Almeida Theatre
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The Almeida Theatre, which was founded in 1980, is one of the key theatres in London, England. It was conceived by Lebanese-born, Oxford-educated Pierre Audi in 1978, after he had acquired a derelict building which first opened in 1837 as the "Islington Literary and Scientific Institution" followed by a music hall and Salvation Army Hall 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 cosmopolitain 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.
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[edit] 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 2001 and the theatre was closed, with the company moving temporarily to a converted bus station at King's Cross. National Lottery backing of £5.8 million allowed for a complete restoration.
This included rebuilding and extending the foyer, supplying 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.
[edit] Artistic Directors
[edit] 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)
[edit] References
- Michael Billington, "The Players", The Guardian (London), 6 July 2002 (a review of British theatre theatre history)
- Michael Billington, "It's Like Being In Love", The Guardian (London), 12 January 2002 (interview with Michael Attenborough)
- Fiachra Gibbons, "Celebrated double act quits Almeida", The Guardian (London), 5 September 2001 (annoucement of Kent and McDiarmid's departure)
- Kate Kellaway, "Almeida: end of Act One", The Observer (London), 27 January 2002 (Interview with Jonathan Kent as he departs)
