Venue Focus: SCRUM Theatre

In rugby, a scrum is a method of restarting play, which involves players packing closely together with their heads down and attempting to gain possession of the ball. A new theatre project in Hammersmith wants to bring young performers together in a similar way: getting their heads down and gaining ownership over their own creativity.

The team at SCRUM is ambitious not just for its new company, but also for the potential of its new building – a special offering in itself. Best known for transforming disused spaces into artistic hubs, SCRUM Theatre is breathing new life into the Lilla Huset building on Talgarth Road. Once home to Hammersmith and Fulham Council's archives, this repurposed space is now known as SCRUM Studios, housing three rehearsal rooms, a playwright's centre, self-tape studio, a workroom for designers and costumiers, and a large performance space. The building was designed by Ralph Erskine, the same architect who designed the famous Byker Wall in Newcastle upon Tyne. If SCRUM hadn't redeveloped the space, there's a good chance it would have remained empty as an unused commercial building.