Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
We’re always big fans of SPID Theatre, both for the work it produces as well as the work it does in the community and campaigning for social housing. They recently completed a short residency at Riverside Studios, and whilst Everything Theatre couldn’t make it in person, one person who was there was Daniel Godfrey, who has contributed this guest feature about the event and the work that SPID do.
To commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Grenfell disaster, SPID Theatre (SPID standing for Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse) make the case for housing justice at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. SPID founder and writer Helena Thompson’s piece artfully combines performance, films and media speeches inspired by the residents and young people SPID serves at its base in Kensal House in North Kensington, an icon of social housing completed in 1937.
The films were produced in collaboration with local residents and young people who had lost friends and homes to a tragedy caused by the negligence of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). Several Grenfell survivors participate on screen. The piece stricks a deeply emotional chord, illuminating the housing injustice RBKC inflicted on residents of Kensal House even after Grenfell. Shelter and Amnesty support the show’s message of housing justice. The production is also raising funds for Grenfell United and Poetry for Grenfell.
Thompson herself appears on stage, sharing with the audience the hateful campaigns that personally vilified her – and how she rose above these with courage and grace. Kris Lalaj’s contribution is equally heartfelt, his performance a rallying call to all who experience housing negligence. It’s clear how much the actors believe in him and they in him.
Ashley Mpanzu gives a similarly strong performance: his passion during the Question and Answer session, encouraging audience participation, is infectious. Eva Branscome, Professor of Architecture and Cultural Heritage at the Bartlett School, is inspiringly knowledgeable on social housing and its continued importance. The show dramatises the power of speaking up for each other.
The production demonstrates Thompson’s inspiring leadership – and her commitment to young people and the local community whom she treats with empathetic respect. Thompson founded the SPID charity in her youth, and with her co-creative lead Nnenna Samson at SPID, they champion estate investment through award winning projects that involve and inspire the young people who live nearby.
The show illuminates SPID’s use of artistic advocacy to demand investment in social housing safety – and the need for Kensal residents and SPID to support each other in seeking compensation for housing negligence. This production brings lived experience to life.
The performers relate how SPID raised a ground-breaking £2.6m for major access and safety works in the neglected Grade II listed estate of Kensal House. The refurbishment was pushed £700,000 over budget by unprecedented negligence and delays from RBKC. The council took more than a year to respond to SPID’s compensation claim with an offer of less than 10%, a mere £50,000, which SPID has refused. The charity has had to take out loans to ensure the refurbishment is completed.
The backstory is that ‘Floods’ have plagued Kensal House for years, long before 2005 when Kensal Residents’ Association invited SPID to move into Kensal. A freedom of information request shows 316 instances of leaks, floods and mould in the past six years. ‘Fire’ in 2017 at Grenfell resulted from RBKC’s chronic negligence. ‘Sunshine flats’ is how residents described their new homes in the recently completed Kensal House in the late 1930s. A modernist vision of the twentieth century has been betrayed in the twenty-first.
The latest challenge facing SPID and Kensal’s residents is RBKC’s threat to withdraw their commitment to bring the whole estate up to standard – unless compensation claims are dropped. SPID believes it is possible that RBKC is offering pay offs with Non Disclosure Agreements. They are likely pressuring lease holders, threatening to increase their service charges if investment goes through or compensation is paid.
All the smart and brave participants involved in SPID’s inspiring performance at Riverside Studios deserve recognition. It is important to support these talented artistic activists, many of whom are residents of Kensal House or former residents of Grenfell, and local young people. SPID is at risk of closure if RBKC does not pay long overdue compensation. In fighting hatred with love, SPID stands with long term renters against the social housing sell off. Please join them in calling for investment in Kensal House – and the future of our inspiring youth.
Our thanks to Daniel for writing this piece about the recent shows and the history of SPID. You can find out more about SPID and its work here.
