During the financial year, Astraea Theatre Company created and presented a new storytell-ing production for children based on the book Rajiv’s Starry Feelings by Niall Moorjani. The show centred on a father-son relationship within a South Asian family home and explored emotional wellbeing and communication through family-focused theatre. The production ran for 10 weeks at Discover Children’s Story Centre, where it was attended by many local fami-lies. According to the 2021 Census, 42.2% of people living in Newham identified as Asian or Asian British, so Astraea Theatre Company successfully achieved its aim of creating cultural-ly representative work that reflected and celebrated the local community. The production incorporated baby sign language as a tool to help children and parents communicate about emotions. Audience members commented positively on being intro-duced to new ways of discussing feelings with their children at home. The show also provid-ed a welcoming and supportive environment for fathers to engage more openly with the emotional aspects of parenting. Feedback from audiences highlighted the calming effect the performance had on both children and adults, with many families saying it contributed posi-tively to their day and wellbeing. The company also presented the production for a two-week run at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, enabling the work and its message about emotional communication within families to reach a wider audience. In addition to its children’s theatre work, Astraea Theatre Company produced and delivered a cabaret evening showcasing emerging queer performers. The event created paid oppor-tunities for new artists to develop and perform original work in a supportive environment. It also provided a safe and celebratory space for members of the queer community to come together and connect during a period when many queer people felt isolated.

The company’s primary stakeholders are its audience members, including both adults and children, as well as the emerging artists involved in its productions and events. Audience members were consulted through informal conversations following performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Audiences were also invited to leave reviews on event pages and engage with the company through social media platforms. Feedback from these consultations was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the emotional themes and calming atmosphere. In response to this feedback, the company is exploring opportunities to redevelop and expand the show, enhancing elements of the story while retaining the as-pects audiences responded to most positively. The company also consulted with the emerging artists who participated in its queer cabaret event. Performers expressed appreciation for the opportunity to showcase new work in a supportive environment. The cabaret provided a professional credit for many emerging per-formers. Several artists indicated they would like to participate in similar events again in the future. One performer specifically noted that the cabaret provided an important platform to debut a new drag act and has since gone on to secure further bookings at venues across London. In response to this positive feedback, the company is currently exploring plans to produce a second cabaret evening to continue supporting emerging queer artists and creat-ing opportunities for community connection. The evening also created an environment where the audience were able to relax, have some fun, and enjoy some good theatre for a low-cost ticket-price. Several audience members are asking when the next event will be and are keen to return.

Director remuneration comprised £440 in producer fees and £530.00 in director fees paid for services provided to the CIC during the period. In addition, £82.19 was reimbursed for travel expenses incurred on behalf of the company.

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