Palace Court Theatre is expanding its programme as it welcomes local theatre makers and production companies for the first time in 40 years.
One of the shows soon to grace the stage is Fort, produced by Dorsetborn, a local queer and neurodivergent theatre company.
A play by Tabitha Hayward, Fort follows 15-year-old best friends Viv and Daisy (played by Megan Marszal and Martha Harlan respectively) and their wait for a ghost at an Iron Age hill fort (the titular Fort) in north Dorset.
Dorsetborn brings the play to the Palace Court as part of its tour of Dorset and Hampshire, preceding a limited run at Theatre 503 in London.
“This play deserves to be seen – to be heard – to be experienced,” says director and Dorsetborn founder Rohan Gotobed.
“It’s a genuine South West success story. Having been developed through Poole Lighthouse’s Sanctuary Programme, Taunton Brewhouse’s Summer School, and The Script’s the Thing Festival in Dorchester, Fort shows what can be achieved by local artists in collaboration with supportive organisations. We can’t wait for audiences to meet Viv and Daisy.”
Rohan has a longstanding relationship with Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), having directed BA (Hons) Acting students in AUB Productions’ Macbeth in 2023. He has also led events in the past as part of the University’s Creative Futures Fest.
Nicola Cartlidge, Theatre and Venues Manager at AUB, says, “This marks a significant milestone in the development of Palace Court Theatre, as we’re now able to welcome and support work from local theatre companies, growing the venue as a hub for new work and experiences.
“It has always been the intention that Palace Court Theatre is a space for AUB, professional work and the local artistic community.
“More external productions are planned for the future – it’s really exciting to be able to grow the programming of the space and see the building come back to life as a live arts venue. Many local people have shared their stories of previous experiences they have had at the Palace Court and it’s wonderful to open up the space once again and welcome audiences back in.”
Audiences can see Fort at Palace Court Theatre on 22 November 2024. AUB Productions will bring its 2025 spring season to the venue, with productions of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit, This Happy Breed by Noël Coward, and Still Here, an original piece by Pete Machale.
