Enjoy a night at the Savoy Theatre with Platform Presents

Every live performance carries an element of risk. Most of the time, however, every effort (careful planning, multiple rehearsals) is taken to mitigate that risk and ensure the show goes ahead exactly as intended. But what if you turned that idea on its head, so that very risk – the idea that anything could happen – was the point? 

That’s what Isabella Macpherson, cofounder of production company Platform Presents, was trying to tap into when she developed the idea for Theatrical Consequences, this year’s instalment of the annual fundraising gala, which takes place at London’s Savoy Theatre this week. The one-off performance – directed by Oliver Chris and Katie-Ann McDonough – features some of the UK’s finest writing and acting talent working today. 

‘I was trying to come up with an original idea that encompassed storytelling, writers, hilarity, fun, would raise awareness of how brilliant writers are, and why we should support them,’ says Macpherson. ‘I remembered playing the game of Consequences as a child and thought about how fun it could be if instead of drawings we involved seven top-notch writers.’

Those writers – who’ve played their part in penning modern classics from The Death Of Stalin and Veep to Midsomer Murders – have each been assigned a scene and briefed on the plot as a whole, but were not allowed to read what comes before or after their own section. 

Add 16 leading stage and screen actors – Denise Gough, Robert Bathurst, Sacha Dhawan, Jade Anouka and Freddie Fox among them – who have just one day to rehearse the entire show into that mix, and the stage is set for this ‘play about making a play’ to take some unlikely (and hilarious) turns. 

‘It will be chaos,’ agrees Macpherson. ‘But the best stories, like life, are often absurd and chaotic.’ It will also be a great night out – and with 35% off ticket prices for Soho House members, one that’s not to be missed.

The money raised from the event supports Platform Presents’ annual Playwright’s Prize. Established in 2018 as a way to help discover and nurture emerging writers, the prize has gone from strength to strength ever since, with live entertainment giants Ambassador Theatre Group coming on board as main partners last year, and Time Out Group providing funding for a new series of runner-up prizes. 

‘We’ve built a reputation for supporting new talent,’ says Macpherson of the prize’s ever-rising profile. ‘Actors are incredibly open to and supportive of this, as they more than anyone know how hard this industry is.’

Like we said, not to be missed.

Visit our member benefits page to book your tickets and get 35% off.