It’s our Tricycle, its our Kilburn, and we’re grateful you agree.
It came as a shock to a lot of theatre-goers from Kilburn and beyond to discover that the Tricycle, a theatre that has stood on Kilburn High Road since 1981, was to be rebranded to Kiln. The decision seemed so out of character for such an iconic venue – why throw away almost 40 years of history in favour of a clunky, awkward name with only the most tenuous connection to the local area?
We felt confused, even angry. For all Kiln’s talk of wide-ranging local consultations, we couldn’t find anyone for whom this wasn’t an unwelcome surprise. The only third party with anything positive to say on the subject was the marketing agency who had introduced the name and logo.
The penny dropped – the opinions of local residents and longstanding fans of the Tricycle had been ignored in favour of a fashionable company with no connection to Kilburn. So we decided not to let this stand, and we’re so glad that you felt the same.
When so much of the character of London’s neighbourhoods is being paved over, it matters that ordinary people have united around a wish to see a true cultural institution continue with its legacy and history intact.
Our first objective is to get Kiln to finally provide some evidence for the consultations they claim to have had with local Kilburn residents. We have asked repeatedly, and each time been met with radio silence. We’ll be using our new social media channels to ensure that theatre management know we’re not going to put up with this lack of transparency. When they do finally answer, we’ll make sure everyone knows.
We also want to be clear that we are not seeking to dictate the Tricycle’s artistic journey. We wholeheartedly support its director in her admirable attempts to widen the theatre’s appeal and accessibility. Schemes such as the new pricing structure are meaningful and positive changes, and we are with the theatre every step of the way in its mission to bring great drama to the community. We simply ask that the Tricycle’s history, identity and its place in our hearts are respected, and that we can continue to walk past our treasured Tricycle Theatre and delight in its future.
Thank you so much for supporting our campaign. We promise that we won’t give up on the Tricycle, and we promise we’ll keep you in the loop every step of the way.
Our Tricycle Campaign
I don’t understand why the theatre management haven’t engaged with this campaign. They could at least show they’re listening, even if they choose to go their own way. How can they claim to be part of a community they’re stonewalling?
Unfortunately, as of 10th June, this horrible rebranding exercise seems to have been fully completed – signage, posters, website now all refer to the new name. The bulldozering through of this unpleasant name is very sad for Brent and its residents, and requires a full explanation from the Board who seem to have been somehow persuaded to abandon their common sense. We know this kind of thing can happen due to: false belief in the advertising god, naivety, the availability of funds, self-aggrandisement, and ignorance. But it more often than not brings a false dawn. What happened in this case? It would make a good project for an investigative journalist.
In the long run, when the theatre (I can’t bring myself to call it by its new ‘heat and cooking’ name) inevitably loses revenue because of the idiocy of the rebranding, another name change will be called for – and hopefully sooner rather than later. How about THE TRICYCLE!
Hi Kevin
The fight has only just begun! We have this website and a presence in all the usual other places that make up a social media footprint. There are 32 activists running a vibrant campaign in London. There’s also the breach of copyright action from Birmingham. Please, do join us