AN ACTOR who has toured the galaxy in the latest Star Trek series has a revealed a more down-to-earth wish: that Reading Gaol should live long and prosper as a cultural hub.
Shazad Latif – Ash Tyler in the Netflix show Star Trek Discovery – said that while his parents met in Reading, if they wanted to experience any culture they had to boldly go to London to find it.
Now he beamed down his support for the campaign to save Reading Gaol, championed by a federation of actors, arts groups and heritage experts, headed up not by Captain Kirk but Reading East MP Matt Rodda.
“My Mum and Dad met in Reading, many important moments in my life happened there,” Shaza says.
“But one thing that never happened was the chance to go somewhere as a child, teenager or young adult to explore and learn about the theatre and our local history.
“The work that (Reading-based) RABBLE Theatre Company and others are doing to see Reading Gaol transformed into a cultural hub – a place of self-development and artistic, creative discovery – is beautiful.”
Shazad has had an impressive career, also starring in the BBC TV show Spooks, as well as training at the Bristol Old Vic.
“Growing up, we always had to go to London for a world-class cultural experience and so, to deny the people of Reading this opportunity now and to destroy a place of such historical import is to deny the entire region the opportunity to develop culturally, financially and spiritually,” he said.
Last month, the Ministry of Justice revealed that the planned buyer of the site had pulled out, meaning that there is a possibility once again that the historic area, which was once part of the Reading Abbey, could be purchased by Reading Borough Council for use as a community centre that champions its heritage as well as promoting arts.
Shazad’s support for the campaign to save the centre follows on from support from Natalie Dormer, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench, Julian Barnes, Stephen Fry, Waldemar Januszczak, and Ben MacIntyre.
Mr Rodda, whose constituency includes parts of Woodley and Earley, said: “The growing support for the campaign to Save Reading Gaol shows the importance of this unique building and its potential as an arts and heritage hub.
“Many people will be moved by Shazad Latif’s evocative comment about his support for the gaol and his memories of Reading and I’d like to thank him for his support.”
