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59-550: The King's Head Theatre , founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. The original venue was the oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2024, the pub theatre, and the King's Head Theatre now operates from a purpose-built 220-seat space next door to the original venue. The theatre focusses on producing LGBTQ+ work that is joyful, irreverent, colourful and queer. It

118-445: A BAFTA for best TV drama and also an Emmy for best International Drama. Parker next wrote and directed his first feature film, Bugsy Malone (1976), a parody of early American gangster films and American musicals, but with only child actors. Parker's desire in making the film was to entertain both children and adults with a unique concept and style of film: I'd worked a lot with kids and I had four very young children of my own at

177-499: A "natural storyteller" who got his message across using "dramatic lighting, vivid characterisation, scenes of violent conflict regularly interrupting sequences of expository dialogue, and an abiding sympathy for the underdog (he is a born liberal with a keen sense of injustice)". Parker produced and directed The Life of David Gale (2003), a crime thriller about an advocate for the abolition of capital punishment who finds himself on death row after having been convicted of murdering

236-543: A "wonderful story" after having read the book by William Wharton . However, because of the nature of the story, he had no idea how to make it into a movie: "I didn't know if you could take the poetry of the book and make it cinematic poetry, or if an audience would actually want it." The film became a critical success. Richard Schickel says that Parker had "transcended realism ... [and] achieved his personal best", while Derek Malcolm considers Birdy to be Parker's "most mature and perhaps his best movie". The message of

295-579: A Staircase . Since his death, productions have included 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),

354-508: A company to make advertisements. That company eventually became one of Britain's best commercial production houses, winning nearly every major national and international award open to it. Among their award-winning adverts were the UK Cinzano vermouth advertisement (starring Joan Collins and Leonard Rossiter ), and a Heineken advert which used 100 actors. Parker credited his years writing and directing adverts for his later success as

413-459: A fellow activist. The film received generally poor reviews. Parker was married twice; first to Annie Inglis from 1966 until their divorce in 1992, and then to producer Lisa Moran, to whom he was married until his death. He had five children, including screenwriter Nathan Parker . Parker died in London on 31 July 2020 at age 76, following a lengthy illness. Parker was nominated for eight BAFTA awards, three Golden Globes and two Oscars. He

472-630: A film director: Looking back, I came from a generation of filmmakers who couldn't have really started anywhere but commercials, because we had no film industry in the United Kingdom at the time. People like Ridley Scott , Tony Scott , Adrian Lyne , Hugh Hudson , and myself. So commercials proved to be incredibly important. After writing the screenplay for the Waris Hussein film Melody in 1971, Parker shot his first fictional film titled No Hard Feelings in 1972, for which he wrote

531-408: A film was a great privilege, and you should never waste it. Therefore, when Parker visited film schools and spoke to young filmmakers, he told them that the new film technology available for making films and telling a story is less important than conveying a message: "If you haven't got something to say, I don't think you should be a filmmaker". British film critic Geoff Andrew described Parker as

590-479: A good time. He had an "ordinary background" with no aspirations to become a film director, nor did anyone in his family have any desire to be involved in the film industry. The closest he ever came, he said, to anything related to films was learning photography, a hobby inspired by his uncles: "... that early introduction to photography is something I remember." Parker attended Dame Alice Owen's School , concentrating on science in his last year. He left school when he

649-609: A position as a copywriter in the company. Parker took jobs with different agencies over the next few years, having by then become proficient as a copywriter. One such agency was Collett Dickenson Pearce in London, where he first met the future producers David Puttnam and Alan Marshall , both of whom would later produce many of his films. Parker credited Puttnam with inspiring him and talking him into writing his first film script, Melody (1971). By 1968, Parker had moved from copywriting to successfully directing numerous television advertisements. In 1970, he joined Marshall to establish

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708-558: A small playtext bookshop/exchange. The new King's Head Theatre continues to stage predominantly LGBTQ+ work, including many transfers from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In November, the new venue will continue the pub theatre's old tradition of producing an annual family pantomime - the only pantomime in Islington. The first of these will be Cinderella, produced with the nearby Little Angel Theatre. In 2025,

