Hampstead Theatre specialises in new writing, and has developed a progressive strategy to join up outreach work to the core artistic practice. The organisation has a strong commitment to regional producing partners, and local community activity. Our funding supports core costs.
In this short film, potter Joanna Howells can be seen making one of the 42 vases needed for the staging of Howard Brenton's new play, #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei playing until 18 May 2013.
Howells, who works from a studio in Wales, has had plenty of experience producing ceramic ware, but she has never had a commission quite like this one. For those familiar with Ai Weiwei, it might not be too hard to extrapolate which of his artworks would require such a large number of replica props for its realization to the stage, and why this would be such an unusual commission for an artist like Joanne.
Dubbed 'the Beijing Andy Warhol', Ai Weiwei receives international recognition for his ground-breaking work and his efforts to effect social change in China. In 2012 ArtReview listed the 100 most powerful people in the art world and put him at number 3. Political activism and headlining work such as his collaboration with Herzog and de Meuron in the design of the 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium in Beijing have brought him worldwide attention, which later intensified when he denounced the Games as a 'fake smile', an allusion to the oppression he claimed lay beneath the public face of celebration.
To read the rest of this article please visit hampsteadtheatre.com
In this short film, potter Joanna Howells can be seen making one of the 42 vases needed for the staging of Howard Brenton's new play, #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei playing until 18 May 2013.
Howells, who works from a studio in Wales, has had plenty of experience producing ceramic ware, but she has never had a commission quite like this one. For those familiar with Ai Weiwei, it might not be too hard to extrapolate which of his artworks would require such a large number of replica props for its realization to the stage, and why this would be such an unusual commission for an artist like Joanne.
Dubbed 'the Beijing Andy Warhol', Ai Weiwei receives international recognition for his ground-breaking work and his efforts to effect social change in China. In 2012 ArtReview listed the 100 most powerful people in the art world and put him at number 3. Political activism and headlining work such as his collaboration with Herzog and de Meuron in the design of the 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium in Beijing have brought him worldwide attention, which later intensified when he denounced the Games as a 'fake smile', an allusion to the oppression he claimed lay beneath the public face of celebration.
To read the rest of this article please visit hampsteadtheatre.com
Hampstead Theatre is delighted to welcome back Propeller after their sell-out success with Henry V and The Winter's Tale last summer.
Led by Director Edward Hall, internationally acclaimed all-male company, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic. Propeller engages its audience's imagination and brings fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered.
One of Shakespeare's best loved comedies of love and confusion, Twelfth Night tells a twisted tale of mistaken identity, transformation and deception. With a man playing a girl disguised as a boy, illusion and reality are almost indistinguishable on Propeller's island of Illyria. Dark and delightful, the play asks 'What happens when you fall in love with the wrong person?' and the answer is both beautiful and bittersweet.
The Taming of the Shrew will be playing at Hampstead Theatre 2 - 20 July 2013. Click here for more information - http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/
Hampstead Theatre is delighted to welcome back Propeller after their sell-out success with Henry V and The Winter's Tale last summer.
Led by Director Edward Hall, internationally acclaimed all-male company, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic. Propeller engages its audience's imagination and brings fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered.
In The Taming Of The Shrew two, disguised, competing suitors clamour for the hand of beautiful Bianca whilst gold digging Petruchio agrees to wed her viciously ill-tempered sister Kate sight-unseen. The difference between marrying for love and marrying for money, however, becomes increasingly difficult to judge. This brash, brutal and darkly comic story pulls no punches.
The Taming of the Shrew will be playing at Hampstead Theatre 3 - 20 July 2013. Click here for more information - http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/
Juliet -- young, smart and sassy -- has got herself a fresh start in a new flat.
But there's a problem.
Amidst the boxes, a strange guy is also moving in -- and he won't leave... He says the agency has fouled up and her flat is actually his flat.
And as if that's not enough, the real problem is that, well, he's actually rather sexy...
Hello/Goodbye is playing at Hampstead Downstairs from 1 - 30 March 2013. Click here for more information and to book tickets - http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2012/downstairs-hello-goodbye/
We interview Hello/Goodbye Writer Peter Souter and Director Tamara Harvey about their inspirations, falling in and out of love and tingly arms.
Hello/Goodbye is on at Hampstead Downstairs from 1 - 30 March 2013. Click here for more information and to book tickets - http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2012/downstairs-hello-goodbye/
10 Minute Tales: Deep & Crisp & Even
Written by Peter Souter (writer of Hampstead Downstairs play Hello/Goodbye which runs from 1 - 30 March - http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2012/downstairs-hello-goodbye/)
Directed by Brett Foraker
Timothy Spall is The Man, and Natascha McElhone is The Woman. In a land not so faraway, a woman lives in a snow- smothered cottage. She wraps herself in a dozen coats, and hides beneath a dozen towering hats; only her sad eyes are visible. Shunned as an oddity by everyone except her neighbour, a small, quiet man with a mouth full of astoundingly ugly teeth, the woman is stuck in her very own Groundhog Day. Will anyone melt away the misery and save her from a decidedly frosty fate? A fairy tale for people who don't really believe in fairy tales.
