The King's Head Theatre
Encyclopedia
The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an Off-West End venue in London. It was the first pub theatre in the UK
. Adam Spreadbury-Maher
became Artistic Director in March 2010 The Stage article .
, in the London Borough of Islington
. The theatre is housed in a Victorian building, but a public house, originally known as The King's Head Tavern, has been on the same site, opposite the parish church, since 1543. The theatre's reconstruction in 2007-2008 increased both the stage size and seating capacity, with the addition of new seating.
Dan Crawford ran the venue until his death in 2005. His wife and long-serving associate artistic director Stephanie Sinclaire
took over with help from those who had worked with Crawford. She mounted 20 galas in the first year at the theatre with the help of Caroline Smith and long time supporters such as Maureen Lipman
, Sir John Mortimer, Linda Marlowe, Sharon D Clarke, Clive Rowe
, Janie Dee
and others and pulled the theatre out of debt. In 2007, Sinclaire was joined by the Tony-Award winning New York producer, Steven M. Levy, who has been serving as the company's Executive Producer. Levy and Sinclaire got the theatre producing for a year and presented several musical and play premieres.
The atmosphere Crawford created in 1970 was intended to be enjoyed by an interesting, cosmopolitan and cultural audience. Noise complaints have limited the music from its previous 7 nights a week. Dan Crawford disagreed with the introduction of decimal currency. For over twenty years after decimalisation
of the pound (1971), the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimal currency. However, the current management decided to introduce computerised tills, while keeping the antique till as the main focal point in the pub.
and Broadway
theatres. In the five years after his death, notable productions include the world stage premiere of Leonard Bernstein
's Peter Pan
, directed by Stephanie Sinclaire, which transferred to the Lobero Theatre in California. Fucking Men
also ran at the theatre for nine months in the late night slot as well as the main time slot before Steven Levy transferred it to The Arts Theatre.
A documentary about the theatre, The King's Head: A Maverick in London (2006) was produced by Dragonfly Films and Xi Pictures and co-directed by Stephanie Sinclaire and Jason Figgis. It ran on Sky ARTSWorld for three years.
. Also in October 2010 Mark Ravenhill
became associate director, and Jonathan Miller
joined existing patrons Joanna Lumley
, Janie Dee
, Tom Stoppard
and Alan Parker
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Adam Spreadbury-Maher
Adam Spreadbury-Maher
Adam Spreadbury-Maher is a multi-award winning Australian/Irish theatre artistic director, producer and translator. He is the founding Artistic Director of London's Cock Tavern Theatre from January 2009 until the venues closure in April 2011. He became Artistic Director of the Kings Head Theatre...
became Artistic Director in March 2010 The Stage article .
Background
The small theatre is located in the back room behind the bar at the King's Head pub on Upper StreetUpper Street
Upper Street is the main shopping street of the Islington district of inner north London, and carries the A1 road. It runs from the junction of the A1 and Pentonville Road and City Road, and runs roughly northwards past Angel tube station, then past the Business Design Centre, then splits at...
, in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
. The theatre is housed in a Victorian building, but a public house, originally known as The King's Head Tavern, has been on the same site, opposite the parish church, since 1543. The theatre's reconstruction in 2007-2008 increased both the stage size and seating capacity, with the addition of new seating.
Dan Crawford ran the venue until his death in 2005. His wife and long-serving associate artistic director Stephanie Sinclaire
Stephanie Sinclaire
Stephanie Sinclaire , also known as Stephanie Crawford, is a painter and director in theatre and film.She was born Stephanie Anne Weiss in Boston, Massachusetts on February 28, 1954 to Harvard Law graduate and Naval officer Howard A Weiss and singer and painter Bernice Joan Smith...
took over with help from those who had worked with Crawford. She mounted 20 galas in the first year at the theatre with the help of Caroline Smith and long time supporters such as Maureen Lipman
Maureen Lipman
Maureen Diane Lipman CBE is a British film, theatre and television actress, columnist and comedienne.-Early life:Lipman was born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Maurice Julius Lipman and Zelma Pearlman. Her father was a tailor; he used to have a shop between the...
