Mark Francis-Vasey
Director
I have a background in arts, heritage and venue management and I’m delighted to be taking over the position of Director and Chief Executive of Chats Palace.
Chats Palace is an arts and performance charity based in Homerton, London dedicated to nurturing creativity, inclusivity, and community engagement through the arts.
With over 15 years of experience leading cultural projects that span grassroots initiatives to larger-scale productions, I am passionate about expanding access to the arts, championing collaborative programming and strategic partnerships that support emerging talent and diverse voices across the capital. As an LGBTQ+ rights activist and campaigner for inclusion and representation, under my leadership, Chats Palace will continue to grow as a vibrant hub for innovation, education, and artistic excellence in the Hackney community and provide a platform for underrepresented voices.
Rebecca Goh
Community Engagament Producer
With over a decade’s experience in community engagement and creative learning, I am an interdisciplinary theatre director, dramaturg, and facilitator with a background in pedagogy, movement, and disability arts.
I have initiated and managed multidisciplinary programmes and access performances for commercial theatre and organisations such as Theatre Royal Stratford East, Revoluton Arts, and Kakilang; revolving around young people, older adults, underserved communities at risk of cultural exclusion, and artist development. As a queer, neurodivergent, working-class artist from the Global Majority, I strive to celebrate the diverse narratives and communities around me.
Toraigh Watson
Front of House Manager
I have worked across a diverse range of roles within the arts sector, including front of house management, stage crew, artist liaison, box office and venue operations. I am also a musician, DJ and run independent events. With a strong background in operational management and a deep commitment to the arts, I am passionate about creating welcoming, accessible environments for all visitors, performers, artists and beyond.
Crin Claxton
Technical Manager
I have been working in technical theatre for over three decades. I was the technical manager of Oval House Theatre 1989-2000, and Head Technician at Stratford Circus 2013-2015. I have been the technical manager at Chats Palace since 2019. I bring to Chats Palace experience across sound, staging and visuals, with a specialism in theatre lighting design. Alongside a career as a venue technician, I am a production manager, choosing to work on shows that challenge inequality and empower under-represented voices. I have production managed shows for a host of companies including Spare Tyre, Mehtab Theatre Company, Paines Plough, Graeae, Vital Xposure, Clean Break, Drunken Chorus, Mojisola Adebayo, Extant, Oily Cart, Kandinsky, Access All Areas, Lung Theatre, Drake Music, Cardboard Citizens, Pursued By a Bear TC and Kali Theatre.
FOH, Bar & Housekeeping Staff
Ummi Hoque – TILLY WOODWARD – george killough – FionN WAGSTAFF
Laura Muldoon – JIDA AKIL – ELLA PANKHURST
Board of Trustees
Calvin Ng
Chair/Trustee
Calvin is a finance attorney at Latham & Watkins, with experience advising a range of companies, lenders and investors. Calvin has experience volunteering with community empowerment and youth projects. Calvin lives locally and brings valuable experience in corporate management which are being put to use in helping shape the charity’s strategic direction.
Jacquetta May
Trustee
Jacquetta has lived locally since 1990’s, and has long been involved with Chats Palace, serving as trustee, and chair. She raised £20,000 for the charity through an art auction.
She is a writer, actor, and theatre director. Her acting career includes appearances at The National Theatre, The Royal Exchange and Liverpool Playhouse and as a regular in EastEnders, Cardiac Arrest and Dangerfield, Home Farm Twins amongst many others. She co-founded the new writing theatre company Plain Clothes Productions, based at Dalston’s Cultural Partnerships, commissioning, producing and directing work that toured nationally and showed at BAC, The Bush, Young Vic and Lyric Hammersmith. She has delivered workshops for all ages and abilities both here and internationally, worked in primary and secondary schools all over east London, run a youth theatre at City and East London College and been a befriender for Freedom From Torture.
She has written episodes for many TV series, cocreated the BBC youth drama UGetMe (3 series), wrote the BBC 4 90min film In Love With Barbara (starring Anne Reid), and adapted Erica Jong’s iconic novel Fear of Flying. Her legal thriller Lawless (Suranne Jones, Lindsay Duncan) was piloted on Sky Living. She is currently writing a comedy drama about a T.A .and neuro-divergence, and is developing a theatre project about care and relationships of care.
Hendrik Wittkopf
Trustee
Biog to follow
Cllr Ian Rathbone
London Borough of Hackney Appointment/Trustee
Ian has been a councillor for Lea Bridge ward for 13 years. He is currently Chair of Hackney Community Law Centre as well a number of other charities and groups. He has worked all his life in the media, as a journalist and editor, lecturer in journalism, and in corporate Public Relations, marketing and Public Affairs management in the Church of England, local government and the transport industry, winning a number of national awards for his campaigning work. As a teacher, he worked in projects at Chats Palace in the early 1980s, working with young unemployed people in communications and arts skills. He is also a musician, playing a number of instruments. He is married with several grown up children.
Gary Bridgewood
Treasurer/ Trustee
Gary is a director and co-founder of Bridgewood & Neitzert, a renowned violin dealership and restoration workshop established in 1982 in Stoke Newington, London. With over 40 years of experience, widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading violin makers and restorers, working at the bench on some of the world’s finest instruments. He manages a skilled team of luthiers, overseeing all aspects of the business including repairs, restoration, sales, customer relations, training, HR, and health & safety.
Under Gary’s leadership, Bridgewood & Neitzert has earned an international reputation for excellence, serving musicians from students to professionals and specialising in both modern and period string instruments. The workshop is known for its meticulous craftsmanship, innovative restoration techniques, and commitment to preserving the integrity of each instrument.
Gary has also contributed to the community as a trustee, including nine years at St Paul’s Steiner School in Islington, where he implemented effective systems for health & safety, concerns, and complaints, and helped develop the school’s venue hire for fundraising events. A dedicated musician, Gary is actively involved in supporting local music initiatives and lives in Lower Clapton.
Robin Norton-Hale
Trustee
Robin is the founding Artistic Director and Chief Executive of OperaUpClose, an award-winning opera company with a focus on inventive new English-language productions of classic operas, and premieres of new chamber operas, and a mission to diversify the makers and audiences of opera. Her work with the company includes teo operas for young people and paid training programmes for NEET young people in East London. Robin has also directed and written for mid-scale and main stage productions for opera and theatre companies including Malmö Opera, English Touring Opera, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre and Southwark Playhouse. She was joint Artistic Director of the King’s Head Theatre London (2011-2015).