84-542: The Orange Tree Theatre is a 180-seat theatre at 1 Clarence Street, Richmond in south-west London, which was built specifically as a theatre in the round . It is housed within a disused 1867 primary school, built in Victorian Gothic style . The theatre was founded in 1971 by its first artistic director , Sam Walters , and his actress wife Auriol Smith in a small room above the Orange Tree pub opposite
168-621: A Special Area of Conservation and is included, at Grade I, on Historic England 's Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England . It was created by Charles I in 1634 as a deer park and now has 630 red and fallow deer that roam freely through much of the park. The park has a number of traffic and pedestrian gates leading to the surrounding areas of Sheen , Roehampton , Putney , Kingston and Ham . The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, with Richmond North and Richmond South as two of its wards , has
252-463: A converted primary school. The 172-seat theatre was built specifically as a theatre in the round . Exclusively presenting its own productions, it has acquired a national reputation for the quality of its work for staging new plays, and for discovering undeservedly forgotten old plays and neglected classics. The town has two cinemas, the arthouse Curzon in Water Lane and an Odeon cinema with
336-414: A fair amount of vehicle parking for both residents and visitors. The south corner leads into the main shopping area of the town; at the west corner is the old gatehouse which leads through to other remaining buildings of the palace; at the north corner is pedestrian access to Old Deer Park (plus vehicle access for municipal use). The park is a 360-acre (1.5 km ) Crown Estate landscape extending from
420-657: A live deepfake video generator, imagined by Quebec director Christian Lapointe, the playwright accepted Lapointe’s invitation to perform as an actor on stage for the first time. From 1997 onwards, Crimp has had a parallel career as theatre translator, making his first impact at the Royal Court Theatre with a translation of Ionesco ’s The Chairs , a production that subsequently transferred to Broadway. His re-writings of Molière ’s The Misanthrope (1996, revived 2009) and Rostand ’s Cyrano de Bergerac (2019/22) were both commercially and critically successful,
504-418: A local primary school before winning a scholarship to Dulwich College . But when his father was transferred to York, he went to the nearby Pocklington School , where he showed an aptitude for languages, music, English literature, and theatre. He read English at St Catharine's College, Cambridge (1975–78), where his first play Clang was staged by fellow student Roger Michell . Before establishing himself as
588-552: A new borough, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Richmond sits opposite East Twickenham on what is technically the south bank of the River Thames , but because of the bends of the river, the town is immediately north and north-east of its nearest stretch of river. The Thames curves around the town, and then Kew, in its course; starting from Petersham , it returns to a more direct west–east direction. The river
672-606: A playwright, he put together An Anatomy , a collection of short stories, and also wrote a novel Still Early Days . These remain unpublished. His first six plays were performed at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond. As he told Marsha Hanlon in an interview for the Orange Tree appeal brochure in 1991: "When the Orange Tree ran a workshop for local writers [in September 1981], I was invited to take part. The carrot
756-493: A positive contribution to Richmond. It also organises meetings on topics of local interest and a programme of guided walks and visits, and publishes a quarterly newsletter. Anita Anand , Professor Ian Bruce , John, Lord Lee of Trafford , Sir Trevor McDonald , Ronny, Baroness van Dedem and Lord Watson of Richmond are the Society's patrons. With a third of the borough being green and open space, Richmond has much to offer in
840-559: A reputation for theatrical rediscoveries, the Orange Tree repertory has also included many special seasons for the work of James Saunders , Michel Vinaver , Rodney Ackland , Václav Havel , Harley Granville Barker and Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries, including John Galsworthy . In Paul Miller's first season he presented revivals of plays by George Bernard Shaw, DH Lawrence and Doris Lessing as well as premiering plays by Alistair McDowall , Deborah Bruce and Alice Birch . The theatre's 2014 production of Alistair McDowall's Pomona
924-526: A total of seven screens in two locations, the foyer of one having the accolade of being the only high street building visible from Richmond Bridge, and the second set being situated nearby in Red Lion Street. The Odeon on Hill Street, built in 1930, is in Art Deco style and is Grade II listed. Numerous public houses and bars scattered throughout Richmond's town centre, and along the river and up
