A Tribute to Kneehigh Theatre

In the past year many theatres have been forced to close their doors as we all know, and it’s incredibly encouraging how many are opening up once again for the summer, brimming with new ideas and awaiting eager audiences craving theatre and live performance like never before. That is with one notable exception; on the third of June it was announced that Kneehigh Theatre’s doors are to remain closed forever.

Born in 1980 Kneehigh Theatre has had a lifespan of over 40 years. How much the UK has changed in that time. From the Thatcher years, miners’ strikes and the Falklands War. Through to John Major, the fall of the Soviet Union, the Hong Kong handover, and the end to The Troubles in Ireland. Tony Blair, multiculturalism, devolution, and the War on Terror. Gordon Brown and the war in Afghanistan, the coalition years, and the double-dip recession, bringing us up to the present state of affairs: Tory rule, Brexit and Covid 19. Through all of these waves of phenomenal change and upheaval, Kneehigh has grown from an emerging theatre company into a name that is beloved by audiences and professionals alike, in the UK and the world over.

It is only natural that such a prestigious company would be a primary recipient of government support during the pandemic, and to that effect the company received £250,000 in furlough in October 2020. So to receive the news recently that the company would be returning the money and begin the process of “winding down”, was a shock to many within the industry, and we at Out of the Blue were no exception. Here are a few words from our acting creative director Haylin Cai:

“I was so heart-broken to hear their news! I am speechless to the fact that I cannot see more Kneehigh shows. I felt a deep sense of loss, and I believe lots of my friends and colleagues feel the same. There are so many inspiring shows they’ve made and there’s still so much to learn from them. Part of me hopes that I can keep seeing some of their work in the future and I wish the spirit of play and their way of creating work gets to pass on in some other form”

I live to agree with this sentiment, because there’s no doubt about it that this a loss to theatre, to the English arts scene and especially to Cornwall, as Kneehigh was a mark of local pride. Kneehigh shows were distinctive for their colour, and especially for the variety of disciplines they’d employ. Everything from puppetry, circus skills and live instrumentation could be featured in a Kneehigh production, and the subject matter for shows was equally diverse ranging from the adaptation of classics to contemporary forms such as in “A Brief Encounter”, to the anarchic bliss of “Ubu!”, Kneehigh was one of those wonderful companies that joyfully defied categorisation.

Ultimately whilst we must mourn the loss of such an institution, we must equally celebrate the collective achievement of everyone involved in the building of Kneehigh to what it was at its peak and respect the decision of those in charge to know when to call it a day. We can’t demand Kneehigh or any other company to create performances in perpetuity, sooner or later there comes the final curtain call. Such is the nature of theatre, it’s not made to last. It is an art form uniquely tuned to the present moment, like a radiant intricate sand mandala painstakingly crafted over weeks and months, only to be brushed away upon completion. And though we’re centuries apart from the electrifying performances of John Garrick, or the first footsteps of Izumo No Okuni that became Kabuki; the ripples from such performances will move the hearts of countless generations. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Goodbye Kneehigh. Thank you for being you.