Northampton theatre company celebrates fifth birthday with 'extraordinary' party

A Northampton based theatre company celebrated turning 'five years bolder' earlier this month with a party and ambitious three-year business plan.

Warts and All marked this milestone by hosting a party on the grounds of Delapré Abbey, inviting along staff, board members, supporters and participants for an evening filled with fun, theatre and community.

Executive director at Warts and All, Ben Anderson, said: “In the last five years, Warts and All has awarded £36,800 in bursaries allowing young people from all backgrounds to engage with the arts. We have also delivered workshops to more than 2,500 children in local schools.

"Without the support of funders, schools, local organisations and participants and their families we would have struggled to continue this work especially over the past 18 months.

"This party was a big thank you to those who have supported Warts and All and recognition of the team’s tireless work."

Warts and All, since 2016, has grown from one person to a core team of nine people supported by local artists and freelancers. The birthday party was an opportunity for the staff to look back on the work they have done to engage with young people in Northamptonshire and Coventry, who may not normally have access to arts and culture, and to set intentions for the future.

The weather was dry, so guests were treated to food and drink on the south lawn at Delapré Abbey, garden games and an inflatable helter-skelter.

The evening featured, live performances, an exclusive premiere of 'Speak Your Truth: Covid Recovery'; a compilation of short, spoken word films documenting young people's attitudes to

Covid-19, in addition to an array of short films made by the Warts, Joseph Rynhart and RYG Films to launch Warts and All’s brand refresh.

Warts and All alumni, Lauren Moody and Connor Albright, returned from London to give speeches and described how their experiences as participants has shaped their current work, studies and sense of self.

Lauren, who has set up her own theatre production company Moody Goose Productions, described the party as "an amazing celebration that showcased the hard work and voices of young people and Warts and All’s commitment to putting them first."

She said: "I was so grateful to be invited and loved sharing the brilliant atmosphere with my fellow creatives. I particularly enjoyed the Speak Your Truth films on the big screen and that not even a lockdown can stop a young people's creativity - it truly was a wonderful night! Here’s to another epic five years!”

The evening ended like any good birthday party with cake and singing before guests left and Warts and All were left to look forward to the next three years with their business plan titled, ‘Strategy 2024’.

The business plan sets out the organisations dedication to invest in the children and young people that need their work the most, to continue to elevate the importance of co-created work in youth theatre and to enable participants to be themselves and speak their truth - Theatre Done Different.

CEO of Warts and All Theatre company, Christopher Elmer-Gorry, added: “It was a really proud moment for us to celebrate the work of the staff, team and the participants that

have achieved so much over the last five years.

"The opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate after the last 18 months was so important. The team have worked throughout the pandemic and it was wonderful to take a moment to reflect and celebrate that.”

To find out more about the Warts and All theatre company, visit https://www.wartsandalltheatre.co.uk/.