767-422: A small pub theatre to a purpose-built space seating over 200 audience members. The first show to run in the new venue was Exhibitionists by Shaun McKenna and Andrew Van Sickle. As well as its new, much larger auditorium, the new theatre features a 50-seat cabaret space known as 4Below, used for solo shows, drag, and cabaret performances, as well as readings and other one-off events. The venue also has two bars and

826-436: A soul band. The film was an international success and led to a successful soundtrack album. To find a cast Parker visited most of the estimated 1,200 different bands then playing throughout Dublin. He met with over 3,000 different band members. Rather than pick known actors, Parker says he chose young musicians, most of whom had no acting experience, in order to remain "truthful to the story". "I cast everybody to be very close to

885-405: A subject distinctly different from his previous film, explaining, "I really try to do different work. I think that by doing different work each time, it keeps you creatively fresher." He described the theme of the film being about "two people who can't live together but who also can't let go of one another. A story of fading love, senseless rage, and the inevitable bewildering betrayal in the eyes of

944-431: A true account by Billy Hayes about his incarceration and escape from a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. Parker made the film in order to do something radically different from Bugsy Malone , which would broaden his style of filmmaking. The script was written by Oliver Stone in his first screenplay, and won Stone his first Academy Award . The music was composed by Giorgio Moroder , who

1003-467: A week of work bringing together highlights from the past 50 years and featuring work from Timberlake Wartenbaker, Audrey Sheffield, Dame Harriet Walter, Gemma Whelan, Tom Stoppard, Stephen Jeffreys, Annabel Arden, Tim Luscombe, Bryony Lavery, Abigail Anderson, Victoria Wood, Annabel Leventon, Bill Russel & Janet Hood. After the pandemic, the theatre renewed its focus on showcasing LGBTQ+ work. In an interview, Ravenhill stated: "I'm excited to move forward

1062-563: A white character played by Dennis Quaid . As one woman who was born in the Gila River internment camp told the Rafu Shimpo newspaper, "My parents saw the movie and they said the camp scenes were authentic. It was interesting for me. I liked it." However, she added, "I would've preferred to see a Japanese actor in the role of Dennis Quaid." In 1991 Parker directed The Commitments , a comedy about working class Dubliners who form

1121-909: Is chancellor. In 2004 he was the Chairman of the Jury at the 26th Moscow International Film Festival . In 2013 he was awarded the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award "in recognition of outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image", which is the highest honour the British Academy can bestow. The British Film Institute (BFI) produced a tribute to Parker in September and October 2015 with an event titled "Focus on Sir Alan Parker" which included multiple screenings of his films and an on-stage interview of Parker by producer David Puttnam . The event coincided and marked

1180-473: Is currently led by Executive Director and Acting CEO Sofi Berenger. The original theatre was located in the back room behind the bar at the King's Head pub on Upper Street , in the London Borough of Islington . The theatre was housed in a Victorian building, but a public house, originally known as The King's Head Tavern , has been on the same site, opposite St Mary's Church , since 1543. The theatre

1239-718: The Grand Prix Spécial du Jury prize at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival . Parker was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the British film industry and knighted in 2002. He was active in both British cinema and American cinema , along with being a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain and lecturing at various film schools. In 2000, he received

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1298-731: The Royal Photographic Society Lumière Award for major achievement in cinematography, video or animation. In 2013, he received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award , the highest honour the British Film Academy can give a filmmaker. Parker donated his personal archive to the British Film Institute's National Archive in 2015. Parker was born on 14 February 1944 into a working-class family in Islington , North London ,

1357-477: The "obvious movies", and "You want the film to stay with people afterwards ... It just seems to me that the greatest crime is to make just another movie." Parker said it is important to carefully choose which films to write and direct: My mentor was the great director, Fred Zinnemann , whom I used to show all my films to until he died. He said something to me that I always try to keep in my head every time I decide on what film to do next. He told me that making

