Arcola Theatre
Encyclopedia
Arcola Theatre is a studio theatre
in Dalston
, in the London Borough of Hackney
. The theatre's ambition is to create and present high-quality theatre with a social and political relevance to its multicultural local community as well as a wider audience.
The theatre features two studios seating up to 240 persons and two rehearsal rooms. There is a café and bar in the foyer. The theatre also runs a number of community arts activities including youth drama and a writers' programme.
, in September 2000. The building was formerly a textile factory and celebrated this with its fifth anniversary production, The Factory Girls by Frank McGuiness.
Since its inception the theatre has won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award two years in succession and was awarded Time Out Live Awards in 2003 and 2006. Many productions at the theatre have been selected as Time Out Critic’s Choice.
In 2007, an Arcola co-production of Mojo Mickeybo by Owen McCafferty
became its first West End
transfer to the Trafalgar Studios
. 2007 also marked the first season of the Arcola's Grimeborn
, an opera
and musical theatre
festival which runs for two weeks in August. In January 2011 it moved its theatre to a former paint-manufacturing workshop on Ashwin Street in Dalston, marking the event by premiering The Painter
, a play on JMW Turner by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
.
The theatre is also one of the most successful participants of the 10:10 project
. Over the course of one year they reduced their carbon emissions by 32%.
Studio Theatre
A studio theatre is a 20th-century term that describes a small theatre space. Studio theatres often have a flexible auditorium whose stage and seating may be re-arranged to suit the specific requirements of a production...
in Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, in the London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
. The theatre's ambition is to create and present high-quality theatre with a social and political relevance to its multicultural local community as well as a wider audience.
The theatre features two studios seating up to 240 persons and two rehearsal rooms. There is a café and bar in the foyer. The theatre also runs a number of community arts activities including youth drama and a writers' programme.
History
Arcola Theatre was founded by artistic director Mehmet ErgenMehmet Ergen
Mehmet Ergen is a Turkish-born theatre director, producer and entrepreneur, currently based in London Borough of Hackney. Ergen came to London from Istanbul in 1989 aged 22 speaking minimal English and with no intention on settling in the Capital...
, in September 2000. The building was formerly a textile factory and celebrated this with its fifth anniversary production, The Factory Girls by Frank McGuiness.
Since its inception the theatre has won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award two years in succession and was awarded Time Out Live Awards in 2003 and 2006. Many productions at the theatre have been selected as Time Out Critic’s Choice.
In 2007, an Arcola co-production of Mojo Mickeybo by Owen McCafferty
Owen McCafferty
Owen McCafferty is a playwright from Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, McCafferty held several jobs, including tiling and working in an abattoir, before becoming a full-time writer...
became its first West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
transfer to the Trafalgar Studios
Trafalgar Studios
Trafalgar Studios, formerly The Whitehall Theatre until 2004, is a West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London....
. 2007 also marked the first season of the Arcola's Grimeborn
Grimeborn
Grimeborn is an annual musical theatre and opera festival which coincides with the world famous Glyndebourne Opera Festival. Founded by Arcola Theatre’s artistic director Mehmet Ergen in 2007, the festival is held at Arcola Theatre in Dalston, East London...
, an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
festival which runs for two weeks in August. In January 2011 it moved its theatre to a former paint-manufacturing workshop on Ashwin Street in Dalston, marking the event by premiering The Painter
The Painter (play)
The Painter is a 2011 play by the British writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz on the life and relationships of JMW Turner. It premiered at the Arcola Theatre in January 2011 to mark its move to new premises...
, a play on JMW Turner by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Rebecca Lenkiewicz is a British playwright. She attended Plymouth High School for Girls, then progressed to a BA in Film and English at the University of Kent from 1985 to 1989 and then to a BA Acting Course at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1996 to 1999.-Career:As a writer, her plays...
.
The theatre is also one of the most successful participants of the 10:10 project
10:10
Drono Acharya composed the film's songs and Ritam Sen, Sandip Chakrabarty, Padmanabha Dasgupta, Rana Basu Thakur and Rangeet wrote the lyrics.-External links:* IMDB Title* * *...
. Over the course of one year they reduced their carbon emissions by 32%.