Credits
The Desire Paths: Slough
presented by Third Angel
in collaboration with HOME Slough
Performed by:
Nisha Anil
Zishan Afsar
Nadia Emam
Nicki Hobday
Alexander Kelly
Gillian Lees
Photography by
Craig Malone (map in progress)
Terry Payman (map complete)
Publicity Design
Wayne Gamble
For Third Angel:
Co-Artistic Directors
Alexander Kelly
Rachael Walton
Executive Producer
Hilary Foster
General Manager
Laura Holmes
Admin & Production Assistant
Samantha Turner
Marketing Consultant
Joanna Jowett
For HOME:
Marina Norris
Milan Govedarica
Amanda Renn
Special Thanks To
Katy Potter
all the HOME Volunteers
Commissioned by HOME Slough.
Seeded by Farnham Maltings’ New Popular programme.
Third Angel is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England and an Associate Company of Sheffield Theatres.
Slough Stories
Over three days in August 2019 we drew a giant street map of Slough on the floor of HOME On The High Street. We invited the people of Slough to rename a street in their town after a hope, dream or ambition they have for the future.
In August 2019 we spent three days drawing a giant street map of Slough onto the floor of HOME On The High Street. We asked the people of Slough if they would like to rename a street after a hope, dream or ambition for the future. These are some of the stories they told us.
**
The first few people who came in were interested in what we were doing, but wanted to think about it before they renamed a street.
When we explained what we were doing to Mahadev, he immediately said, “FREEDOM STREET! We should have a Freedom Street.” We asked him which street he wanted to name, and he chose the spot where we were standing: High Street. We were off.
Terry renamed Chilwick Road, the street he grew up on, as HOPE STREET.
Pete renamed Howard Avenue as OVERSTAND AVENUE. “Why do we say understanding?” he asked. “We need more overstanding.”
Dom renamed Farnham Road, where all the restaurants and takeaways are, FOODIE STREET, because in the future people will travel from all around the world to eat there.
Amanda changed the name of Hetherington Close to MEMORY LANE.
Lilly changed Dove House Crescent to TWIN AVENUE.
Phil found an unnamed street and called it WILDERNESS LANE.
Yasmin renamed Wexham Road as FAITH DOOR ROAD. It’s on the way to the hospital, and you put your faith in the people who are going to look after you once you go through the door.
Mukesh has been in Slough for 31 years – living in the same house. Before that he travelled all around the UK with his dad’s job. London, Scotland, Southampton. His dad worked on the pipelines. He chose to rename Maple Crescent as OAK TREE CRESCENT. Because oak trees have angels in them, and gods and warriors. They grow slowly but they grow strong. They grow big. An oak tree will protect you.
Reyhana chose an unnamed slip-road and called it YOUTUBER REYHANA STREET, because that’s what she would like to be when she is older.
Her brother renamed the M4’s Junction 6 BRAWLSTARS ROUNDABOUT because he is *really* good at that game.
Reyhana’s mum asked us if we knew how much it would cost to really change the name of a street, but unfortunately we didn’t. Reyhana’s mum renamed Albert Street for her daughter, and called it DIABETES CURED STREET.
Charlotte’s mum, Emma, renamed Chalvey High Street (because Slough has several High Streets) COURAGE CRESCENT. Charlotte’s brother wasn’t sure at first but then decided to change the name of the M4 to BILL’S HIGHWAY. And Charlotte herself renamed Uxbridge Road as HOPE ROAD.
Steve was visiting from New York. It was his second time in Slough. His sister lives nearby. He was keen to hear more about the venue and about the town, and about the project. Just before he left we said, “Have you renamed a street?” He said, “No, I’d like to do that!” We figured out that to get back to his sister’s, he would be taking the Bath Road. He renamed it ALL IS LOVE AVENUE.
**
On day two we came in to a note left by Linda:
Slough is wonderfully diverse and we aim to live in harmony. I grew up in a nicely mixed neighbourhood and have always benefitted from the diversity of my friends, schoolmates and family. Recent times have brought challenges and we need to focus on bringing the community together #bekindbeslough.
She renamed Carrington Road as KINDNESS CRESCENT.