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#17327733441001008-416: Is a civic society and conservation group which was founded in 1957 by a group of local residents, originally to fight against the proposal to install modern lamp posts around Richmond Green. It acts as a pressure group concerned with preserving Richmond's natural and built environment, monitoring and influencing development proposals and presenting annual awards for buildings and other schemes which make
1092-419: Is a Christmas and New Year pantomime tradition and many of Britain's greatest music hall and pantomime performers have appeared here. Close to Richmond railway station is the Orange Tree Theatre which was founded in 1971 in a room above the Orange Tree pub . As audience numbers increased, there was pressure to find a more accommodating space and, in 1991, the company moved to its current premises within
1176-411: Is in a Grade II listed building dating from about 1760. The Richmond Local History Society explores the local history of Richmond, Kew, Petersham and Ham. It organises a programme of talks on history topics and visits to buildings of historical interest. The Society publishes a newsletter three times a year, an indexed journal ( Richmond History ) and other publications. The Richmond Society
1260-542: Is its dual and equal focus on the private and the public, the collective and the individual, the humorous and the dramatic, the spoken and the unspoken. [Angelaki, Vicky (2012), The Plays of Martin Crimp, Palgrave Macmillan, page1] Crimp's work has successfully received numerous productions abroad. In Germany, he is considered to be "one of the most respected British playwrights" and it was reported in 2013 that there has been "more than 60 German-language productions of his work in
1344-615: Is now known, however, that an earlier match between Kent and Surrey took place in Dartford in 1709. To the west of the Green is Old Palace Lane , running gently down to the river. One of the oldest roads in Richmond, it was originally a route from the river, where goods were loaded and unloaded by crane, to the "tradesmen's entrance" to Richmond Palace. Adjoining to the left is the renowned terrace of well-preserved three-storey houses known as Maids of Honour Row. These were built in 1724 for
1428-582: Is set back off the road, lined with benches, allowing pedestrians an uninterrupted view across the Thames valley with visitors' information boards describing points of interest. Sloping down to the River Thames are the Terrace Gardens that were laid out in the 1880s and were extended to the river some 40 years later. A commanding feature on the hill is the former Royal Star and Garter Home ; in
1512-400: Is still tidal at Richmond, so, to allow major passenger and goods traffic to continue to operate during low tide, a half-tide lock was opened in 1894 and is used when the adjacent weir is in position. This weir ensures that there is always a minimum depth of water of 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) toward the middle of the river between Richmond and Teddington , whatever the state of the tide. Above
1596-503: Is the highest point within the park. From the mound there is a protected view, established in 1710, of St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London over 10 miles (16 km) to the east. At various times the mound's name has been connected with Henry VIII or with his father Henry VII. However, there is no evidence to support the legend that Henry VIII stood on the mound to watch for the sign from St Paul's that Anne Boleyn had been executed at
1680-548: The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames . As of 2011 it had a population of 21,469 (in the North Richmond and South Richmond wards). It has a significant commercial and retail centre with a developed day and evening economy. The name "Richmond upon Thames" often refers, incorrectly, to the town of Richmond: in fact (unlike the case of nearby Kingston upon Thames ), the suffixed form should properly apply only to
1764-523: The Old Ship and the Britannia . Many of the major restaurant chains can be found within 500 metres of Richmond Bridge. There are also plenty of privately owned restaurants with culinary offerings from around the world, including French, German, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Thai. The Bingham Riverhouse hotel was awarded its first Michelin star in 2010. Overlooking the Thames, it
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#17327733441001848-501: The Richmond Gate entrance to Richmond Park . The park is a national nature reserve , a Site of Special Scientific Interest , and a Special Area of Conservation . The largest of London's Royal Parks , it was created by Charles I in 1634 as a deer park and now has over 600 red and fallow deer . Richmond Gate remains open to traffic between dawn and dusk. King Henry's Mound , a Grade II listed Neolithic burial barrow ,
