Students connect with community through Home Theatre

In partnership with Southampton Forward, students at Southampton Solent University are collaborating on Home Theatre Southampton – an immersive theatre experience – to bring unique performances to the heart of the community.

Home Theatre – created by Olivier Award-winning director, Kerry Kyriacos Michael MBE and director, Marcus Faustini – creates individual theatre pieces, inspired by host families who volunteer to take part. During a process of research and development, students will shadow professional theatremakers as they get to know host families and create personalised performance pieces, inspired by the hosts' experiences.

The project began in Brazil, before travelling to London, and it has now landed in Southampton. Performances are taking place inside the homes of host families on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October. Kerry says:

“Theatre is about telling great stories; this project will capture these from across the city. It’s also a great opportunity for arts and Southampton audiences to come together and have an open dialogue about the city.”

Solent students are playing a key role in making this ambitious project happen, with more than 80 undergraduates across performing arts and television subject areas gaining hands-on experience and networking opportunities while creating connections in the community.

Each performance will be filmed by talented students, using industry-standard equipment provided by the University, while burgeoning stage managers – all of whom are currently building their skills at Solent – will help organise performances in the community. Ethan Skillman, a third-year BA (Hons) Acting and Performance undergraduate, says:

“Being involved in Home Theatre is incredible. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to work with Kerry and a bunch of amazing theatremakers and directors. I’ve gained so much knowledge just by being in a room with them.

“Taking theatre into people’s homes is so exciting and I really hope it brings new people into the wonderful world of theatre.”

Not only does this project provide hands-on experience for students, but it offers paid employment and boosts CVs, providing a foundation for future success. Students from performing arts degrees will also learn how to devise work from scratch, gain insight into research and development, and shadow professional theatremakers during the process.

Course Leader Performance at Solent, Annie Sanger-Davies, says:

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to not only learn from such an established and renowned theatre director as Kerry Kyriacos Michael, but also to learn about different approaches to devising work from all the wonderful practitioners that will be on campus over the next two weeks.

“This project also shows how theatre can be used in applied forms within communities – and the magic that this art form offers to empower people and bring joy.”

The collaborative project is connecting local creatives – across theatre and film – with community members, celebrating and evolving Southampton’s cultural offering.

Southampton Forward collaborates with communities and city partners to develop the city’s cultural landscape, championing creativity and culture as drivers to transform Southampton. Jazz Taylor, Community Engagement Manager at Southampton Forward, says:

“Working closely with creative producer Annie Sanger-Davies, Southampton Solent University and a number of talented students, we are thrilled to help bring these deeply personal stories to life in the homes of local families. This project is about more than just theatre; it’s about creating connections and sharing the stories of people from Southampton’s communities in an authentic yet creative way, while also providing students with invaluable hands-on experience. They are gaining skills, building relationships, and contributing to a project that will have a lasting impact.”

Following the performances at the homes of host families in October, a behind the scenes documentary exploring the process of Home Theatre will be screened on Saturday 25 January 2025 at MAST Mayflower Studios.