The Architect: Frank Matcham (1854-1920)

Frank Matcham was, beyond argument, one of the world's most accomplished and inventive theatre architects. The architect and theatre historian, Victor Glasstone, suggests that he was the most prolific of all time and adds: 'He was the supreme example of the unacademic architect who could become master of his craft and who could always be relied upon to deliver a lively, sensuous interior, inexpensively constructed, but acutely aware of the technical difficulties of sightlines, acoustics and construction’

Matcham and two architects he helped to train, Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague, were together responsible for the majority - certainly more than 200 - of the theatres and variety palaces of the great building boom which took place in Britain between about 1890 and 1915, peaking at the turn of the century.

The thirty years following World War II saw a scything down of such buildings, then an unstudied, certainly undervalued and largely unprotected building type. By 1975 the number of significant Matcham works remaining in more or less complete condition had been reduced to fewer than 25, even after taking into account the modern recreation of the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and such non-theatrical prodigies as Blackpool Tower Ballroom and Leeds County Arcade.

Frank Matcham's skill was well recognised by those who commissioned his buildings, but he did not begin to achieve fuller recognition until 50 years after his death - and it took a further 25 years to achieve the accolade of inclusion in the Dictionary of National Biography. He was certainly not admired by the leaders of the profession in his day, who saw his office (if they gave it so much as a moments thought) as nothing more than a commercial theatre factory. He was nevertheless, a master of design, creating the building type which, for most people today, is pictured instantly when the word 'theatre' is uttered. He coped triumphantly with powerful commercial pressures (all theatres in his lifetime were commercial) to squeeze the biggest possible auditoria on to the smallest possible sites, while complying with all safety and escape regulations and providing excellent sighting and sound for every seat in the house. His theatres were functionally perfect by the standards of their time and they are still, with judicious updating, fully capable of serving modem demands.

The man was endlessly inventive. No two of his theatres were alike. They employed nearly every known - and some totally invented - styles with seeming abandon but, in fact, with total control, producing magical effects which work on performers and audiences today as they did when they were first built.

Highlights from many of the fund-raising free concerts include - and these are just a brief selection:

Saturday, December 6:
5pm-6pm Holy Cross Church (The Children's Society)
6pm-8pm Amnesty International (two hours)

Thursday, December 11:
6pm-7pm Help the Aged

Friday, December 12:
5pm-9pm Gospel Festival

Thursday, December 18:
5pm-7pm RNIB
7pm-8pm St Mary's Singers (South Africa)
8pm-9pm Bushey & Oxhey District Scouts

Saturday, December 20:
5pm-6pm Anglican Society for Welfare of Animals
6pm-7pm London City Mission
7pm-8pm Cancer Research UK

Wednesday, December 24:
7pm-9pm Walworth Methodist Church (National Children's Homes)

The Mayor says: 'The reopening of Trafalgar Square has been one of this year's highlights, providing a wonderful backdrop to some great free entertainment throughout the year........ What better way to spend an hour or two before a night on the town, or on your way home.'

The Royal Academy's fabulous new space at Burlington Gardens opens with a major exhibition dedicated to the career of the internationally renowned fashion designer, Giorgio Armani.  The building, acquired by the Royal Academy in January 2001, has been brought to life as a new art space in the centre of London.  Located at 6 Burlington Gardens, it lies directly behind the Royal Academy.

With minimal intervention to the building itself, a temporary new and exciting exhibition space has been created on the first floor.   Within the transformed exhibition space - including the white-painted stairwell, acclaimed artist and theatre director Robert Wilson has created a specially conceived installation for Giorgio Armani: A Retrospective.   He  combines architectural elements, dramatic lighting, music, and customized mannequins, to provide a spectacular setting for Armani’s designs.  The location for this exhibit is perfect and the venue makes for a sensational home for the 500 mannequins who fill the rooms, as if at a series of parties

Burlington Gardens - with its restricted use for 'public service' - originally formed part of the Burlington Estate, and was bought by the Government of the day from the Cavendish family in 1854.  The listed Grade 2* building - which was always seen as a centre for intellectual life, for the arts, and for education - was designed by Sir James Pennethorne, a distinguished Victorian architect, between 1867 and 1870. It's original purpose: for the University of London to house its administrative and examination functions. It is

From 1970 the building was occupied by the British Museum, housing the ethnography collection and known as the Museum of Mankind. It closed to the public in December 1997.  Today, the original galleries now form a continuous circuit of exhibition space with the addition of a bridge over the mezzanine gallery. The entrance hall and stairwell have been painted white throughout, revealing the decorative plasterwork. 

The beautifully preserved building now enjoys enhanced facilities on the ground floor including a ticket office, cloakroom, a large entertaining room, a redecorated café and a refitted shop full of fab Armani goodies.