1416-407: The 13th August 2023, with a special event starring Steven Berkoff, Mark Gatiss, Ian Hallard, Dame Janet Suzman, Linda Marlowe, Freddie Love, Saul Boyer and Bold Mellon. On 5th January 2024, The King's Head Theatre opened at its new building, 116p Upper St, Islington Square, under the direction of new Executive Director and Acting CEO Sofi Berenger. This new opening marked the upgrade of the venue from

1475-589: The LGBTQ+ work of the King's Head Theatre. Historically, the stories of gay men have tended to dominate and while we will continue to tell some of those stories, I'm looking forward to exploring the full spectrum of experiences symbolised by the rainbow flag. We want to be the home for a new wave of diverse queer theatre makers." In 2023, the theatre hosted a series of Guest Artistic Directors: Isabel Adomakoh Young, Tom Ratcliffe, Tania Azevedo, and David Cumming. The King's Head Pub Theatre closed its doors after 53 years on

1534-530: The Moon was very, very close to my own life." He spent days with the writer Bo Goldman on developing a realistic story, and states that his marriage became "infinitely stronger" as a result of the film. Also in 1982 Parker directed a film version of the Pink Floyd conceptual rock opera , The Wall , which starred Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof as the fictive rocker "Pink". Parker later described

1593-581: The Paradise (1990) and Angela's Ashes (1999); family dramas, including Shoot the Moon (1982), and horrors and thrillers including Angel Heart (1987) and The Life of David Gale (2003). His films won nineteen BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes and six Academy Awards . His film Birdy was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the Top Ten Films of 1984 and won

1652-581: The Society of Independent Theatres (smaller venues). The Off West End Theatre Awards , known as the Offies for short, have been awarded to Off West End theatre productions since 2011. This London -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This British theatre–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alan Parker Sir Alan William Parker CBE (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020)

1711-424: The character that they play in the film. They're not really playing outside of who they are as people." Parker says he wanted to make the film because he could relate to the hardships in the lives of young Dubliners, having come from a similar working-class background in north London. Film critic David Thomson observes that with The Commitments , Parker "showed an unusual fondness for people, place, and music. It

1770-434: The children." Its stars, Albert Finney and Diane Keaton , received Golden Globe nominations for their performances. The film also had a personal significance for Parker, who said he was forced to examine his own marriage: "It was a painful film to make for me because there were echoes of my own life in it. It was about a breakup of a marriage, and the children in the story were quite close to my own children in age. Shoot

1829-498: The cost. The film impressed the BBC, which bought the film and showed it on television a few years later in 1976. The BBC producer Mark Shivas had, in the interim, also contracted Parker to direct The Evacuees (1975), a Second World War story written by Jack Rosenthal which was shown as a Play for Today . The work was based on true events which involved the evacuation of school children from central Manchester . The Evacuees won

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1888-424: The dramatic shift in theme and style of Parker's films. He said "It's the variety of his work that sort of staggers me. He can go from Evita to Angela's Ashes . When Alan starts a project, it's going to be something very interesting and completely out of left field." Parker explained that "To do a film like Angela's Ashes , I suppose, was my reaction against a big film like Evita ." He said that he tried to avoid

1947-683: The film industry. In 1999 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Directors Guild of Great Britain. He became chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute (BFI) in 1998 and in 1999 was appointed the first chairman of the newly formed UK Film Council . In 2005 Parker received an honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland of which his long-time associate Lord Puttnam

2006-475: The film would never have been made if they weren't." He tried to address this in his next movie, Come See the Paradise (1990), about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II . Before and after making the film, he sought input from the community, agreeing to cast Japanese-American actress Tamlyn Tomita in the lead instead of a Chinese-American actress. However, the film ultimately faced similar criticism to Mississippi Burning , for focusing on

