The Gate Theatre celebrates its 35th anniversary this year; artistic director Christopher Haydon says of this milestone, "our increasing years have in no way diminished the spirit of youthful anarchy that has driven us for three and a half decades."
As the venue makes ready for its first new season of 2014, Beginnings, the later programme starts to mark this event.
The opening work of Beginnings is I’d Rather Goya Robbed Me Of My Sleep Than Some Other Arsehole directed by Jude Christian, recipient of the JP Morgan Bursary for Emerging Theatre Directors. The play is by Rodrigo García and is presented in a translation William Gregory.
Focussing on emerging talent, Beginnings sees the first London season of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama’s Richard Burton Company, NEW. As previously reported, this comprises four new pieces of writing performed by a troop of 32 students from the College.
The Far From Home season then follows with the first anniversary event, the return of George Brant’s Fringe First Award–winning play Grounded directed by the venue's artistic director Christopher Haydon.
This one–woman play is the most successful of the company's work to date, opening at the Edinburgh Festival to a very positive reception before enjoying an extended sell-out run at the Gate.
Lucy Ellinson plays a fighter pilot who finds herself flying remote-controlled drones over Pakistan by day returning to a life as a wife and mother at home.
Grounded will go on to play the Studio Theatre in Washington DC in June.
Inspired by The Iliad, Idomeneus, a play by Roland Schimmelpfennig, is the second production in the Far From Home season. This UK première is presented in a new translation by David Tushingham and will be directed by Gate associate artist Ellen McDougall.
Beginnings:
- I’d Rather Goya Robbed Me … – 6 to 29 March
- NEW: Spring Awakening, VS09 With Fries, Blister, Pomona – 8 to 12 April
Far From Home:
- Grounded – 28 April to 30 May
- Idomeneus – 19 June to 19 July
Other 35th birthday events will be announced.