Bush Theatre to host fundraising event with Lenny Henry

The west London venue has nurtured countless writers such as Michaela Coel, James Graham, and Benedict Lombe, but finds itself in a difficult financial position due to rising costs.

The Bush Theatre will host a one-night fundraising event with Sir Lenny Henry next year to raise vital funds for the venue. An Evening with Sir Lenny Henry will take place on 25 January.

Comedian, actor, and writer Lenny Henry, whose playwriting debut August in England was produced by The Bush in 2023, will read from his play, as well as take part in a live Q&A with culture writer and podcaster Nancy Durrant.

The Bush Theatre, based in west London, has been a crucial new-writing venue, with talent including Michaela Coel, Monica Dolan, Richard Gadd, James Graham, Arinzé Kene, Lucy Kirkwood, Benedict Lombe, Jack Thorne, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Tyrell Williams, and Victoria Wood getting their start at the Bush.

Williams's Red Pitch transferred from the Bush to London's newest West End venue @sohoplace in March 2024, while Lombe's play Shifters transferred to the West End this summer.

Due to rising costs and shrinking funding, many of the Bush's pathways for talent development are at risk, such as their annual Open Submissions call-out for scripts, which provides an opportunity for writers without agents or connections to have their work read.

Lenny Henry said, "Right now, the arts just aren’t getting the help they need, which is disastrous considering the huge amount they contribute to daily life and to the public purse. Innovative places like the Bush Theatre are vital to the local economy and also the development of new work, which is one of the reasons why I chose to do my debut play with them.

"Without the new writers, performers, backstage and technical staff that venues such The Bush bring to the fore, much of the theatre, films, and television we take for granted simply wouldn’t exist. It’s so important that these spaces thrive. I stand with everyone at The Bush and hope they get to continue their important work."

Bush Theatre Artistic Director Lynette Linton said, "Lenny truly is a member of the Bush family and has been so supportive of our work. For him to volunteer his time to help us in this financially difficult period is so generous and we’re incredibly touched that he has agreed to host what promises to be a night to remember. Many theatres are now at a crossroads, and in many areas we risk losing a vital community asset. In this current climate, and as costs rise, we need constant support from the government in order to sustain the work which I believe is vital to the wellbeing of our society."

Book An Evening with Sir Lenny Henry tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Sir Lenny Henry. (Photo courtesy of Bush Theatre)