The Renegade Crew was a devised Kids Drama Club project to create a play about pirates for performance in our beloved adventure playground at Venture Centre before its imminent demolition.

Venture's playground was born in the 1950's out of a need for a play space for local working class kids. Children had previously played in the rubble of burnt-out buildings after World War II. Ventures wooden play structures were built by local residents and kids. The playground, supervised by adults, was always the children's territory.

Three generations of North Kensington kids have played there. Though the structures have been updated, Venture's playground, is still a lifeline for the kids who play there today. The children go there to play on the tall wooden structures and swing on the ropes, to be together and to be free.

And it was this spirit of freedom and play, as well as the historical pirate rules of democracy, that we drew on to create The Renegade Crew. The children created their own piratical world with its own rules and characters. They worked with Natasha and the team to create a script that explored their anarchic world and what crisis might occur if it was threatened. 

They rehearsed the finished script for a term and then the Kids Drama Club performed outside in the playground for parents and locals as an immersive theatre piece. It was greatly enjoyed by all.