1932-484: The Tower and that he was then free to marry Jane Seymour . King Henry's Mound is in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge , which is Grade II listed. In 1847 this house became the home of the then Prime Minister , Lord John Russell , who conducted much government business there and entertained Queen Victoria , foreign royalty, aristocrats, writers ( Dickens , Thackeray , Longfellow , Tennyson ) and other notable people of
2016-549: The Yorkshire Dales . Apart from the great rugby stadium at Twickenham and the aircraft landing and taking off from Heathrow , the scene has changed little in two hundred years. The view from Richmond Hill now forms part of the Thames Landscape Strategy which aims to protect and enhance this section of the river corridor into London. A broad, gravelled walk runs along the crest of the hill and
2100-553: The maids of honour (trusted royal wardrobe servants) of Queen Caroline , the queen consort of George II . As a child, the Victorian explorer Richard Burton lived at No. 2. Today the northern, western and southern sides of the Green are residential while the eastern side, linking with George Street, is largely retail and commercial. Public buildings line the eastern side of the Little Green and pubs and cafés cluster in
2184-407: The 18th century, Richmond Bridge connected the two banks of the Thames, and many Georgian terraces were built, particularly around Richmond Green and on Richmond Hill. Those that have survived remain well-preserved and many have been designated listed buildings on account of their architectural or historic significance. The opening of Richmond railway station in 1846 was a significant event in
2268-493: The 2010s it was sold for development and converted into residential apartments. During World War I an old hotel on this site, the Star and Garter , which had been a popular place of entertainment in the 18th and 19th centuries but had closed in 1906, was taken over and used as a military hospital . After the war it was replaced by a new building providing accommodation and nursing facilities for 180 seriously injured servicemen. This
2352-449: The Green attracts many residents and visitors. It has a long history of hosting sporting events; from the 16th century onwards tournaments and archery contests have taken place on the Green, and there have been cricket matches since the mid-18th century, continuing to the present day. Until recently, the first recorded inter-county cricket match was believed to have been played on Richmond Green in 1730 between Surrey and Middlesex . It
2436-683: The London Assembly , which has been represented by Nicholas Rogers from the Conservative Party since 2021. Richmond, earlier known as Shene , was part of the large ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames in the Kingston hundred of Surrey . Split off from Kingston upon Thames from an early time, the parish of Richmond St Mary Magdalene formed the Municipal Borough of Richmond from 1890. The municipal borough
2520-677: The London borough. The area was known in the medieval period as Shene, a name first recorded (as Sceon ) in the 10th century, and which survives in the neighbouring districts of East Sheen (also known as Sheen) and North Sheen . The manor entered royal hands, and the manor house eventually became known as Sheen Palace, before being largely destroyed by fire in 1497. Henry VII rebuilt it and in 1501 named it Richmond Palace , in allusion to his earldom of Richmond and his ancestral honour of Richmond in Yorkshire . The associated settlement took
2604-426: The Royal Court Theatre, London, where he became writer-in-residence in 1997. Crimp’s play Attempts on Her Life, which premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1997, was described by critic Aleks Sierz as the "event that secured his reputation as the most innovative, most exciting, and most exportable playwright of his generation" [Sierz, Aleks, Aleks, (2013) p.48]. The play presents a unique structure, as none of
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2688-580: The Royal Family. The future king Edward VIII was born at White Lodge in 1894; his brother Prince Albert, Duke of York (the future George VI) and the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) lived there in the 1920s. The Royal Ballet School (formerly Sadler's Wells Ballet) has been based since 1955 at the lodge, where younger ballet students continue to be trained. Also in
2772-632: The Wardrobe, Trumpeters' House (built around 1700), and the Gate House, built in 1501. This has five bedrooms and was made available on a 65-year lease by the Crown Estate Commissioners in 1986. Beyond the grounds of the old palace, Richmond remained mostly agricultural land until the 18th century. White Lodge , in the middle of what is now Richmond Park , was built as a hunting lodge for George II , and during this period
