Exclusive: Bridgerton cast rally Londoners to save one of capital’s biggest arts events

By Adam Bloodworth

Help Save Vault by donating to their campaign here

Bridgerton’s leading actors have collectively condemned the news that the UK’s second-largest arts festival has lost its home.

The Vaults, a labyrinthine multi-purpose venue underneath Waterloo Station, has said they will prioritise commercial projects in 2024 rather than housing the not-for-profit Vault Festival.

Nicola Coughlan, Jonathan Bailey, Adjoa Andoh, Bessie Carter and Golda Roscheuvel from Bridgerton spoke exclusively to City A.M. as the London festival, second only to the Edinburgh Fringe in terms of size, fights for survival and to find a new home.

Derry Girls star Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton, said losing the festival “would be a devastating loss for the theatre community.”

“I remember going to Vaults to see people who I really admired who’ve now gone on to do such amazing things, like Jack Rooke, Camilla Whitehill, it’s such a breeding ground for talent and a chance for people to try things out and grow and develop their voices,” said Coughlan.

Jonathan Bailey, who plays lead Anthony Bridgerton, called the Vault Festival “a bloody good night out” that “needs to be protected at all costs.”

“I’ve loved attending Vault Festival over the years,” he said. “Celebrations of talent in the arts like this are vital and incredibly inspiring. There’s no doubt it’s one of very few breeding grounds for the next generation of theatre makers and goers and it needs to be protected at all costs!”

Queen Charlotte actor Golda Rosheuvel echoed their concerns, calling the news “a very very sad day.” “All these memories came flooding back,” she said. Lady Danbury actor Adjoa Andoh added: “We shut down these places at our peril.”

Bessie Carter, who plays Prudence Featherington, took a pragmatic approach, saying she believes “we can collectively solve this.” Carter is encouraging Londoners to “make enough noise and attract funding and assistance from people who can afford it” to help ensure the festival “maintains its central location.”

“Many will be heartbroken,” she added, speaking about the possibility of the festival not finding a suitable replacement venue for next year.

Since 2012 the Vault Festival – named after its venue – has welcomed almost half a million visitors. The festival provides essential space and financial support to upcoming actors and directors to help them stage work at the start of their careers, as well as creatives staging experimental work.

Many film and TV actors begin their careers at Vault Festival, where two thirds of the cost of putting on a show is covered by the takings from the box office to help people from a diverse range of backgrounds enter the industry.

Hundreds of theatre, cabaret and comedy performances are staged at the festival, which runs for two months each year. As well as the financial benefits to actors, the festival’s central London location underneath Waterloo station benefits artists because of the footfall in the area. The Vaults are a few minutes’ walk away from other cultural institutions like the National Theatre and Southbank Centre.

The festival has launched a Save Vault campaign to raise £150,000 before 19 March to support the festival’s future and secure a new home for 2024 and beyond. Donations can be made online.

The Bridgerton cast were keen to emphasise that many of their peers landed their first paid gigs through the festival and festivals like it.

Andoh said: “For artists without power or access to commercial theatre, emerging artists, for artists moving into experimental, innovative work, spaces like The Vaults are the testing grounds for them to develop and showcase that work.”

Others had more personal stories. Carter reflected that she “spent my last night of freedom at The Vaults before the national lockdown, bumping into pals from the theatre world, sliding past people in mad and wonderful costumes, feeling like I was part of a wild and loving extended family.”

On hearing the news Rosheuvel remembered her mother, in her 80s, playing a show in The Vaults. “All those memories came flooding back,” she said. “Of smiles and laughter and just bursting with pride. It brings back very wonderful, dear memories of an old lady who was in her prime. It was like a new lease of life for her – which I will always be grateful for.”

“My career started in spaces like The Vaults,” Andoh surmised. “They are the lifeblood of our industry. Woe betide us if we cut off our sources of creativity for commerce.”

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