Events update

May 22, 2018 UFHweb 0

April 26th and 27th, 2019 A Gala Weekend celebrating the explosion of feminist theatre and film in the 1970s and 1980s Taking place at Conway Hall, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the start of the Women’s Liberation Movement in Britain, with the exhibition Feminism in Camden in the 1970s and 1980s. These events are benefits to support the work of Unfinished Histories and The Feminist Library. Special offer – a limited number of tickets will be available for entry to both events, at the reduced price of £17, £20, £25, available here. Feminist Film of the 1970s and 80s Friday 26th April, 7.30pm […]

Queer Plays Then and Now

November 28, 2016 UFHweb 0

Queer Plays Then and Now: 1967-2017 SUNDAY JANUARY 15th 2017 In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality Arcola’s Queer Collective are presenting an evening of readings of LGBT plays from the Unfinished Histories archive. Proceeds will go to Unfinished Histories and their work. Venue: Arcola Theatre Date: Sunday, January 15th 2017 Time: 3pm FOR MORE DETAILS AND BOOKING CLICK HERE

Unfinished Histories Archive Benefit

May 17, 2016 UFHweb 0

A Benefit to Re-Home the Unfinished Histories Archive When: June 19th, 7pm Where: Pinter Studio, Queen Mary University, Mile End Road, E1 4NS (map) Siren Claire Dowie Rose Collis The evening’s performers: Siren lesbian feminist band, cabaret performer Rose Collis and MC Claire Dowie all grew up from the ferment of the alternative theatre scene in the 1970s and 80s.  The history of that movement will be celebrated in an evening of fun, entertainment and provocative song.  The event is to raise funds for the move of the Unfinished Histories Archive which documents the history of the alternative theatre movement […]

Albert Hunt obituary

November 18, 2015 UFHweb 0

Another recent death, though following some years of ill health, was that of Albert Hunt who we interviewed in 2009. Though struggling with failing memory and prompted by his wife the stalwart Dorothy he gave a fascinating account of his work with Bradford Art College Theatre Group and beyond. See  our Interviewee page for more and the Guardian Obituary. Members of the SCUDD (Standing Conference of University Drama Depts) mailbase shared their responses: ‘I am sure that many colleagues will be saddened by the news that Albert Hunt has died recently. He was widely admired for his radical theatre making, writing, […]

Theatre for Radical Change

October 6, 2015 UFHweb 0

Our exhibition – Theatre for Radical Change: in the 1970s and 80s was on display at the Arcola Theatre during 2016 until November.   On view were a range of posters from theatre companies whose work challenged the status quo of their time. Companies featured include: Belt and Braces, Theatre of Black Women, Recreation Ground, Welfare State International, Foco Novo, Black Theatre Co-op and Cunning Stunts. For a list and information on the posters on display see here.  

Homosexual Acts

October 6, 2015 UFHweb 0

A selection of posters from lesbian and gay theatre in the 1970s and 80s was on display at the Arcola cafe/foyer from February – September 2015. It was launched on the evening of the company’s Homosexual Acts Benefit.

Re-Staging Revolutions

October 6, 2015 UFHweb 0

Re-Staging Revolutions was on show from November 2013 to May 2014 at the following venues – Ovalhouse Cafe: November – December 2013 Kentish Town Community Centre: January 2014 Camden Local Studies and Archive Centre: February – May 2014 Current viewing A number of posters are currently on show in the Ovalhouse Cafe. Please contact us for questions relating to Re-Staging Revolutions, its content and if you are interested in showing the exhibition at your venue. To order a copy of the exhibition booklet click here. See Ovalhouse Season and Camden Exhibition for details of exhibition events held at these venues during the exhibition’s residencies. […]

Alan Wakeman obituary

October 1, 2015 UFHweb 0

We were, despite his age and the diabetes he had coped with for many years, shocked as well as saddened to hear of the death of Alan Wakeman on 9th August 2015.  He was such a  tireless campaigner who was still battling to save his local GP surgery as he had continued to do as part of Save Soho and Save Piccadilly campaigns over the years and in the Gay Liberation Front. It was during the Save Piccadilly campaigns in the early 70s, fighting to prevent swathes of demolition, that he met ED Berman, which led to his involvement with Roger […]

Interviewing work and training

September 30, 2015 UFHweb 0

Would you like to join us as a volunteer interviewer? In 2016 we are setting up a programme to train a dedicated team of interviewers to assist us in our core work of recording and sharing the experience and memories of alternative theatre practitioners. For more information see Jobs.

Roland Rees obiturary

September 8, 2015 UFHweb 0

It is with great sadness we have to announce that Roland Rees, director and co-founder of Foco Novo, died Wednesday, September 2nd 2015. Roland was one of our early interviewees. He also helped us create a web page for Foco Novo by writing its content for us – the first of our company web pages. Please see Michael Coveney’s Guardian obituary for more details of Roland’s pioneering life and work: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/sep/08/roland-rees Roland is being cremated at Honour Oak Crematorium on Tuesday, 15th September at 3pm.

Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign

May 4, 2015 UFHweb 0

We are pleased to announce the launch of our Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign to raise £5,000 to sponsor 5 new Unfinished Histories filmed interviews and to train a dedicated team of interviewers to help us undertake more interviews and the tasks involved in preparing them for public viewing – editing, topics lists creation, copying and packaging for depositing with the British Library Sound Archive, V&A Theatre Collections and Sheffield University. Click HERE to link to our Indiegogo page Photo: Roger Perry

Homosexual Acts Benefit Gala

March 4, 2015 UFHweb 0

Images from our Benefit Gala ‘Homosexual Acts’ at the Arcola Theatre, February 15, 2015 Photos: Tony Coult Also see here for articles about the event: in Counterpunch by Michael Dickinson and in The Guardian by Simon Callow For video footage see here

Stuart Bennett

February 10, 2015 UFHweb 0

We were much saddened to hear of the death of Stuart Bennett, last week. He was one of the key movers and shakers in the Theatre-in-Education movement, with a career spanning Belgrade TIE, Cockpit TIE and others. He founded the ground-breaking B.A. Community Theatre Arts course at Rose Bruford College, the first to create a training programme oriented towards the needs of the alternative theatre movement. He later became Head of Education at the V&A Theatre Museum and worked to try to save it from closure in 2007.He was also very active in SCYPT and more recently in London Drama and in […]

Alternative theatres in the UK

September 30, 2014 UFHweb 0

Goldsmiths University in collaboration with Unfinished Histories are presenting a series of evening events during October and November, 2015, that look at different aspects of alternative theatre.                                                 Oct 1st: Sue Parrish: The Glass Ceiling – Women’s Theatre Oct 8th: Mustapha Matura: Black Stages Oct 22nd: Philip Osment and Kate Owen: Gay Sweatshop and beyond Oct 29th: Mark Long & Co: People Show – a Sum of the imagination Nov 12th: Roland Muldoon: CAST – Agitprop v Agitprop Nov 26th: Nabil Shaban – Graeae and beyond […]

Chris Bowler

May 18, 2014 UFHweb 0

We are very sorry to tell that Chris Bowler died on 18th May, 2014. One of the founders of Monstrous Regiment women’s theatre company she had earlier been active in many of the small-scale experimental companies that were part of the creative ferment around Oval House in the late 60s and early 70s. She toured with Welfare State and performed with Rational Theatre among other companies. In 1990 she became director of Hoxton Hall in East London, helping secure the building’s future. For Hilary Westlake’s obituary in The Guardian see here. Chris Bowler with Mary McCusker and Gilliam Hanna in Teen […]

Charles Marowitz

May 12, 2014 UFHweb 0

American Charles Marowitz, co-founder of the Open Space in Tottenham Court Road with Thelma Holt in 1968, died on May 2nd, 2014. For more information on his life and achievements read the Telegraph obituary and Guardian obituary.

Radio Coverage

April 5, 2014 UFHweb 0

Find links here to  interviews on 2 shows on Resonance 104.4 FM: Anna Chen’s Madame Miaow’s Culture Lounge  with  Neil Hornick of The Phantom Captain and Susan Croft and back on  25th February Out in South London, presented by Baylen Leonard with Susan Croft, both about aspects of the project and the exhibition Re-Staging Revolutions.

Camden Events

January 27, 2014 UFHweb 0

Re-Staging Revolutions opens to the public at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on February 10th, 2014. For viewing times and details see Exhibition Launch: Tuesday, February 11th 6.30 for 7.00. Places limited – if you wish to attend please email us Events: Tuesday, April 8th, 6.45 for 7.15 start Alternative Theatre in Camden: a (Virtual) Tour Talk by Dr Susan Croft Click here to book. Tuesday April 22nd 6.45 for 7.15 start Camden Plays: readings from a selection of plays produced by Camden venues and companies, 1968-88. Introduced by Jessica Higgs, plays to include: Poppies by Noel Greig (Gay Sweatshop), Wyre’s Cross by Peta Masters and Geraldine Griffiths […]

Exhibition Book

January 21, 2014 UFHweb 0

The exhibition book  Re-Staging Revolutions: Alternative Theatre in Lambeth and Camden 1968-88 is now available. Produced in full colour it features a wealth of photos and flyers from work of the period, including all those companies featured in the exhibition, and more, along with the exhibition text by Susan Croft with contributions from project volunteers, a foreword by Tony Robinson, a short essay by Danny Braverman a bibliography and further information on the history of Ovalhouse, the career of Kate Crutchley and the work of Unfinished Histories.  While its focus is on companies who had a connection with Lambeth and Camden […]

Re-Staging Revolutions Kentish Town Community Centre

January 5, 2014 UFHweb 0

Our Exhibition Re-Staging Revolutions will be on show at Kentish Town Community Centre from January 3th – 10th, 2014. Kentish Town Community Centre 17 Busby Place London NW5 2SP Phone: 020 7482 3212 Exhibition opening times: Launch Saturday 4th January between 12pm – 7pm Sunday 5th January, 10am – 7pm Monday 6th – Thursday 9th, January 2pm – 6pm Friday 10th, 3pm – 7pm Kentish Town Community Centre location map here.