Go Live Theatre unveils wave of star patrons

Go Live Theatre has today announced a host of major industry names joining the charity as patrons, supporting its mission to open up live theatre to children and young people across the UK.

The new patrons include Paapa Essiedu, Julie Hesmondhalgh, James Graham, Beverley Knight, Adrian Lester, Ricardo P Lloyd, Rob Madge, Suzie Miller, Gracie McGonigal, Georgina Onuorah, Elaine Paige, Jonathan Pryce, Jonathan Sayer, Mark Strong, Meera Syal, Sam West and Roy Williams.

Chief executive Sita McIntosh said: “It is a huge honour to add the names and faces of such prestigious talent to our organisation. Every single patron believes as passionately as we do that access to live theatre for our children and young people should not be seen as a privilege but a prerogative. The benefits are numerous, profound and can quite literally be life-changing but also as an industry, theatre has an obligation to cultivate the audiences of tomorrow and where better to start than with our young people.”

Knight reflected: “I remember my first experience of theatre as a child. It never left me. It shaped the performer I am today, because I saw my dream right in front of me. Visualisation of your aspirations is essential, and I want to help young people see a path to their stage ambitions; I’m proud to come onboard as a patron of Go Live.”

Graham commented: “Inspiring and helping young people to engage with the arts is just about the most important activity anyone in our industry can be championing right now – especially given the collapse of creativity in schools. I’m so grateful for the work we’ll be doing with Go Live on Punch in the West End, and to supporting them beyond.”

Since its foundation in 1997 (originally as Mousetrap Theatre Projects), the charity has given more than 250,000 children and young people the chance to experience theatre, focusing particularly on those from disadvantaged or vulnerable backgrounds for whom a trip to the theatre may be out of reach.

Among its flagship programmes are subsidised all-education matinees for state schools and pupil referral units, with Play It Forward fundraising ensuring tickets are entirely free for many pupils; the Family First Nights scheme, which enables low-income families to enjoy a theatre trip together; Inclusive Family Days for blind, visually impaired and D/deaf children and young people; and the pioneering of relaxed performances, now a fixture across the industry.