At the ticket only event, invited guests included prominent members of Swindon’s artistic community, including Museum and Art Gallery Director Hadrian Ellory Van Dekker as well as other invitees from the wider town community including Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard and Ocelot editor Jamie Hill.
The Shoebox Theatre, based in a 6m x 12m multi-performance space next door to the Wyvern Theatre, was set up last August with the aim of providing a platform for Swindon’s non professional actors to tackle new works and contemporary scripts.
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Speaking at the opening, Swindon-born actress Billie Piper praised the work of performers, who staged excerpts of The Magnificent Doctor Faustus, and underlined the importance of grassroots theatre opportunities.
“The Shoebox is small, humble and wonderful. I’m a huge fan and I’m honoured to have been asked to be a patron of the Shoebox Theatre and I’m looking forward to being a regular fixture here.”
Founder and director of the company Luke Marquez said: “We have been here for almost a year now and we are pleased to have been able to contribute to a diverse and cultural landscape in Swindon.
“It’s a great way for people from the local community to work on something collaboratively. It’s important to us that we have a space for these emerging artists to have somewhere that is affordable. We want this to represent all the people of the town.”
As well as hosting a programme of contemporary theatre and new work, the Shoebox Theatre also provides access to quality actor and performance training. Managed by Wrong Shoes Theatre Company in collaboration with Artsite Ltd it provides an affordable space to develop new work and support emerging artists. To find out more log on to www.shoeboxtheatre.org.uk
Swindon-born Billie Piper has grown up in the spotlight - graduating from teen pop sensation to television actress she has recently been gathering critical acclaim for her stage appearances.
But she’s not forgotten the town that shaped her and provided the springboard for her early success.
And now she’s keen to use her high profile to support projects such as Swindon’s Shoebox Theatre that can provide opportunities for the next generation of aspiring actors.
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“Projects like the Shoebox Theatre are really important. When I was growing up in Swindon I came through the traditional drama route, I was part of Sixth Sense and the Judith Hockaday Drama school which is great, but projects like the Shoebox Theatre give young actors alternative ways of developing their drama skills.
“It’s really exciting that the Wrong Shoes Theatre Company have got this home now and are working with devised theatre - letting actors develop a script collaboratively. It’s another way of doing things and it’s wonderful.”
Billie explained that she still has close ties to her home town, despite living and working in London, often visiting family and friends.
As a mother of two, parenthood had given her a new perspective - and said this was a motivation to lend her support to grassroots projects such as the Shoebox Theatre.
“I’m at a new stage in my life and I suppose that I’m more aware of the importance of having these sort of opportunities available to help youngsters who want to follow a career in the arts to achieve their ambitions.
“I suppose it’s something to do with getting older, something to do with parenthood that has given me a new perspective. And at the moment I’m at the point in my life where I can look at things with a new focus.”
And the future?
“I’ve got a lot of interesting things going on at the moment. I’m really involved in theatre work at the moment and I’m also working on a film, but I’m afraid I’ve been sworn to secrecy about that.”
