From the category archives:

Theatre buildings

41 post(s)

Non Zero One: farewell to the Bush and plans for the National

22 February 2012

in Site Specific, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: NON ZERO ONE Ella Parry-Davies talks to three members of the fast-rising participatory and site-specific company – Alex Turner, Fran Miller and Cat Harrison – about their lauded and awarded farewell piece for the old Bush Theatre (This Is Where We Got To When You Came In) and plans for the National Theatre in 2012, and why they love guiding individuals through their work by means of headphones.

Little Angel Theatre celebrates 50 years of puppetry

14 February 2012

in Children's Theatre, Physical and Visual theatre, Theatre buildings

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INTERVIEW: LYNETTE SHANBURY The General Manager of the Little Angel Theatre in north London takes Aleks Sierz by the hand and leads him through the history and work of the home of British puppetry, introducing him to the venue’s current show, Red Riding Hood, a visit from Norwich Puppet Theatre.

Executive director John Blackmore on 12 years at the Bolton Octagon

27 October 2011

in Producers, Regional Theatre, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: JOHN BLACKMORE The executive director of the Octagon Theatre in Bolton looks back on his forty-plus year career, during which he saved the Octagon and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres from bankruptcy and headed theatre companies such as the Library Theatre Company in Manchester, Northern Stage in Newcastle (which he created), The Dukes in Lancaster, Warwick Arts Centre and the English Shakespeare Company.

Sam Walters celebrates 40 years at the Orange Tree Theatre

16 September 2011

in Directors, London Fringe, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: SAM WALTERS The artistic director of the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond talks to Carole Woddis about what it feels like to be the longest-serving head of a theatre in the country, and about his exceptional venue, which began as a pub theatre and then in 1991 moved across the road into a converted church which houses the only purpose-built theatre-in-the-round in London.

David Ward on the Theatre by the Lake

28 June 2011

in Books, Regional Theatre, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: DAVID WARD The journalist and literary consultant of the extraordinary 400-seat Theatre by the Lake in Keswick talks to David Chadderton about the history of this venue, which he also explores in his book, Encore! Ten Years of Theatre by the Lake (Bookcase, 2009).

Braham Murray and the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre

28 June 2011

in Directors, Regional Theatre, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: BRAHAM MURRAY The joint-artistic director of the Manchester Royal Exchange theatre, who has just announced his retirement from the job, talks to David Chadderton on the telephone about a career spanning four decades as a leading light in the theatrical life of the city, in a tale whose proudest moment was leading the rebuilding of his venue after it was almost destroyed by an IRA bomb.

Soho artistic director Steve Marmion unveils first season

7 April 2011

in Directors, Playwrights, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: STEVE MARMION The new artistic director of the Soho Theatre tells Aleks Sierz about his innovative first season, including the first London production of Anthony Neilson’s Realism (2006) and OperaUpClose’s Don Giovanni, and his plans for two new performance spaces at this new writing venue. Recorded at the Soho Theatre.

Dominic Dromgoole on massive plans for the Globe

21 January 2011

in Directors, Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: DOMINIC DROMGOOLE The artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe talks about his plans for a multi-lingual festival of Shakespeare’s complete works, to coincide with the run-up to the 2012 Olympics; he also describes the major new project to construct an indoor Jacobean theatre alongside the Globe and outlines the vision behind the 2011 season The Word Is God. Dominic Cavendish quizzes.

Rare chat with theatre owner and producer Nica Burns

15 November 2010

in Producers, Theatre buildings, Theatre People

INTERVIEW: NICA BURNS Philip Fisher persuades Nica Burns, current President of the Society of London Theatre, to reflect on a career that started on the Fringe, and eventually led to ownership of Nimax – a production company which she runs along with Max Weitzenhoffer – and five West End theatres.

