Camden People's Theatre 30th Birthday
- tabithacatlin
- Mar 6
- 5 min read
Interview with Dr Rio Matchett, CPT's Artistic Director
A few weeks ago, I was invited to Camden People's Theatre (CPT) to join in with their 30th birthday celebration and fundraising evening. CPT is a theatre that helps new and emerging theatre artists springboard into the industry. This is such an important kind of theatre: the pieces of work that are put on are authentic, new and unique; they explore our society and have strong messages. Also, a theatre that helps new artists thrive and dive into their profession is rare, in a struggling and difficult industry it's increasingly difficult to find opportunities to nurture your creative talents. The fundraising aspect was to help CPT carry on its journey of helping theatre artists and the community.
Following this celebratory evening, here is an interview with Dr Rio Matchett. CPT's Artistic Director, who kindly participated in a grand conversation about the glorious theatre and what exciting plans she has for CPT.
Q: What is your favourite thing about the Camden People's Theatre building?
A: One of our artist's pointed this element of the theatre out to me, Sam Rees who created 'The Food Bank Show'. There was a moment in his show where he talks about how special the space is; having this tiny theatre that is so central. He opened the shutters, that are within this black box theatre, and the window opens and looks out into the street onto Hampstead Road. It is so special to have a theatre that physically opens up to the world around it. We're so lucky to have the medium where we can come and hide away, it's so important in theatre to have that escapism and magic. We also have a responsibility to be in conversation with the world around us. There is something beautiful about the physicality of the space that looks out onto the world around it.
Q: As Artistic Director, what are your goals for Camden People's Theatre?
A: I would love to find a way to maintain CPT's warm and friendly atmosphere, that is an accessible space for artists to make their first show, which the theatre has done so well over its 30 years. It's getting increasingly harder for artists to get that first show out, so it feels important to preserve a place that can do that! I'm excited to push the rigor of the work and collaborate with the artists to make their work the best it can be. I would like all the artists at CPT to leave in a good position to have a sustainable career in the arts, which is a challenge; but that is my dream. I'm excited to develop our relationship with the disabled theatre community, which I've been a part of for years and I've been so welcomed and held by that community. I want to get in conversation with our artists and new artists about how we can make theatre more accessible.
Q: Do you think there will be any changes to the theatre to improve the accessibility?
A: Yes, we had a consultant this year, Ada Eravama; who worked with the theatre to complete an audit. We also, pulled together a focus group of people with a wide range of disabilities, with lots of different experiences; they did site visits, talked to us about the program and looked at our website. There are a few things we can apply in the next year or so to make us more accessible. The building itself had redevelopment not long ago and the areas where we can work on are around the work that we are programming.
Q: What's the most interesting piece of work that has made the biggest impact on you, that you've seen at CPT so far?
A: That is such a difficult question! I'm torn, but if I had to pick it would be our Sh!t Theatre Christmas shows: Muppets Christmas Carol Sing along and Shit Actually, a double bill. They were so fun and silly. It was just the joy that filled the room, the theatre was packed every night. I've known Sh!t Theatre for years and the last show I saw of theirs was 'Or what's left of us', which was a sad show about grief and it was raw for them to make. To then go back and make these crazy Christmas shows, it just made me think about what theatre can do, the politics of joy and making work that brings people together to have a good time, because life is awful sometimes. That's why we need space to be silly and CPT is a place people can be silly!
Q: What is so important about CPT?
A: The history of the building, which I didn't know about until I started at CPT. It's an old Victorian pub, that was a community activism space, and it was managed by community groups. The theatre has politics in its bones. Which makes CPT important, because we can put on this work that might not get on other places, whether that is because of it's style or it's politics. We're able to take risks at CPT, which makes us stand out. Its a craft to build shows, you need to be able to have somewhere you can take risks, you don't just wake up one day and you know how to make and put out the perfect, successful show. You have to make these risks and jumps to get there!
Q: What's coming this Spring at CPT?
A: Our Spring season has just recently been announced; we also have the exciting 'SPRINT Festival' at CPT just before the Spring. SPRINT has been running for years, it's a long-standing festival filled with new work! There are two new and different shows every day for 3 weeks; there are loads of shows in there that I am so excited about. Then, the Spring season was mostly filled before I started, but I've slotted a few other shows in there and it fills like a collaboration of the old and the new, which is exciting.
CLICK HERE to see what Camden People's Theatre have to offer this Spring 2025 and if you want to see what SPRINT festival is all about then CLICK HERE
Q: What's your background before starting your Artistic Director role at CPT?
A: I ran the studio at Leeds Playhouse, looking after new work development and studio programming. The role was essentially managing a venue and programming/developing work. Looking back, this experience helped train me up for moving into this Artistic Director role. I owe so much to Leeds Playhouse for the good they did for my career and development. Before Leeds I was working in artistic development, I started there from a fixed term artist development co-ordinator level years before. I also worked at the 'Every Man Playhouse' in Liverpool and freelancing as a director/dramaturg. I realised that touring and moving around was not for me long term, due to my personal circumstances and preference. There were things I missed as a freelancer: I enjoy being in the same building, the community that comes with it, watching artists develop over time, building relationships with people I work with every day and having a routine.
Camden People's Theatre have a bright future ahead of them and Dr Rio Matchett is bringing something new to the theatre table. Make sure to get yourself down there and get involved; watch something new, support growing artists and keep this rare theatre thriving. Happy 30 years to CPT and here is to many more...
Though CPT is one of the smallest theatres, they are one of the BIGGEST emerging artist support hubs in the city! Your support can help them to achieve the amazing work that they have planned; If you want to get involved and support CLICK HERE
Comments