Our past work 2012-2022
hope September 2021
Hope’s world has turned grey. It rains so much it sweeps her up into the ocean. There she finds sea creatures with blankets of seaweed, paintbrushes, and wise words. Overnight, Hope learns the importance of being kind to herself and letting go of her worries. A picture book and audio story made in collaboration with Anstee Bridge students. Using words and ideas from the students about their feelings in lockdown, artists wrote a narrative for a picture book. Students captured their thoughts and feelings through paintings which create the visual style of the book. The story was made to encourage young children to know it’s ok to worry and the importance of talking about your feelings.
falling 2021
As zoom lags and freezes, step between the screens and see what is really going on in someone’s mind. A collection of small stories about falling down, growing up, and holding onto hope.
Inspired in part by Alice in Wonderland and the experience of online learning, the Grace Dear Youth Theatre tackled stories about mental health and the importance of kindness in a film made over Zoom and in person.
Created during lockdown and through the releasing of restrictions – it is a poetic testament to how they felt this year. Funded by the Grace Dear Trust
things to do in a blackout 2020
Despite common misconceptions today, during the Second World War crime rose by a startling 57%. The blackouts provided a cloak for all sorts of wrongdoings, from looting to more serious crimes of passion. What was originally intended to be a live performance was revised and reimagined as a digital art project due to the lockdowns across 2019-2020. Digital workshops in creative writing, art and zine making culminated in the launch of a website. www.thingstodoinablackout.com
Dear Children December 2019 A tiny performance travelling door to door. In 2019, Santa and Luna the Elf undertook a top secret mission to check the socially distanced sleigh would get around the world in one night. Stopping for a quick break in Earlsfield, he pops by the windows and doors to reassure children he’ll still make it on the big day. Sprinkling some Christmas magic, he celebrates the brilliant things they achieved in the most challenging of circumstances. There were no gifts exchanged and families donated to Earlsfield Foodbank. Funded by Bounce Theatre
the female voice 2019 “When women and girls rise, their communities and countries rise with them.” Michelle Obama During 2019, we launched a podcast project for girls in lockdown ‘The Female Voice’. It was an opportunity for young people to talk about how the pandemic was impacting girls and women in particular. The content was curated as a magazine made by girls for girls. Launching on International Day of the Girl it championed a more diverse, broader representation of women in the media. Funded by #iwill Social Action Fund and The London Capital Community Foundation.
story Club 2019
Using the power of our imaginations, we took ourselves on wild adventures around the world. StoryClub was a weekly mini magazine, full of creative tasks to make stories, art, and play, aimed at supporting children throughout the first lockdown. We explored everything from superheroes to alternative planets! Over 1000 copies a week were distributed to schools, foodbanks, hospitals and voluntary sector organisations to reach children without digital access. Copies were available digitally for families throughout lockdown. Funded by Hounslow Council, Wandsworth Council and the Arts Council.
scar Theatre, 2019 By Louise Pendry with Anstee Bridge
Four young people’s worlds collide as they wait for news of their friends. SCAR explores our relationship with our physical and mental health. First performed in July 2019 at the National Archives, SCAR is part of a collection of plays made with Anstee Bridge. Students are invited to be part of the creative process. They collaborate with the writer, audition and rehearse the actions and undertake producing roles. SCAR has since been performed at the Rose Theatre, Turing House, Heatham House, Kent Council Safeguarding Conference, and Kingston Hospital Nursing and Midwifery Conference. Funded by Kingston Boys Club
LONELINESS IN THE CITY Project, 2018
Loneliness in the City featured the work of ten Year 10 drama students at Chessington Community College. The students collaborated with Bounce Theatre to conceive a city through the eyes of the lonely. The piece blended dialogue, visual art, and photography to highlight the hidden stories of loneliness that seep into the walls of a city. The work was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery and Rose Theatre. The work originated from a commission from The Royal Borough of Kingston, looking at young people’s views on urban living. They have focused on themes of mental health and well-being. Through the project, 165 children and young people achieved an Arts Award. Funded by Kingston upon Thames Council – Arts Commission
Orleans Park School Project, 2018
From Flanders Fields was a project for 25 young people in Richmond upon Thames. They worked with us to research the history of places affected during WW1 and the heritage of places in Richmond upon Thames because of WW1. The project aimed to understand how aspects of the communities heritage has been shaped by WW1. Students used their research to create a drama piece and exhibition ‘From Flanders Field’. Their performance reflected upon Marble Hill House where the grounds were used to train soldiers during the war. Along with this they told parts of the story of The Royal Star and Garter, established in the borough because of the war. Entwined within this was the opening of The Poppy Factory, which holds its origins in WW1 and moved to Richmond in 1925. Their work was shared with the wider community highlighting the areas relationship with the war to and from Flanders Fields.
