Our Story

Face Front was founded by

Jon French, Shirley Mason, Annie Smol and Catrin Thomas

Face Front in 2005
Face Front's first production 'Who Cares' in 2001

Face Front's first full length production 'Who Cares' in 1998

1998

Who Cares? (first full-length production)

Face Front Inclusive Theatre originally came out of The Inclusive Arts Campaign.

A group of London based artists who were all committed to working inclusively within their particular art form.

Annie Smol and Andrew Mclay, the founder members, then started to experiment with different ways of working in theatre with a variety of artists.

Workshop sessions resulted in a series of short performances with the aim for disabled artists to have the opportunity to develop  their skills while creating a new, accessible form of theatre.

The first full length production ‘Who Cares’ saw long-term members Ilan Dwek, Shirley Mason, Peter Faventi and Julie Parker join the company and put their mark on its development, with Catrin Thomas and Jon French joining within the next two years.

The first shows used inclusive teams creating theatre to stimulate audiences on different sensory levels.

We experimented interweaving the visual (physical theatre, movement, film) and the aural (song, sound-scaping, poetry and music) using sign language and audio description as an integral part of the performance.

Face Front's style developed over the years but has always aimed to give the audience different routes of access to the performance, enabling everyone to have a quality theatrical experience.

Taisha and the Time Traveller

1999

Taisha and the Time Traveller

Unique Recipe

2000

Taisha and the Time Traveller
Unique Recipe

Beyond the Curtains

2001

Beyond the Curtains
The Sex Files
Taisha and the Time Traveller

2002

Intergenerational project

2003

River of Time
Broken Silence
Unique Recipe

The Good Woman of Setzuan

2004

Shoutabout
Lifeline and Mega Mix
Living Learning Project Words in Action
The Good Woman of Setzuan
Unique Recipe
Invisible Reflections

In 2004, after a very successful period as a project of Art Start Community arts organisation, Face Front decided it was time to go independent and become a registered company in its own right.

At this point Annie, Jon, Shirley and Catrin  became the core team and took on the roles of artistic and associate directors, each bringing their own skills including theatre, dance, poetry and sign language.

Opening the Can

2005

Enfield’s Woman Aid
E&K Dance
Hoods and Hatz and Trainers
Street Theatre
Breaking Out
Shoutabout
Dream Catcher
Creative Partnerships
Opening The Can
Sex FM

Sex FM

2006

Healthy Lifestyles
Unique Recipe
Dream Catcher
The Living Learning Project
Sex FM
The Work Factor

The Imaginaries

2007

Theatre is Life
Open House
In Control
Summer Challenge
Shank Town
A Terrible State of Mind
Fresh Start
Who Cares? (DVD)
Open House
The Imaginaries

Face Front became a registered charity.

Counting the Ways - Second tour

2008

Family Friendly Project

Summer Inclusion Workshops
Teenage Pregnancy Show at Trinity
Tales of Edmonton
Counting the Ways
Friends for Life
Opening the Can
In Control
Sex FM
Branching Out

2009

Opening The Can
Ghetto Youth Theatre
It Takes Two
Transition Project
Roots and Wings
Sex FM

Laundry Boy

2010

Beat Them Join Them
Laundry Boy
Counting The Ways
ShankTown 2
Sex FM

Cybermissive

2011

Riots from Wrong
Laundry Boy
Cybermissive
Glee
My Life
Sex FM

Whisper Me Happy Ever After Poster

2012

Healthy Eating Road show
Understanding Cancer
Sex FM
Exploring Personal Responsibility
Act 4 Change
Ponderful People
Sex FM
Whisper Me Happy Ever After

Tales of the New River

2013

No Fixed Abode
Act 4 Change Youth Theatre
Young Parents Group
School Attendance Workshops
Sex FM
Creative Minds
Tales of the New River

Zap!

2014

Living Together
Speech Bubbles
Sex FM
Whisper Me Happy Ever After
Preparation for Work Workshops
Anti-cyber Bullying Workshops
Zap!

Determined and the Damned
Our Island

2015

Short Breaks
Preparation for Work Workshops
Anti-cyber Bullying Workshops
It’s My Move
It’s My Life
Sex FM
Speech Bubbles
OCN & Arts Awards Accreditation
Our Island
Determined and the Damned

Princess of the Graveyard Palace

2016

It’s My Move
Sex FM
Speech Bubbles
The Wizard of Us
Play In The Day at Edmonton Schools
Whisper Me Happy Ever After
Princess and the Graveyard Palace
Face Front Goes Disney (Fundraising event)
Training Emerging Artist Master-classes

Sandwich Man

2017

Face Front Fest 17 at Dugdale Theatre
Sandwich Man The Musical
The Worlds Is a Slice of Life
The Originators
The Jingle Book
Sevenish
Play In A Week at The Village School
Speech Bubbles
It’s My Life
Going Digital

It's My Move

2018

It’s My Move
Sex FM
Alice in Winterland
Play In A Week at The Village School
Whisper Me Happy Ever After
The UnUsual Suspects
Speech Bubbles
Comeuppance R&D
Unconscious Bias & Diversity Training

The Myth of Marvo's Millions

Between the Wi and the Fi

2019

Face Front Fest 19 at Dugdale Theatre
The Myth of Marvo’s Millions
The Great Game Show
Between The Wi and the Fi
It’s My Move
Sex FM
Play In A Week at The Village School
Charlie and The Awkward Factory
Stepping Stones

Covid Response

2020 (covid)

SEX FM
Whisper Me Happy Ever After
It’s My Choice
EBLUEnezer Scrooge
The Night B4 Xmas
Out of The Blue
Operation Fire Drop
Operation Postman Pat
FEAR Summits

Mr and Mystery Radio Play

2021 (covid)

Connections in Lockdown
Participatory Arts Online
Hero Next Door (R&D1)
River Ramblers
It’s My Choice
It’s My Move
Equilibrium (album)
Nice To Train You to Train You Nice
Panto Park
CLICfest’21
FaceFrontFest’21 (digital)
Mr & Mystery (radio)
Whisper Me Digital
The ReUnion

Equilibrium the Movie

2022

Opposite Street
Whisper Me Happy Ever After
Where Would You Be?
CLICfest’22
Equilibrium (film)
Wait… What?
It’s My Move
Hero Next Door (R&D2)
The Pant-uh-o That Goes Wrong

The company goes from strength to strength and continues to develop accessible theatre for all through our education, training and mainstream programmes.

Face Front 25th Anniversary

2023

Face Front celebrates its 25th Anniversary.


Face Front Inclusive Theatre | Limited Company No. 05154096 | Registered Charity No. 1116506
Main Office & Studio: 52 Market Square, Edmonton Green, London N9 0TZ - Telephone: 020 8350 3461

- Edmonton Green Charity Of The Year -

Email Face Front: info@facefront.org | Donate to Face Front

 

PATRONS - Mat Fraser - Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE - Rachel Denning - Doris Jiagge - Aditya Chakrabortty - Judy Hepburn - Onjali Rauf MBE - Joseph Adelakun

WE ARE MEMBERS OF

Creative Schools + CollegesEquityThe Foundation for Social ImprovementLondon Participatory Arts Independent Theatre Council London Living Wage National Association of Youth TheatresUK YouthYoung Barnet FoundationYoung Camden Foundation