Himrun told us he is 13 years old and for him, it’s all about Slough Ice Arena. He’s been playing ice-hockey for 3 or 4 years and, by his own admission, he’s pretty good at it. He decided to change High Street (another High Street!) to DAIRY FREE STREET because he is gluten-intolerant.
Himrun’s mother, Ekta, tells us that for her 40th birthday her father gave her 6 ice-skating lessons… We asked if winter sports runs in the family and she laughed: “I was no better by the 6th lesson than I was before I started and I haven’t been back on the ice since!” She changed Priory Road to HAKUNA MATATA. “It means ‘there are no worries’”.
Sabri has been here for 26 years. He renamed Wellington Street as ALGERIAN STREET. “This has always been an Algerian Street,” he told us. “And Lebanese. You know Lebanon?” he asked.
“Great food,” we said.
“Yes,” he agreed. Then: “We love it here.”
As a young girl Amanda used to watch Thunderbirds with her Dad and her brother. That experience led to her brother being a model maker and to Amanda going to college to study textiles. When she moved to Slough she discovered that Gerry Anderson used to make Thunderbirds on Slough Trading Estate. When they opened The Curve, Gerry’s son came to the opening with some puppets from the new series.
When Amanda lost her dad a couple of years ago, knowing that Thunderbirds was made here was a nice link to her childhood. To commemorate that, and to commemorate creativity generating more creativity, Amanda has renamed Edinburgh Avenue as THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO AVENUE.
Lakhwant renamed High Street (!) EUROPE WAY.
Avneet renamed Grays Park Road as ALIEN AVENUE because she hopes that we will make contact in the future. She might go in to astrophysics to make that happen.
Jeanette changed Mercian Way to ANTON’S WAY, because he would be 15 now.
Dhaniya renamed Osborne Street as REACH FOR THE MOON STREET.
Declan stared at the map for the longest time. He said that he was looking for the street his mum lives on – the street he still calls home. We found it together and he smiled: “D-BLOCK. I wanna change it to D-BLOCK”. He’s lived there for 24 years on and off with his mum, and when he looks at that end of the cul-de-sac he was reminded of all of the things he’s done there as a child, as a teenager, as an adult… He drifted off for a moment. “So much has happened there, y’know?”
Ray is 8 years old. He was with his Nanny. Ray has two interests: Minecraft and his nanny’s Fried Chicken. He had no particular street he wanted to rename but he had a name he would like to use. He told us that he is going to be a YouTuber and that “within the first month I’ll make a Million Pounds”. His Nanny said, “Well that will make up for all of the fried chicken I’ve made him. First thing he says to me in the morning is ‘Nanny, is the fried chicken ready?’ Him and his sister cost me a fortune in chicken”. We said it sounds good living at her house, that some of us love fried chicken too. Ray’s Nanny said, “well you can live with us too. As long as you like my fried chicken”. Ray renamed Chalvey Road, where he lives with his Nanny, YOUTUBE ROAD.
Julie renamed Knolton Way as LUCKY STREET.
Jessica changed The Frith to be LOVERS’ LANE.
Kam told us that last week her sister had begged their father to tell them more about their family history and, much to their surprise, he had agreed. He told them that his father had been a sailor for 15 years. He was from Pakistan and during his travels he visited Slough. At the time, he confided in his wife that Slough was the most beautiful, clean place he had ever visited, and on that day he made a promise to her that when he retired they would travel to Slough and settle their family there.
In 1958, Kam’s grandfather did exactly that, settling his family here and developing a strong network of friends and colleagues. Each generation of his family since has been born and bred in Slough and they are all very proud of that. Kam showed us pictures of her sailor grandfather, exclaiming that he had striking blue eyes, unusual for a man from Pakistan. Kam asked to rename Harris Gardens as MACMILLAN GARDENS as a tribute to the Macmillan nurses who gave their care and support to her mother during her last days.
Dundee Road became ARGON CLOSE.
Lynch Hill Lane became GOLD STARS LANE.
Wellington Street became SATURDAY STREET.
Bushra and Aisha renamed Richmond Crescent as SADDA STREET. It’s where the Pakistani community live, and this way people from Sadda, their original village, will know that they will always be welcome.
