I’ve spent a small fortune on home and design publications over the years. It sometimes occurs to me, as I’m drooling over the latest issue of Grand Designs or Elle Décor, that I could probably have built my dream house with what I’ve spent on magazines alone.
Architecture fascinates me. A beautiful chair will delight me. There are stories attached to the precious things I have around me at home. I should probably get out more.
But, (to quote the girl with the shiny red shoes) why is there no place like home?
Simply put, it’s where we live. Somewhere that reflects who we are and what’s important to us. It can be an entire building, or a unique space but essentially, it’s the environment and conditions that we create, to be ourselves.
I recently read that Adele performed to 80,000 fans in Germany from a custom-built rising waterfall platform. As you do!
Initially, I was intrigued by the sheer innovative, artistic, engineering marvel of it all. She had replicated her entire, personally designed Vegas venue, in a large empty space outside Munich. But what struck me, was the description of how this temporary pop-up home with all its bells and whistles, not only captivated close to 80,000 devotees for almost two hours, but also remained so uniquely and personally hers.
She managed, at 5ft 9’’ in this vast, immersive space to stay connected to the things that seem to matter most to her – flawless quality, her connection to her band, the ability to personally engage with every individual audience member – through the environment and conditions created as her temporary home.
"Whilst the venue itself is enormous, the dimensions at the heart of the stage are the same. Her relationship with her band is intact. She can travel 100m to the B stage and then come back to the comfort of her band in an environment she’s familiar with. She engages the 80,000 strong crowd no different than a 4000-plus crowd, cracking jokes, sharing stories. The acoustic matches the visual experience. The food and beverages are above standard and the whole thing is managed by an A-Team of experts who have translated her input and spirit across all parts of the show and venue design’" (Link to the full article available at the bottom of the page)
It enabled her to reflect and connect others to who she is - a passionate, A-list performer; what she does – impeccable vocal delivery and performance; and why she does it – to embrace her audiences into her personal world. Whether you’re a fan or not, she managed to create a sense of home that enabled her to be at her best, and invite others in.
Closer to home, the Kings Head Theatre have left the pub they were born in, but have retained the name, and kept the Bar central to the pub-theatre legacy they are extending into their new modern theatre space. They continue to produce diverse and exciting work, remain part of Islington’s vibrant community and are creating a new environment in which they and their audiences can still feel at home.
For a while, the National Theatre of Scotland took the radical decision not to purchase, or lease, a venue to ‘live in’. It let go of its physical home adopting a touring one, to create the artist, audience and community connections that were important to its ethos and ambitions. It quite literally became the theatre without walls, touring different communities, performing in local theatres, village halls, tower blocks, forests, car parks and pubs. It then re-housed itself in 2017 in a purpose-built facility in support of the regeneration of Glasgow, serving as a hub for developing talent from different communities. Throughout, it has strived to spark connections between people and communities and between Scotland and the world. To get this balance right, it consistently evolves its ‘home’ and its working practices in ways that reflect the original ethos of a theatre without walls. With or without a physical venue, it creates these connections by adjusting how, where and with whom it makes theatre in order to stay at its best, feel at home with its audiences and connected to what matters most.
When you visit the Soho Theatre on Dean Street, on tour or online, you step into a vibrant, pacy environment with tons of shows to choose from. Experience new writing, see great comedy or theatre and indulge in something different, unexpected and fun. The walls of this home are decorated in a bold, punk style, their latest news emails have the same vibrant and exciting voice and humour and their bar buzzing with audiences and artists, serves as a great, creative space to hang out, hold meetings, or see friends. Doubling their size and adding a new venue in Walthamstow as an extension to their London home, the same ethos applies. As does the spirit of their London home that they carry to their overseas programme and connections from Melbourne to Mumbai. This strong connection to who they are, what they do and why they do it invites you, quite literally, into the home of entertainment and great nights out wherever and however you encounter them.
"A peep into his gallery would open the visitor’s eyes for the unexpected, unusual, interesting and overseen’’ is a quote by Dr. Kjeld von Folsach, used by Matthew Paton of the Art Newspaper in 2018 to capture the essence of the the late Oliver Hoare’s Gallery home. "Arguably the most influential dealer in the Islamic art world, and one who broke the mould. He was an exotic character with legendary levels of wit, charm and knowledge, an insatiable thirst for fun and adventure and a magical spirit which dared to pursue the improbable". This spirit continues to be nurtured and evolved through the exhibitions, catalogues, works of art and publications of the Gallery today. Still the most delightful home of extraordinary stories, miniature masterpieces, and even golden spider silk which all connect back to what has always been important, unique collections with diverse objects of exceptional quality, for the most discerning clients and enquiring minds.
With a choice of eight theatres in the West End, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres still standout as home to the biggest shows in beautiful, traditional venues. The highest standards of excellence and quality are evidenced from the moment you walk in, and carried throughout the show experience, from the smart uniforms, luxury upholstery, and obliging staff members, to the highest production quality and talent on stage. Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s influence pervades, his brand a reflection of his ethos, style and approach, carries his legacy through each of his homes with magical and memorable experiences for those who visit.
I always feel lucky to have ended up working in the Arts. It gifts me time in some of London’s most unique homes, and I get to meet and live for a while with the people who make them special. The vibrant London spirit of the Soho Theatre, the intrigue and wonder of the Oliver Hoare Exhibitions, the majesty of each of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres West End venues are just a few examples of very different but unique clients we’ve had the pleasure to work with. Each makes their environments their own and are masters at welcoming you into their unique and personal homes, not just via their buildings, but in their approach to their particular art – how it’s made, who makes it and how it’s experienced - and in the way they live, work, play and interact with the world around them.
Being able to balance this sense of ‘home’ through the buildings, the people, the programming, and both the artist and audience experience - in different ways at different times - reflects a unique ability of an organisation to continually adjust and adapt, whilst staying connected to what matters most.
Regardless of your individual taste in architecture, décor, or art form, what each successfully represents, is the spirit of the art that ‘lives’ there. With each experience, we’re invited into a world where we feel ‘at home’ because the space, its welcome, its show or exhibition, all come from the same ‘place’. They’ve been designed and delivered in an environment that connects us to their unique style, spirit and approach to things. It’s where they create the conditions, they need to be themselves, be at their best, and invite us to join them, balancing our expectations, with how they connect us to what is important to them.
It’s why we remember them. It’s why we return.
Further Reading & Links:
Adele’s Stadium Pop-Up paradigm changes the game: Gideon Gottfreid. Pollstar Aug 2024.
Delfont Mackintosh Theatres
National Theatre of Scotland
Oliver Hoare Ltd
Soho Theatre
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