The Battersea Arts Centre is working with the BBC and Arts Council England to create an evening of live theatre that will be broadcast on BBC Four this Sunday, 15 November, from 21:00.
The evening, which will be broadcast from Television Centre, features performances ranging from a man searching for real human contact and a performer with Tourette’s Syndrome desperately preparing for her television debut, to a reduxing of moments from the last 43 years of Television Centre and a Fringe First-winning performance based on interviews with Muslim female boxers.
In addition to performances by Gecko, Richard Dedomenici, Toutetteshero and Common Wealth, the evening will also include a performance of Brainstorm by Islington Community Theatre that will be available exclusively on iPlayer. The piece, exploring the lives and brains of teenagers, was previously staged at the National Theatre earlier this year.
Speaking about the evening of theatre, Battersea Arts Centre’s CEO David Jubb said: “For a long time, theatre created by independent artists has been perceived as fringe or experimental, as opposed to that created by big-building based theatres. This has always seemed odd to me because much of the theatre by independent artists is deeply accessible. In the music business, independent bands and musicians have mass followings and there is wide appreciation of the value they contribute to the scene. So I am excited by this first step in UK theatre and for these five independent theatre makers to present their work to a larger audience on television.”
Live From Television Centre is being broadcast by the BBC as part of its On Stage season celebrating Britain’s incredible theatre talent. More of the On Stage shows, including The Dresser, starring Ian McKellen and Anthony Hopkins, and behind the scenes documentaries from a number of theatres around the UK, including Soho Theatre, can be found on the iPlayer.