Professional Documents
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Aspen.
Sponsors of great performances for
five years
at the Almeida Theatre
Aspen is delighted to continue its relationship with the Almeida Theatre as the Production Sponsor of The Homecoming. Aspen provides reinsurance and insurance coverage to clients in various domestic and global markets through wholly-owned subsidiaries and offices in the United Kingdom, the United States, Bermuda, France, and Switzerland.
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The Homecoming
By Harold Pinter
Production Sponsor
Kenneth Cranham Nigel Lindsay Anthony ODonnell Danny Dyer Neil Dudgeon Jenny Jules
Michael Attenborough Jonathan Fensom Neil Austin John Leonard Julia Horan Terry King Nadia Latif
Production Manager Company Manager Stage Manager Deputy Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Costume Supervisor Wardrobe Supervisor Wardrobe Deputy Chief Technician Lighting Technician Sound Technician Theatre Technician Production Carpenter Set built by Set painted by Production Photography Stage Management Placement
Paul Hennesey Rupert Carlile Suzanne Bourke Lucy Taylor Ali Hunter Sarah Bowern Catrina Richardson Eleanor Dolan Jason Wescombe Robin Fisher Howard Wood Mark Jenkins Craig Emerson All Scene All Props Decorative Arts Project Hugo Glendinning Evelyn Stewart
Betrayal 1991 Party Time premiere 1991 No Mans Land 1993 Moonlight premiere 1993 Celebration(premiere)/The Room 2000 The Homecoming 2008
Steven Pacey, Henry Woolf and Lindsay Duncan in The Room at the Almeida, 2000
Meaning begins in the words, in the action, continues in your head and ends nowhere. There is no end to meaning. Meaning which is resolved, parcelled, labelled and ready for export is dead, impertinent and meaningless.
Harold Pinter in a letter to Peter Wood, 30 March 1958
ruth in drama is forever elusive. You never quite find it but the search for it is compulsive. The search is clearly what drives the endeavour. The search is your task. More often than not you stumble upon the truth in the dark, colliding with it or just glimpsing an image or a shape which seems to correspond to the truth, often without realising that you have done so. But the real truth is that there never is any such thing as one truth to be found in dramatic art. There are many. These truths challenge each other, recoil from each other, reflect each other, ignore each other, tease each other, are blind to each other. Sometimes you feel you have the truth of a moment in your hand, then it slips through your fingers and is lost. I have often been asked how my plays come about. I cannot say. Nor can I ever sum up my plays, except to say that this is what happened. That is what they said. That is what they did. Most of the plays are engendered by a line, a word or an image. The given word is often shortly followed by the image. I shall give [an] example of [a] line which came right out of the blue into my head, followed by an image, followed by me The first line of The Homecoming is What have you done with the scissors? I had no further information.
Left: Dorothy Tutin and Roger Lloyd Pack in Mountain Language at the Almeida, 1991 Below: Danny Dyer, Lia Williams and Steven Pacey in Celebration at the Almeida, 2000
Someone was obviously looking for a pair of scissors and was demanding their whereabouts of someone else he suspected had probably stolen them. But I somehow knew that the person addressed didnt give a damn about the scissors or about the questioner either, for that matter I found myself compelled to pursue the matter. This happened visually, a very slow fade, through shadow into light. I always start a play by calling the characters A, B and C. In the play that became The Homecoming I saw a man enter a stark room and ask his question of a younger man sitting on an ugly sofa reading a racing paper. I somehow suspected that A was a father and that B was his son, but I had no proof. This was however confirmed a short time later when B (later to become Lenny) says to A (later to become Max), Dad, do you mind if I change the subject? I want to ask you something. The dinner we had before, what was the name of it? What do you call it? Why dont you buy a dog? Youre a dog cook. Honest. You think youre cooking for a lot of dogs. So since B calls A Dad it seemed to me reasonable to assume that they were father and son. A was also clearly the cook and his cooking did not seem to be held in high regard. Did this mean that there was no mother? I didnt know. But,
Cordelia Roche, Peter Howitt, Barry Foster and Dorothy Tutin in Party Time at the Almeida, 1991
as I told myself at the time, our beginnings never know our ends Its a strange moment, the moment of creating characters who up to that moment have had no existence. What follows is fitful, uncertain, even hallucinatory, although sometimes it can be an unstoppable avalanche. The authors position is an odd one. In a sense he is not welcomed by the characters. The characters resist him, they are not easy to live with, they are impossible to define. You certainly cant dictate to them. To a certain extent you play a never-ending game with them, cat and mouse, blind mans buff, hide and seek. But finally you find that you have people of flesh and blood on your hands, people with will and an individual sensibility of their own, made out of component parts you are unable to change, manipulate or distort. So language in art remains a highly ambiguous transaction, a quicksand, a trampoline, a frozen pool which might give way under you, the author, at any time. But as I have said, the search for the truth can never stop. It cannot be adjourned, it cannot be postponed. It has to be faced, right there, on the spot. Extract from Harold Pinters acceptance speech for his Nobel Prize for Literature, December 2005.
