The Loud Poets: Gosforth Civic Theatre and the Importance of Storytelling and Accessibility

"[Gosforth Civic Theatre is] a very different atmosphere that I don't think you get in a lot of places that are more focussed on turning over the product and the show and the ticket generation, over actually investing in the shows they're putting on, what they're about and tapping in to a new community or new art form. Because I know for a fact we would jump at any chance to come back here and you don't necessarily always have that feeling." Kevin Mclean, Loud Poets

In March 2018, Scottish spoken word and poetry artists Loud Poets played two nights at Gosforth Civic Theatre. They were brought down from Edinburgh by CaroleW Productions and also laid on a workshop for local college students as they settled in to a two and a half day stay at GCT.

It was the first performance of its kind at the venue and brought a whole new audience not just to the Theatre but to the artists themselves.

We sat down at the time with Creative Director of I am Loud Productions, Kevin Mclean and their Producer Katie Ailes to talk about their experience at GCT and the importance of storytelling, giving a voice to different communities and accessible venues.

"Tell the stories that aren't being told because unless they're being told we are missing voices and we can't know the whole story of our humanity when there are so many people who are being silenced. So if you have the privilege of access to a microphone that is power. And it's power that comes with the responsibility to share." Katie Ailes, Loud Poets

Watch the video below. (We apologise for the background interference on the audio.)