Stockroom Releases THE YEAR WE'VE HAD - Six Short Films Made by and In Support of Theatre Freelancers

Over the past six months leading UK touring theatre company Stockroom has been working with theatre freelancers across the country to produce six extraordinary films that chart the common experiences of non-salaried theatre workers during the pandemic.

During that time, Stockroom, working alongside filmmakers The Other Richard, called on its network of regional partner theatres across the country to nominate freelancers, with whom they have been working during the pandemic, to provide the stories that form the basis of each of these films. Each of the selected freelancers was partnered with a writer, from Stockroom's salaried writers room, to collaborate on a script that illustrated their experiences of the last twelve months. The partner theatres then generously handed over their stages, foyers and resources for the filming that took place in and around each venue.

The Year We Had brings together these finished films to tell the stories of this workforce and to show the extraordinary contribution it has made to our culture and society over the last year.

Beginning on Wednesday 7 July and running to Monday 19 July these two-minute studies of the recent lives of those who make up the UK theatre industry's backbone will be released on the basis of two a week and will be accessible through each host theatre's social media platforms. They will also be available as a complete collection after 19 July at https://www.stockroom.co.uk/productions/the-year-we-had/

The films will be released on the following schedule :-

Wednesday 7 July - Sheffield Theatres

Written by Georgia Crowther
Based on the experience of Nadia Emam

Performed by Nadia Emam
@CrucibleTheatre

Friday 9 July - Hull Truck

Written by Isaac Tomiczek

Based on the experience of Chiedu Oraka

Performed by Chiedu Oraka

@HullTruck

Monday 12 July - Royal and Derngate Northampton

Written by Maheni Arthur

Based on the experience of Subika Anwar

Performed by Subika Anwar

@RoyalDerngate

Wednesday 14 July - Bristol Old Vic

Written by Tonderai Munyevu

Based on the experience of Vanessa Kisuule

Performed by Vanessa Kisuule

@BristolOldVic

Friday 16 July - Birmingham REP

Written by Chris York

Based on the experience of Keiren Hamilton-Amos

Performed by Keiren Hamilton-Amos

@BirminghamRep

Monday 19 July - Bolton Octagon

Written by Vikki Stone

Based on the experience of Natalie Amber

Performed by Natalie Amber

Bolton - @OctagonTheatre

Produced by Tom Ryalls for Stockroom

Films made and directed by Richard Lakos and Richard Davenport for The Other Richard

This project would not have been possible without the generous support and great effort of all the venues involved and the artists we have contributed

Stockroom Artistic Director Kate Wasserberg says -

"The Year We Had, Not the Year We Lost is a national snapshot of how freelancers have contributed to the world at a time when buildings have been closed. Actors have driven food delivery trucks, stage managers have worked in care homes, theatre designers have festooned buildings in ribbons to remind people of what they are missing. Artists have become a political force, demanding a fairer world, reckoning with racial justice and financial inequality. It has been a joy to partner with six wonderful theatres around the country that jumped at the chance to celebrate their freelance community and partner those freelancers with our writers room to create these six exciting films. "

An estimated 71% of the theatre work force are freelancers, throughout the pandemic they have been the hardest hit financially and culturally. We lost approximately 38,000 of our freelance colleagues from the sector in 2020, but those that remained have been doing incredible things.

Theatre buildings are now in the process of re-opening but theatre as a sector, as an art form, and as a way to tell our national story never stopped, it simply adapted. Artists and administrators across the country have spent the year creating the most extraordinary digital projects, community art and simply surviving.

As we move through this pandemic and into the recovery it is vital that the relationships between theatre buildings and the freelancers that create in them is nurtured and grown.

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