CAST
Paper; Country Wife; Old Movies; Passion; The Caretaker; Kick for Touch (National Theatre); From Kipling to Vietnam (National Theatre and one man show at Edinburgh); The Novice (Almeida Theatre); Paul Bunyan (Royal Opera); School for Scandal; Ice Man Cometh; Ivanov (RSC); An Inspector Calls (Aldwych/Broadway); A Midsummer Nights Dream (Manchester Royal Exchange); Loot (Criterion Theatre/ Broadway); Entertaining Mr Sloane (Duke of Yorks); The Entertainer (Greenwich Theatre); Tibetan Inroads; The London Cuckolds; Tooth of Crime; Geography of a Horse Dreamer; Magnificence; Play; Early Morning; Narrow Road; Saved; Ruffian on the Stair; Owners; Cheek (Royal Court); The Doctors Dilemma (Mermaid Theatre). Television includes: W.H.Auden in A Journey Through Auden; The Sinking of the Lusitania; Lilies; Afterlife; Harold Wilson in Lavender List; A Line of Beauty; Pompey in Rome; Leopold Mozart in The Genius of Mozart; Night Flight; George Carman in Justice in Wonderland; Silas Wegg in Our Mutual Friend; Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; Master of the Marionettes; The Contractor; The Black and Blue Lamp; The Party; A Sort of Innocence; The Birthday Party; The Dumb Waiter; Lady Windermeres Fan; Reilly; Harvest Moon; Therese Raquin; The Bell; Danger UXB; Tis Pity Shes a Whore; The Caretaker; The Chauffeur and the Lady. Film includes: A Man Sat Next To Me; The Curry Club; Layer Cake; Two Men Went to War; Born Romantic; Shiner; Gangster No1; Under Suspicion; Hellraiser II; Oliver; Brother Sun Sister Moon; Joseph Andrews.
World Music; Hamlet (Sheffield Crucible); Katerina (Lyric Hammersmith); Relative Values (Salisbury Playhouse); Anna Karenina (Shared Experience). Television includes: Jeremy Lion; Relief of Belsen; Jam and Jerusalem; Rome; OK Corral; All About George; New Tricks; Tunnel of Love; Frances Tuesday; Murphys Law; My Family; Im Alan Partridge; Midsomer Murders; Armando Iannucci Show; Too Much Sun; Dj vu; A Dance To The Music of Time; Harbour Lights; Bye Bye Baby; Brass Eye; Dressing for Breakfast; The Bill; A Few Short Journeys of the Heart; Casualty; Between The Lines. Film includes: Scoop; On A Clear Day; Blackball; Mike Bassett: England Manager; Rogue Trader.
Radio includes: A Pin to See The Peepshow; Lucky Numbers; The Face of The Enemy; House of Milton Jones; Frederick and Augusta; Morphic Resonance; People Like Us; Crossing The Equator.
Friends in The North; Peter Pan; Money; Measure For Measure; A New Way To Pay Old Debts; The Comedy of Errors; Lifes A Dream; Red Star; The Dead Monkey; The Beggars Opera; As You Like It; Alls Well That Ends Well (RSC); The Weir (Duke Of Yorks); Don Juan (Sheffield Theatres); King Lear; Galileo; Dance Of Death; Ivanov (Almeida Theatre); Glengarry Glenross; Twelfth Night (Donmar Warehouse); Uncle Vanya (Donmar Warehouse/Brooklyn Academy Of Music); Longitude (Greenwich Theatre).
Television includes: Nuts In May; Knock For Knock; 20,000 Streets Under The Sky; The Merchant Of Venice; Tess Of The DUrbevilles; Moll Flanders; Much Ado About Nothing; Charles II; Sweeney Todd; Gavin And Stacey. Film includes: Vera Drake; Match Point; Agatha Christie A Life In Pictures; Santa Claus; Robin Hood; Secrets And Lies; The Barber Of Siberia; O Xango De Baker Street; Loves Labours Lost; Death Defying Acts; The Best Times Of Our Lives; Caught In The Act.
Trains Running; (Tricycle Theatre); The Vagina Monologues (New Ambassadors Theatre/ Tour); Born Bad (Hampstead Theatre); When We Are Married; Stamping, Shouting and Singing Home (Birmingham Rep); The Pan Beaters (Greenwich Theatre); Familiar Feelings; Whispers In The Dark (Theatre Centre), Deadmeat (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Jenny won the Time Out Award for Best Actress in 1992 for her performance in Pecong at the Tricycle Theatre.
Television includes: Judge John Deed; Holby City; I Saw You; NCS Manhunt; A Respectable Trade; Kavanagh QC; Little Napoleons; Prime Suspect 2. Film includes: Octane; SW9; WIT; Up N Under; Spiders and Flies.
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CREATIVES
Photo by Martin Rosenbaum
Late Henry Moss; Brighton Rock; The Mercy Seat; Five Gold Rings. For the Royal Shakespeare Company: Amphibians; The Changeling; Les Liaisons Dangereuses (UK & European Tour); After Easter; Pentecost; The Herbal Bed (also in the
West End & on Broadway); Romeo and Juliet; A Month in the Country; Othello; Henry IV parts 1 and 2; The Prisoners Dilemma; Antony and Cleopatra. For the Palace Theatre: The Girl in Melanie Klein; The Big Knife; Romantic Comedy (also in the West End); Terra Nova. For the Hampstead Theatre: The War at Home (also on Broadway);Particular Friendships; That Summer; Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme; Separation (also in the West End). Freelance: Over a Barrel; Single Spies (Turnstyle Group); 1984 (Citadel Theatre, Edmonton);Yerma (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); Anna Weiss (West End); My Mother Said I Never Should (Royal Court); Fashion (Tricycle Theatre); Apollo and Daphne (North Wall); Playing with Fire (National Theatre).
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Opera includes: Chorus! (Welsh National Opera); The Silent Twins; As I Crossed the Bridge of Dreams; Love Counts; Man and Boy: Dada; The Cricket Recovers; The Embalmer (Almeida Opera); Pulse Shadows (Queen Elizabeth Hall); LOrfeo (Opera City, Tokyo).