, Sir John Mortimer, Linda Marlowe, Sharon D Clarke, Clive Rowe
Clive Rowe
Clive Rowe is a British actor, probably best known for his role as "Duke" in BBC Children's drama The Story of Tracy Beaker. Rowe grew up in Shaw, Lancashire, in the parish of East Crompton and attended St. James Primary School...
, Janie Dee
Janie Dee
Janie Dee is an English actress and singer.She is married to the actor Rupert Wickham.-Theatre:Dee is presently part of the Globe Theatre 2011 season playing The Countess of Roussillion in Shakespeare's "All's Well that Ends Well" and in October she goes to Nottingham Playhouse to play Amanda in ...
and others and pulled the theatre out of debt. In 2007, Sinclaire was joined by the Tony-Award winning New York producer, Steven M. Levy, who has been serving as the company's Executive Producer. Levy and Sinclaire got the theatre producing for a year and presented several musical and play premieres.
The atmosphere Crawford created in 1970 was intended to be enjoyed by an interesting, cosmopolitan and cultural audience. Noise complaints have limited the music from its previous 7 nights a week. Dan Crawford disagreed with the introduction of decimal currency. For over twenty years after decimalisation
Decimalisation
Decimal currency is the term used to describe any currency that is based on one basic unit of currency and a sub-unit which is a power of 10, most commonly 100....
of the pound (1971), the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimal currency. However, the current management decided to introduce computerised tills, while keeping the antique till as the main focal point in the pub.
History 1970-2010
The King's Head has presented a wide array of productions: musicals, stand-up comedy, revues, contemporary forgotten classics, and new work by both new and established playwrights. Under the Crawfords' leadership The King’s Head has won multiple awards and numerous productions have transferred to mainstream West EndWest 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...
and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
theatres. In the five years after his death, notable productions include the world stage premiere of Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
's Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, directed by Stephanie Sinclaire, which transferred to the Lobero Theatre in California. Fucking Men
Fucking Men
Fucking Men is a play by Joe DiPietro. It premiered at the King's Head Theatre in the London Borough of Islington, directed by Phil Willmott. It opened on 9 January 2009 and was extended three times due to strong sales, and later ran in repertory with Naked Boys Singing...
also ran at the theatre for nine months in the late night slot as well as the main time slot before Steven Levy transferred it to The Arts Theatre.
A documentary about the theatre, The King's Head: A Maverick in London (2006) was produced by Dragonfly Films and Xi Pictures and co-directed by Stephanie Sinclaire and Jason Figgis. It ran on Sky ARTSWorld for three years.
2010
In March 2010, Adam Spreadbury-Maher was appointed Artistic Director. In October 2010, it was announced that the theatre would become "London's Little Opera House", the first new opera house in London for over 40 years. Guardian was an article 19 September 2010 The first opera performed was an adaption of Rossini's Barber of Seville (or Salisbury) set in the times of Jane AustenJane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
. Also in October 2010 Mark Ravenhill
Mark Ravenhill
Mark Ravenhill is an English playwright, actor and journalist.His most famous plays include Shopping and Fucking , Some Explicit Polaroids and Mother Clap's Molly House . He made his acting debut in his monologue Product, at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe...
became associate director, and Jonathan Miller
Jonathan Miller
Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller CBE is a British theatre and opera director, author, physician, television presenter, humorist and sculptor. Trained as a physician in the late 1950s, he first came to prominence in the 1960s with his role in the comedy revue Beyond the Fringe with fellow writers and...
joined existing patrons Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
, Janie Dee
Janie Dee
Janie Dee is an English actress and singer.She is married to the actor Rupert Wickham.-Theatre:Dee is presently part of the Globe Theatre 2011 season playing The Countess of Roussillion in Shakespeare's "All's Well that Ends Well" and in October she goes to Nottingham Playhouse to play Amanda in ...
, Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
and Alan Parker
Alan Parker
Sir Alan William Parker, CBE is an English film director, producer, writer and actor. He has been active in both the British cinema and American cinema and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.-Life and career:...
.