Dangerous, Immoral, Ahead of Its Time

Notes on the history of the Fun Palace Project

Informal and flexible, Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price’s Fun Palace (1961–74) was envisioned as a socially interactive and ever-changing “laboratory of fun” for the public. Located in London, it was to be built on public land that had been slated for redevelopment and then, after ten years, it would be deconstructed—no permanent trace of the structure would remain. However, the transformation of the speculative project into a built structure was complicated by restrictive policies and community concerns over its “safety,” which impacted the selection of its site. Littlewood and Price adapted the project for several possible sites across the city, from the Isle of Dogs to Camden Town to the Lea Valley. The following documents demonstrate the obstructions the project faced, as well as the fluctuation of public opinion; they ultimately reveal how a site was never agreed upon and the Fun Palace was never built.

Joan Littlewood, Notes on history of Fun Palace Project, 1966 or after, DR1995:0188:954, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Page layout for a document about the Fun Palace Project: sheet number “7”, between 1964 and 1974, Diazotype with blue coloured pencil, overlayed with black and red coloured pencil on plastic film (the 2 sheets are fastened with adhesive tape), sheet: 29 × 22,8 cm (11 7/16 × 9 in.), DR1995:0188:556, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Letter from the London County Council to Cedric Price regarding the Fun Palace Project, 13 September 1963, DR1995:0188:744, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Presentation drawings for Fun Palace Pilot Project, Camden Town, London, 1963, and Main Fun Palace Project, London E.15, 1961-1962, ca. 1963, Montage composed of 3 reprographic copies on paper, 2 printed images on paper and a photographic print on paper, all mounted on board, with captions in ink and transfer type, 69,5 x 80 cm, DR1995:0188:495, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Presentation panel with reproductions of newspaper clippings about Fun Palace Project, ca. 1965, Reprographic copies mounted on pasteboard, panel: 101,6 × 61 × 0,32 cm (40 × 24 × 1/8 in.), DR1995:0188:497, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Letter from London County Council to Cedric Price regarding the Fun Palace Project, 13 October 1964, DR1995:0188:724, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Presentation panel with reproductions of clippings about the Fun Palace Pilot Project for Camden Town, Jennie Lee, and the Fun Palace concept, ca. 1965, Reprographic copies pasted on cardboard, panel: 101,9 x 61,1 cm, DR1995:0188:503, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Collage of clippings from the North London Press (“Church slams ‘Fun Palace’ project for Chalk Farm”, 22 January 1965) and the Hampstead & Highgate Express (“Fun Palace protests”, 26 February 1965), overlayed with notations, ca. 1965, Collage and typescript on paper, overlayed with felt-tip pen on translucent sheet, sheet: 29.8 x 21 cm primary overlay: 28.1 x 19.8 cm, DR1995:0188:879, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Clipping of article “Joan’s Fun Palace runs into trouble with residents”, Evening Standard, 12 February 1965, Collage on paper with red ink on translucent paper, sheet: 28 × 20,4 cm (11 × 8 1/16 in.), DR1995:0188:881, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA

Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, Map with overlaid sketch indicating the site for the Fun Palace at Mill Meads, 1965, Printed map, with notations and sketches in ink, coloured pencil and graphite, on paper, overlaid with sketch in ink and graphite on translucent paper, 23,8 x 34 cm, DR1995:0188:111, Cedric Price fonds, CCA © CCA