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Other theatre: 2000 Years; Paul; The UN Inspector; Jumpers (National Theatre); Antony and Cleopatra; Much Ado About Nothing; The Prisoners Dilemma; Romeo & Juliet (RSC);The Old Masters; The Birthday Party (Birmingham Rep /West End); The Odd Couple; The Entertainer; Still Life; The Astonished Heart; Ma Raineys Black Bottom; The Anniversary and The Flint Street Nativity (Liverpool Playhouse); Cinderella; The Dumb Waiter (Oxford Playhouse); The Merry Wives of Windsor; The Merchant Of Venice; Cymbeline; Twelfth Night (Ludlow Festival); Becket; Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Sweet Panic; Absolutely! Perhaps; The Anniversary; Losing Louis; The Master Builder (also tour); Private Lives (also Broadway); Embers; Smaller (West End); How to Act Around Cops; Flush; Mercy; Colder Than Here (Soho Theatre); Sunday Father; Born Bad; In Arabia Wed All Be Kings; The Best Of Friends (Hampstead Theatre).
Author; (Young Vic); The Morris, Port Authority; Urban Legend; The Kindness of Strangers; Yellowman (Liverpool Everyman); The Girl on the Sofa (Edinburgh International Festival/ Schaubuhne Theatre, Berlin); Original Sin (Crucible, Sheffield); Antarctica (Savoy); The Weir (Duke of Yorks); The Force of Change; Made of Stone;, Local; Trade; About a Boy; Yardgal; Holy Mothers; Last Dance at Dum-Dum (Royal Court). Television includes: The Verdict; The Bill; The Badness of George IV. Julia is a member of the Casting Directors Guild.
Opera and Musicals include: Porgy and Bess; Otello; Carmen; Martin Guerre; Jesus Christ Super Star; Oliver; Saturday Night Fever; Spend Spend Spend; West Side Story; Lautrec; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Our House; Billy Elliot the Musical; Lord of the Rings the Musical; Caberet. Television includes: The Bill; Casualty; Eastenders; Broken Glass; A King of Innocence; Fell Tiger; Scolds Bridle; Fatal Inversion; Nerys Glas; Death of Salesman; The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd; Mesasure for Measure; The Mayor of Casterbridge; Lucky Jim; Blue Dove; Rock Face.
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The Almeida
wo years ago an actress working for the Almeida, Jessica Boyd, revealed that she was the grand-daughter of Arthur Boyd, perhaps the most remarkable Australian painter of the twentieth century. More specifically, she told me of his extraordinary bequest to his nation in the form of a property, next to the Shoalhaven River in the midst of stunning countryside, for the use of artists to stay and work in peace and tranquillity, all funded by his charity, the Bundanon Trust. And was this something that would interest the Almeida? I felt that whatever we did, it should act as a cultural bridge between our two countries; theatrically speaking we are a frequent exporter, but a minimal importer. We share a common language but, unlike America, dont know a great deal about their theatrical tradition and living theatre artists. As the start of a cultural dialogue I offered to lead a workshop on acting Shakespeare, involving British and Australian practitioners. This culminated in four British and six Australian actors, plus a young, indigenous Australian director, joining myself and Cicely Berry (the RSCs brilliant Head of Voice) last October for two weeks at the Bundanon retreat (about two and a half hours from Sydney). The venture was jointly funded and organised by the Almeida Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company, plus, of course, Arthur
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in Australia
Boyds Bundanon Trust. The four English actors were Richard Cordery, with whom I had worked at the RSC and three cast members from the Almeidas recent Big White Fog; Jenny Jules (who played Ella and is now in The Homecoming), Tunji Kasim (who played Les) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who played Wanda). The one condition I made was that the workshop should not be shaped by the pressure to produce something specific to be performed publicly, but should focus on methodology and process. The result was a thrilling and rewarding period of work at the end of the two weeks none of us involved wanted to stop. Numerous rich new friendships still continue to reach round the globe. Prior to the time in Bundanon, I spent a week in Sydney as a guest of the Sydney Theatre Company, seeing performances and meeting as many of Australias top writers, directors and actors as I could. I cant thank Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett (incoming artistic directors) and Robyn Nevin (outgoing) enough for their warmth and generosity. The trip has already given birth to a joint project on a new Australian play and the offer of work here for three Australian practitioners. Long may our collaboration continue. Michael Attenborough Artistic Director
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ASSISTED PERFORMANCES
The Almeida Theatre schedules assisted performances in order to make theatre more accessible and enjoyable for people who may find it difficult to see or hear everything that takes place on stage.
Captioned performances feature an electronic screen which displays the words being spoken on stage in time with the performance, much like the subtitles you would see on television. As part of the theatre's on-going access programme the Almeida will be captioning performances in house. Having now completed Stagetext captioning training, the Almeida now has a team of three CACDP (Council for Advancement of Communication with Deaf People) qualified captioners, as well as our own caption box and equipment. Audio described performances are ideal for audience members with visual impairment. We provide a discreet headset which allows you to listen to information about the set, costumes, body language and facial expressions of the performers, during pauses in the action on-stage. Prior to the performance patrons receive CDs giving details of the set, characters and costumes and on the day of the performance can attend a free touch tour where they get a chance to explore the set and costumes and meet some of the cast. Our sign language interpreted performances are presented by a variety of highly experienced interpreters who use British Sign Language.