2856-491: The absorption of the town into a rapidly expanding London. In 1890, the town of Richmond, formerly part of the ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames in the county of Surrey , became a municipal borough , which later extended to include Kew , Ham , Petersham and part of Mortlake ( North Sheen ). The municipal borough was abolished in 1965, when local-government reorganisation transferred Richmond from Surrey to Greater London . Since 1965, Richmond has formed part of
2940-483: The architect Quinlan Terry , who was commissioned to restore the area (1984–87). Within the river itself at this point are the leafy Corporation Island and the two small Flowerpot Islands . The Thames-side walkway provides access to residences, pubs and terraces, and various greens , lanes and footpaths through Richmond. The stretch of the Thames below Richmond Hill is known as Horse Reach and includes Glover's Island . There are towpaths and tracks along both sides of
3024-653: The area, including along the Thames towpath and in Richmond Park. Richmond Park also has bridle paths , and horses can be rented from a number of stables around the perimeter of the park. Martin Crimp Martin Andrew Crimp (born 14 February 1956 in Dartford , Kent) is a British playwright . The son of John Crimp, a British Rail signalling engineer, and his wife Jennie, Crimp's family moved in 1960 to Streatham where he attended
3108-891: The audience to reconsider their understanding of what constitutes a "play" and raises questions about the existence of individuals beyond the constructs we create. His other plays range from tragi-comic studies of suburban guilt and repression — Definitely the Bahamas (1987), Dealing with Clair (1989), The Country (2000) — via the satirical ‘entertainment’ In the Republic of Happiness (2012) — to powerful re-writings of Greek classics — Cruel & Tender (2004), The Rest Will Be Familiar to You from Cinema (2013). This unusual variety has led Vicky Angelaki to write: Crimp’s multifaceted theatre, rich in textual, visual and visceral nuances, moves beyond rigid groupings of drama types and genres. What makes Crimp’s work both challenging and fascinating
3192-482: The corner by Paved Court and Golden Court – two of a number of alleys that lead from the Green to the main commercial thoroughfare of George Street. These alleys are lined with mostly privately owned boutiques . Partway up Richmond Hill is the Poppy Factory , staffed mainly by disabled ex-servicemen and women, which produces the remembrance poppies sold each November for Remembrance Day . The view from
3276-728: The council. Richmond town is divided into two wards – North Richmond, which has three Liberal Democrat councillors, and South Richmond, with two Liberal Democrat councillors and one from the Green Party . Richmond town forms part of the Richmond Park constituency for the UK Parliament . The MP , since 2019, is Sarah Olney from the Liberal Democrats. Richmond is also part of the South West constituency for
3360-660: The demolition of 297 houses. The Richmond War Memorial , which now commemorates both wars, was installed in 1921 at the end of Whittaker Avenue, between the Old Town Hall and the Riverside. The town of Richmond is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which is governed by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council . The most recent election was in May 2022 when the Liberal Democrats retained control of
3444-406: The east bank with its neighbouring district of East Twickenham . Today, this bridge, together with the well-preserved Georgian terraces that surround Richmond Green and line Richmond Hill to its crest, now has listed building status. As Richmond continued to prosper and expand during the 19th century, much luxurious housing was built on the streets that line Richmond Hill, as well as shops in
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3528-585: The east of the town near North Sheen railway station. A range of convenience shopping, restaurants and cafes can be found on the crest of Richmond Hill lining Friars Stile Road, as well as along Kew Road towards the Botanical Gardens , and on Sheen Road. Richmond also offers a wide variety of office accommodation and is the UK/European headquarters of several multi-national companies, including eBay , PayPal and The Securitas Group , as well as
3612-423: The former kings of this land, being wearie of the citie, used customarily thither to resort as to a place of pleasure, and serving highly to their recreation". It was rebuilt between 1414 and 1422, but destroyed by fire in 1497. Following that fire, Henry VII built a new residence at Sheen, and in 1501 he named it Richmond Palace. The theatre company to which Shakespeare belonged performed some plays there during
3696-432: The head offices of a number of national, regional and local businesses. London's Evening Standard has described Richmond as "the beating heart of London's growing technology industry". The Thames is a major contributor to the interest that Richmond inspires in many people. It has an extensive frontage around Richmond Bridge, containing many bars and restaurants. Richmond Riverside owes much of its neo-Georgian style to
