What does it mean to serve a local audience? We are based in Mitcham, produce work in the borough of Merton and beyond as well as running successful work with our community. What is the best way of us speaking with and giving this audience something which inspires, invigorates and excites them?

These are big questions which theatres and companies up and down the country are grappling with. How do we speak to a new generation who can watch high quality drama in bed 24 hours a day?

Since starting at Attic, I’ve been grappling with this and there is clearly no one answer. There are incredible examples in Teatro Vivo who work so successfully with the people of Lewisham, the Orange Tree up the road in Richmond, a fixture of the national and local landscape, embedded in their area, and outside of London theatres such as Manchester Royal Exchange and Sheffield Crucible which define their city on and off stage.

My instinct is that Attic can be most effective by setting ourselves a simple question – how can we place ourselves at the centre of the cultural life of the borough? As artistic director, Ivan is my first show in which I am really excited to share with communities across our local area, but what we do has got to be about more than shows. Over the next year we’re hoping to set up an Elders Drama Workshop, continue our Creative Networking event with the inspiring Baseless Fabric and Merton Council, as well as establishing youth theatre group in Mitcham and and elders drama group.