THE HOMECOMING Sat 15 March 3 pm Audio Described by Vocaleyes (Touch Tour 1.30 pm) THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT Sat 3 May 3 pm Audio Described by Vocaleyes (Touch Tour 1.30 pm) ROSMERSHOLM Sat 28 June 3 pm Audio Described by Vocaleyes (Touch Tour 1.30 pm)
THE HOMECOMING Thu 6 March 7.30 pm Sign Language Interpreted by Jacqui Beckford THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT Thu 24 April 7.30 pm Sign Language Interpreted by Russ Aldersson ROSMERSHOLM Thu 19 June 7.30 pm Sign Language Interpreted by Jeni Draper
THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT Tue 29 April 7.30 pm Captioned in house
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like any more information about assisted performances or access, or to book for an assisted performance, please contact us: 020 7288 4999 email access@almeida.co.uk or visit www.almeida.co.uk
If you would like a large print copy of this programme please contact us using the details listed.
Thanks to Vocaleyes and all our interpreters.
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ALMEIDA PROJECTS
Photos: Bridget Jones
Almeida Projects creates opportunities to take ideas directly from the Almeida rehearsal room into local schools and community groups. Since our launch in September 2003, we have created two productions supported by projects for young people, a festival of new-writing for local first-time writers; and countless original pieces created and performed by young people and members of the local community in response to the theatres productions.
Students from Central Foundation and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Schools present work on Cloud Nine at the Almeida.
We place the community and the ensemble at the centre of what we do and how we do it, creating a genuine collaborative atmosphere for everyone involved from people new to the arts to the professionals they work with. In our projects everyone is learning, everyone is challenging themselves to discover something new: about themselves, each other or the work they are doing. Alongside our projects, we offer subsidised ticket programmes and workshops allowing both local young people and students from across the country to experience our productions.
Projects Online
Resources, images and information from our current and previous project work can be viewed and downloaded from our website. www.almeida.co.uk/projects
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For more information about our work, subsidised tickets schemes for students groups and forthcoming projects visit www.almeida.co.uk/projects
Principal Supporter
Artistic Directors 1980 1990 Pierre Audi (Founder) 1990 2002 Jonathan Kent Ian McDiarmid 2002 Michael Attenborough
Bar Staff Natalie Bartle Carolina Cadavid Irene Cioni Assistant to the Dominique Edwards Directorate Emmeline Ham Suli Majithia Andrew Hladky Hywel John Administrative Neil Jones Assistant Margherita Malanchini David Swain Santi Rieser Lara Rossi* ALMEIDA OPERA Aldeburgh Almeida Opera Harriet Shillito* Melissa Smith* Jonathan Reekie Luis Valentine Chelsea Lawrence *Also occasional Duty Music Director Managers David Parry BOX OFFICE Concert Directors Box Office Manager Richard Bernas Tina Farguson John Woolrich ALMEIDA PROJECTS Projects Director Rebecca Manson Jones Projects Administrator Charlie Payne Projects Assistant Kirsty Hoiles Projects Workshop Team Ayesha Antoine Dan Ayling Martin Barron Kate Budgen Charlotte Damigos David Ellington Ned Glasier Abigail Graham Nicholas Khan Nadia Latif Sally Amaka Okafor Andrew Pembrooke BAR Bar Manager Hannah Woolhouse Deputy Bar Manager Lanre Bankole Box Office Assistants Curtis Jordan Guy Newman Francesca Silveri Jonathan Speer Ruth Varley Suzanne Walker** Miranda Yates** ** Also Access Officers DEVELOPMENT Head of Development Kirsten Holmes Sponsorship Manager Lottie Wake Development Manager Nadia Boujo Development Officer (Individual Giving) Susie Parker Events Officer Natasha Dilleyston
MARKETING Head of Marketing & Sales Jane Macpherson Marketing Officer Helen Bennett Interim Marketing Officer Louise Glover Marketing Intern Nicola Fisher Audience Development Katie Southall PRESS Press Representative Janine Shalom at Premier PR 020 7292 8330 PRODUCTION Head of Production James Crout Company Manager Rupert Carlile Stage Manager Suzanne Bourke Chief Technician Jason Wescombe Lighting Technician Robin Fisher Sound Technician Howard Wood Theatre Technician Mark Jenkins Wardrobe Supervisor Catrina Richardson Wardrobe Assistant Eleanor Dolan
CONSULTANTS Scripts Advisor Barry McCarthy Structural Engineering Consultants Alan Conisbee Associates Surveyor to the Almeida Hedley Merriman Auditors Haysmacintyre Solicitors Cumberland & Ellis Mishcon de Reya Wedlake Saint Production Insurance Walton & Parkinson Ltd Security Umair Jamil for McKenzie Arnold Security Ltd Access Consultant Group Mandy Colleran Michael Godfrey Wendy Haslam Ian Jentle Lois Keith Deborah Neve Caroline Parker Graphic Design Sarah Hyndman Dave Roberts for Cantate Programme Print Cantate
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Stockard Channing (Bessie Berger) and Nigel Lindsay (Moe Axelrod) in Awake and Sing!, photo by Hugo Glendinning
2003
THE LADY FROM THE SEA
The Islington powerhouse opens with this tremendous production by Trevor Nunn electrifying leaves you reeling.
Daily Telegraph Sponsored by Hydro
2004
THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?
Superbly written brilliant flawless production; you wont find more blazing acting anywhere see it if you see nothing else.
Mail on Sunday Sponsored by Aspen Re
2005
MACBETH
The most powerful, chilling, evil feeling Macbeth since McKellen and Dench.
The Times Sponsored by Aspen Re
I.D.
A riveting production full of wonderful theatrical invention a rich and shameful period of history and how memorably it is evoked.
Daily Mail Sponsored by Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
HEDDA GABLER
An electrifying hit a wonderful production by Richard Eyre
Daily Telegraph Sponsored by Hydro
FESTEN
Electrifying, shocking and profoundly moving such talent, such skill, such humanity. Something to celebrate.
