Eastenders star opens new theatre in East London

Playhouse East is a 100-seat venue – part of a 5000 sq ft multi-use building in Haggerston – which will stage new work under the same roof as innovative acting studio Actors East.

Husband and wife team, James and Avital Lvova say it will be a creative hub for new theatre and film, with a rehearsal space, cafe, and host of studios housing everything from pre to post production for theatre, TV and film production.

With their ‘pay what you can’ studio hire and history of running training sessions for unfunded actors and directors, the duo hope to challenge traditional routes into the industry for emerging voices in theatre, and film.

They said: “We are expanding our work in lowering the barriers to entry in the art, supporting unfunded artists, and focusing on quality new writing that puts outstanding acting at the forefront.

“Playhouse East will become a centre for creative businesses that, like us, are dedicated to crafting original, high-quality work without traditional suppor – relying instead on our own ingenuity and resourcefulness.”

James has a 27 year acting career under his belt after being cast as Martin Fowler in 1996. He now makes films, directs theatre and acts on screen upcoming projects including Lewis Arnold’s Broken News and the Russo Brothers’ Citadel for Amazon.

Lvova is an award-winning actress and theatre-maker whose recent work includes The Tattooist of Auschwitz (Sky) and Treason (Netflix). She is next seen starring as Elena Ceaușescu in the film Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev. 

The Kingsland Road venue includes The Downstairs cafe and events space with the main theatre upstairs. Some of the studio spaces are already occupied by production companies, prop makers, and costume and sound designers, and it’s hoped they will be joined by composers, theatre and film companies and other creatives.

The Playhouse itself is a adaptable space that can host screenings, events, gigs and workshops as well as new writing nights, jazz, cabaret, play
readings and poetry.

The inaugural production Casserole runs 12th – 20th December and is billed as a “funny and emotionally raw one-act play about what happens when you come home to find your partner eating the last meal your mother made for you before she died.”

The two hander’s run at the Arcola Theatre earlier this year earned three Off West End Award nominations with rave reviews.

Sister company, Actors East, will also move into the building. Since 2018 it has subsidised thousands of hours of studio time for hundreds of unfunded individuals and companies and run hundreds of actor, writer, and
director training sessions including a programme to help four working-class playwrights create their first one-act play.

Playhouse East is at 258, Kingsland Road, Haggerston.