Dawn Finnerty is the Artistic Director of fEAST Theatre. Ahead of touring ‘Elephant’, a new play which is set in North Norfolk over the course of one day, she explains how their work is very much rooted in celebrating East Anglia
Who are you and what do you do?
Hello! I’m Dawn Finnerty and I’m the artistic director of fEAST Theatre, which I run alongside other work. As is necessary for many freelancers in the arts, I simultaneously have several jobs, roles and projects. I trained as an actor 27 years ago and worked for around 10 years touring the country. I moved to Norfolk 16 years ago to raise a family and unexpectedly became a single parent. I then retrained as a teacher of performance. I’ve since gone on to direct and predominantly produce new writing, with a bit of acting and workshop leading in between.
How long have been involved with fEAST Theatre and what does your role involve?
About 12 years. I joined fEAST in 2012 as an actor during my teacher training. I was asked to take part in a workshop for a new play – The Canada Boys by Rob John – which has since become our most performed and loved play. It felt wonderful to be back in the room again with actors, writers and directors. Luckily, I got invited back and eventually became a core member of the company. I went on to perform in several plays with Owen Evans, Tabitha Woodgett and Roblin McLoughlin – the four of us had great chemistry on stage and the same work ethic…happy times.
In 2018 my role evolved into co-producing and directing and now I’ve taken on the day to day running, by default really, as people stepped down or left. This involves pretty much everything! You really have to roll your sleeves up with a small company. It’s a bit of a labour of love. Our funding is project to project – hence the wearing of many hats!
What is the background to fEAST and how long has it been going?
Rob John (writer/director) and Mandy Mckenna (actor/musician/director) were highly respected teachers and theatre practitioners who worked together for several years at Paston Sixth Form College in North Walsham. Many of their past students had gone on to train as actors/writers etc. They formed fEAST Theatre in 2010 with the aim of showcasing new work by theatre makers based in the East of England – a sort of platform for professional creatives in the region. It started small, with a new play produced every year or two.
During this time fEAST gradually built up a small and loyal audience through performing in village halls and local theatres. We got better at applying for funding, made new partnerships, began touring to Suffolk venues in 2021 and now we are in pre-production for our 16th show. The biggest milestone was receiving funding for our 10th Anniversary season – a tour of 3 plays in 10 months. In the old days we were banging on theatre doors to let us in, now they ask, ‘What is your next play and when can we book you in?’ Our work is very much rooted in celebrating the culture, landscape and language of East Anglia and its people past and present. I owe a lot to both Mandy and Rob – they opened the door to theatre again for me.
Whereabouts is the company based and how important is rural touring theatre, in your opinion?
As of yet, we don’t have an official home. Most of the planning and organising is done from my office at home in North Norfolk or in coffee shops with co-founder Rob John. But we have been incredibly fortunate to have forged great partnerships and have been supported by many venues over the years. You could say they are an extended family of sorts. Debbie Thompson at Sheringham Little Theatre championed us from the very start. We also had a special relationship with Simon Daykin at Wells Maltings (we’ve co-produced four Christmas shows there), and more recently we’ve had tremendous support from Des and Karen at The Seagull Theatre in Suffolk.
It’s very hard making theatre – particularly theatre that is new writing, as the trend seems to be that people see it as high risk, in that they don’t know what they are letting themselves in for. It feels safer to go with a well-known story. Venues are keen to support small companies to keep local theatre vibrant and alive. Without it they may only house tribute acts and films alongside wonderful community initiatives and there’s nothing wrong with tribute acts per se but it’s important to keep asking questions, to be inspired or challenged, to learn something new. Theatre does that. It’s transformative. It’s powerful.
Small rural touring companies like us would not survive without the help of venues…nor would venues survive without the help of volunteers. We’re part of a big chain, a wider community that gives us a sense of place and meaning to our lives. Not everyone can afford a West End show or have the means to travel there. There is something very special about turning up to a village hall, and for one night turning it into a theatre, bringing people together in the surrounding villages for a shared experience and good thought-provoking entertainment, a natter at the interval, a glass of wine and the chance to buy a winning raffle ticket. What makes this job worthwhile is the audience response – overwhelmingly positive, what we produce resonates with them and they seem to want more.
What is the new play, Elephant all about and where can people see it?
In 2018 Robin McLoughlin adapted the novel SALT by acclaimed novelist Jeremy Page. It was a sell-out tour for us. We commissioned Jeremy to write a play for fEAST and he created Elephant, which is set in North Norfolk over the course of one day. A house slowly crumbles into the North Sea while we watch four very different characters intent on salvaging what they can from life as they know it and what they want it to be. It’s about the impermanence of relationships and the impermanence of the environment. Well that’s my interpretation of it. Come and see it for yourself…here’s the blurb:
In a house balanced on an eroding cliff in North Norfolk, Manny gets a surprise visit from his estranged sister, Jessie. Inexplicably, she’s brought along a petty criminal, Lee Farrier, trussed in a sack. As a rising tide eats away at the foundations, a local girl, Cally, arrives, prompting all four to admit what’s really brought them together, the lies they’ve told, and the strangely redemptive power that might just be buried beneath their feet.
What challenges are you facing this year when it comes to arts funding – and how can people support the theatre?
Once Elephant is over, we’re essentially back to the drawing board, which is the nature of project-to-project funding. We have plays in the wings and would love to commission new writers. It’s a waiting and hoping game to see if you have ticked all the criteria for a chance for funding. It’s hard for the Arts Council too, as they only have a certain pot of money that they have to share out between many. We try and keep the ticket price as affordable as possible, whilst ensuring creatives are paid a living wage. We’re always working to keep running costs very low and rely on the generosity of people’s time in some cases. It’s a tricky balance. A full theatre is always a joy and helps to ensure costs are covered. We are a not-for-profit company. If you’ve enjoyed our work, please spread the word, help fill those seats for all our shows. Donations always help too!
What are your hopes and dreams for fEAST?
The list is quite big…our own venue/base…company van…a constant stream of funding…sponsorship opportunities…a fEAST Youth Theatre. Dreams aside, I hope we can continue to make accessible, challenging, inspiring, and entertaining theatre that people want to support. It would be terrific to have more people behind the scenes running the nuts and bolts. That would require more funding!! I’d love to take fEAST’s work out of East Anglia and see how it lands in other parts of the country.
Right now, I hope that people love Elephant as much as myself and the actors do and that lots of people come out and see it. We can’t wait to get the play out there to an audience and to work some magic.
fEAST Theatre presents Elephant, by Jeremy Page, from June 13 to 29, 2024. Visit Elephant – fEAST Theatre:
Thursday 13 June: Sheringham Little Theatre
Friday 14 June: Old Buckenham Village Hall (bookings.obvh@gmail.com)
Saturday 15 June: The CUT
Wednesday 19 June: Aylsham Town Hall (Tickets at Postle’s Aylsham in person)
Thursday 20 June: Corn Hall Diss
Friday 21 June: Southwold Arts Centre
Saturday 22 June: Wells Maltings
Sunday 23 June: Norwich Arts Centre
Tuesday 25 June: St Georges Great Yarmouth
Thursday 27 June: Westacre Theatre
Friday 28 June: Sedgeford Village Hall (Box Office – 01485 570097 / 07968 596949)
Saturday 29 June: The Seagull Theatre
(Featured image of Dawn Finnerty by Bishybee Photography)
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