Sunday Times
BLOOD WEDDING
Brilliantly directed by Rufus Norris. Another indication of how well Michael Attenboroughs management is doing at the Islington playhouse.
Daily Express
WHISTLING PSYCHE
An intense, haunting and beautiful play two remarkable performances... marvellously rewarding.
Mail on Sunday
BRIGHTON ROCK
An intelligent, edgy, adult musical which gives you something to think about... Hooray for that... a production of brilliant clarity... crackles with energy and evil.
Daily Express
ROMANCE
You laugh uproariously... its a silly person who doesnt.
Financial Times
THE HYPOCHONDRIAC
Lindsay Posners exuberant, superbly acted production is riotously entertaining... has you laughing like a drain.
Daily Telegraph
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Andrew Lincoln (Ray) and Brendan Coyle (Earl) in The Late Henry Moss, photo by John Haynes
Danny Sapani (Victor Mason), Ayesha Antoine (Caroline Mason) and Kedar Williams-Stirling (Phillip Mason) in Big White Fog, photo by Catherine Ashmore Eve Best (Hedda) in Hedda Gabler, photo by John Haynes Eileen Atkins (Bridget) and Imelda Staunton (Margaret) in There Came A Gypsy Riding, photo by Mark Ellidge
2006
THE LATE HENRY MOSS
A thrilling new play... acted up to the hilt by a remarkable company... an astonishingly wrought, high drama
Evening Standard Sponsored by Pinsent Masons
2007
THERE CAME A GYPSY RIDING
A magnificent and harrowing play The Spectator Unmissable The Observer
Sponsored by Aspen Re Season Sponsor Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT
You must see this play: its like a diamond cut with its own stardust.
Sunday Times Sponsored by Aspen Re
DYING FOR IT
The rediscovery of a subversive Soviet classic: deserves a permanent place in the British repertory The Guardian "Desperately funny... beautifully written
The Observer Season Sponsor Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
ENEMIES
A superb theatrical achievement...an excellent cast...Michael Attenboroughs admirable staging...this is a major event in our theatre
Financial Times Sponsored by Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Richly rewarding
Independent
CLOUD NINE
An absolute treatwholly heavenlyDaily Telegraph Scorching stuff, and more entertaining then anything on in the West End Sunday Telegraph
MARIANNE DREAMS
A great Christmas showbeautiful and funny
Independent
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YOUR VISIT
Plastic cups are available at the bar and from ushers to enable you to take drinks into the auditorium. We request that you do not take food into the auditorium. Please do not cause any undue alarm by leaving your bags unattended. We appreciate your consideration for local residents when leaving the theatre.
In accordance with the requirements of the Council of the London Borough of Islington, persons shall not be permitted to stand or sit in any of the gangways intersecting the seating or to sit in any of the other gangways.
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from Covent Garden and Billingsgate Markets, making it an ideal place to meet friends for lunch, or just to relax and read the papers. The bar is also available for private hire. For further information please see www.almeida.co.uk or email bar@almeida.co.uk
For more information see www.almeida.co.uk or to book a place on a tour contact box office on 020 7359 4404.
To beat the rush we recommend that you pre-order your interval drinks at the bar before the performance. Remember the caf bar is open to all. You can visit us from 11.30am-11pm, Mon-Sat for drinks and light meals. We use organic products wherever possible, and locally sourced produce
The tours also look at the history of the building through its many incarnations from lecture hall to Victorian music hall, to carnival novelties factory, up until the new building you see today. We finish the tours with a complimentary tea or coffee in the bar.
We welcome any suggestions or comments you may have about your visit to the Almeida Theatre. Please get in touch with us by emailing info@almeida.co.uk
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Jonathan Pryce in Edward Albees The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? Photographer: John Haynes
I would like to join the Almeidas Circle of Supporters at the following level:
(The amounts listed are suggested donations only)
ALMEIDA FRIENDS (50+) DESIGNERS CIRCLE (120+) ACTORS CIRCLE (300+) DIRECTORS CIRCLE (500+) PATRONS (1,000+) BENEFACTORS (2,500+) PRODUCTION CIRCLE (5,000+) ARTISTIC DIRECTORS INNER CIRCLE (10,000+)
Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Address
Please acknowledge me/us in the Almeida Programmes as: (for gifts over 120)
PATRONS (1,000+)
For a suggested donation of 1,000 or more we may extend the above and the following: Invitations to selected Press Nights Invitations to private post-show discussions with cast and creative teams Invitation to Patrons lunch with the Almeidas Artistic Director Access to house seats when a production is officially sold-out (subject to availability)
2. BY CREDIT CARD (You can also pay by calling Susie Parker in the Development Office between 10am and 6pm Monday to Friday on 020 7288 4930) Please charge my credit card with
Card No Start date Issue No (Switch only) Signature Date Expiry date
BENEFACTORS (2,500+)
For a suggested donation of 2,500 or more we may extend the above and the following: Invitations to every Press Night Acknowledgement on the Benefactors Board in the Theatre Foyer Private Backstage Tour
Card Type Mastercard / American Express / Switch / Visa (please delete as appropriate)
GIFT AID I am a UK taxpayer and would like the enclosed donation and any further donations I may make to the Almeida Theatre to be tax effective under the Gift Aid scheme until I notify you otherwise.
