sustained theatre

I didn't know I was an archivist, until I realized that over the years my husband and I had amassed a variety of memorabilia about past productions that mapped the existence of Black theatre productions. From fifty years the collection has grown to encompass 100 years of work that includes black practitioners in British history.

I am passionate about celebrating this history and sharing it. However to ensure my vision is realized a lot of work is required. This has been a natural progression and to accumulate was relatively easy but to contextulise the collection was a challenge.

Being an archivist has allowed me to celebrate our diversity within the arts and show the next generation of practitioners that this is a glimpse of what our history is, so they can be more educated about their career choices within the business'. Josephine Melville''

"...I feel this is vital for the future that we can offer the whole community access to the diverse collections in the UK and that the commentaries reflect the social make up of all members of society in order to make them all feel valued and want to share and engage with the arts and heritage experience.'' Leon Robinson.

Click here for more details on Sustained Theatre development of national Archives for the Sector.

Josephine Melville and Leon Robinson are well recognised for their work within the Sector and by working together they spent time on the road going around the regions for Sustained Theatre creating a series of presentations of why the Sector should archive. They then both came back together for one time to develop this presentation.

Please find below the four short film presentations. Biographies and Credits for people and organisations who assisted in the making of four films can be downloaded as a PDF document, found on the right hand column of this web page.

1. Sustained Theatre Archive History Film Presentation

Josephine Melville and Leon Robertson present an insight to the role and background of Sector Archives and Black entertainment and performance history

2. Archive Presentation Discussion Film:

A background to the work in archives by Josephine Melville and Leon Robertson.

3. Posters and Poetry Film:

A film on the role of Archival Posters and Poetry developed by Founders of Eye 2 Eye Productions, Roger Griffiths & Josephine Melville

4. Ira Aldridge Film:

A unique insight to the life of Ira Aldridge in Britain.

CREDITS & BIOGRAPHIES

JOSEPHINE MELVILLE
Josephine Melville in her early years has spent time working as an actress (Casualty, Eastenders). She was also Director and Co- founder of The Bibi Crew. She has gone to work on national theatre productions that have included; 'Hair' (Theatre Clwyd) 'O Babylon' (Talawa Theatre Company) and 'Moon on a Rainbow Shawl' and 'Party Girls' (The Theatre Royal Stratford East).

She co-founded Eye 2 Eye Productions in 2001, specialising in using performance drama to inform and educate. Interactive drama workshops are created specifically for clients. Eye 2 Eye also has an archival and exhibition unit, which was set up to chronicle the journey of Black people in the arts in the hope that it will inspire and empower others. The award winning Posters and Poetry Exhibition, which is a unique collection, celebrating Black British Artistes over the last 100 years, will be on tour National and Internationally from 2010.

LEON ROBINSON
Leon Robinson: Founder of 'Positive Steps' a company that houses many priceless unique archival collections. Important chapters of the cultural history of the UK that include; The Black Victorians, The Black Edwardians, Ira Aldridge, Slavery, The Black Presence in British Music Hall, Les Ballets Negrés and a newly acquired Adelaide Hall collection.

Positive Steps is driven and anchored by presenting innovative ways to experience arts and culture, reworking the past to create the future. Positive Steps have worked at grass roots level as well as within mainstream national arts and heritage circles, in partnership with organisations that include; The V&A, Southbank Centre, The Laban Centre, National Portrait and The Bernie Grant Centre.
''My dream has always been the alternative archive, an archive with a human face, exciting audiences, creating relationships on a human scale and offering a refreshing glimpse of Britain’s diverse heritage"
Leon Robinson

'SUSTAINED THEATRE SHORT FILM PRESENTATION CREDITS'

1. Film 1: Sustained Theatre Archive History Film Presentation
Presented by Josephine Melville and Leon Robertson.
Filming/editing of presentation by;
Big Heart Media - www.bigheartmedia.com
The Red Hedgehog - www.theredhedgehog.co.uk

2: Film 2: Archive Presentation Discussion Film
Presented by Josephine Melville and Leon Robertson.

3. Film 3: Posters and Poetry Film:
Roger Griffiths – Founder Eye 2Eye Productions
Josephine Melville – Founder Eye 2 Eye Productions
www.eye2eyeproductions.co.uk

4. Film 4: Ira Aldridge Film:
Leon Robinson - Director and Producer
Angelina Shortt - Creative Designer and Editor
Bernth Lindfors – University of Texas -http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/english/faculty/profiles/lindfors-bernth.html
©Manchester City Galleries
www.manchestergalleries.org

Shango Baku - The Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson Theatre Collection
www.mander-and-mitchenson.co.uk
The Royal Shakespeare Company
www.rsc.org.uk
©V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London
www.vam.ac.uk