Marlborough Theatre launches ‘all or nothing’ £10k appeal for urgent repairs

The Marlborough Theatre by Cephascrispus

The Marlborough Theatre has launched an ‘all or nothing’ appeal to raise £10,000 for urgent repairs to avoid cutting programmes and pushing up prices.

Decrepit equipment including a broken air conditioning system, vintage sound and lighting and “viciously uncomfortable” seats mean the theatre is in dire need of some tlc.

The LGBTQ+ theatre hopes audiences will help it raise the money it needs by November 19 – and with more than £4,500 already raised, it’s well on its way.

Described by The Guardian as “a refuge for cutting-edge performance”, The Marlborough has been bringing the best of LGBTQ+ culture to Brighton and Hove since 2008.

From queer icons like Kate Bornstein, David Hoyle and Justin Vivian Bond to the freshest new talent, the theatre has supported hundreds of artists, making a vital year round home for the unusual, the queer and the different.

Creative Producer of The Marlborough, David Sheppeard, said: “Our projects simply can’t provide the financial support required to keep our treasured space running and this is why we need your help.

“We urgently need to repair our theatre, our air conditioner has broken, our equipment is falling apart and some of our lights date back to the 1970s.

“Without extra financial support we are facing significant reductions to our public programmes meaning less diverse LGBTQ+ performance happens in Brighton, we will be unable support artists and we would be forced to raise our prices making the space less accessible to the audiences our theatre aims to serve.”

Creative Producer Abby Butcher, said: “With your help we will be able to preserve and build on our public programmes that centre and elevate some of the most marginalised members of the LGBTQ+ community and continue to be a sanctuary for incredible, boundary-pushing live art.”