Signature Date
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO: ALMEIDA CIRCLE OF SUPPORTERS, FREEPOST LON18195, N1 1BR
The Almeida is a registered charity no. 282167. Inland Revenue number XN 64354
ALMEIDA SUPPORTERS
The Almeida is a truly unique theatre. The worlds finest acting, writing, designing and directing talents produce some of their best work in our much loved space, ensuring that the theatre is alive each night with performances that inspire and excite our audiences. However, the freedom and the means whereby we can be bold, risk-taking and distinctive and able to produce work of the highest quality, costs money. 3.3m per annum to be precise. Every year we raise 1.2m of that ourselves more than box office income or subsidy from Arts Council England. We are, therefore, hugely reliant upon the financial commitment of a group of very special individuals, trusts and companies who choose to become involved at the heart of our theatre. Their support ensures that we can plan ambitiously for the future with security and confidence, whilst keeping ticket prices affordable (with over 40 seats sold each night for just 6). It also means we can continue to deliver Almeida Projects - our inspirational programme of work with young people and the local community. Accordingly, we owe immense thanks to a collection of committed and enthusiastic supporters - many of whom are listed below and without whose kindness we simply could not exist. I do hope that you too might consider becoming involved with our wonderful theatre, at whatever level - helping us to continue turning our dreams into reality. Michael Attenborough Artistic Director
Major Donors Ormonde & Mildred Duveen Trust The Esme Fairbairn Foundation The Genesis Foundation Christophe Gollut The Hon. Daphne Guinness Niarchos The Ingram Trust Harvey & Allison McGrath Georgia Oetker The Laura Pels Foundation The Rose Foundation The Tara Ulemek Foundation Roger Wingate Legacy Gifts Arthur Donald Fleming Clare Hope Almeida Opera Supporters Columbia Foundation, San Francisco The Peter Moores Foundation Almeida Projects Supporters Principal Supporter: The Lehman Brothers Foundation Europe Sir John Casss Foundation Raymond Cazalet Charitable Trust The Worshipful Company of Grocers The Paul Hamlyn Foundation
The Peter Harrison Foundation The Kreitman Foundation Kyte Broking The Mackintosh Foundation The Wates Foundation Artistic Directors Inner Circle Eric Abraham & Sigrid Rausing Anonymous Mrs Claus von Bulow Mercedes & Michael Hoffman Jack & Linda Keenan John Kinder Midge & Simon Palley David Robbie Jon & NoraLee Sedmak Stuart & Hilary Williams Production Circle Stamos J. Fafalios Cathy & Guy Gronquist The Marina Kleinwort Trust Paul & Elizabeth OHanlon Sarah & Alastair Ross Goobey Carl & Martha Tack Rachel & Anthony Williams Benefactors Arimathea Charitable Trust K.L. Breuss & G.P. Burgess Mr & Mrs JC Carter-Meggs Clyde Cooper Ian & Caroline Cormack Sarah & Louis Elson
Celeste Fenichel Tim Fosberry Mr & Mrs A Geczy Beth Glynn Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Barbara & Michael Gwinnell Matthew & Severa Hurlock Stephanie & Carter McClelland The Nol Coward Foundation Wayne Rapozo Lady Jane Rayne Lord & Lady Simon Nicola Stanhope Christian & Sarah Thun-Hohenstein Jan & Michael Topham Roderick & Melanie Vere Nicoll Andrew & Juliet Wilkinson Michael & Kate Yates Patrons Anonymous Jeffrey Archer Jamie Arkell Jane Attias Keith & Barbara Bain Derek & Bonnie Bandeen Sue Baring & Andre Newburg Steve Barnett & Alexandra Marks Cornelius Barry Lord & Lady Bernstein Kate & Colin Birss Jonathan & Isabel Blake Tony & Gisela Bloom Mr & Mrs Benjamin Bonas
Georgiana Boothby Miriam Borchard Steven & Ellen Bowman Katie Bradford Richard & Robin Chapman Mr William Claxton-Smith Mrs Denise Cohen Coline Covington Mr & Mrs Stephen Cox Felicia Crystal Mr & Mrs Karl Dannenbaum Angus Deayton Mr Robert H.F. Devereux James & Erica Dickson Robyn Durie Richard & Linda Ely Mr Peter Englander John & Tawna Farmer Joachim Fleury Daniel Friel Robert & Pirjo Gardiner Jackie & Michael Gee Jacqueline & Jonathan Gestetner Michael Goddard David Graham Nick Gray Byron Grote & Susan Miller Susan Hahn & Duncan Moore Andrew Haigh Pamela, Lady Harlech Alisdair & Sophie Haythornthwaite Michael & Morven Heller Dorothy Henderson Jerry & Barbara Hines
