The East End of yesteryear will come to life in a unique performance featuring the voices of real East Enders.
Gavin Skerritt will be telling the story of a family in the East End through the last century, punctuated with references to events, which have shaped the area, such as the building of the Royal Docks, The Silvertown Explosion and World War Two.
Mr Skerritt, who lives in Churchill Road, Custom House, has drawn on the experience of Grandparents, Great-Grandparents and other elderly relatives, all whom had first hand knowledge of the changes that moulded the East End.
During the performance, entitled EASTENDA, he will use puppetry, mask and the voices of his Grandmother, a Great-Aunt and neighbours talking about industries based along Factory Road and around Victoria Dock, as he brings the past to life.

The first performance will be at The Museum in Docklands, Hertsmere Road, West India Quay, on March 18 at 7pm. Two additional shows are planned, on May 2 at 2.30pm and June 4 at 2.30pm. The Art Council and London City Airport have supported the show, which is being billed as a theatrical event.

Mr Skerritt said: “I am fifth-generation to live by the Royal Docks and have my extended family living in Silvertown, Tidal Basin and Custom House. I decided that it would be interesting to explore through my work the area’s past and its people using recorded voices of family and neighbours who live and work in the docks and factories of E16.
“The idea is to record a generation that are fast disappearing, to record changes, the new buildings of the docks, both then and now.” Mr Skerritt said it was important not only to document and record the changes that have shaped the East End but also to recognise just how different the lives and values of the previous generations were when compared with those of today.

Many who lived through the changes still did not appreciate how big they were. “To them it was normal because they just lived through it,” Mr Skerritt said. He is hoping that both old and young East Enders will find the show interesting and enjoyable.

The Recorder.