It’s Prom Night. For three young people, life will never be the same again as masks fall and their true feelings are revealed. Emoji is a tender tale of transformation and learning to love yourself. Inspired by the mental health imagery in Hans Christian Anderson, Emoji was made with Anstee Bridge. Students were invited to be part of the creative process. They collaborated with the writer, auditioned and rehearsed the actions, and undertook producing roles. Funded by Grants for the Arts and Kingston Boys Club
emoji Theatre, 2017 By Louise Pendry with Anstee Bridge
Fried Chicken Theatre, 2016 By Louise Pendry with Anstee Bridge
A group of young people are trapped in a fried chicken shop as a riot kicks off. Friendships are tested and fears rise to the surface. Fried Chicken explored complex themes of gangs and male identity. Made with Anstee Bridge, students were invited to be part of the creative process. They worked in collaboration with the writer, auditioned and rehearsed the actions, and undertook producing roles. Funded by the Arts Council
Women in work Project, 2015
Women in Work was led by army wives and children at the Cavalry Barracks Hounslow. The project investigated the role of women during the Great War, how their work not only became about looking after their home, but also the roles they took on to replace men who went to serve in the war. In turn, they uncovered how this shaped the community in Hounslow through their contribution on the homefront to the war effort. This work was translated into a book for the wider community, celebrated at a launch event with live readings for local people to better access the heritage of the Great War and see its impact today as the barracks sits in the heart of their community. Funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund
Urban Art stories Project, 2015
Urban Art Stories was an interdisciplinary project exploring the heritage of the urban art movement. Young people from Hounslow collaborated with Bounce to undertake research across London about how urban art has evolved in both form and content. Their research was interpreted into an exhibition at the Saatchi gallery. Along with this they ran workshops, devised immersive performance and hosted a gig in the basement with urban artists.
Fried Chicken Scratch Performance, 2015 Fried Chicken started as a scratch performance. We wanted to find a new way to make theatre with Anstee Bridge that didn’t require them to be on the stage. Working off the back of the London riots, the piece explored how girls react to social media pressures and gang violence. The production was professionally performed and the students all took production roles. This was the catalyst for a new way of making theatre from the stories the Anstee Bridge students wanted to tell.
hounslow youth theatre December 2014 Hounslow Youth Theatre was an evolution of work with young people across Hounslow. Working together to make numerous shows and productions for their community including Angels, Tiny Tales, Project X, Peter Pan, Alice 2013, Beauty, Carol, Cinderella and DNA.
Inside my imagination Production, 2012 Inside My Imagination was created with children at the Shooting Star House during the ParaOlympics 2012. Commissioned by Campaign!, the project was conceived to recognise and celebrate the multiple layers of communication inherent within the hospice. Stories were made between children and artists tapping into individual senses. Art work was created by the children supported by artists. These processes with original art work were wrapped into a professionally performed production for the hospice community.
Tiny Tales Production, 2012
Tiny Tales from Around the World was commissioned by Hounslow Council. 100 Hounslow residents from 5-90 years old contributed fragments of memories and tiny tales of friendship. These were weaved into an original story to mark the Olympic theme of friendship. A young boy left home one night, set sail on the sea on a quest around the world to find his nan. On his way he found new friends in unexpected places. Our cast ranged from 8-80 in age and they shared their work with family and friends to celebrate the Olympic spirit.