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Clare & Bernard Horn Christopher Hyder Linden Ife Nicholas & Maria Jones Nicholas Josefowitz Mary Kallaher and Matteo Perale Dr and Dr C Kaplanis Mr & Mrs Philip Kingsley Christian Kwek & David Hodges Mr & Mrs David Lakhdhir Marsha & Alan Lee Kathryn Ludlow Anthony Mackintosh Charles & Nicky Manby Mr Raul Margara Elizabeth Meyer Jeremy Miles Mr Julian Mills Diana & Alan Morgenthau Matthew Nicklin Christopher Nugee & Emily Thornberry Ray & Sarah OConnell Harald Orneberg The Oyster Foundation Desmond Page & Asun Gelardin J Francis Palamara Barrie Pearson Mr & Mrs William Plapinger Andrea & Hilary Ponti The Posgate Charitable Trust The David & Elaine Potter Foundation Michele Ragazzi Clare Rich Sue & Tony Rosner Jill Ruddock William & Julie Ryan Dr Mortimer & Theresa Sackler Foundation Susie Sainsbury Mr & Mrs Richard J Schwartz Mrs Carol Sellars Jennifer Sevaux Norma & David Smith Rosalyn & Nicholas Springer David & Tanya Steyn Adam & Sheri Stipewich Richard Sykes & Penny Mason Mr R D Szpiro Eileen Taylor Sarka Tourres Lord & Lady Tugendhat Judith Unwin Mr P Voyce Edgar & Judith Wallner Eric & Katharina Walters Bob & India Wardrop Lady Alexander of Weedon Simon & Glennie Weil George & Patricia White Martha & David Winfield Jack & Lina Wood Mr Neil Woodgate Mr CC Wright
Directors Circle Cliff & Fiona Atkins Lorraine Baldry Leslie Balfour-Lynn J & A Benard Neil & Ann Benson Mrs Rosalie Berwin Nicholas Berwin Martin Black Sally A. Bourne Ms Diana Brant Anthony Bunker Sir Geoffrey and Lady Cass Mr Simon Clark Carole & Neville Conrad Kay Ellen Consolver John Crisp Mr George Dragonas Mort & Frannie Fleishhacker Margaret Ford & John Stewart Anupam Ganguli David Gestetner & Angela Howard Mr Farzin S Ghandchi Mrs Alison Gray Mimi & Peter Haas Neville & Veronika Harris Mr Charles Henderson Sir Robin & Lady Jacob David Kaskel & Christopher Teano Peter & Maria Kellner Muriel Lambert London Arts Discovery Tours Brenda Meldrum Maggie Mills Ms Barbara Minto Asha & Trevor Phillips John & Laurel Rafter Diane Raposio Anthony Regan Mr Charles Russell Mr & Mrs Anthony Salz Mr Brian D Smith Tim & Sophia Steel Dr Miriam Stoppard Izak & Freda Uziyel Sally Walden Marilyn & Geoffrey Wilson Mr & Mrs Roger Wyand Jonathan Yudkin Actors Circle Brian Abbs J Aldred Mr Simon Aldridge Nicola Allpress Alexander Balcombe Brian & Ruth Barclay Mr & Mrs Andrew Barnett Mr Dean Barrett Susan Barty David & Primrose Bell Michael & Lesley Bennett Mr & Mrs Anthony Blee
Lord and Lady Brown of EatonUnder-Heywood Ossi & Paul Burger Felicity Callinan Peter & Diana Cawdron Frances Cloud Rosamund Shelley, Lady Cox Robert & Lynette Craig Paul Cullington Gill Cutbill & Ged Davies David Day Jose and David Dent Yvonne Destribats Mr R J Dormer Jim & Maureen Elton Jane Epstein Brian Gitlin Robert & Clare Gray Brian and Rosita Green Nick & Fiona Green Graeme & Fiona Griffiths Sheila & John Harvey Ms Clodagh Hayes Ms Sioban Healy Martin & Alicia Herbert Michael Holter Rob & Sally Hull Mr Roger Jospe The JP Morgan Fleming Foundation Mr & Mrs Roger Lambert Mr & Mrs B Lesslie Mr Charles Lister Janet Martin Stephen & Nan-Yeong Matthews Jane McNeill The Morris-Jones Family Despina Moschos Michael & Mimi Naughton Mr Philip Noel Ms Jane Norbury Mr C D Organ Jeremy & Mary Vere Parr Cindy Polemis & Rick Wells Mr Richard Polo Ana Pozzi John & Christine Preston George & Karen Rathman Timothy & Judith Ritchie Mary Robey Mr G C Rodopoulos Julian & Catherine Roskill James Richard Rowe Samuel French Ltd Barry Serjent Dasha Shenkman Sue and Stuart Stradling Mr Philip Talbot Christoph & Marion Trestler Mr William Underhill Kersti & Louis Urvois Mrs Bonnie J Ward Nicholas Watkinson Frank & Denie Weil Mr & Mrs R A M Welsford
Designers Circle Raymond A Adams D J Almeida Mrs Carole J Armstrong Stephen Artus Zac & Lucy Barratt Christopher Benson Rita & Ian Binder Mr & Mrs Boesch Mr M R Bowley Mandy Bridger Rob Brooks John & Dianne Browning Mr C L Bulford Dr Nigel Burton Mrs R J A Carawan Pedro A & Tiana del Castillo Geraldine Caulfield Lady Cazalet Mrs Gay Christie Mr S J Clayman Mr T Coldrey John & Rosemary Coldwell Claire & Ivor Connick Ms Kate Crehan Jonathan Crow Anthony Croxford Mrs Pamela Curwen Timothy & Patricia Daunt Professor Philip David Dr Sheilagh Davies Graham & Christine Dawson Mrs Denise Dix Justin & Emma Dowley Mr Kendall Duesbury Ms Jo Dutch Caroline Duthy Miss Sally England Mrs Joy Eve Mark Everett Lindy Fletcher Tony & Jane Fogg Mr P L Folmer Judith Foy Dr K Garrow Jonathan Glasson & Jamie Lake Michael Godbee Mr Michael Godfrey Janine Goedert Andrew & Karen Goldstone Ms S J Goodman Ms Eleanor Gordon Mr Ian Grant Grouse Investment Nerissa Guest Debby Guthrie Maurice & Valerie Halperin Mrs Isobel Hancock Sophie Hanscombe Rosemary Hanson Andrew and Anita Harper Crawford & Mary Harris Maureen and Derek Harte Sarah Havens & Gregg Sando Jonathan and Hlne Haw Douglas Hawkins
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Mr Robert J Henderson Polly Hester Andy & Janelle Hill Jane Hill Caroline Hoare & Charles Hebbert Andrew Hochhauser QC & Graham Marchant Mr Lew Hodges Madeleine Hodgkin Mrs Rosemary Hood Jacky Hyer Tamara Ingram Mr Michael Jacob Christine Jay Professor Norman Joels Mrs M Johnston Mr Simon Jones Brian & Janet King David & Gisela Kingsley Sarah & Christopher Knight Ruth & Peter Kraus Kudos Film and Television Mr & Mrs Harald Lamotte Mrs A Lampert Mr David Lanch David John Langrish Mr Roger Lascelles Jacqui Lavy Alan Leibowitz & Barbara Weiss Mrs Joan R Levine Colette & Peter Levy
