Culture vulture Daisy Hale is ready to put their own stamp on Gerry’s, while celebrating the borough’s bustling way of life and profiling the grassroots movements taking place.

(Fix - 4 Oct - 21 Oct)

What’s your connection with the borough?

I am a newbie to the borough as I’ve just started as the Associate Producer of Gerry’s Café and Studio, which is part of Theatre Royal Stratford East. Though, I am originally from Birmingham and Stratford is very similar!

What’s the best thing about working or living in the borough?

There is always something happening! Whether it be out in theatre square, a show, live events or even the street performers, it’s always bustling and busy and I love that.

(Joy - 23 Oct - 4 Nov)

What’s one thing would you change?

Newham unfortunately has one of the highest rates of homelessness in London. I worry that with rising gentrification that will only get worse, I think more social mobility to help these people must be done.

Use three words to describe the area?

Colourful, exciting, changing.

(The Butch Monologues - 8-10 Nov) 

Who is the most inspiring person you have ever met?

I meet a lot of artists who are trying to change big issues with grassroots movements and using art and theatre as a way of making that as accessible as possible, those people inspire me.

I want to bring those people into Gerry’s as much as possible. For example our current season has people like Crowded Room working with the prison service through their piece The Listening Room and Clamour theatre are working alongside Access All Areas to get 3 actors with learning disabilities onto our stage.

(Binaural Dinner Date - 16 Nov - 3 Dec)

What new law would you introduce if you were the prime minister?

That privately owned unoccupied property cannot remain empty for longer than six weeks before it is used as emergency accommodation for those more in need.

If you were the editor of this paper, what issues in the borough would you focus on?

Culture in its fullest and widest forms and how that can bring all different types of people together, it should never be something that divides us, but that brings us together to celebrate one another.

(Sensory Circus - 14 - 23 Dec) 

Interview originally published in Newham Recorder.

Take a look at what's on at Gerry's!