Return to Elm House at BAC (Image: Guy Sanders)
When: 1st – 30th December 2018
Where: Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, London, SW11 5TN
£: Tickets cost £12.50 – £26 (Family ticket from £60). Suitable for ages 6+
What is it?
A long time ago, on the very spot where Battersea Arts Centre now stands, a brave woman known for her generosity, wisdom and care, lived in Elm House. But as the years have ticked by, her inspiring story has been long forgotten. Until now…
This Christmas, in a new immersive adventure for all the family, Battersea Arts Centre will share the radical and inspiring true story of Jeanie Nassau Senior (1828–1877), an early feminist and social pioneer who helped improve the lives of thousands of children.
Jeanie lived in Elm House, on the site of what is today Battersea Arts Centre. She was a campaigner for welfare rights, a co-founder of the British Red Cross and – as Britain’s first ever female civil servant – the visionary originator of the British foster care system.
In Return to Elm House, audiences will follow their fellow Time Keepers through old doors and along hidden corridors in this immersive adventure for the whole family. For Jeanie’s story to come back together, guests must find mislaid secrets and collect clues; and decide whether she is still relevant to all of us today.
As guests venture across Battersea Arts Centre they will discover new permanent installations created by artists, designers and architects, each embodying a value inspired by the building’s past; from courage to joy, honesty to hope.
Return to Elm House is part of the BAC Moving Museum and has grown from its Time Keepers Club, which weaves together performance and heritage to creatively engage young people in historical discovery. It is created by the team behind previous immersive productions The Good Neighbour (2012, 2013) and Town Hall Cherubs (2015).
All performances will be Relaxed, this means audience members are free to move about, make noise and come and go during the performance.
More info: www.bac.org.uk