Mr Dennis M Levy Madeleine Lightfoot Mr & Mrs LE Linaker Tim & Theresa Lloyd Paul & Brigitta Lock Mr Simon MacLachlan C & I Maggs Donald & Sally Main John McGinley Lynette & Willie McKechnie Ms A Millar Ms Tessa Moloney Paula Morris Sean Murphy Mrs VG Murray Mr & Mrs Myddleton Dr Venetia Newall James Nicol Clive & Annie Norton Mr & Mrs M OFarrell Ellie Packer & Bob Freidus Mr Marcelo Paes De Mello Nigel Pantling Ms Sara Parkin Mrs Joyce Parsons Mr & Mrs Pedro del Castillo Nick Perry Orion Peterson Ms G A Piergies Professor Brice Pitt Mrs Barbara Pollard
Preben & Annie Prebenson Mrs Caroline Price Sue Prickett Jane Pritchard Jack Pryde Mr & Mrs Andrew Pucher Esq Mrs E E Randall Dr Susan Rankine Ms Ruth Rattenbury Liz & Nick Reeve Christopher Marek Rencki Mrs Mary Rendall Anthony Rhodes Robin Roads Anthony Rudd Mrs Susan Rudeloff Dr & Mrs Saggar Christopher & Alison Samuel Simon & Abigail Sargent Schon Family Charitable Trust Gilly Schuster Babara Scott Mr & Mrs Colin Scott-Malden Lucie Seaton Dr Martin Seifert & Dr Jackie Morris Mr Naveed Shah Mrs Susan Shammas Mr T W Sharp Mr M Shenfield Justin Shinebourne & Laurence Chaussinand
Elaine & English Showalter Jonathan Silver Mark Silverstein Sir Peter & Lady Singer Peter & Moira Smith Mr AP & Mrs M T Stirling Mr D. A. Thomas Anne & Robert Van Gieson Mr Zoran Vidinic Mr Andrew Wales Lady Ward Mrs Carolyn Ware Sue & Alan Warner Mr Tim Watson Mr John Welz Miss Lisa Whiffen Mr Widdis Dr Peter Willis Janine Wills Ms Ann E F Wingate Mr & Mrs D Woolf Richard Worts & Nicola Shackelton Jeffrey & Fenella Young
We would also like to thank the many generous Friends of the Almeida Theatre, whom we are unable to list individually
We would like to thank the following individuals for their dedication and support.
Gala Committee Chairs Juliet Wilkinson Chain Play II Martha Tack A Chain Play Saffron Burrows & Sydney Finch The Hypochondriac Thelma Holt & Damian Lewis Macbeth Christophe Gollut Awake and Sing! Blood Wedding Love Counts Jessica de Rothschild The Lady From The Sea Corporate Council Rosemary Leith Chair Andrew Grant Jeremy Hall Carol Lake Henry Timms Local Liaison Committee Nicky Manby Chair Milly Ayliffe Jenny Black Katie Bradford Annie Edge Susan Hahn Caroline Hoare Linden Ife Rod Smith Sarah Whitehead Rachel Williams Ambassadors Sarah Elson Jack Keenan Georgia Oetker Jessica de Rothschild Stamos J. Fafalios
Have you ever thought about supporting the Almeida Theatre with a legacy?
Leaving a legacy is a very special way of ensuring that your tradition of support for the Almeida Theatre continues for years to come, allowing us to provide enriching theatrical experiences which will engage future generations. You can include the Almeida Theatre in your Will by directing your gift to the Almeida Theatre Company Limited, registered charity number 282167.
For any information concerning legacies please contact Nadia Boujo at nboujo@almeida.co.uk or 020 7288 4934.
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Principal Sponsor
Corporate Partners
Major Sponsors
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Man Group plc is a leading global provider of alternative investment products and solutions worldwide. www.mangroupplc.com
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A romantic comedy by
Jean Anouilh
adapted by
DONMAR
at
Christopher Fry
Set in 1950s France at a glamorous society ball. Identical twins, a spoilt debutante, a mysterious ballet dancer and a wily old Aunt are swept up in a dazzling dance where caution and convention are thrown to the wind. Witty, charming and madcap, this is an enchanting comedy of mistaken identity, romance, money and moonlight.
cast includes
WYNDHAM S
T H E A T R E
IV ANOV
TWELFTH NIGHT
MADAME DESADE
Sean Mathias
HAMLET
BOOKING IS NOW OPEN
TICKET PRICES 10 I 25 I 32.50
12 SEPT - 29 NOV 2008 ANTON CHEKHOVS 13 MAR - 23 MAY 2009 YUKIO MISHIMAS
IVANOV
In a new version by Tom Stoppard Cast includes Kenneth Branagh Director Michael Grandage
MADAME DE SADE
Translated from the Japanese by Donald Keene Cast includes Judi Dench Director Michael Grandage
TWELFTH NIGHT
Cast includes Derek Jacobi Director Michael Grandage
HAMLET
Cast includes Jude Law Director Kenneth Branagh
24 HRS
www.donmarwestend.com
WYNDHAMS THEATRE, Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0DA. A DELFONT MACKINTOSH THEATRE.
DONMAR W E S T E N D
Book all 4 plays together by 9 March 08 & pay no booking fee. Otherwise, a 1.50 per ticket bkg fee applies to all tickets except those purchased in person at the Box Office.
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