Welcome
“Communities without virtue cannot endure.” |
History of Pentameters
Pentameters Theatre is currently closed - This unexpected closure is at the demand of the Horseshoes Pub’s operator, (Urban Pubs and Bars), who have decided to flatern the Theatre and who are currently exchanging the heritage of Pentameters, in favour of a different type of entertainment.
Of cousre, we at Pentameters are building on our own past (we don't need to try and misappropriate anyone elses), and we are working hard to resume our Pentameters with the commitment we have from the wonderful people with whom we are proud to share a community.
Pentameters is not involved or associated with the new venture that we hear has been proposed as a community space in the Horseshoes Public House. As we have promised, we at Pentameters Theatre have been reorganising and making ready to deliver the new, contemporary events that our community has so visibly told us it still wants from us, and who have asked us to carry on our timeless traditions beyond our nearly 6 decades of value and service in our community. Please watch out for us on-line, as we will soon be announcing new events and publications.
As you will be aware, Pentameters Theatre is a not-for-profit organisation, run in and for our community by its originator (Leonie Scott Matthews), delivering authentic, inclusive performance opportunities for those beginning their careers and for professionals alike, and delivers entertainment everyone can afford, with a wide range of concessions for those in difficult circumstances. The back-catalogue, history and heritage Pentameters has established is not of course associated with the building and in fact, Pentameters actually commenced in The Freemasons Arms in 1968. Pentameters had delivered over 80 community events in this year, before Urban Pubs and Bars decided they wanted to flatten the space. We have since been very busy, at personal cost and voluntary effort, clearing out and preserving as much of the 54 years of the community's social history as we can, at the same time as planning new events and publications.
Pentameters Theatre has a fabulous relationship with both new and established artists who want to perform in something with Pentameter' authenticity, and who want to perform with new, exciting and contemporary artists, in dynamic 21st century writing. Bearing in mind there is already the superb Hampstead Theatre, it remains to be seen if there is a case for the people of Hampstead paying to see the familiar old faces seen on TV and working in the West End trying their hand at something at small scale. However, Pentameters Theatre is not that, and we are committed to Pentameters continuing in doing what Pentameters does best.
We are deeply grateful for the fantastic support we get; this energises us to do new things, as a well as to continue to do the existing things you want, in new ways and in new places.
We are awaiting the support and feedback recently set out by a Camden Council spokesperson, bearing in mind it is the Council, and not the Pub Operatror with whom the Lease for the Penatameters Theatre was made in 1971. We asked to meet with Camden in early July, and after various delays, a brief meeting was granted to us in September, when it was clear to me that Camden are in close conversation with Urban Pubs and Bars, however, we at Pentamters continue to wait to hear about the 'help' the spokesperson refers to.
To be clear, we consider that the building belongs to the Community, not the Council or the Pub Operator, and that it is your wishes that are important.
As part of this damaging process, it is challenging that our entire income (to continue elsewhere) has been ceased, and that we have new additional costs for removals and storage. We are also working hard to try find premises, and pop-up locations for future productions. Please do follow us on Facebook (link to Facebook) for further announcements on our events, and to see the serialisation of Dunking Doodles.
We deeply thank the kindness of the donors and the other community minded leaders who have spoken out and taken action on the Community's wishes to preserve Pentameters. With no grants or other income, and lots of costs to store and preserve the social history, we are desperatly short of funding, the crowdfund site is still available, and we will be massively grateful for anything you might be able to spare to help.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/saveourtheatres-1.
We are keen to see the decades of hard work, and of course your memories of performances, and of performing recognised - We are also grateful to the 350 signatures so far. This is a helpful reminder of the importance of Pentameters to Hampstead and the surrouding area in terms of entertainment, social and mental wellbeing and to the Arts in general.
All residents of Camden, can of course ask their Councillors (Link) , submit FOI requests (Link) and it is your right to attend and ask public questions at council meetings and of course to make yoiur voice heard at any other social and community events.
In the mean-time, despite it being a huge challenge, the show will go-on!
Pentamters Past:
For over 54 years, Pentameters Theatre has been located above The Horseshoe Pub, - creating the heart of Art in Hampstead Village where it is nestled among an abundance of cafes, restaurants and bars. Pentamters has been pivotal to how Hampstead has become well-known for its artistic character, offering a supportive, interactive and thriving local community making it an ideal spot to promote live theatre and creative art events.
Founded in August 1968 by Léonie Scott-Matthews BEM, ARAM, Pentameters is one of the most respected fringe theatres in London. Léonie has put on hundreds of professional shows from Shakespeare, classic revivals and new plays to alternative comedy, music and poetry events.
As some may be aware, Pentameters has operated for over 54 years in the Horseshoes Public House, alongside a succession of pub operators arranged by the building's owners, Camden Council. Pentameter's has had huge beneficial impact to Hampstead, as well as driving up the income to the pub’s operator, and therefore its value to the building owner. We do not believe that Urban Pubs and Bars are entitled or justified in their actions and no previous issues had been raised by previous operators. We speculate that what has arisen, may be to do with Camden and Urban Pubs and Bars omitting to address over half a century of Pentameter's tenancy rights, the investments Pentameters has made in the building, or the value to the community, when (in 2022), Camden passed the pub operation to Urban Pubs and Bars.
Pentameters operates truly in the community’s interest, every penny of income is ploughed into productions – The Theatre is run by the family and some extremely wonderful volunteers. Part of the uniqueness of Pentameters, is that it is truly independent has never been funded by Camden, the Arts Council or taxpayers etc. Pentameters do not receive any part of the enhanced bar receipts, or any stipend for bringing business to the area, and does not receive any financial recognition for the free sessions undertaken for vulnerable and disadvantaged people, or the reputational benefit for appearing in council and community promotions.
Léonie trained at the Royal Academy of Music obtaining their RAM diploma and LRAM (Speech & Drama) and won the Poetry Society’s Gold Medal for verse speaking.
The many authors to perform at Pentameters include Dannie Abse, Kingsley Amis, Margaret Drabble, Sir William Empson, John Heath-Stubbs, Ted Hughes, Laurie Lee, Roger McGough, Edna O'Brien, Harold Pinter, Stevie Smith, Sir Stephen Spender, John Wain and psychiatrist R.D. Laing. The Theatre has also played host to many performers, including, Adrian Edmundson, Ben Elton, French and Saunders, Nigel Havers, Celia lmrie, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Jenny Seagrove, Pamela Stephenson and Alexei Sayle.
Léonie was given a Camden Good Citizen Award for her outstanding work for the community and was also honoured as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music for her contribution to the Arts. In 2016 Pentameters was chosen as an Asset of Community Value. Léonie has a one-woman show My life in Alternative Arts and compères Moon At Night, an open evening that was happenking every Sunday at 7.30pm at Pentameters Theatre, which she runs with her musician partner, Godfrey Old. Leonie also organsies and hosts a mutitude of free events for reading, poetry and music per week.
In 2019, Léonie was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award and Hampstodian of the year. In the 2020 New Year Honours List she was awarded a Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to British Theatre and to the community in Hampstead.
Pentameters production of The Bevin Boys, written by Viv Edwards, received the 2020 London Pub Theatre Standing Ovation (New Play Raising Awareness) Award.
Léonie was awarded the Olwen Wymark Award for Encouragement in theatre writing by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain on 8 April 2021.
