Finborough wins 2012 Peter Brook Empty Space Award

The Finborough, which won for “its dynamic flow of brilliant productions”, was nominated alongside National
Theatre Wales, Southwark Playhouse (last year’s winner), NT Watch This Space, Paines
Plough and the Ustinov Studio.

Also announced yesterday were the winners of the newly established Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award (Instant Classics Company and White Bear Theatre) and Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award (Red Handed Theatre Company).

According to press, “In order for gifted companies to present their work in London and for the
Fringe/Studio Theatres to afford to book them, this subsidy has been
established. The annual Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award of £1500,
covering two weeks at £750 per week will be awarded each year in perpetuity
with the hope that matching funds will be made available. The annual Peter
Brook/Equity Ensemble Award of £2000 is to help establish deeper
development of ensemble work within the studio theatres.”

Elsewhere, the Dan Crawford Innovation Award (£2000) went to Hackney’s The
Yard for its “singular avant-garde theatre and stimulating use of space in the
Hackney Wick area”.

The Peter Brook/Mobius Award was given to The Lowry in Salford for its concentration
on early development of new companies, for which it received a cheque of £1000
from Dan Pursey of Mobius.

And the Peter Brook Special Achievement Award was given to Stephen Daldry
and Ruth Mackenzie for their “extraordinary work during the Olympics in
emphasising theatre in a sports-oriented event”.

The Empty Space Awards, now in their 23rd year, were founded and are run by
Blanche Marvin. They are presented in recognition of the pioneering concepts
or innovations that, in the spirit of the legendary director Peter
Brook, are achieved by venues who perform in smaller studio spaces and
receive “comparatively little or no public funding”.