2065-570: The film, writes critic Quentin Falk, is "joyously life-affirming", which he notes is common to much of Parker's work. He adds that Parker's films manage to achieve a blend of "strong story and elegant frame", a style which he says typically eludes other directors who rely too much on the purely visual. Continuing to explore different genres, Parker made a film that bridged horror and thriller territory, Angel Heart (1987), starring Mickey Rourke , Lisa Bonet , and Robert De Niro . He later wrote that he

2124-523: The filming as "one of the most miserable experiences of my creative life." Though not a major box office success, receiving lukewarm reviews from critics, the film has since become a cult classic amongst Pink Floyd fans. Parker directed Birdy (1984), starring Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage . It recounts the story of two school friends who have returned from the Vietnam War but who were both psychologically and physically injured. Parker called it

2183-495: The first year at the theatre with the help of Caroline Smith and longtime 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

2242-624: The management later decided to introduce computerised tills, while keeping the antique till as the main focal point in the pub. 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 won multiple awards and numerous productions transferred to mainstream West End and Broadway theatres, including Mr Cinders, Wonderful Town starring Maureen Lipman and Tom Stoppard's Artist Descending

2301-639: The new theatre will host a new season including its first full-length musicals, all three of which are European or World premiers. Off-West End While West End Theatres must register with the Society of London Theatre , SOLT membership for the Off West End is entirely optional and is not widespread. The industry organisations for Off West End and Fringe venues are OffWestEnd, the London Theatre Consortium (larger venues), and

2360-524: The period before the Covid-19 pandemic, the theatre started to build its reputation for producing LGBTQ+ work, with notable titles including 5 Guys Chillin and Kevin Elyot's Coming Clean . Adam Spreadbury-Maher stepped down as Artistic Director in 2020. In 2021, Mark Ravenhill was appointed Artistic Director of the theatre. The theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary with KHT50: Barstools to Broadway -

2419-622: The script. The film is a bleak love story set against the Blitz in London during the Second World War, when the Luftwaffe bombed the city for 57 consecutive nights. Parker was born during one of those bombing raids, and said "the baby in that [film] could well have been me". With no feature film directing experience, he could not find financial backing, and decided to risk using his own money and funds from mortgaging his house to cover

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2478-437: The son of Elsie Ellen, a dressmaker, and William Leslie Parker, a house painter. He grew up on a council estate in Islington, which always made it easy for him to remain "almost defiantly working-class in attitudes" said the British novelist and screenwriter Ray Connolly . Parker said that although he had his share of fun growing up, he always felt he was studying for his secondary school exams, while his friends were out having

2537-423: 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. 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,

2596-589: The theatre won an Olivier Award for Best New Opera Performance for Opera Up Close's La Bohème , and the following year Vieux Carre by Tennessee Williams received its UK premiere before transferring to the West End. Other notable productions that premiered at the King's Head Theatre include Shock Treatment – the sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show – and Trainspotting , the Edinburgh Festival and touring hit which has had over 900 performances. In

2655-668: The theatre. Spreadbury-Maher was also appointed Artistic Director in the same year. 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. The first opera performed was Barber of Seville (or Salisbury) , an adaption of Rossini set in the times of Jane Austen . Also in October 2010, Mark Ravenhill became associate director, and Jonathan Miller joined existing patrons Joanna Lumley , Janie Dee , Tom Stoppard and Alan Parker . The theatre continued to receive multiple transfers and awards. In 2011,

2714-601: The time. When you do have young children like that you're very sensitive to the kind of materials that's available for them ... The only kind of movies they could see were Walt Disney movies ... I thought it would be nice to make a movie that would be good for the kids, and also the adults that had to take them. So to be absolutely honest, Bugsy Malone was a pragmatic exercise to break into American film. The film received eight British Academy Award nominations and five Awards, including two BAFTAs for Jodie Foster . Parker next directed Midnight Express (1978), based on

2773-502: The way Alan works with everyone is that he allowed us to really feel like classmates." However, Parker was refused permission to use the actual school portrayed in the film because of the foul language in the screenplay. Parker's next film was Shoot the Moon (1982), the story of a marital break-up that takes place in Northern California. Parker calls it "the first grown-up film that I'd done". He again chose to direct

