WHEN WE DIED - COVID recovery

by Alexandra Donnachie in Sutton, England, United Kingdom

Total raised £1,605

raised so far

70

supporters

Filming the production, creating 4 workshops and an extensive resource pack for drama and performing arts students.

by Alexandra Donnachie in Sutton, England, United Kingdom

We're still collecting donations

On the 10th March 2021 we'd raised £1,605 with 70 supporters in 21 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.

Last year, right before the world was plunged into a pandemic, When We Died premiered at VAULT Festival 2020 after a 4-year development period which included being longlisted for the Bruntwood Playwriting Award and appearances as part of China Plate's First Bite Festival as well as a scratch performance in conjunction with PILOT Nights at Midlands Arts Centre (mac). 

Despite audience numbers dwindling due to the daily bout of COVID-19 news getting worse and worse and very much worse, we were delighted to receive positive reviews across the board including:

★★★★ London Theatre 1

★★★★ Act Drop

★★★★ Reviews Hub

★★★★ North West End

★★★★ Spy in the Stalls 

★★★★ Within Her Words

Lyn Gardner commented that the show is '...quietly hold-your-breath gripping' and highlighting how it '...doesn’t shirk what happened, but crucially it takes care of its audience...This monologue dances with grace around some complex questions'. 

Almost a year to the day since we began rehearsals for our VAULT Festival run, we are delighted to announce we have received funding from Arts Council England to make a film of the play and to create 4 workshops which will focus on the following topics: 

  • Creating Trauma-Based Theatre and a Safer Way of Working 
  • Intimacy Direction for Solo Shows
  • Presenting Sexual Violence on Stage

The purpose of these workshops is to form part of an extensive package, alongside the film, with which we hope to do two things; ignite relationships with schools and colleges across the country with whom we can share the performance and deliver the workshops in a completely COVID-19 safe environment, and to open up a number of touring and residency opportunities with theatres and their adjoining youth companies both nationally and internationally, ready for when theatres can finally begin to reopen. When this happens, we hope to give a leg-up to early and mid-career artists who have perhaps been left to feel the consequences of the pandemic on our industry the hardest.

And this is where you come in. We need your help to raise the final £1,600 to support our creative team, adapt to changes COVID-19 restrictions, for the initial test delivery of the workshops and the first wave of distribution of our film. 

It took us 4 years of developing When We Died before we got it on stage and another 4 attempts to get funding from ACE so we understand as well as anybody how little money there is to go around at the moment and so we completely understand if now if not a good time to ask you to donate. We would however hugely appreciate a share of this page  

If you are in a position to donate some money to our campaign, we'd greatly appreciate amounts of any and all sizes. Perhaps the price of a coffee you haven't bought on the way to work since we've been in Lockdown(s), or the cost of a ticket you've saved money on since doors to theatres and cinemas closed. We thought about suggesting the price of a coffee, or indeed any other beverage, you've saved on purchasing in a theatre, but we understand that would require its own Crowdfunder. If it helps make the decision, we've a range of 'rewards' on offer in return for your kind donations which you can read more about below. 

In the meantime, and on behalf of the whole When We Died creative team, thank you.

More information can be found about the show and our team here: www.carbontheatre.org.uk/whenwedied

Image credit: Ali Wright

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Rewards

This project offered rewards

£3 or more

Gift me a coffee

Gift us the price of a coffee and we'll send you a cheeky snap of one of the team, favourite mug in hand.

£10 or more

Give the price of a ticket!

When we premiered When We Died, it was the week before the UK went into national lockdown, therefore tickets sales were lower than hoped for. Help us revive the production by gifting us the price of a missing ticket. We will send you a digital 'ticket' when the show is ready to watch online, alongside a personal note of thanks.

£21 or more

Buy the team a coffee

Gift the cost of a coffee for the team! We will send you a snap of us all on set during filming, mugs and/or Keep Cups and flasks in hand.

£30 or more

A big thank you

We will send you a show postcard with handwritten thank you for supporting the show and a digital ticket with all the detail on how to watch the show when it goes live.

£45 or more

Watch First!

Be the first to watch the filmed version of the show! We will privately release the film 2 weeks earlier than public release so you can be the first to watch When We Died. This is limited to only 15 people.

£95 or more

Big Night In

Fancy watching the show at home with some theatre comforts? We will send you a little gift in the post to help replicate that theatre experience from the comfort of your own home. Get early access to watch the production and a little box of goodies!

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