Sarah and Em are best friends who grew up together in West London. Since 2017, they’ve worked hard researching their estates’ past as Living History youth ambassadors. Together they’ve prepared a presentation on the local heritage of social housing.
But Grenfell’s shadow threatens the show as the performance space falls into darkness, fuses blow and Sarah starts to panic. Will a mysterious, old latecomer who keeps trying to take over prove a help or a hindrance?
The Burning Tower, a new play by Helena Thompson, is an interactive response to the Grenfell fire. Inspired by interviews with local West London estate residents, it will be performed in council estate community spaces nationwide before a site specific performance at Kensal House estate.
The company of The Burning Tower consists of three actors and five artists.
As a director, Hannah has worked extensively for the Lyric Hammersmith. She has co-directed theatre projects in both Feltham and Rochester Young Offenders Institute and specialises in working with socially excluded young people. She directed the multiple award winning “Womanz”, written and performed by Tessa Waters. Hannah is a founding member of the 5* sketch group Comedy Bitch, has worked repeatedly as a performer with the award-winning Tangled Feet and took her first solo show, “The Clown, T & Me” to the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 2017. She has trained in Clown
and Bouffon with the world renowned, Phillipe Gaulier.
Helena Thompson is an award winning writer and the Artistic Director of S.P.I.D. Theatre. Helena’s credits include The Burning Tower (BBC Radio 4), iAm (which was nominated for an Offie award), Arthur’s World (published by Oberon, performances of which sold out at Bush Theatre in 2015) and High Above the Sky, an animated film which won the ITV First Light award). She studied scriptwriting under David Edgar at Birmingham University.
Montrice is a young person first came to SPID aged 8. She now has two children and continues to live in social housing. She is a youth ambassador for SPID’s Living history program. She lost a friend in the fire.
Naomi is a young person and youth ambassador for SPID’s Living history program. She lost several friends in the fire and has worked with us to champion why Grenfell Matters on TV and radio. She is a youth ambassador for SPID’s Living history program.
The award winning charity S.P.I.D. Theatre (Specially Produced Innovatively Directed creates high quality community theatre on council estates. Since 2005, they have championed the value and voices of social housing. Their work dramatising West London estates’ heritage has featured on BBC, ITV, London Live and in the national press. Prizes include Time Out Critic’s Choice, Fringe Report’s Best Outreach Company and ITV First Light Best Film Award.
S.P.I.D. are based in the historic Kensal House estate 10 minutes from Grenfell Tower. The charity campaigns to ensure the victims of the Grenfell fire are not forgotten. They advocate against the destruction of social housing, champion investment in council estates and fight to improve rights for those who live and work there. S.P.I.D. has recently negotiated a 25-year lease of their community theatre in Kensal House council estate. They are proud to announce having raised £1.4million to refurbish this neglected, Grade II* listed space, thanks to funding from the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund and Big Lottery’s Reach Communities.