3780-527: The hill, with enough variety to cater to most tastes. One of the oldest is The Cricketers, serving beer since 1770, though the original building was burned down in 1844. It was soon replaced by the present building. Samuel Whitbread , founder of Whitbread Brewery , part-owned it with the Collins family who had a brewery in Water Lane, close to the old palace. Grade II listed pubs include the White Cross ,
3864-447: The history of Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew. Its rotating exhibitions , education activities and a programme of events cover the whole of the modern borough. The museum's highlights include 16th-century glass from Richmond Palace and a painting, The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey by Dutch draughtsman and painter Leonard Knyff (1650–1722), which is part of the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection. Admission to
3948-491: The largest of which are Marks & Spencer , Boots , Tesco Metro and Waitrose . The remaining town centre stores are largely single units. Mostly independent businesses line the narrow alleyways running off George Street towards Richmond Green and up Richmond Hill, and there is a farmers' market in Heron Square on Saturdays. Richmond has one large stand-alone supermarket, Sainsbury's , with parking for 420 cars, to
4032-526: The latter transferring from London’s West End to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. These rewritings have led some critics to see them as new plays. Angelaki, for example, argues that "Crimp’s radical adaptations … depart substantially from the early versions of the texts that inspire them and as such belong to a discussion of Crimp’s playwriting canon, rather than of his translations or versions" [Angelaki, Vicky, Op. Cit. page 154] In 2006, Crimp began
4116-477: The least poverty in London. The town of Richmond has the largest commercial centre in the borough and is classified as a major centre according to the London Plan . It is an established up-market shopping destination. Its compact centre has approximately 50,000 m of retail floor-space that is largely focused on George Street , The Quadrant and Hill Street. It comprises almost exclusively high street chains,
4200-446: The lines are assigned to specific characters, and Crimp does not specify the number of actors required to perform the piece. The play consists of seventeen seemingly unrelated scenes in which groups of people provide contradictory descriptions of an absent protagonist, a woman who is discussed as a terrorist, the daughter of grieving parents, an artist, and even a new car. Through its deliberate fragmentation, Attempts on Her Life challenges
4284-410: The lock and weir there is a small footbridge . Richmond is well endowed with green and open spaces accessible to the public. At the heart of the town sits Richmond Green , which is roughly square in shape and together with the Little Green, a smaller green space stretching from its southeast corner, is 12 acres (5 hectares) in area. The Green is surrounded by well-used metalled roads that provide for
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#17327733441004368-402: The middle of the work, Edward himself died at the manor, in 1377. Richard II was the first English king to make Sheen his main residence, which he did in 1383. Twelve years later, Richard was so distraught at the death of his wife Anne of Bohemia at the age of 28 that, according to Holinshed , the 16th-century English chronicler, he "caused it [the manor] to be thrown down and defaced; whereas
4452-521: The museum is free. The Riverside Gallery , also at the Old Town Hall, features temporary exhibitions by local artists including paintings, prints and photographs. Admission is free. Richmond has two theatres. Richmond Theatre on Little Green is a late Victorian structure designed by Frank Matcham and restored and extended by Carl Toms in 1990. The theatre has a weekly schedule of plays and musicals, usually given by professional touring companies, and pre- West End shows can sometimes be seen. There
4536-447: The number of large houses in their own grounds – such as Asgill House and Pembroke Lodge – increased significantly. These were followed by the building of further important houses, including Downe House , Wick House and The Wick on Richmond Hill , as this area became an increasingly fashionable place in which to live. Richmond Bridge was completed in 1777 to replace a ferry crossing that connected Richmond town centre on
4620-634: The park and Grade II listed is Thatched House Lodge , which is still a royal residence. Since 1963 it has been the home of Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy , a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II . General Dwight D Eisenhower , who later became President of the United States , lived there during the Second World War . The Museum of Richmond , in Richmond's Old Town Hall , close to Richmond Bridge, has displays relating to
