London Grilling: Chris Smyrnios, Artistic Director and CEO of Southwark Playhouse
Chris Smyrnios, described in Time Out as theatre’s original ‘long-time, low-key artistic director’, has been running Southwark Playhouse, for the best part of 20 years.
In today’s London Grilling we ask Chris about his life, career and what’s on next at the very exciting, newly opened, Southwark Playhouse in Elephant & Castle!
Hi Chris, please could you introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Chris Smyrnios, I am the Artistic Director and CEO of Southwark Playhouse. I am a born and bred Londoner living in Hounslow until 2007 and have since lived in Kennington in Lambeth.
What has been your career path to-date?
Pretty simple really. I applied and got a job as administrative assistant with Southwark Playhouse and have never left! Prior to that I worked a range of non-theatre related jobs, but they all gave me useful skills that have helped throughout my time with Southwark Playhouse.
What do you most love about your job?
The variety. Everyday is different. I also like being part of an organisation so rooted within its local community. I’m also very lucky to work with a brilliant team of talented people.
What makes Southwark Playhouse so special and unique?
We’re a place where people can try things out and showcase their talents: We have an extensive offering of participation work offering local people the opportunity to get involved in drama and the arts; And we provide a platform for emerging and mid-career theatre companies/practitioners to present their work on a major London stage.
You have just opened a brand-new space in Elephant and Castle called Southwark Playhouse Elephant. What were the first productions to show in the new theatre, why did you choose these particular shows and were they a success?
We’re a theatre committed to serving the local community in which we operate and so it felt fitting to put this centre stage and open the venue with productions by two of our community companies: the Southwark Playhouse Elders and the People’s Company. Both shows were a sell out and a tremendous success.
Can you tell us about the community and participation work that Southwark Playhouse provides?
We do a whole range of participation work throughout the year. We have three youth theatre companies of varying ages, two elders companies, a people’s company – all of which are annual ongoing projects available for local community members and completely free to join. On top of this we facilitate a range of other projects such as hosting a Latinx Youth Theatre; weekly drama sessions with a local SEN college; a drama group for refugees and asylum seekers; a drama workshop with people and their families dealing with the early stage of Alzheimer’s to name a few. All of this is managed by a small but dedicated participation team.
We are super excited to hear about your first full scale production, which will be opening on February 17th, called The Walworth Farce. Can you tell our readers about the storyline and cast?
The Walworth Farce is our first major professional production at the new theatre. It is about a father and his two sons who have run away from Cork following a incident that they now routinely re-enact as a farce in their flat on the Walworth Road. It is fantastically funny, anarchic and is performed at a break-neck pace. The writing by Enda Walsh, who wrote the Steve McQueen film Hunger and the David Bowie stage musical Lazarus, is simply brilliant. And the cast of four are all superb. Get tickets while you still can!
What do you love most about Southwark?
I live just over the border of Lambeth, but I love how diverse each borough is, they are real melting pots. And I love how locals are deeply engaged with what’s going on in the ever-changing landscape of their local community.
The Walworth Farce, Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Location: Dante Place. 80 Newington Butts, London, SE11 4FL
Dates: 17 February - 18 March 2023. Mon – Sat: 7.45pm. Thu & Sat: 2.30pm
Book: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-walworth-farce/#book-tickets
