The Year Ahead … Theatre503
January 17, 2009
Sitting unpretentiously above the Latchmere pub in Battersea, Theatre503 spent 2008 securing its growing reputation as a driving force in Off West End theatre, winning the Peter Brook Empty Space award and continuing to attract ever increasing audience numbers. Joint Artistic Directors since 2006, Tim Roseman and Paul Robinson tell us the secrets of their success … Read more
Off-West End Christmas Highlights 2008
November 24, 2008
With Christmas just around the corner and the credit crunch at the forefront of the collective conscience, we’ve put together our picks of the Off-West End festive season so you can take the family to an alternative fringe treat without breaking the bank. With traditional classics, adult pantomimes and new devised collaborations, there should be something for all to enjoy, whatever their age. Read more
The Making of Newley – The Fool Who Dared to Dream
November 17, 2008
Performer, writer and director Pete Gallagher has teamed up with David Boyle, creator of the 2007 Edinburgh hit Newley – The Singer and his Songs, to develop a new show about the legendary songwriter. Newley – The Fool Who Dared to Dream appears Upstairs at the Gatehouse from 18-30 November and draws on personal accounts of the man from those who knew him best, including his writing partner Leslie Bricusse, co-star Anna Quayle, his agent Peter Charlesworth and his children Sacha and Tara. Gallagher tells us a little about the man, the making of the show, and the inspiration that it afforded him. Read more
Environmentally Friendly Touring Theatre? You Must be Living in Cloudcuckooland
October 24, 2008
One director’s decision to spread the word about not trashing the environment to kids through musical comedy and the challenges doing this across the country, in Edinburgh and in London without trashing the environment! Read more
A day in the life of Sam Hoare!
September 29, 2008
Sam Hoare is a producer for Imperial House Productions and is also a talented actor. He is currently producing and appearing in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me which will appear at the Baron’s Court Theatre from 29 September – 18 October. He takes us through a day in his life as he and his colleagues prepare for opening night. Read more
Learn to Shake it Like the Professionals
September 12, 2008
London is awash with Latin dancers at the moment, with Flamenco Flamen’ka (pictured), a story of blood ties and betrayal, bringing a Spanish flavour to the Lyric from 18 September and the London International Tango festival – River Tango, appearing at venues across London, including the Tate Modern and Bloomsbury Ballroom from 11-14 September. If all that passion has inspired you to find your rhythm, then don’t despair, a host of dance schools and dance classes aim to have you shaking it like the professionals. Read more
Northern lines
August 30, 2008
In the third of our handy guides to theatregoing beyond the West End, we head north to see what’s on offer.
Almeida Theatre
Built in 1837 as a reading rooms and lecture hall (where Egyptian mummies were on display), the Almeida went through various incarnations before being turned into a unique 325-seat performa
nce space in 1980 and then undergoing complete modernisation in 2001. Refurbished or not, the Almeida has always had an impressive international reputation for producing high quality theatre.
Almeida Street, Islington, N1 (Highbury & Islington tube, 020 7359 4404)
Hampstead Theatre
Fast approaching its 50th birthday, Hampstead Theatre started in a scout hall, then moved into a prefab in the 1960s before the current new purpose-built theatre was finally opened five years ago 
with an auditorium “built for writers who understand actors”. The philosophy here has always remained the same – finding and producing important new writers and challenging established ones.
Eton Avenue, NW3 (Swiss Cottage tube, 020 7722 9301) Read more
Femi Elufowoju On … Tiata Delights 08
July 22, 2008
Femi Elufowoju, Jr, is the artistic director of Tiata Fahodzi, a British-African theatre company he founded in 1997. They have a season of work at the Almeida Theatre, Tiata Delights 08, running from 28 July – 2 August 2008.
What is the thinking behind Tiata Delights 08?
Tiata Delights is now in its 4th year, having had its birth at the Arcola in 2004. Up to that point the company had very limited success identifying and attracting the right kind of writers, capable of meeting the central ethos of Tiata Fahodzi’s mission statements i.e. demonstrate the cultural life of Africans at home and abroad through mainstream theatre within the UK. Read more
London Theatre in the Great Outdoors
July 21, 2008
There’s no need to be out of the sun in order to catch some great theatre in London this summer. As the temperature soars, theatre is heading into the great outdoors. Once again, Shakespeare has proved a firm favourite for the open air with several great chances to soak up some culture while you get a tan. Paying reverence to the bard, the Oxford Shakespeare Company will be bringing their hilarious version of Twelfth Night to the luxurious surroundings of Kensington Palace Gardens (2-15 August) and Hampton Court Palace (16-24 August), while Shakespeare’s Globe will, as ever be bearing all to the elements on the South Bank, with several great productions including a midnight production of King Lear on 1 August. Read more
What It’s Like To Be … A Costume Designer
July 12, 2008
Designs by Saff and Silky are costume designers with a difference. Not only are they Designers, they personally make all the costumes in house in their offices in South West London. They have designed for many shows including Spirit of Christmas at the Kodak theatre, LA and the Genius of Ray Charles at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.
They are currently working on Slapstix, which arrives at the Richmond Theatre this week (Monday 14th – Saturday 19th July). Read more
