GOLDEN GOOSE

Theatre News 2023

Georgia Harris has stepped down as Artistic Director (2023).

THEATRE NEWS 2020

Michael Kingsbury, Artistic Director of White Bear Theatre has founded a second theatre, GOLDEN GOOSE THEATRE in Camberwell and appointed Georgia Harris as Artistic Director. 

Michael Kingsbury has worked extensively as an actor in theatre and television has run the White Bear theatre for over 30 years. He is also writer and director having worked in regional theatre, overseas touring and the west end.

He will continue to be at the helm at White Bear Theatre, whilst handing the task of Artistic Director to Georgia Harris, giving her all the support she needs to crack on with this brave new venture. Michael’s broad experience outside of fringe is valuable to give a lead into all aspects of the industry. 

Georgia has the ideal experience for the role of breathing life into the new theatre after working with Michael as an associate at White Bear. Hands on running of the venue has given her a good insight into how she wants to progress at Golden Goose.

ARCHIVE INTERVIEW WITH GEORGIA HARRIS AND MICHAEL KINGSBURY 2020

“At the moment there’s a big gap of people who are not represented and we want to make space for artists who want to make work” says Georgia. “There are other confines with the pandemic and the physical constraints but we plan to have as much variety as possible - that’s the beauty of theatre and as long as we can facilitate that, let’s continue.”

Michael will act as executive director and consult on all aspects of running the theatre. “Enabling people to flourish is my prime motivation” says Michael. “The good thing about the last enforced break was to revalue things and make improvements. It’s given me more time to write as well.”

He is clearly thrilled to have discovered this little nugget especially as it happened entirely by chance and it is all thanks to mum. “I spotted the pub when I was taking a new route, to meet my mother at her new care home” he explains. “It looked interesting so I asked for a tour and I could see the potential straight away.” He would be bringing the place to life and that is good for the pub and of course the wet sales. 

Opening a brand-new theatre at a time when so many theatres are closing is audacious. The Bunker, Theatre N16, Theatre Deli have all left their spaces in recent times, and now many theatres are facing the terrible financial effects of enforced closure during the Covid crisis. Michael sees it as “giving something back” and prepared it for opening as a fully-fledged theatre. It has a very generous auditorium space with high ceilings and a large bespoke stage, 29 square metres no less, with 2 upstage entrances.

“The stage is also raised so it feels like being in the stalls of 300-seater” says Michael. “It’s equipped through the generosity of some friends” he adds. “I find it an exciting place, it feels airy, a little bit different to other pub theatres. It has beautiful architectural features.”

Because of its size it could attract a different audience, but the ethos of the place is very much to help companies with free rehearsal space and other benefits. This is where Golden Goose promises to offer something special to emerging companies and experienced companies alike. They plan to be hands-on with sourcing finance and bringing creatives together to work on each project. 

“One of the focuses for the space is for research and development” says Georgia “but the ambition is to go beyond that and develop work as much as we can.” The opening programme has seen some stellar work from experienced and new companies. 

“Of course, it hasn’t been a smooth flight, with Covid restrictions it has meant working with an app as well as the usual considerations to masks, cleaning, and distancing” explains Georgia “but the response has been overwhelmingly positive”.

Michael is also keen to “programme the hell out of it and bring in the best people.” They aren’t just passively accepting bookings; they are shaping the programming with active producing. This is where extra members of the team will be invaluable, with Charlotte Holder as Associate Producer and Sarah Jordan Verghese who will be joining the team next year focusing on community engagement.

Georgia will be building on the terrific success she had with a new writing event while working at White Bear Theatre. “I think it’s just a case of not enough theatres who had the ability to do things like open calls” says Georgia. “Some were unable to do work because of rental agreements and hire fees. To just have this opportunity, that openness and willingness meant that people who would not normally approach us, just came to the forefront.” 

Georgia is forging new relationships with some of those artists. “There’s no point in letting someone use the space and then never speak to them again,” says Georgia.  “Martha Watson Allpress was in her second year as a drama student … still studying, and it was just ‘let’s have a go’ and it was amazing. Her play Patricia Gets Ready transferred to the Vaults and now she’s writing loads of new shows and getting short listed for prizes everywhere.” 

Opening the doors of the new theatre on 13 October “was a wonderful, amazing feeling” says Georgia. “The first show completely sold out … a wonderful show which deserved it and it validates that we were right to do it”. 

It was nice that she got her name in the Guardian. “My Grandparents know what I do now! I haven’t had that ‘well what do you do’ conversation which is very nice for me. It’s been hard work driving people and having to apologize for not replying to emails. But it’s joyous that people want to get in touch, collaborate, talk about their script and about making work.” 

Georgia is still suffering from the Covid restrictions which do clip the wings a lot. “Sign of the times” says Georgia feelingly. “I knew that, but still did it … could be lunacy, but we’ll see.” Coping with the enormity of opening a new theatre in the current crisis has meant dealing with some stress. “Late night phone calls to mum” she says. “It’s mad but also kind of beautiful. Weirdly I didn’t expect it to take off and have the support it had. I expected we’d have 100 followers on twitter on the first day but by the end of day one, we 1300 and so many messages of support”. 

“The excitement was palpable particularly from people living in the area and people who want to make new work. We know that there’s an appetite for it and that people want it, which is just so wonderful, when I’m worrying about things … I remember people want it to happen.”

“I hope that we can make something special and I’m just looking forward to a point where we can have a shared experience again in a theatre without the worry of everything that goes with it. Of course, we’re so grateful to be making work right now. Once our lives are no longer governed by the virus … just to have that freeing escapism, not wearing masks, sitting next to someone else. Giggling because someone next to you giggles.”