An Open Letter to the Culture Secretary from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse Theatre Artistic Directors and cultural leaders on the importance of protecting representation in the sector
The Rt Hon Olivier Dowden CBESecretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport100 Parliament StreetLondonSW1 2BQ Dear Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Culture, Throughout the last decade, British theatre has led the world with regard to the Black, Asian and ethnic diversity on our stages. Many of those actors are now international names: …
Information for people working in the arts
The impact of COVID-19 is a critical threat to the livelihoods of all those who work in the arts. If you work in theatre, we encourage you to check out the following guidelines and sources of support: The Theatre Artists FundThe Theatre Artists Fund has been set up to provide emergency support for theatre workers and …
Information for ticket holders
We still plan to stage all of the productions in our 20th anniversary season. However, due to the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus), it may be necessary to postpone some productions. We will contact you if you have tickets for a production that is postponed, and once we can confirm new dates we will offer an …
Watch Mark Thomas’ OUR NHS @ 70 and support food banks during COVID-19 outbreak
Mark Thomas performed his critically-acclaimed show, Check-Up: Our NHS @ 70, at Arcola Theatre in October 2018. Until Thursday 26 March 2020, you can watch it from your own home and support foodbanks. It’s pay what you can, with all proceeds going to the Trussell Trust. ★★★★ “A devastatingly thorough portrait of a system in crisis, shot through with unlikely humour” …
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Arcola suspends all public performances to help combat COVID-19
We need your help to survive the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Will you help us with a donation today?
Arcola‘s co-founders win Off West End Special Achievement Award
The co-founders of Arcola Theatre have received the Off West End Special Achievement Award for their work staging outstanding theatre in the heart of Hackney over 20 years. Mehmet Ergen (Artistic Director) and Leyla Nazli (Executive Producer) received the award at the Off West End Awards ceremony at Battersea Arts Centre on Sunday 8 March …
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Cast announced for PIPELINE
The full casting has been announced today for the European première of Dominique Morisseau’s Pipeline, directed by Jack Gamble, which opens at Arcola Theatre on 31 March, with previews from 26 March. Pipeline is a powerful and compassionate drama about parental duty and the state of education. Dominique Morisseau (Sunset Baby, Gate Theatre) is a …
Cast announced for GENTLEMEN
The full casting has been announced today for the world première of Matt Parvin’s new drama Gentlemen, directed by Richard Speir, which opens at Arcola Theatre on 24 March, with previews from 18 March. Testing the limits of retribution and the power of social status at university, Gentlemen examines what happens when culture turns toxic, …
Cast announced for THE CUTTING EDGE
Arcola Theatre today announces the full cast for the world premiere of The Cutting Edge, a tragicomedy about life, money and art written and directed by Jack Shepherd. The play stars James Clyde (Peter), Michael Feast (Zak), Jasmine Hyde (Anna), Maggie Steed (Elvira) and David Sturzaker (Chris). The creative team includes Louie Whitemore (Designer), Richard …
Arcola Theatre announces 20th anniversary season
New, year-long season celebrates 20 years of Arcola 11 world premieres – from artists who helped shape Arcola’s first two decades, including Jack Shepherd, Barney Norris, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Leyla Nazli, David Farr and Tena Štivičić, and from a new generation European premiere of Dominique Morisseau’s Pipeline, a new staging of Death In Venice starring Greg …
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Arcola Theatre to showcase Hackney’s creativity with festival of community and youth shows
Hackney’s diverse community will take centre stage at Arcola Theatre in February and March 2020. The Creative Disruption Festival will feature ten productions performed by members of the theatre’s award-winning youth, schools and community programme. Arcola Participation creates over 13,000 opportunities a year for local people and young artists to get involved in the performing …
Open Call For Arcola Bar Performers
Arcola Bar is looking for bands, individuals and orchestras – in a span of genres from classical to jazz, soul, funk and more – to be part of a new, curated music programme. Our license allows us to be open all day and until 3am. We are looking for daytime and late-night acts that can …
Cast announced for #WeAreArrested
Arcola Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company today announce the full cast for the London première of Pippa Hill and Sophie Ivatts’ adaptation of #WeAreArrested by Can Dündar, a vital story about the cost of reporting the truth in the age of fake news. Ivatts directs Jamie Cameron (Son), Peter Hamilton Dyer (Can) and Indra …
Cast announced for HUNGER
Arcola Theatre and Jump Spark today announce the full cast for Amanda Lomas‘ bold new imagining of Hunger, adapted from the ground-breaking psychological novel by Knut Hamsun. Fay Lomas directs Archie Backhouse (Hans), Katie Eldred (Ylayali), Kwami Odoom (The Young Man) and Jessica Tomlinson (Landlady). The production opens on 25 November, with previews from 20 …
Grimeborn 2019 is most successful ever
The thirteenth edition of Arcola’s Grimeborn Opera Festival was the most successful of all time, attracting more than 6,500 people and over a thousand first-time visitors. There were £12 tickets for all 16 operas, and a record number of sold-out performances. Two productions – Arcola Theatre’s Das Rheingold and Arcola Participation Queer Collective’s Don Jo …
Arcola wins Fringe First and Stage Edinburgh Award for UNTIL THE FLOOD
Arcola Theatre’s production of Until The Flood, Dael Orlandersmith’s powerful one-woman play about the Ferguson community in the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, has been awarded a Scotsman Fringe First Award and a Stage Edinburgh Award. Fringe Firsts are awarded by The Scotsman newspaper, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, for …
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Cast announced for ANNA BELLA EEMA
Arcola Theatre, Atticist and Ellie Keel Productions today announce full cast for the UK première of Anna Bella Eema by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D’Amour. Jessica Lazar directs the ensemble Natasha Cottriall, Gabrielle Brooks and Beverley Rudd. The new production opens at Arcola Theatre on 16 September, with previews from 11 September, and runs until …
Arcola Theatre announces Autumn 2019 season
7 shows explore the power of truth and imagination in troubled times All plays written or adapted by female writers. Over half directed by women Arcola’s first co-production with the Royal Shakespeare Company exposes the cost of reporting the truth in the age of fake news European and UK premieres from Dael Orlandersmith and Lisa …
A statement about Knut Hamsun
HUNGER is a story about a young man on the poverty line, struggling to make his way in an unfeeling city. It was first published as a novel in 1890, and had a notable influence on psychological literature. The author of the novel, Knut Hamsun, held racist views and was sympathetic to fascist regimes. He made a …