King's Head Theatre: Difference between revisions
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== Current productions == |
== Current productions == |
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The current show at the King's Head Theatre is ''Rue Magique'' by Lisa Forrell, a musical dealing with prostitution based on a true story<ref name="ruemagique">[http://www.broadwaybaby.com/fringe/reviews/ruemagique Broadway Baby], ''A savage tale soothed by the power of music''. URL last accessed on [[2008-10-27]].</ref>. |
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Following ''Rue Magique'', the King's Head will play host to ''Boys Of The Empire'', a comedy written by [[Glenn Chandler]] which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2008<ref name="boysoftheempire">[http://www.boysoftheempire.com Boys Of The Empire], ''Boys Of The Empire''. URL last accessed on [[2008-10-27]].</ref>. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 21:14, 20 June 2009
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| Address | Upper Street Islington, London  United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Pub theatre |
| Production | Visiting productions |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Website | |
| www.kingsheadtheatre.org | |
The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by the late Dan Crawford, is an Off-West End venue in London. It was the first pub theatre in the UK.
The theatre is located in the back room behind the bar at the King's Head pub on Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The small area creates a very intimate setting for actors and audience alike.
The theatre is now housed in a Victorian building, but a public house, originally known as The King's Head Tavern, has remained on the same site, opposite the parish church, since 1543.[1]
Dan Crawford disagreed with the introduction of decimal currency. For twenty-plus years after decimalisation of the pound sterling (on 15 February 1971), the bar continued to show prices and charged for drinks in pre-decimal currency.
Crawford ran the venue until his death in 2005, when his wife and long-serving associate artistic director Stephanie Sinclaire took over. In 2007, she was joined by the Tony-Award winning New York producer, Steven M. Levy, who has been serving as the company's Executive Producer. From July 2008 to May 2009, Danielle Tarento served as joint artistic director. Tarento is best known as the theatre co-founder with David Babani of the Menier Chocolate Factory.[2]
The King's Head has presented a wide array of productions: musicals, stand-up comedy, revues, contemporary and forgotten classics, and new work by both new and established playwrights. It has won multiple awards. Numerous productions have transferred to mainstream West End and Broadway theatres.
Artists who have appeared at the King's Head Theatre include Steven Berkoff, Kenneth Branagh, Kathy Burke, Judy Campbell, Ken Campbell, Dan Castellaneta, Quentin Crisp, Anita Dobson, Dawn French, Brian Friel, Rupert Graves, Patricia Hodge, John Hurt, Neil Innes, Ben Kingsley, Peter Land, Joanna Lumley, Jean Marsh, Sylvester McCoy, Ron Moody, Gary Oldman, Clive Owen, Susan Penhaligon, Nigel Planer, Michael Praed, Bertice Reading, Corin Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Prunella Scales, Mel Smith, Victor Spinetti, John Standing, Imelda Staunton, Tom Stoppard, Janet Suzman, Sylvia Simms, Victoria Wood, Susannah York and Leigh Zimmerman.
Many of them participated in a documentary about the theatre, The King's Head: A Maverick in London (2006), produced by Dragonfly Films and Xi Pictures.
Current productions
References
- ^ The Stage, News report 24 July 2008
External links
- The King's Head Theatre site
- Dan Crawford, Obituary
- Review of the King's Head Theatre Pub
- Betwixt - The Musical