Theatre Delicatessen and the site-specific Souk

13 September 2010

in Directors, Site Specific, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: JESSICA BREWSTER The Joint Artistic Director of Theatre Delicatessen talks to Matt Boothman about the company’s occupation of derelict spaces in affluent areas of London, and about Theatre Souk, a ‘theatre marketplace’ in which acts and audiences haggle over what each performance is worth. Recorded at 3-4 Picton Place, London.

Howard Brenton on Anne Boleyn, and more

28 June 2010

in Playwrights, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: HOWARD BRENTON The playwright talks to Carole Woddis about his three current productions: his new play, Anne Boleyn (Shakespeare’s Globe), his adaptation of Robert Tressell’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Liverpool/Chichester) and his version of Georg Buchner’s Danton’s Death (National).

The wonderful world of National Theatre programmes

28 May 2010

in Theatre buildings, Theatre People

INTERVIEW: LYN HAILL The Head of Print and Publications at the National Theatre talks to Carole Woddis about how the flagship’s programmes have evolved from simple cast lists into the lavish publications that have proved so popular today. Recorded at the National Theatre.

New Diorama Theatre: an exciting London venue

6 April 2010

in Design, Directors, Theatre buildings

NEW DIORAMA SPECIAL On the eve of its inaugural show, David Byrne, Programming Manager of the New Diorama Theatre (a newly built 80-seat venue in central London), and Robert Gillespie, author of Love, Question Mark, the venture’s first show, tell Aleks Sierz about the thrill of opening a new theatre.

The Theatres Trust on saving theatre buildings

24 July 2009

in Theatre buildings

FOCUS ON THEATRE BUILDINGS Mhora Samuel, Director of the Theatres Trust, talks to Aleks Sierz about this organisation’s work in promoting the value of theatre buildings and championing their future. Recorded at Dewynters, London.

New V&A Theatre and Performance Galleries

30 March 2009

in Actors and Performers, Theatre buildings, Theatre People

INTERVIEW: KATE DORNEY The V&A’s curator of modern and contemporary performance talks to Aleks Sierz about the newly opened Theatre and Performance Galleries at the museum, which display all things theatrical from historical posters to recent video recordings, and from Dame Edna Everage’s costume to Mick Jagger’s jumpsuit.

Michael Attenborough on heading the Almeida

21 October 2008

in Directors, Producers, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: MICHAEL ATTENBOROUGH (2/2) The artistic director of the Almeida Theatre in north London talks to Aleks Sierz about the running of the theatre and previews its upcoming 2009 season, which features a mix of rarely performed classics, better-known plays and new work.

Dominic Dromgoole on the new season at Shakespeare’s Globe

8 February 2008

in Directors, Theatre buildings

SHAKESPEARE: DOMINIC DROMGOOLE The artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe tells Heather Neill about the 2008 season, directing Lear and why this unique theatre space needs to stage contemporary plays as well as classics.

The Arts Council fights back

5 February 2008

in New Writing, Producers, Theatre buildings

ARTS COUNCIL DEBATE Barbara Matthews, director of theatre strategy at Arts Council England, defends the controversial funding cuts, emphasises the good news in the recent review, and talks about new writing, peer review and excellence in British theatre. Aleks Sierz quizzes.

Stephen Unwin on the new Rose Theatre

5 February 2008

in Directors, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: STEPHEN UNWIN The artistic director of the new Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames talks to Heather Neill about the opportunities and challenges of running this unique space with no public funding.

Barbara Baker on Backstage Stories

25 January 2008

in Books, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: BARBARA BAKER The author of Backstage Stories (Continuum) chats to Aleks Sierz about her new book of interviews, which is a behind-the-scenes look at the many different professions, from directors to wig-makers, that are needed in order to create a show. Recorded at Dewynters, London.

Buddy Dalton: New End theatre

23 January 2008

in 1970s Drama, Directors, London Fringe, Theatre buildings

INTERVIEW: BUDDY DALTON The alternative theatre impresario, who set up the New End fringe theatre in an abandoned morgue in 1974, talks to her grand-daughter Polly Pearson about the shows, finances and audiences of the 1970s.

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