating in some of our other groups too. Find out more about Shiv’s journey to facilitation and what makes East London Drop In Drama so special.
“I’ve been involved with Outside Edge for nearly 8 years. Initially I was completely new to drama & theatre and through them I have discovered a personal passion for the creative arts. Now I help facilitate the East London Drop-in at The Brady Arts Centre on Tuesday evenings and I love seeing people come along, getting involved and above all having fun! It’s a joy to see participants uncovering their hidden talents.”
What our East London participants have to say:
“It’s a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours and have a bit of a laugh.”
“I am fantastic. Nice way to relax. I’m like a headless chicken on a Tuesday…Nice to see familiar faces and smile and laugh and thanks to everyone for being here.”
“A lovely evening. I’ve got the giggles now!”
Why should you join Drop-In Drama?
This is an informal group for people who are in recovery or have been affected by addiction, including their family, carers and champions. Come laugh with some new friends and play easy improvisation games that will help you improve your wellbeing.
The workshop is a fun, safe introduction to drama and to Outside Edge, suitable for those who may have little or no experience of drama and or in early stages of their recovery.
Want to try something new? Join our East London Drop-In Drama group!
Are you an East London Service?
Help us spread the word about our East London groups and reach as many East London residents as we can.
You can book a FREE 1 hour long Drama and Creative Writing Taster Session to introduce your service users to our facilitators, the way we work at Outside Edge and encourage them to join our free recovery maintenance activities. These sessions explore the Five Ways to Wellbeing through a series of fun, fast-paced, creative activities. We can now offer these sessions both in person and via Zoom.
For more information email Tess: admin@edgetc.org
Or help us spread the word by displaying some of our leaflets at your building. To request free leaflets please fill out this form.
East London Drop-in Drama is generously supported by:
The Health Tree- Social Prescribing Taster Sessions
This month we are excited to be delivering the first of our Drama Taster Sessions in partnership with St. Margaret’s House Health Tree Network programme, which focuses on connecting Social Prescribing to arts organisations in East London.
In this series of workshops, each 1 hour session will be based on 1 of the Five Ways to Wellbeing (Be Active, Connect, Learn, Take Notice and Give) to introduce participants to how drama can support their wellbeing. These workshops have been developed and will be delivered by our Associate Facilitator, Christopher Holt at the Tower Hamlets Carers Centre.
If you are an East London resident and want to attend our first Health Tree Taster Session on 22nd September 2021 11am – noon sign up below. If you are an East London Social Prescribing Link Worker please email admin@edgetc.org if you would like to refer someone.
‘The Health Tree’ is generously supported by:
Edge Two to perform at Reconnected Event
Edge Two will be performing at this month’s Reconnected Event, hosted by West London’s drug and alcohol service on Friday 24th September. The theme of the event is ‘recovery is for everyone’ and they’ve certainly got a packed programme with something for everyone to enjoy! Musical performances, film sharing from our friends at Sobriety Films and of course Edge Two group will be representing Outside Edge by debuting their recent work on Brecht.
Lunch will be served on the day and it’s a great chance to meet members of the West London recovery community. This event is open to everyone and we’d love to see as many of you there as possible to support our performers and to enjoy the day’s events.
Event Time: 11am – 3:30pm
Date: Friday 24th September
Edge Two Performance Time: approximately 2pm
Location: Acorn Hall, 1 East Row, London W10 5AW
Women’s Drama Group Sharing:We Women
For the past month the brilliant participants of our Women’s Drama Group, led by Charon Bourke and Gemma Rogers, have been working together to create a performance piece titled ‘We Women’ which they will be sharing with the Outside Edge community tomorrow (Thursday 2nd September) at 18:45.
Group facilitator Charon shared her thoughts about the process and the women’s work in the lead up to the sharing:
“The women in this group are so creative, we are always brimming over with ideas. Sometimes the hardest part is choosing what to show. In ‘We Women’ the theme of Past/Present/Future grew out of our weekly sessions quite organically. The feeling of evolving and moving forward is pretty strong right now and the women have captured that brilliantly in their individual writings and as a collective of powerful, optimistic collaborators. It’s very inspiring to work with this group.”
We can’t wait to watch the women in action again and share in their creation.
Join us tomorrow (Thursday 2nd September) to watch ‘We Women’ on the below Zoom code.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82335073225?pwd=cDVMRDdpUW9DdTBHMXY4aEpUSExUQT09
Meeting ID: 823 3507 3225
Passcode: 731047
Overdose Awareness Day Live- 31st August
Last month we took part in the International Overdose Awareness Day 2021. We were humbled to be a part of a project that collaborates with other recovery arts communities across England and raises awareness for such an important cause.
After weekly Zoom sessions with Paul Bayes Kitcher from Fallen Angels Dance Theatre Company and Kate McCoy from Small Performance Adventures, Outside Edge participants filmed their contribution for the International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 Live pop up performances at the Leake Street Arches.
The filmed contribution was shared on 31st August as part of Overdose Awareness Day Live 2021 alongside contributions from recovery communities around the country (including Theatre Royal Plymouth, New Note Orchestra, Geese Theatre Company and Bristol Drugs Project). We all logged in to watch the pop up performances from around the country, with Outside Edge’s contribution featuring at 17:17 when we all took a moment to remember those who have been lost to overdose, their friends and families.
You can now watch the video here.
What is International Overdose Awareness Day?
International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on 31 August each year to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related death. This project brings together a collective of UK addiction recovery arts organisations who collaborate to deliver pop-up performances across the country on 31st August each year to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day.
Volunteering- We Need You!
Would you like to volunteer for Outside Edge?
We are looking for Service Users (past and present) to join our volunteering team! If you would like to join our Award Winning team of volunteers we’d like to hear from you. Our Peer Volunteers are a crucial part of our dynamic organisation; they support us with outreach activities, facilitate peer mentorship groups as well as befriending and supporting new members to Outside Edge.
If you would like to know more about how you can volunteer with us please contact admin@edgetc.org.
Quotes of the Month
Thank you to our new supporters…
During these difficult times we would like to thank our recent supporters who have made donations to Outside Edge this month:
Cecilia Rodriguez
Support us
To continue to offer our creative activities for free we reply on the continued support of grants and donations.
If you would like to help Outside Edge through this challenging time, then please consider donating.
From Our Friends
East London Cares
East London Cares is a community network bringing together people 65+ with their younger neighbours for fun, friendship and laughter. We do this by:
- Hosting free Social Clubs around Hackney and Tower Hamlets which are different every month, and also hosting clubs over the internet.
- Matching older and younger people for 1-2-1- friendship and weekly visits.
To find out more, or to receive a copy of our latest Social Clubs programme, call the team on: 0207 118 4949.
Lewisham Youth Theatre
Our friends at Lewisham Youth Theatre are recruiting for a new ‘Progression Manager’.
The progression manager will help LYT develop their work supporting progression pathways for vulnerable participants aged 12+ to access positive next steps at LYT and beyond.
They particularly encourage candidates with lived experience of the needs of our participants, including those from Global Majority backgrounds.
You can find further information along with the job description here.
