Theatre News

Secret Theatre Company bows out with Grand Finale at Lyric Hammersmith

Sean Holmes’ ensemble will perform its full repertory of seven shows

The cast of Secret Theatre
A scene from Secret Theatre's Glitterland

The Secret Theatre ensemble will perform at the Lyric Hammersmith for the last time next month, it has been announced.

The company, which was conceived by artistic director Sean Holmes in 2013 to perform while the Lyric underwent substantial refurbishments, has since toured the UK including a season at the Edinburgh Fringe.

As part of a two-week 'Grand Finale' from 12 February to 1 March 2015, titled The Secret's Out, the company will present their full repertory of shows including Woyzeck, A Streetcar Named Desire and the premiere of a brand new play Show 7: A Stab in the Dark, written by Joel Horwood.

There will also be a range of free events, discussions and masterclasses tailored around the performances. The project will culminate in the final weekend with the company performing all seven Secret Theatre shows over 48 hours.

Sean Holmes said: "Secret Theatre is an attempt to challenge every aspect of how we make work at the Lyric, building new structures that could lead to a new type of theatre. It is only now at the end of an extraordinary two years that I’ve discovered the central purpose of Secret Theatre. To show how the true potential of actors both individually and collectively can be released by the creation of a committed ensemble."

The Secret Theatre Company is Nadia Albina, Hammed Animashaun, Leo Bill, Caroline Bird, Sean Holmes, Cara Horgan, Joel Horwood, Matti Houghton, Arinze Kene, Adelle Leonce, Nick Manning, Ellen McDougall, Katherine Pearce, Lizzie Powell, Billy Seymour, Hyemi Shin, Hayley Squires, Simon Stephens, Sergo Vares and Steven Webb.