On Wednesday 3rd August, Anna Firth MP met with actor Sebastian Abineri, James Bradbury from Bradbury and Bradbury, Brian Warrens from the Backstage Centre Ltd and Mark Warmsley from the Arts and Culture Network.
The provisional plans of a new Globe Theatre were discussed with Anna, and the discussions were very constructive, building new ideas and additions. The new Globe Theatre won’t be simply for commercial use but will be an asset to the wider community with the theatre being open to schools and charities to use.
Southend is the home to several internationally acclaimed actors, and the theatre will hope to nurture and develop even more. The new Globe Theatre would be only the start of the City of Culture 2029 bid. The theatre would attract international shows, due to the style of the theatre and state-of-the-art facilities, with excellent transport facilities nearby.
Sebastian Abineri said,
“What a wonderful way to spend a sunny morning! Meeting our new MP Anna Firth to discuss building a new theatre for the new City of Southend. Which will provide culture, jobs and entertainment whilst serving the community of Southend”
James Bradbury said,
"We are delighted to be working with Anna Firth MP and the world-renowned local actor Sebastian Abineri. Following Sabastian's success in saving & securing the future of Palace Theatre we are privileged to have him in our team. With the size and flexibility of our flagship DOME Theatre, we are confident that this signature project will be able to add significant value to the already vibrant arts and culture locally and will also support the wider Culture Estuary project".
Anna Firth said,
“Listening to Sebastian and the developers today was so interesting, and these are exactly the kind of projects Southend needs. I want to see growth in Southend, I want to see people getting involved in local activities and I want to see communities developing. This theatre would be an instrumental asset to our bid for City of Culture 2029. City of Culture in my eyes is not solely about the status, its about the journey, development and growth of the city”.