Hampstead Theatre is delighted to welcome back Propeller after their sell-out success with The Comedy of Errors and Richard III last summer.
Internationally acclaimed all-male company, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic, Propeller engages its audience's imagination and brings fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered.
Director Edward Hall talks about the Henry V cast training with the British Army, creating a West Country 'guileless, mini Glastonbury' Bohemia for The Winter's Tale and taking Propeller to all corners of the world.
3 - 21 July 2012
For more details and booking visit www.hampsteadtheatre.com
1924. The Paris Olympic Games.
A devout Scottish Christian runs for the glory of God. The son of an immigrant Lithuanian Jew runs to overcome prejudice. Two young track athletes who live for the beautiful purity of running and who prevail in the face of overwhelming odds.
Based on the extraordinary true story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, Chariots of Fire is an Olympic tale of hope, honour and belief.
Mike Bartlett is bringing one of the most thrilling Olympic stories to the stage for the first time in a dazzling new adaptation from Colin Welland's original screenplay. His plays include Earthquakes in London for Headlong Theatre, 13 for the National, Love, Love, Love for Paines Plough, the Olivier Award Winning Cock, Contractions and My Child at the Royal Court and Artefacts at the Bush.
Directed by Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director Edward Hall, Chariots of Fire promises to be the theatrical event of our Olympic year.
Award winning designer Miriam Buether will be transforming Hampstead Theatre into its very own stadium giving an immersive experience that evokes the 1924 Paris Olympics. The production will also feature the music of the legendary Vangelis score with additional live music and arrangements by Tony Award winning composer Jason Carr.
Tony award-winning Druid presents DruidMurphy -- Plays by Tom Murphy - the story of Irish emigration; a story both of those who went and those who were left behind.
Told through three of the greatest plays of Tom Murphy; Conversations on a Homecoming, A Whistle in the Dark and Famine, DruidMurphy is a major celebration of one of Ireland's most respected living dramatists.
Crossing oceans and spanning decades, DruidMurphy is directed by Garry Hynes, described by The New York Times as 'probably the foremost interpreter of Irish drama in the world today', and covers the period from The Great Hunger of the 19th century to the 'new' Ireland of the 70s, exploring what we mean when we call a place home.
Part of the London 2012 Festival -- the finale of the Cultural Olympiad - DruidMurphy promises to be one of the theatrical events of 2012.
Hampstead Theatre is delighted to welcome back Propeller after their sell-out success with The Comedy of Errors and Richard III last summer.
Led by Director Edward Hall, internationally acclaimed all-male company, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic. Propeller engages its audience's imagination and brings fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered.
The Winter's Tale tells the mysterious, extraordinary, tragic story of a man consumed by an inexplicable jealousy that destroys his family, his kingdom and himself. Wracked with guilt, Leontes sets off a chain reaction of events that leads to a miraculous climax and the chance of redemption. The greatest playwright writing at the height of his powers, this is poetry in motion. This is a re-visiting of Propeller's highly-acclaimed 2005 production.
Henry V tells the tale of the greatest British warrior in English folklore. In a time when nationalism is at its most dangerous and exciting, and increasing numbers of British servicemen and women are seeing active service, Propeller brings its own unique take on one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. Thrilling and deeply moving, Henry V marks the beginning of a journey that takes us from the corridors of Westminster to the fields of France in an evening of unforgettable power. On at Hampstead Theatre from 3 - 21 July 2012. Call 020 7722 9301 or visit hampsteadtheatre.com.
The Trial of Ubu is a savage comedy that interrogates the assumptions of a Court as it struggles to deal with defendants who are not only opposed to the morality of law, but exist in a different moral dimension altogether.
Simon Stephens' virtuosic satire examines the often absurd legal wrangling of the international justice system. His previous plays include Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith/Royal Exchange), Wastwater (Royal Court), Harper Regan (National Theatre) and the Olivier Award winning Best New Play On the Shore of the Wide World (National Theatre/Royal Exchange).
Katie Mitchell returns to Hampstead Theatre following the sell out run of small hours. Mitchell reunites with Stephens after their critically acclaimed Wastwater at the Royal Court. Her recent work includes After Dido (ENO/Young Vic), Pains of Youth, ...some trace of her, Waves, Three Sisters and The Seagull (National Theatre).
Trailer produced by Strike Digital
'Edward Hall's superb, all-male company Propeller proves again the value of a true ensemble and a director who treats Shakespeare's plays as if they'd just been written.' The Guardian (on A Midsummer Night's Dream 2009).
Richard III brings the War of the Roses cycle of history plays to a close in bloody fashion. Arguably Shakespeare's most villainous King, we watch in horror and delight as Richard murders his way to the throne, unable to resist his cruel wit and dark humour. This is a hugely entertaining and diabolical adventure that tells the story of one man's journey to heaven, then back to hell.