4704-497: The past two decades." In 2021, Crimp was recipient of Germany’s Nyssen-Bansemer theater prize in recognition of the importance of his body of work. [Süddeutsche Zeitung, 29 March 2021] Writing about the prize in Theater heute magazine, Till Briegleb praises the way that “With great authority, Crimp sketches the most diverse victims of a bourgeois society that wants to ignore all connections between their tranquil existence and
4788-424: The performing area, were used to seat an audience of up to 80 in number. Initially productions were staged in daylight and at lunchtimes. However, when theatre lighting and window-blinds were installed, matinee and evening performances of full-length plays also became possible. The London critics regularly reviewed its productions and the venue gained a reputation for quality and innovation, with theatregoers queuing on
4872-1006: The present building, which opened in 1991. Walters, the UK's longest-serving theatre director, retired from the Orange Tree Theatre in June 2014 and was succeeded as artistic director by Paul Miller , previously associate director at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield . Tom Littler , previously artistic director at the Jermyn Street Theatre , took over from Miller in December 2022. The Orange Tree Theatre specialises in staging new plays and rediscovering classics. It has an education and participation programme that reaches over 10,000 people every year. Since 2014
4956-436: The reign of Elizabeth I . As Queen, Elizabeth spent much of her time at Richmond, as she enjoyed hunting stags in the "Newe Parke of Richmonde" (now Old Deer Park). She died at the palace on 24 March 1603. The palace was no longer in residential use after 1649, but in 1688, James II ordered its partial reconstruction, this time as a royal nursery . The bulk of the palace had decayed by 1779, but surviving structures include
5040-537: The river, and they are much used by pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. Westminster Passenger Services Association boats, licensed by London River Services , sail daily between Kew and Hampton Court Palace , calling at Richmond in each direction. Richmond Green has been described as "one of the most beautiful urban greens surviving anywhere in England". It is roughly square in shape, and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees , extends to roughly twelve acres (5 hectares). On summer weekends and public holidays
5124-503: The same name, although for some years the two names were often used in conjunction (for example, "Shene otherwise called Richemount"). Henry I lived briefly in the King's house in "Sheanes". In 1299, Edward I , the "Hammer of the Scots", took his whole court to the manor house at Sheen, a little east of the bridge and on the riverside, and it thus became a royal residence; William Wallace
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#17327733441005208-479: The scenic view of the River Thames from Richmond. Richmond was founded following King Henry VII 's building in the 16th century of Richmond Palace (so-named in 1501), from which the town derives its name. (The palace's manor itself took its name from King Henry's earldom of Richmond, North Yorkshire , the original Richmond.) The town and palace became particularly associated with Queen Elizabeth I ( r. 1558–1603 ), who spent her last days there. During
5292-559: The school was in Victorian Gothic style and the architect is likely to have been Arthur Blomfield . Meanwhile, the original theatre, renamed The Room (above the pub), continued to function as a second stage for shorter runs and works in translation until 1997. The school conversion and construction design were undertaken by Iain Mackintosh as head of the Theatre Projects Consultants team. The design intent
5376-622: The stage entrances at all four corners of the playing space. Foyers and dressing rooms were sited in the rebuilt house of the former headmaster, while the theatre space itself is built where once were the assembly hall and school playground. Any fears that the special atmosphere of the old theatre would be lost proved unfounded, and close links were formed with the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough , also founded as an in-the-round theatre by Sir Alan Ayckbourn . £750,000
5460-406: The stairs, waiting to purchase tickets. As audience numbers increased there was pressure to find a more accommodating space, both front and backstage. On 14 February 1991, the company opened its first production across the road in the current premises, the new Orange Tree Theatre. The theatre is housed within a converted primary school, St John's, which had been built in 1867 and had become derelict;
5544-531: The theatre from its list of National Portfolio Organisations from 2015, which means the theatre has to bridge the funding gap with that from external sources. In July 2016, Arts Council England announced that it would be awarding £75,000 to the Orange Tree Theatre over the next three years as part of the Catalyst: Evolve fund which matches fundraised income. As well as producing the first six plays by Martin Crimp , plays by Susan Glaspell and developing
