To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we take a closer look at our Joint Executive Director Lucy Bradshaw, whose journey at Bubble Theatre started as a participant.
What first attracted you to London Bubble?
I was working in the City and I was missing making theatre and being creative. One of my friends, who I went to drama school with, remembered that she’d done some research on London Bubble in our third year. She looked them up and we decided to try out the evening adult drama group. The fact that we didn’t have to audition and that I could go with a friend made a big difference to me trying it in the first place. That it was fun, welcoming and I quickly made more friends meant that I stayed.
That’s super! So what is your earliest memory of participating at Bubble?
Sweeping the floor of the rehearsal room! I remember coming to a rehearsal for Urban Dreams which was the first intergenerational show I did with Bubble. The room had obviously just been used for something else and I remember Peth [Bubble’s Artistic Director at the time] asking if anyone would mind picking up a broom. I obviously wanted to make a good impression as someone who mucks in!
I remember the whole process of making and performing Urban Dreams vividly – the whole company was a great community. During one scene I had to eat a cupcake (I was a marathon runner who was dreaming about eating cake!) and at the start of the scene I was asleep in bed. In the dress rehearsal I put the cake in the wrong pocket and squashed it!
The show was partially a response to the difficult time Bubble was going through. They’d just had a huge loss of funding and the future was uncertain. In true Bubble style, their response was to mount a free, outdoor, touring show featuring a community cast. I knew nothing of the funding crisis at the time, I was just having a blast getting to perform in all sorts of outdoor spaces in SE London. Looking back, it was bonkers; we were in a different venue for every show, but there was such a spirit of coming together to create something special.
Typical Bubble! So when did you know you wanted to be part of the staff team?
I had one of those ‘Sliding Door’ moments; the ones where you wonder in hindsight what would have happened if you hadn’t made a particular choice. I’d been told that the entire department I worked in was being made redundant. I’d been mulling over that this was an opportunity to return to a career in the arts but, after four years working in corporate companies, I wasn’t sure I would be able to. I was still taking part in the adult drama group and Peth called me about a change of rehearsal and I found myself saying “do you need any volunteers?” As it happened, this was not long after Bubble had been forced to reduce to minimal staff and, with a touring park show on the horizon, extra hands were very welcome. I started on a fixed term contract doing audience development for the show and, as they say, the rest is history.
That wouldn’t have been possible without my existing relationship with Bubble as a participant. I knew first-hand the positive impact of taking part and, presumably, the team had faith in me having got to know me in the rehearsal room.
Don’t ask, don’t get as they say! So talk a bit about the various hats you’ve worn at Bubble and transitioning from one to the next…
One of the advantages of working in a small company is that opportunities arise to challenge yourself and learn on the job. I’ve always been the sort of person who jumps in when an extra pair of hands is needed and that’s definitely contributed to the number of hats I’ve worn at Bubble.
What are the unique advantages of you now leading the company as someone who has ‘ascended through the ranks’?
I think you’d have to ask the rest of the team and our members! I hope it means I come to the role with a wide range of perspectives and a thorough understanding of the company and its values.
That makes a lot of sense. This is the first time in Bubble’s history that there has been an all-female core team. Have there been any unexpected challenges, benefits or pitfalls that have come along with it?
Whilst Bubble’s first artistic director, Glen Walford, is female, it’s curious that it’s only now that we have a female leadership team again. This is Bubble’s first joint leadership team and I think that reflects an understanding of the value of shared responsibility. Leading any charity is tough. Leading one through and out of a pandemic is unknown territory and I’m incredible grateful to be working alongside Marie [Vickers] so we can map it out together.
Theatre is a product of collaboration and I think women can be extraordinary at raising each other up and working together.
Totally agree! So as the impact of the pandemic grows smaller, what are you most looking forward to this year at Bubble?
Being able to get people together in person again continues to be such a joy. I hope one of the silver linings of the pandemic will be appreciation for coming together and sharing an experience in real life. I’m so proud of how the Bubble team adapted to be able to continue delivering activities via other means, but there’s no substitute for live theatre. Whether that’s on a stage, in a park, in a school classroom, a sheltered housing lounge or at a conference venue – it’s what we do best.
London Bubble marks its 50th anniversary in 2022 and I’m looking forward to getting people together to celebrate the achievement of where we are today and shaping the future of the company.
It’s definitely an exciting time! So finally, is there anything you would you like to share with other women about succeeding in the workplace?
Women can be incredible support systems for each other. I’m fortunate to be taking part in the Brave Leadership course with Happy Training which is specifically for female leaders. It’s reassuring to know that other people are dealing with things like imposter syndrome. At the start of the course I found everyone quite intimidating because I thought they all had more experience and knowledge than me but it turned out we were all thinking the same thing.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up and can reflect your best qualities back to you.