GAVIN HARRINGTON-ODEDRA
Producer-lazarus theatre company
Community Artistic Movement Project
Vital R&D time to work with my diverse local community and Movement director, Alexzandra Saramento who specialises in diverse and culturally accurate forms of dance, to accurately physically represent my diverse Greenwich community. The project will include members of the local growing community, who already have a stake in the final production through their involvement in my previous Community Artistic Research Project (2025). This project will continue their artistic involvement ensuring a deeper engagement in the production in 2028.
This R&D will develop the already completed draft rehearsal script, completed in 2025 after the 6 months work with the Greenwich Growing Community.
Feedback from Community Artistic Research Project:
“When that character said that, it reminded me of how Sanj says that all the time”
“That’s how I plant seedlings.”
“The story the old man told his granddaughter of his journey to the UK is like my story.”
When asked:
95% of participants at the sharing said that they heard something that they have heard or could hear on an allotment
90% of participants at the sharing said that the scenes in the sharing represented them or someone from their community
100% of participants at the sharing said that they would like to see a whole play about an allotment
Our findings from the feedback from participants, partners and peers showed that while the lanuguage used was representative, the movement wasn't. I need this time to accurately and sensitively represent the diverse greenwich community to ensure we achieve embodied representative performances in the future production.
About me
Gavin Harrington-Odedra (Director)
I am a neurodiverse, LGBT+, working class, theatre maker from SE London.
Images of my work.




Partners
Alexzandra Sarmiento (Movement Director)
Alexzandra is an American & British Filipina choreographer, born and raised in New York City. She is currently based in London. Exploring movement’s storytelling ability is a passion that underlines every theatremaking venture that Alexzandra takes on.
Alexzandra is a trailblazing performer/choreographer originally from NYC who has a passion for working on new musicals.
She has recently been nominated for a Jeff Award recognizing excellence in Chicago Theatre for her choreography on 42 Balloons which had its US premiere earlier this year at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, after launching to a successful reception in the UK at the Lowry Theatre and the Vaudeville, West End.
Alex is also the movement director for Hot Mess which premiered to a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe before transferring to the Southwark Playhouse in Autumn 2025.
She is also currently choreographing A Life in Four Seasons which will run at Regents Park Open Air Theatre later this year.
Images of Alexzandra and her work.




Sian Rowlands (Writer)
Siân’s plays have been performed at venues including Southwark Playhouse, Wimbledon Theatre Studio, The omnibus, The Arcola and Theatre 503. Her plays often take a sideways look at modern society and combine humour with political truths.
She loves to combine her education expertise with theatre and recently supported Offie-nominated play EASY at Blue Elephant Theatre by running workshops for young people. She has worked with Little Fish Theatre on their Embrace programme for at risk young men and with Actor’s Centre on their audio plays for teens.
Reviews for Gazing at a Distant Star, Greenwich Theatre, London and Assembly George Square, Edinburgh:
***** Everything Theatre ***** Three weeks
**** One4review **** Edfringe review 1




Church Manor Way Allotments (Abbey Wood)
A friendly allotment based in Greenwich Council identified “Cold Spot, Abbey Wood. Working together to build an inclusive, nature-friendly allotment. This Allotment is the largest allotment site in the borough of Greenwich. Church Manor Way Allotments currently has 122 plot holders ranging from 18-80. And site users aged 8-80. They have an avid bee conservation programme.




Dot Hill Allotments (Plumstead)
Located in Greenwich Council identified “cold spot”, Plumstead, Dot Hill Allotments brings the community together through growing. Multigenerational growers share years of knowledge with new growers including sustainable growing practices
Maze Hill Allotments (Maze Hill)
Located in Maze Hill, Maze Hill Allotments has a large & vibrant growing & artistic community, with a community hub at Plot 9.
Plot 9’s mission is to create a stunningly beautiful and highly-functional space in nature available to use at low (or no!) cost for creative, therapeutic and community-building events.
East Greenwich Residents Association (EGRA)
East Greenwich Residents Association (EGRA) unites locals to protect community spaces, improve public areas, and influence planning decisions. We’re here to make East Greenwich a better place to live, work, and visit.
The East Greenwich Residents Association (EGRA) is a community-led organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life in East Greenwich. We work to protect green spaces, enhance the public realm, and ensure local residents have a meaningful voice in planning and development decisions. Our mission is to create a cleaner, safer, and more vibrant neighbourhood where everyone can thrive.
Lewisham refugee & migrant network (LRMN)
LRMN exists to empower refugees and other migrants and to bring about systemic change to remove the challenges they face.
LRMN believes that everyone should be able to live safely in a place where they can thrive and be part of the community. LRMN has helped thousands of people seeking sanctuary to do just that, rebuild their lives and to do so with dignity.
Live Well Greenwich
Live Well Greenwich is a public health initiative by the Royal Borough of Greenwich that offers free, local support to help residents live healthier, happier lives.
Lazarus Theatre Company (LTC)
LTC is an award winning classical ensemble theatre company established in 2007, commissioner of the future production of Allotment which will be presented in LTC’s new Court Open Air Theatre.
Images of LTC's Work. Images by Charlie Flint.




