We make theatre for the people, by the people.

What does that mean? That means you, Brighton & Hove resident. Whoever you are. Because we think it’s important to make great shows about what matters most to all of us.

Why? We are living during a time of unprecedented political, social, cultural, economic and environmental upheaval. Following the UK’s referendum about its position in the EU, deep divisions have been revealed across society.

So why does theatre matter in this context?

Theatre enables us to explore what it is to be human.

Theatre is a highly collaborative, live process encompassing all art forms. By engaging our whole selves, theatre is fun, and enables us to create and share meaning with others. It helps us to empathise with others.

We tell ourselves stories about our own lives and about other people’s lives constantly. We interpret the world around us and craft narratives in order to make sense of our experiences.

We do not need to look very far to see the power of narratives. Nigel Farage standing in front of a poster of refugees from Syria with the words ‘Breaking Point’. Narratives are powerful. They matter.

But it doesn’t have to be serious serious. Our original shows will entertain and inspire audiences who wouldn’t normally choose to go to the theatre. That means having fun together, as well as being interested and interesting. And it means making bold and brave work that is just as good as any professional theatre company, for enjoyment by the widest possible audience.

How will we involve that audience? Once a show is ready we tour our shows and shows by other artists to community centres across the city. We are currently working in partnership with the Brighton Festival to co-programme two weekends of shows and workshops as part of this year’s May Festival. Catch Your Place in Hangleton on 13th and 14th May and in East Brighton on the 19th, 20th and 21st May.

Read more about our first show, Tighten Our Belts here.

Want to join in? Then simply contact us here. We’ll add you to our mailing list and let you know when we have new opportunities to get involved. We are actively fundraising to be able to create new partnerships with community organisations in the city. We want to offer more theatre workshops and create new shows that reflect the full diversity of lives in the city.

Brighton People’s Theatre is seeded by Greenhouse, a Farnham Maltings initiative, supported by the Unity Theatre Trust and funded by Arts Council England.