Part of #LightItInRed drawing attention to community theatre in time Covid-19

On Monday 6th July Putney Arts Theatre (PAT) was lit red as part of the Light it Red event across the country raising awareness to the critical condition of the UK live event and entertainment industry and its need for special government support to see it through to re-starting.



Although the government has pledged a £1.75billion investment to protect the arts, this money will inevitably go to larger operations rather than smaller venues like PAT.

Putney Arts Theatre is run by and for the local community and has been fundraising during the lockdown so that they can keep the doors open when they eventually start staging productions again. They have also been providing online content including monologues; play reading evening and full-scale online show.

The next online project will be Truth or Dare? A first for the theatre and the company, they will be streaming five brand new short plays, written exclusively for Putney Theatre Company, in a one-night-only live Zoom event.

Performance date: Thursday 23rd July 2020 Performance time: 8 pm Ticket info: £5 for an individual ticket. £10 for a group audience. Purchase available from Putney Arts Theatre website: https://bit.ly/TicketTruthOrDare

All the performers will be acting live from their homes in specially adapted pieces as we invite audiences into the curious worlds of different characters who have questions and challenges that need to be addressed, which for some could change the outcome of their personal circumstances for ever. Directed and performed by the company, these plays were intended to be staged at the theatre this May, so PAT are extremely happy to be able present them still, whilst embracing a medium which has enabled so many to stay connected and entertained.

The theatre is hoping to announce further programming as soon as possible to existing and future audience members. Actor and Director Simon McBurney said, "Theatre is the art form of the present; it exists only in the present, and then it's gone." We want to do everything we can to ensure that theatre doesn't disappear and that we can continue this wonderful and inclusive art form.

It costs £85 a day just to keep the theatre paying its bills even when closed, if you wish to make a donation to help PAT survive Covid-19 please click www.putneyartstheatre.org.uk

July 16, 2020