Old Royal Naval College (ORNC)
ORNC is the centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a long and celebrated 600-year history, welcoming over 700,000 visitors every year. A co-partner in new Court Open Air Theatre.




Future Partners
National Allotment Society
Frances Tophill
Garden Tok
LTC’s local cultural partners: Woolwich Works, Tramshed, Albany, Greenwich Theatre, Blackheath Halls, GDIF & EEA
LTC/ORNC’s local community partnerships Visit Greenwich, Greenwich Mumsnet & Family network
Grow Wild (Kew Gardens)
B&Q Community Re-Use
Thompsons Garden Centre
Dobbies (Bromley)
Seedball Guerilla Gardening Project


Greenwich
Demographics












Greenwich Growing Community
Allotmenteers involved in the previous ACE funded Community Artistic Research project reflected the Greenwich community, with the following demographics:
AGE ETHNICITY RELIGION
Allotment and community garden sites engaged in
Community Artistic Research Project:
A - Church Manor Way Allotments (Abbey Wood)
B - Maze Hill Allotments (Maze Hill)
C - Cooks Farm Allotments (Abbey Wood)
D - Coldharbour Allotments (Eltham)
E - Dot Hill Allotments (Plumstead)
F - Humber Allotments (Blackheath)
G - Flowers Estate Community Grow Project (Abbey Wood)
H - Woolwich Common Community Centre Community Garden (Woolwich)
I - Goodwill Gardens (Eltham)
J - Christchurch Community Gardens (Maze Hill)
K - Maryon Wilson Animal Park Community Garden (Charlton)
L - Surrey Docks Farm Community Garden (Rotherhithe)
Glossary

CAD (Creative Audio Description)
Creative audio description goes beyond simply describing visuals; it aims to create a more immersive and engaging listening experience for visually impaired individuals by incorporating first-person narration, sound effects, and character-led descriptions
Co-Creatives
Collaborators working on the project as equal partners. For this project, that is me, the writer, dramaturg, director and designer.
Cold Spots
An area of the community that receives less funding or has less cultural engagement or activity. These areas have been identified by the Cultural team at Greenwich Council.
Community Artistic Research Project
This research project is designed to both inform us as theatre makers, researching language and activities used and undertaken on an allotment and community garden, specifically in the borough of Greenwich, leading to an accurate representation of our community. It is also an outreach project, bringing the community into our creative process, and engaging them in creative activities including storytelling.
Creative Practitioners
A professional who uses creativity and innovation in their work, often within the arts and cultural sectors. They might be artists, writers, performers, designers, or anyone who applies creative thinking and problem-solving to their profession. The term emphasizes both the creative process and the practical application of that process
Dramaturgical Session
Collaborative writing sessions to incorporate language from the local community, recorded interviews and discussions on site at the allotments and community gardens into the existing sample scenes. With the aim of representing our community, rather than using their words, verbatim. These sessions will also build the overall narrative of the sample scenes, and the future full script, along with work on themes and other dramaturgical elements and techniques.
Greenwich Growing Community
The community of growers working on growing sites (Allotments and Community Gardens). They can be plot holders, allotment volunteers, Community Garden workers, managers, or volunteers. They have a wide range of reasons for being growers, but do it outside of their own homes.
LTC SE London Performer Network
Lazarus Theatre Company has built a network of performers from SE London over their 15 year history in Greenwich, through productions, workshops, and the Lazarus GYM.
Practical Tasks
Practical allotment and community garden tasks include assessing the plot, preparing the soil, managing weeds, creating paths, building a DIY potato planter, chitting potatoes, pruning and topping tomatoes, watering and making compost.
Concept R&D 2022
in 2022, Lazarus Theatre company & I ran a week long concept R&D with writer, Sian Rowland, director, Ricky Dukes, Dramaturg, Sarah Dustagheer. 8 actors, gardening equipment, workshop space at Brockley Jack in Lewisham, allowed the core creative team to work through pre written scenes, and improv new, group scenes with the actors, bringing the team closer to a rehearsal draft.
![Sayeed Page 2 The Gardening Year_workshop draft_May 2022[52].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/772c5a_b2499f7d23a54911a22f50e09105b2e2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_552,h_604,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Sayeed%20Page%202%20The%20Gardening%20Year_workshop%20draft_May%202022%5B52%5D.jpg)

COURT OPEN AIR THEATRE
A brand new, cutting edge, eco net positive, state of the art, 750 seat, amphitheatre style, outdoor theatre. Situated inside the Queen Mary Courtyard towards the east side of the prestigious Old Royal Naval College site.
Operating annually in the summer months the Court Open Air Theatre will be the cultural centrepiece, hosting performances, concerts, talks & workshops.
COAT is a:
-Civic hub for local community
-Cultural destination for people across London, Nationally & Internationally
COAT will be home to the new play, Allottment, in 2028.










