Gate Theatre moves to new accessible venue in Somers Town

The Gate Theatre has announced that it is moving to a new, accessible space in Camden later this month.

The theatre will now be located at 26 Crowndale Road, the home of Theatro Technis in Somers Town. The move follows the Gate’s production of Dear Elizabeth at the same venue last year.

The new performance space provides a larger auditorium, foyer and bar space, which are wheelchair accessible and step-free.

Founded above a Notting Hill pub in 1979 and known for its emphasis on international work, the Gate has nurtured early work by artists including Natalie Abrahami, Carrie Cracknell, Paterson Joseph, Sarah Kane, Lynette Linton, Katie Mitchell, Indhu Rubasingham and Erica Whyman.

The theatre has also announced today that Labour Party politician and activist Baroness Shami Chakrabarti will join as chair of the board later in the summer. She said of her appointment: “I am honoured to be joining the Gate as its chair at this pivotal moment. Its values of internationalism, diversity and community are the essence of great theatre and what it brings to our lives in challenging times.”

The Gate’s first production at 26 Crowndale will be Sami Ibrahim’s A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain, directed by Gate associate Yasmin Hafesji, and produced in association with Paines Plough and Rose Theatre. Billed as a “poetic fable telling a story of an impenetrable immigration system that mirrors our own”, it will run from 19 October to 5 November 2022.

Shawab Iqbal, executive director and CEO, said: “We are thrilled to finally be able to announce this historic moment for the Gate… 26 Crowndale addresses physical accessibility challenges of our Notting Hill site, and allows us to continue to present ground-breaking work in a bigger auditorium. I’d like to thank our loyal audiences and donors in Notting Hill for coming with us on this journey, and look forward to embedding ourselves in our new community in Somers Town, Camden.”

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