This five-hour festival was attended by Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Emily Arkell, and the Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Ajda Ovat, as well as the Mayor of Haringey, Cllr Ahmed Mahbub, and Tulip Siddiq, the MP for Hampstead and Highgate.
Attendees got a very moving and poignant, first glimpse of a pink plaque in honour of the significant contribution made to the local arts scene by the late Nicky Gavron.
A former Deputy Mayor of London who sadly died at the age of 82 last August, Gavron co-founded Jacksons Lane and was a stanch advocate of – and champion for – the Highgate-based arts venue itself.
She also campaigned against the widening of the Archway Road during a career that mirrored Jacksons Lane in spanning five decades since the 1970s.
Heralding half a century since the very first public performance in the building in 1975, a joyous and packed day included:
- A BBQ and community gathering to share good food and stories
- A circus parade
- A community stage featuring performance from local talent
- Creative workshops, crafts and family activities throughout the building
- A heritage trail and shopfront displays exploring Jacksons Lane’s activist roots
- A listening studio capturing the stories and voices of Jacksons Lane
- Pop-up performances from cabaret, circus and drag artists
- Poster displays showcasing five decades of Jacksons Lane history
Some key moments in the timeline of Jacksons Lane over the course of the last 50 years include:
27 June 1975: Arnold Wesker’s Royal Hunt of the Sun is the first professional production presented at Jacksons Lane.
13 July: Sir Ian McKellen performs as ‘The Editor’ in The Journalists, written and directed by Wesker.
1975-1976: Adam Ant, Tom Robinson and Joe Strummer perform at Jacksons Lane.
1980s: Eddie Izzard attends Jacksons Lane comedy course and makes her first professional appearance. Theatre de Complicite and Shared Experience begin their careers at Jacksons Lane.
1990s: Jacksons Lane hosts Sadlers Wells’ Mosaics Dance Festival with future stars of tomorrow including Jonzi D, Rosemary Lee, Russell Maliphant and Jasmin Vardimon. The Mighty Boosh launch their career with a performance at Jacksons Lane.
2000s: Jacksons Lane is the host and producer of the UK’s first Disability Arts Festival, XPOSURE, with performances all around the capital.
2010s: Jacksons Lane reopens in 2008 after a storm caused the roof to collapse, with big-name performances from the likes of Alan Carr, John Cooper Clarke, Ricky Gervais, Germain Greer, Michael McIntyre, Stephen Merchant, Ruby Wax and Benjamin Zephaniah. The London International Mime Festival returns to Jacksons Lane after a 30-year absence and hosts four international productions each year throughout the decade.
2020s: Jacksons Lane becomes the UK’s leading venue for Contemporary Circus and undergoes a £4.6 million refurbishment. The venue also receives a substantial donation from George Michael’s estate and names a studio The Freedom Studio in his memory.
For further information about Jacksons Lane, as well as more details about their full programme of activities and events this Summer and over the Autumn, please visit their official website.