So if you want a good cup of coffee and expensive museum gifts this sensational  space - its interiors reminiscent of the best of New York loft buildings (but with a central staircase) - is a 'must checkout'  addition to your London 'best list'

The dramatic new look to one of London's favorite theatres raised a tantalising question.  Would the recently renovated Almeida - famous for the intermission crowd spilling out onto the street with nowhere else to go (and often getting rained on) - still draw the crowds?

For those who remember fondly those moments of bonding with fellow members of the audience, would the new millennium venue dislodge the very down to earth spirit of the place and performance which made the Almeida unique?

Curiosity was compounded when it was announced that Michael Attenborough was taking over as Artistic Director upon the company's return to North London.  A fascinating debate: new management, a fabulous new foyer, slightly expanded seating...  would the 'up-dated' Almeida live up to its past reputation?

'The Lady from the Sea' was the first production to 'treads the boards' of the refurbished Islington theatre.  Seating  just over 300,  the unique qualities of the theatre remained untouched and the distinctive auditorium retained its curved brick wall.  From the May 8 -  June 28, 2003  Henrik Ibsen's play, directed by Trevor Nunn, designed by Rob Howell and starring Natasha Richardson played to sold-out houses.  

And did the design by architect, Mark Foley - who is an expert in theatre restoration (and quietly aspires to get his hands on a visual arts venue) meet expectations and universal approval? 

For those of you who did not share in past ground-breaking productions and ever-temporary restrooms, the new Almeida looks like a theatre-goers dream.  But did the critics give the new look a unanimous thumbs up:

• '...beautifully restored' said The New York Times
• "Good news ... the Almeida has reopened and the refurbishment is a success ... The stage and auditorium have retained their distinctive character." Sunday Telegraph
• "The brick-walled intimacy loyally preserved." Guardian
• "The auspicious return of the Almeida Theatre." Sunday Express
• "The building is brighter and more spacious ... the relationship between stage and auditorium loyally preserved." Sunday Times
• "Vastly improved foyer ... the auditorium with its uncanny ability to combine the intimate and the epic." Daily Telegraph
• "Splendidly refurbished." Independent

Foley's 'living space' promotes the inside of the auditorium from the outset, from the outside.  A huge hanging poster of the show in production acts as a back drop to the foyer and the first thing you see as you look through the glass frontage of the building. 

"While the wine bar provides a warm, friendly space intended for daytime as well as night use, the foyer is treated as a much tougher semi-outside space with an expansive glass roof. The durable concrete finishes of the foyer are designed to take the wear and tear of a space that is used as much for the get-in and assembly of sets as a gathering space for the audiences entering the theatre", explains Foley.

So here is the line-up for the upcoming season:

But first a short backgrounder: The North London based Almeida Street Theatre is a listed building, originally built in 1837 as reading rooms and a lecture theatre for Islington's newly formed Literary and Scientific Institution. The Almeida Theatre Company - originally founded in 1980 by Pierre Audi - became an internationally recognised producing house under the Artistic Directorship of Jonathan Kent and Ian McDiarmid (1990-2002).  Through a combination of age, temporary repair measures since its rescue in 1980, and pressing licensing and legislative issues, the building required urgent work in order to be kept open. In November 2000, under the Artistic Directorship of Kent and McDiarmid, the Almeida Theatre Company was awarded £1.9 million by the Arts Council of England as a result of an application to the National Lottery to undertake essential repairs to the theatre, rehearsal rooms and offices.  The final performances at the 'old' Almeida Islington took place in February 2001 and the Company's work continued from March 2001 until July 2002, at a  newly created theatre space in King's Cross on the site of a former coach station.  During the Almeida at King's Cross residency the theatre presented two world premieres of LaBute's plays - The Distance From Here directed by David Leveaux and The Shape of Things, directed by the author. The Shape of Things transferred to New York with the original Almeida cast and was subsequently made into a feature film.   (LaBute's other film work includes In the Company of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors, Nurse Betty and Possession.) During 2001/2, an additional £1.8 million was received from the Lottery and a further £3.9m million was raised by the Almeida itself, which included funds raised for its temporary home in Kings Cross. Michael Attenborough, the Almeida's new Artistic Director, re-opened the theatre in May 2003. 

WORLD PREMIERE OF ANTONY SHER'S FIRST PLAY DIRECTED BY NANCY MECKLER

I.D.

August 28 - October 18, 2003

On 6th September 1966 South African Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd was stabbed to death in Parliament by messenger Demetrios Tsafendas. I.D. is an epic portrait of the mad Old South Africa and of two individuals, the Prime Minister and his killer, both searching for the same thing - identity.

