ALMEIDA THEATRE

The 'Almeida Theatre' is a studio theatre with an international reputation, and was founded in 1980. It takes its name from the street in which it is located off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington.

Contents

History

Refurbishment, 2001-2002

Artistic directors

Notable productions

References

External links

History

The ''Islington Literary and Scientific Society'' was established in 1833 and first met in Mr. Edgeworth's academy, on Upper Street. Its object was to spread knowledge through lectures, discussions, and experiments, politics and theology being forbidden. A building was erected in 1837 in Wellington (later Almeida) Street, designed by Roumieu and Gough in a stuccoed Grecian style. It included a library, with 3,300 volumes in 1839, reading room, museum, laboratory, and lecture theatre seating 500. The subscription was 2 guineas a year. The library was sold off in 1872 and the building sold or leased in 1874 to the ''Wellington Club'', which occupied it until 1886. In 1885 the hall was used for concerts, balls, and public meetings. The Salvation Army bought the building in 1890, renamed it the ''Wellington Castle barracks'', and remained there until 1955. The building became a factory and showroom for ''Beck's British Carnival Novelties'' for a few years from 1956 then remained empty until in 1978 a campaign began to turn it into a theatre. A public appeal was launched in 1981 and a festival of avant-garde theatre and music was held there and at other Islington venues in 1982, and the successful permanent theatre founded.
'Islington: Social and cultural activities', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 45-51 accessed: 09 March 2007
From its foundation it sought to produce new writing and revivals to a high standard, and having established an international reputation, it remains a key London theatre. It was conceived by Lebanese-born, Oxford-educated Pierre Audi in 1978, after he had acquired a the derelict building in a then-unfashionable part of Islington near the Kings Cross railway station, just north of Central London. It was reconfigured for use as a 300-seat theatre.
It is a non-profit producing theatre whose productions regularly play to packed houses and frequently transfer to the West End (14 between 1990 and 2002) and to Broadway. ^[1]
Its repertoire consists of work by major playwrights, old and new, British and foreign, including many by Shakespeare. It has acquired an artistic reputation comparable to the leading theatres in central London and, as noted by playwright David Hare, "it reinvented the European repertoire for London audiences and made British theatre more cosmopolitan and outward going". ^[2]

In 1990, Ian McDiarmid and Jonathan Kent took over the artistic direction and the Almeida became a full-time theatre for the first time. During their years as head of the theatre, they were described by ''The Guardian'' as "(making) Islington a centre of enlightened internationalism"^[3]
and, as they were about to leave their positions in 2002, Michael Billington, in same newspaper, summed up their achievements as threefold:
:"Three things have made the Almeida the most exciting theatre in Britain. First, an eclectically international programme: everything from Molière and Marivaux to Brecht and Neil LaBute. Second, top-level casting that has given us Ralph Fiennes in ''Hamlet'' and ''Ivanov'', Kevin Spacey in ''The Iceman Cometh'' and Juliette Binoche in ''Naked''. Third, a territorial expansion that has seen the Almeida colonise the Hackney Empire, the old Gainsborough film studios and even a converted bus depot in King's Cross".^[4]
Director Michael Attenborough took over as head of the theatre in 2002 following its remodeling.

Refurbishment, 2001-2002

In November 1999, the Almeida was awarded £1.5 million by the Arts Council of England to undertake essential repairs to the theatre. The work began early in 2001 when the theatre was closed, and the company moved temporarily to a converted bus station at King's Cross. National Lottery backing of £5.8 million allowed for a complete restoration.
The restoration included rebuilding and extending the foyer, installing more comfortable seating and access, plus better backstage facilities with the stage area re-built for flexibility and strength, the roof improved and insulated, the lighting grid strengthened, complete re-wiring, and technical equipment updated.^[5]
The structure of the building was Grade II listed by English Heritage in 1972. The current modified building retains the listing.^[6]

Artistic directors

★ Pierre Audi, (1980–1990)

★ Jonathan Kent and Ian McDiarmid, (1990–2002)

★ Michael Attenborough, (2002-)

Notable productions

★ ''Scenes from an Execution'' by Howard Barker with Glenda Jackson and Jonathan Hyde (1990)

★ ''Betrayal'' by Harold Pinter directed by David Leveaux with Martin Shaw and Cheryl Campbell (1991)

★ ''Medea'' by Euripides directed by Jonathan Kent with Diana Rigg (1992) transferred to the West End and Broadway (1994)

★ ''The Deep Blue Sea'' by Terence Rattigan directed by Karel Reisz with Penelope Wilton (1993) transferred to Apollo Theatre

★ ''Moonlight'' by Harold Pinter directed by David Leveaux with Ian Holm (1993)

★ ''Tartuffe'' by Molière directed by Jonathan Kent with Ian McDiarmid and Tom Hollander (1996)

★ ''Ivanov'' by Anton Chekhov translated by David Hare directed by Jonathan Kent with Ralph Fiennes and Harriet Walter (1997)

★ ''The Iceman Cometh'' by Eugene O'Neill directed by Howard Davies with Kevin Spacey (1998, transferred to the Old Vic Theatre and to Broadway)

★ ''The Tempest'' by William Shakespeare directed by Jonathan Kent (final production) (2000)

★ ''The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?'' by Edward Albee directed by Anthony Page with Jonathan Pryce (2004)

★ Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen directed by Richard Eyre with Eve Best (2005)

References

1. ''Celebrated double act quits Almeida theatre'' Fiachra Gibbons, September 5, 2001 ''The Guardian'' accessed 4 Sep 2007
2. end of Act One'' Kate Kellaway,, January 27, 2002 ''The Observer'' accessed 4 Sep 2007
3. ''The Players'' Michael Billington, July 6, 2002 ''The Guardian'' accessed 4 Sep 2007
4. ''It's like being in love'' Michael Billington, January 12, 2002 ''The Guardian'' accessed 4 Sep 2007
5. ''Little gem'' Jonathan Glancey,, ''The Guardian'' May 5, 2003 accessed 4 Sep 2007
6. English Heritage listing details accessed 4 Sept 2007

External links

★ Official Almeida Theatre website

★ musicOMH.com - reviews of recent Almeida productions