Internationally acclaimed all-male company, led by Director Edward Hall, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic to engage its audience's imagination and bring fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered
'Edward Hall's superb, all-male company Propeller proves again the value of a true ensemble and a director who treats Shakespeare's plays as if they'd just been written.' The Guardian (on A Midsummer Night's Dream 2009).
The Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare's most farcical comedy, and also his smartest. Two sets of estranged twins, separated at birth, find themselves in the same city 25 years later with hilarious consequences. A series of mistaken identities, assumed personas, and wild mishaps bring a family crisis - so complicated that time itself loses the plot - into heart warming focus. Fortunately the audience is always one step ahead...
Internationally acclaimed all-male company, led by Director Edward Hall, Propeller is renowned for combining a rigorous approach to the text with an exciting, physical aesthetic to engage its audience's imagination and bring fresh understanding to classic plays. It's Shakespeare rediscovered.
23 June - 9 July 2011
Re-told by Carol Ann Duffy, adapted by Melly Still and Tim Supple, directed by Melly Still.
Grisly and gruesome, hilarious and hair-raising, Hampstead Theatre's festive treat brings you Brothers Grimm and other European fairytales to make you laught with delight and shiver with glee.
Hell's Kitchen, Summer '77, Heatwave... Pat is Ed's girl. He deals guns so she can live the American dream. And Ed wants more. Only problem is... Pat wants out...
.45 by Gary Lennon runs at Hampstead Downstairs (Hampstead Theatre's downstairs studio space) 3 - 27 November 2010
Watch the trailer! The first show of Hampstead Theatre's new season, Enlightenment, is a mesmeric psychological thriller by Shelagh Stephenson, directed by Edward Hall - our new Artistic Director.
Simon Slater, the Composer on Enlightenment, has written the original score for this trailer.
Running 30 September - 30 October 2010
Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3EU
www.hampsteadtheatre.com | 020 7722 9301
A Headlong and Curve Theatre, Leicester co-production. At Hampstead Theatre 22 June - 17 July. www.hampsteadtheatre.com
The savage power of ancient myth collides with twentieth century decadence in Oscar Wilde's astonishing verse tragedy. Salome, step-daughter of King Herod agrees to perform the mysterious dance of the seven veils but demands in return the head of the King's most infamous prisoner. The head of John the Baptist.
Wilde's Salome is a dazzling, shocking piece of storytelling from one of the greatest writers of the last two hundred years. It is fragile, savage and shimmeringly beautiful, rendered in exquisite poetry and unforgettable theatrical images.
Jamie Lloyd is one of the most acclaimed young directors in British theatre. Recent work includes Piaf (Donmar / West End), Three Days of Rain (West End) and the award-winning The Pride (Royal Court).
Headlong and Curve Theatre, Leicester present a vivid contemporary production of this rarely-seen masterpiece. Headlong is one of the countrys most innovative theatre companies. Recent work includes the critically acclaimed productions of Six Characters in Search of an Author (West End) and ENRON (West End/Broadway).
"Were the litmus test of whether a society respects human rights. Were the canaries in the mine."
In 1960s Liverpool, two lovers hide in the closet, then are forced to go their separate ways.
While pits close and dole queues grow, a couple of runaways find Heaven in 1980s London.
In 2010, despite civil partnerships and an equal age of consent, the paparazzi chase a love story that could tear a family apart.
Laced with surreal touches and pitch-black humour, Canary is an unflinching story about love, honesty, and being brave enough to sing out.
Jonathan Harvey is a multi award-winning writer who established his reputation with Beautiful Thing, his play-turned-film for which he received an Olivier Award nomination and the John Whiting Award. Hampstead Theatre premiered his plays Out in the Open and Swan Song. As a screen writer, his credits include Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Coronation Street, and the recent cult series Beautiful People.
Hettie Macdonald directs, once again collaborating with Jonathan, having directed both the original stage and film versions of Beautiful Thing.
A stellar cast includes Paula Wilcox (Man about the House, The Smoking Room, Emmerdale) and Sean Gallagher (Linda Green, Heartbeat, Coronation Street)
Contains scenes and images of a sexual nature, nudity and adult language.
A co-production between Hampstead Theatre, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, and English Touring Theatre.
Playing at HAMPSTEAD THEATRE 19 MAY - 12 JUNE 2010.
Box Office: 020 7722 9301. www.hampsteadtheatre.com
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The making of the Han Dynasty Urns in #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei
Making the Urns in #aiww: The Arrest of AiWeiwei
Propeller's Twelfth Night Trailer
Propeller's The Taming of the Shrew Trailer
Hampstead Downstairs: Hello/Goodbye Trailer
Hello/Goodbye: Interview with Writer Peter Souter and Director Tamara Harvey
Deep & Crisp & Even by Peter Souter
Edward Hall talks about Propeller's latest Double Bill
The Trial Of Ubu TRAILER, A Hampstead Theatre Production
Propeller Richard III Trailer.mov
Propeller The Comedy of Errors Trailer.mov
.45: Daniel Caltagirone about Ed
.45 by Gary Lennon at Hampstead Theatre
.45: Chris Reilly about Reilley
