We’re Drake’s Drummers Theatre Company, and we’re back with our most ambitious project to date!
We are Cal Moffat and Plum Grosvenor-Stevenson together we formed Drake’s Drummers, along with Adam Toon, as fresh-faced Plymouth University Graduates. Over the past 3 years we’ve gone from strength to strength, performing on national and international stages and at world-renowned festivals. Now, we want to use our experience to run the first open-air Waterfront Theatre Festival here at home in Plymouth.
The Waterfront Theatre Festival is the most exciting and ambitious project we’ve ever planned. Over 7 days, the Lions Den on Plymouth’s Hoe foreshore will be transformed into a 70 seater pop up theatre hosting a jam-packed programme of theatre, poetry and performance from some of the most exciting up-and-coming artists around.
Staged in the heart of Plymouth’s beautiful waterfront, this festival will be an event that is completely unique. The venue we’ll be using is known as 'The Lion’s Den' – a grade II listed swimming platform that gives a stunning view of Plymouth’s historic Sound. When we say ‘Waterfront’ we mean it; at just a couple of metres above high tide, we (legally) couldn’t get any closer! Some of Plymouth’s most iconic landmarks – Smeaton’s tower, the breakwater and Drake’s Island – will all be visible from our audience’s seats. It will be like a mini-Minak!
We’re really keen to showcase some of the amazing work that’s being produced in our city as well as further afield, and the festival will be made up of local, national and international talent. There will be side-splitting comedy, brooding drama and everything in between, including shows in development just for this venue!
Over the past 12 months, we’ve worked really carefully to make sure that we’ve considered every detail involved in running this festival. The Health and Safety of our audience and performers has been at the heart of everything we’ve done for the festival, and through guidance from Plymouth City Council, we’ve come up with an event plan that we’re sure can be a success. Now it’s time to get the ball rolling!
This will be not just be a unique event for the city, for nowhere in the UK can live theatre be seen so close to the Atlantic Ocean. We hope to offer a truly special experience for both artists and audience’s alike, that cannot be matched anywhere else in the country!
In 2015 we ran our first crowdfunder in partnership with Plymouth University, and were blown away by the amount of support that we received. We raised 150% of our initial target, which was pivotal in getting us up to 2015’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
That festival turned out to be very important for us, as it gave us the opportunity to debut our flagship comedy Shakespeare’s Avengers Assembleth: Age of Oberon – performing for a month at the biggest theatre festival in the world. Selling out shows and receiving some great reviews (here and here for those interested!) gave us the kind of exposure we could have only dreamed of, and really helped to put us on the map.
Of the back of this run, we managed to secure the company’s first national tour, and in the summer of 2016 we were up and down England, bringing our show to audiences around the country. None of this would have been possible without the fantastically generous support that our backers gave us.
We want to contribute to continued cultural growth of our Ocean city and want the Waterfront Theatre Festival to sit alongside other great outdoor summertime events in Plymouth such as Bard in the Yard, the Food Festival and the History Festival to celebrate the outstanding landscape and art Plymouth is blessed with. It is our continued intention to give local theatre companies, poets, musicians and storytellers the chance to perform in a truly unique and beautiful setting and to allow residents of Plymouth and Devon to enjoy theatre, nature and the ocean together at the height of British summer. We hope the waterfront theatre will to continue year on year to bring high quality outdoor theatre and art to the city and just need a little bit more help to get it off its feet! That's where you come in...
We have already received several in kind funding offers from local businesses and Plymouth City Council have been kind enough to provide us with our space however we just need a little bit more.
Your money will go towards -
Marketing the event – Helping to make as many people as possible aware of the festival and allow them to share in the beauty and talent of our city.
Staffing the event – We need to build a small, dedicated team around us of two front of house staff and one lifeguard to run the event at the quality Plymouth deserves, your donation will go towards helping pay these staff, all of whom will be from the city.
Administrative Costs – Running events involves a lot of administration and some of this costs, things like insurance cost and whilst some of this is already paid for little bits are still needed here and there for the festival to go ahead.
Donating your hard earned money doesn't come without reward though! We have a wide range of rewards available, varying with the amount of donation, which can be seen to the right of this page. Some are big some are small however each and every penny is gratefully received.
Where is the Lion's Den?
Right on the waterfront, just off of Madeira road between the Barbican and the Tinside Lido, there will be a map on the website but one is also reproduced in the above crowdfunder.
That's pretty close to the sea, what if I fall in?
There will be protective railings around the performance area, these will not detract in anyway from the audience's enjoyment of the shows and the surroundings however will protect actors and audience alike. Additionally, a lifeguard will be present at all times during the performances.
This is Plymouth, what if it rains?
Every morning all ticket holders will receive an email update on the current state of and predictions for the weather for that day, assuming all is good then the days shows will go ahead as planned, however if the weather is to bad (not just a bit of cloud but proper Plymouth rain) then the shows will be moved to our indoor venue , live updates will also be posted on the festival website. All tickets will be valid for the indoor venue.
We would like to thank:
Nicholas Buckland – For his continued support and guidance
Plymouth City Council – For allowing us to use the Lions Den for this event.
We will keep you updated on our progress with the festival both before and during!
Many thanks for taking the time to read our project and for choosing to pledge your support.
Cal and Plum