2832-401: Was 18 to work in the advertising field, hoping that the advertising industry might be a good way to meet girls. His first job was office boy in the post room of Ogilvy & Mather an advertising agency in London. But more than anything, he said, he wanted to write, and would write essays and ads when he got home after work. His colleagues also encouraged him to write, which soon led him to

2891-471: Was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain and lectured at film schools around the world. In 1985, the British Academy awarded him the Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema. Parker was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1995 Birthday Honours and Knight Bachelor in the 2002 New Year Honours for services to

2950-456: Was a huge box-office success and led to a television spin-off series of the same name. Parker stated that after doing a serious drama like Midnight Express , he wanted to do a film with music, but very different from typical musicals of the past. Having already done Bugsy Malone , he felt confident that he knew how to go about creating a musical where the songs emerge from real situations. Actress Irene Cara recalled that "the nice thing about

3009-485: Was also awarded his first Oscar for the film. Midnight Express established Parker as a "front rank director", as both he and the film were Oscar nominated. The success of that film also gave him the freedom from then on to direct films of his own choosing. Parker then directed Fame (1980), which follows the lives of eight students through their years at the New York City's High School of Performing Arts . It

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3068-655: Was an English film director, screenwriter and producer. His early career, beginning in his late teens, was spent as a copywriter and director of television advertisements. After about ten years of filming adverts, many of which won awards for creativity, he began screenwriting and directing films. Parker was known for using a wide range of filmmaking styles and working in differing genres . He directed musicals, including Bugsy Malone (1976), Fame (1980), Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982), The Commitments (1991) and Evita (1996); true-story dramas, including Midnight Express (1978), Mississippi Burning (1988), Come See

3127-495: Was as close as Parker has come to optimism." Parker said that it was the "most enjoyable" time he had making a film, to the extent that he would have been glad he made it even if it had ended up being terrible. Parker's next film was The Road to Wellville , an adaptation of T. C. Boyle 's novel about Dr. John Harvey Kellogg , the eccentric inventor of corn flakes (played by Anthony Hopkins ). The film proved unsuccessful with both audiences and critics. However, novelist Boyle

3186-485: Was fascinated by its "fusion of two genres: the noir, Chandleresque detective novel and the supernatural." The film was a disappointment at the box office, and received mixed reviews at the time, but has since become a cult classic. With Mississippi Burning (1988), Parker received his second Oscar nomination for Best Director. The film is based on a true story about the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964, and stars Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe . Hackman

3245-408: Was nominated for Best Actor, while the film was nominated for five other Oscars, including Best Picture. It won for Best Cinematography . Despite commercial success, Mississippi Burning received considerable criticism for centering three white characters in a story about the civil rights movement. Parker later wrote, "Certainly, the two protagonists of Mississippi Burning are white. At that time

3304-416: Was pleased with the adaptation, calling it "daring, experimental, ballsy – it's something new for Christ's sake, new!… and killingly funny." Evita (1996), was another musical, starring Madonna , Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce . Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice 's score originated from the earlier musical . Evita was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Song , which

3363-413: Was previously used as an old boxing ring and pool hall. 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 for 35 years 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

3422-802: Was produced by Dragonfly Films and Xi Pictures, and co-directed by Stephanie Sinclaire and Jason Figgis. It ran on SkyARTS World for three years. In 2002, Crawford and Sinclaire won the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for their contribution to the Arts, and the Trainee Resident Director Scheme that they had begun won the Royal Anniversary Trust Award. In March 2010, Opera Up Close founded by Adam Spreadbury-Maher and Robin Norton-Hale became resident company of

3481-604: Was sung by Madonna. Parker's next film was Angela's Ashes (1999), a drama based on the real-life experiences of the Irish-American teacher Frank McCourt and his childhood. His family was forced to move from the United States back to Ireland because of financial difficulties, which led to the family's problems caused by his father's alcoholism. Colm Meaney , who acted in The Commitments , noticed

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