Hoxton is trying its hand at soap opera, with the creation of an interactive, live episode, co-created by Hoxton Hall theatre and local residents.
Live and digital audiences will be able to vote on the direction of the story when it is aired during the summer. The final product will be distributed on social media platforms, local radio and a featured podcast.
The project will begin officially in January, with local people involved in the development of the storylines, which will be inspired by stories in the neighbourhood. Karena Johnson, artistic director and CEO of the theatre, said: “We’re always looking at ways to make work that speaks to our local audiences, as well as more theatre-literate audiences.”
Hoxton Hall, a unique music-hall style venue, is a fitting location for the project.
Johnson said: “As a musical, it’s looking to our roots of popular entertainment, and soap opera is the most popular entertainment in the UK right now.”
The pilot episode is funded by the council’s Shoreditch and Hoxton Arts Fund, created from a levy on developers in the area. Johnson hopes that the episode will attract more funding to the project, so that it can continue as a long episodic series.
“It’s a big ambition, so it costs a bit,” she said, “so we need a few people to come together, and a few funders for us to be able to do that. It’s a great opportunity to do something that brings people together and all the things we’re interested in.”
