This year, Theatre Peckham celebrates its 40th anniversary. Dr Suzann McLean, CEO and artistic director, reflects on its success
Since 1986, our home in Camberwell, now on Havil Street, has been a place where thousands of children and young people from Peckham, Camberwell and across Southwark discover creativity, build confidence and find their voice. Many have gone on to careers in the arts, including actor John Boyega, who began his journey with us, while others carry these skills into education, work and everyday life.
What makes Theatre Peckham distinctive is our joinedup approach, from ages three to 29. Children take their first steps in the TP Academy, young adults develop through Young Peckham and Originate, and new voices are championed through Peckham Fringe, Young, Gifted and Black and our monthly Poetry Foyer. Alongside this, our festive show brings the community together each year.
We deliver 24,000 life-enriching contact hours annually and the impact is personal. One young person joined too shy to speak in a group. Within a year, he was performing on stage to a full audience. Today, they study drama and are considering a career in the industry.
As another participant, David Mensah, 20, said: “Coming from a low economic background, I didn’t believe actors could look like me or enter those spaces. Theatre Peckham helped me realise this wasn’t delusion, it was faith. With the right support, I found my voice and began to believe I belonged.”
Stories like this are at the heart of what we do. As we celebrate our past, we also look ahead. Peckham Fringe returns this May with more than 30 shows spanning theatre, dance, comedy and spoken word – a
vibrant showcase of South London’s creativity. I invite our Camberwell neighbours to be part of it.
If you value what Theatre Peckham brings, there are simple ways to support us. You might donate £40 for our 40th year, helping us continue to provide life-changing opportunities.
Or consider leaving a legacy gift, ensuring future generations benefit from this place. Please get in touch to discuss this in confidence.
Forty years on, it’s still your stage, your story, your Theatre Peckham – and the story is only just beginning.
FROM THE CAMBERWELL QUARTERLY
