An oral history project led by London Metropolitan University academics has been turned into a powerful new play about the Andover Estate.
Date: 06 July 2026
The experiences of residents of the Andover, a large Islington housing estate that has historically been negatively represented in the media, have been brought to the stage with ‘The Talking Drum: Voices from the Andover Estate’.
Presented by Park Theatre, London Metropolitan University, Smart Social Futures and the Andover Estate Community Centre, the play will run from Wednesday 19th to Saturday 29th August. With funding from Arts Council England, the verbatim play has been created from interviews which formed an oral history project with London Met.
Researchers Professor John Gabriel and Dr Alya Khan, later joined by Gulser Rose Kaya, delved into the history of the area by interviewing 40 people to get a true insight into the Andover and the people who live there.
The play is a blend of theatre, grassroots storytelling and digital media with interwoven stories spanning more than 50 years. Foregrounding the voices of a community fighting to be heard, it explores the diversity of the estate and its residents and challenges assumptions about class and identity.
Taking oral history to the stage
For Professor John Gabriel, seeing the project evolve from an oral history initiative to a theatrical production has been a rewarding experience.
“For over 20 years, I've been using an oral history method, not only to document people's experiences but also to challenge dominant narratives, highlight social injustices and ensure that communities whose voices are often overlooked are heard.
“Theatre offers a powerful way of taking those stories beyond the archive, allowing audiences to connect emotionally with lived experience and opening up conversations that can influence understanding, policy and change.”
Gulser Rose Kaya used to live on the estate and has spent many years volunteering in the community. On her experience of participating in the project, she said:
“It gave residents the chance to tell their own stories in their own words, and I know many of the experiences they shared because I lived them too.
“I wanted to help bring the project to the stage because theatre has a unique way of making people feel connected to the lives of others. What I value most is that the play stays true to the project's co-production approach, with residents shaping how their own histories are represented.”
On taking part in the original project ‘Life on the Andover Estate’, Gulser said what struck her was the true sense of belonging people in the area felt.
“It reminded me that what made the Andover special wasn't just the buildings but the people who lived there and the community they built together.”
The Talking Drum
Writer-director Tony Graham adapted the project into ‘The Talking Drum: Voices from the Andover Estate’, which he described as less of a play and more of a collage or patchwork.
The title was inspired by one of the residents, Laurette, who has performed in weekly music and drum sessions at the estate’s community centre and now runs her own class on a nearby estate. In her interview, Laurette talked about the idea of a ‘talking drum’, based on both her community drumming experience and the idea that the drum in Africa becomes a means of expression between individuals and communities.
“I thought this was akin to the idea of people talking about their lives, sharing a common community, all coming from the same place but going off in different directions,” said Tony.
He continued: “I hope that audiences find the ‘characters’ interesting, provocative and surprising. The idea of ’the estate’ carries with it a certain stigma. A number of the residents talk about the idea of being labelled and also how this percolates into their own thinking about themselves.
“Our ever-increasing inequalities sit underneath and through the lives of those who live on council estates. It shapes who we are. What I find heartening is how resilient, imaginative and defiant these residents are. Despite everything, they find a way to share, to laugh, to create community, to seek individual solutions, to see hope where there often isn’t any, and to support each other.”
“People who live close to the edge can often see things much more clearly. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with everything that is said. But it does mean we should, at the very least, listen. We should listen hard to the talking drummers.”
The Talking Drum: Voices from the Andover Estate
Showing at Park Theatre from Wednesday 19 August - Wednesday 26 August