Antony Sher has written four novels - Middlepost, The Indoor Boy, Cheap Lives, and The Feast - as well as two theatre journals - Woza Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus in South Africa (written with Greg Doran) and Year of the King. His autobiography, Beside Myself, has recently been published in paperback. This month Sher revives his Royal Shakespeare Company roles in The Roman Actor and The Malcontent as part of a season at the Gielgud.

Nancy Meckler has been Artistic Director of Shared Experience since 1988 where her many productions for the company have included Anna Karenina and The Mill on The Floss. Previously she was Associate Director at Hampstead Theatre and the Leicester Haymarket. She has directed two feature films - Sister My Sister and Alive and Kicking (with Antony Sher). Her production of Martin Sherman's Rose played at the National Theatre and on Broadway. Nancy Meckler's recent tour for Shared Experience, A Passage to India, will play at the Riverside Studios in January 2003.

(Saturday,  September 20 (matinee) - Audio Described performance
Tuesday,  September 23 - Captioned performance
Wednesday, October 8 - Sign Language Interpreted performance)

MICHAEL ATTENBOROUGH DIRECTS BRITISH PREMIERE OF NEIL LABUTE'S

T H E  M E R C Y  S E A T

October 23 - December 6, 2003

The Almeida continues its creative association with Neil LaBute by presenting the British premiere of his latest play, The Mercy Seat. Directed by Michael Attenborough and designed by Robert Jones.   LaBute directed the world premiere of The Mercy Seat at the MCC Theater, New York.

12 September 2001. While the dust is still settling, Ben and Abby can choose to see what has happened as a tragedy, a catastrophe … or an opportunity. With New York City choked with xeroxes of missing persons, this is their chance to disappear - to be dead to the world or to start a new life.

Michael Attenborough was educated at Westminster School and Sussex University. In 2002 Michael was appointed Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre. On leaving the RSC he was invited to become an Honorary Associate Artist of the company.

(Saturday, November 22 - (matinee) - Audio Described performance
Tuesday, November 25 - Captioned performance
Wednesday, December 3 - Sign Language Interpreted performance)

MICHAEL ATTENBOROUGH   DIRECTS WORLD PREMIERE OF JOANNA LAURENS'

F I V E  G O L D  R I N G S

December 11, 2003 - January 17, 2004

Michael Attenborough directs 24 year-old, award-winning writer Joanna Laurens' second play, Five Gold Rings.

Henry has invited his two sons and their wives to his home for Christmas. One son is sexually fertile, one is not. Five Gold Rings sees the conflicting needs of the two couples clash, intertwine and explode.

Joanna Laurens' first play The Three Birds - which opened at The Gate Theatre in 2000 - was awarded The Critics' Circle Most Promising Playwright Award and the Time Out Award for Most Outstanding New Talent. In November this year The Three Birds received its US premiere in New York.

After leaving Hampstead Theatre in 1989, where he was Artistic Director, Michael Attenborough became Executive Producer and Resident Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company. His more recent productions for the RSC - where in 1996 he became Principal Associate Director - include David Edgar's Pentecost and The Prisoner's Dilemma, Peter Whelan's The Herbal Bed and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2 and Antony and Cleopatra. Michael Attenborough was appointed as Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre earlier this year.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

ACCESS

The refurbished theatre includes an Infra-Red Assisted Hearing System in the Auditorium, an Induction Loop in the Box Office, an increased number of spaces for wheelchair users, a ramped entrance to the auditorium and low level counters in all Front of House areas. Throughout the season there will be a full programme of Signed and Audio Described performances, Captioned performances and Touch Tours.

ADDRESS

Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London, N1 1TA

BOX OFFICE

Phone (24hr) +4420 7359 4404 (no booking fee)
In person 10.00am - 8.00pm 
Email ticketrequests@almeida.co.uk
Tickets £6.00 (us$10) to £27.50 (us$44), concessions available

CAFÉ-BAR

The rebuilt Almeida Café-Bar will open from 11.30am - 11.00pm, Monday to Saturday, serving food, drinks and snacks.

PERFORMANCES

Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 3.00pm

TRANSPORT

Tube: Highbury and Islington (Victoria Line, North London Line) Angel (Northern Line) Bus: 4, 19, 30, 43 (Upper Street) 38, 73, 171 (Islington Green) 271, 277 (Highbury Corner) Car Parking: Limited on-street parking on Almeida Street after 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, after 1.30pm Saturday. Nearest Car Park 5 minutes walk at the Business Design Centre.

(Acknowledgement should be given to the whole of the team under the Architects Burrell Foley Fisher, including Arup Acoustics, Alan Conisbee Associates (Structural Engineers), Max Fordham and Partners (Building Services Engineers), Purcell Miller Tritton (Access Consultants), Merriman and Partners (Property Consultants), Roger Rawlinson Associates (Quantity Surveyors), JGP Associates (Planning Supervisor), Theatre Plan (Theatre Consultant) and Tony Hudson (Project Manager).