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Dr Matthew Morrison on Soho Poly and the Disrupt Your Everyday Callenge
Dr Matthew Morrison is a Playwright and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Westminster, his research speciality being theatre history. This week we were delighted to talk with him about his current project to restore the Soho Poly, which will include a fascinating summer festival of events to showcase the venue, and in particular a Disrupt Your Everyday Challenge on 21 June 2023.
Soho Poly was one of the foremost lunchtime and fringe theatre venues in London from 1972 to 1990 and launched the careers of writers and directors such as Hanif Kureishi, Simon Callow, Bob Hoskins, Caryl Churchill and Timberlake Wertenbaker, to name but a few. Sadly, it fell into disrepair at that point but it was rediscovered in 2012 and is now the beneficiary of renovation funding, which means plans are afoot to turn it back into a thriving theatre once again.
What drew you to the Soho Poly in the first place?
An actor friend of my parents, the brilliant Janet Amsden, had been involved in plays there and always talked about it as a wonderful place. When I saw it for the first time in 2012 – now just an old basement room full of junk – I was determined to bring it back to life somehow.
Why do you think it was such a critical space in its time?
I think the idea of lunchtime theatre was really important. It allowed people to be involved in the arts who might otherwise have felt that theatre wasn’t really for them. Rather than dressing up and spending a fortune on a pre-theatre dinner, you could now just watch a play in your ordinary clothes over a quick sandwich. And some of the actors you got to see were obviously amazing – people like Simon Callow, Harriet Walter, Paul Barber…
What is the renovation project and how far have you got?
We’ve got an accessible lift at last, which was critical. We’re also hoping to have a full lighting and sound rig installed over the summer. But we’ll still be on the lookout for all sorts of bits of equipment – so if anyone reading this has some money to spare…!
When do you expect the renovation to be complete?
We are in a state now where we can start to programme small-scale events. So, in that sense, works are already complete. Although in time we are hoping to grow and develop the space.
What plans do you have for the future?
My background is theatre and my colleague, Professor Guy Osborn (who is also supporting this project), is very interested in music, so those are two areas which we are particularly passionate about. But we’re also committed to making it a community space with lots of arts and craft activities. This week we’ve had the brilliant badgecafe.com in residence, making badges (as the name suggests).
What is the Disrupt Your Everyday Challenge?
The original Soho Poly was famous for lunchtime theatre. Although people don’t have lunchtimes in the same way anymore, we still think there are ways in which we can all bring arts and culture into the heart of our ‘ordinary’ days. Disrupt Your Everyday has been our mantra over the past few years. But the ‘festival’ on 21 June (the longest day of the year) is just a way to focus in on the idea. We want people all over London (and beyond!) to do something – anything – creative and tweet about it or post on Instagram at the hashtag #DisruptYourEveryday.
Why do you think creativity is so important?
The days where we engage with the arts are always the days that lift our spirits. We never make enough time for that.
What will you do on Disrupt Your Everyday?
Amongst other things, we’ll be running an outdoor Badge Cafe workshop, out on the street in Little Portland Street. Come down and get creative!
Thanks very much to Matthew for taking the time to talk to us about this inspiring project. Details of the summer festival can be found here.
