Farewell to AD El Henderson

Some words from Chair of Trustees Jim White on the departure of current Artistic Director, Eleanor Henderson.

*Artistic Director El Henderson at HMP Pentonville, June 2025*

*El Henderson and Lead Associate Artist Jason York at HMP Springhill, December 2024*

“When we appointed El Henderson as Artistic Director of Kestrel Theatre Company back in 2021, we knew she was good. After all she had worked on several projects with us, all of her efforts of the highest standard. But we had no idea how good she would be. Because it is no exaggeration to say El has electrified Kestrel. Taking over from Arabella Warner, who had built the company up from its humble beginnings into something of much greater ambition and purpose, El has transformed Kestrel into an organisation of national renown. She has developed an innovative, effective and challenging programme of theatre, film, performance and scriptwriting, which has illuminated the lives of those inside the criminal justice system. Her calm, encouraging, understanding demeanour has won the trust of several hundreds of men and women who have been privileged to work with her over the past four years. Plus, she has extended Kestrel’s reach to those now back on the outside, her work helping them through the challenging transition to wider society, nurturing their performance skills, providing them a platform on which to express themselves, turbo-charging their confidence.

She has introduced many industry professionals to the Kestrel way, giving practical demonstration of how their skills and experience can help transform lives.

Most of all, though, what she has done is this: she has delivered. When she says something will happen it does. And how. Every show she has directed, every project she has led, every new idea she has championed has been of the highest possible quality. With El, everything works.

Given her brilliance, it was no real surprise that the rest of the world was watching. Now she has been invited to join the National Theatre to work in their educational programme. Lucky them, they have chosen a winner.

And Kestrel will carry on, building on what she achieved. We are looking for someone to take over where El left off, to steer the company through its next phase of development. There could not be a more exciting opportunity to build and create, as you do so demonstrating at every turn the immense transformative power of the performing arts. Details of what the job entails and how to apply are available here: Artistic Director Role — KESTREL THEATRE COMPANY

In the meantime, everyone connected with Kestrel, those who have been to Drama Club, those who have performed on stage and on film, those who have worked alongside her to nurture the immense talent there is out there, all of us have one thing to say: thank you El. “

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