5628-663: The theatre has won ten Offies (Off West End Awards), five UK Theatre Awards and the Alfred Fagon Audience Award. It won the Empty Space Peter Brook Award in 2006 and 2015. As a company the Orange Tree Theatre, then known as the Richmond Fringe, was founded on 31 December 1971 by Sam Walters and Auriol Smith in a small room above The Orange Tree pub, close to Richmond railway station . Six former church pews , arranged around
5712-473: The time, including Giuseppe Garibaldi . It was later the childhood home of Lord John Russell's grandson, the philosopher, mathematician and social critic Bertrand Russell . It is now a popular restaurant with views across the Thames Valley. Built as a hunting lodge for George II by the architect Roger Morris , White Lodge was completed in 1730. Its many famous residents have included members of
5796-569: The top westward to Windsor has long been famous, inspiring paintings by masters such as J. M. W. Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds and also poetry. One particularly grand description of the view can be found in Sir Walter Scott 's novel The Heart of Midlothian (1818). It is a common misconception that the folk song " Lass of Richmond Hill " relates to this hill, but the young woman in the song lived in Hill House at Richmond in
5880-547: The town along the riverside as far as the boundary with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, a UNESCO World Heritage Site . This contains wide green lawns and sports facilities, and the Grade I listed former King's Observatory erected for George III in 1769. The town's main shopping street, George Street , is also named after the king. The town centre lies just below 33 ft (10 m) above sea level. South of
5964-658: The town centre to serve the increasing population. In July 1892, the Corporation formed a joint-stock company , the Richmond (Surrey) Electric Light and Power Company, and this wired the town for electricity by around 1896. Like many other large towns in Britain, Richmond lost many young people in the First and Second World Wars . In the Second World War, 96 people were killed in air raids , which also resulted in
6048-409: The town centre, rising from Richmond Bridge to an elevation of 165 ft (50 m), is Richmond Hill. Just beyond the summit of Richmond Hill is Richmond Park , an area of 2,360 acres (9.55 km ; 3.7 sq mi) of wild heath and woodland originally enclosed for hunting, and now forming London's largest royal park . The park is a national nature reserve , a Site of Special Scientific Interest and
6132-411: The violence that makes it possible. From the murderer to the child, everyone who appears is unique, their life-lies and fears individual.” Martin Crimp is sometimes described as a practitioner of the " in-yer-face " school of contemporary British drama, although he rejects the label. In 2022, he performed his play Not one of these people , which gave voice to 299 different characters. Supported with
6216-533: The way of leisure activities. Skiffs (fixed seat boats) can be hired by the hour from local boat builders close to the bridge, with opportunities to row upstream towards the historic properties Ham House and Marble Hill House . Richmond Canoe Club, founded in 1944 and now Britain's biggest canoe club, is also on the towpath south of Richmond Bridge. Richmond is part of the London Cycle Network , offering on and off-road cycle paths throughout
6300-540: The world premieres of Jess and Joe Forever by Zoe Cooper and The Brink by Brad Birch , the UK premiere of Winter Solstice by Roland Schimmelpfennig and the European premiere of An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins . From 1986 to 2014 the theatre ran a trainee director scheme, each year appointing two young assistant directors. Graduates of this scheme included Rachel Kavanaugh , Timothy Sheader , Sean Holmes , Dominic Hill , and Anthony Clark . This
6384-592: Was executed in London in 1305, and it was in Sheen that the Commissioners from Scotland went down on their knees before Edward. Edward II , following his defeat by the Scots at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, founded a monastery for Carmelites at Sheen. When the boy-king Edward III came to the throne in 1327, he gave the manor to his mother Isabella . Edward later spent over £ 2,000 on improvements, but in
6468-531: Was expanded in 1892 by the addition of Kew , Petersham and the North Sheen part of Mortlake ; in 1933, Ham was added to the borough. In 1965, the parish and municipal borough were abolished by the London Government Act 1963 , which transferred Richmond to Greater London . Together with the former Municipal Borough of Twickenham and the former Municipal Borough of Barnes , it formed
6552-406: Was raised by an appeal, launched in 1988 by Richmond residents Sir Richard and Lady Attenborough . In 2003 the former Royal Bank of Scotland building next door to the new theatre was modified and re-opened as a dedicated space for rehearsals, set-building and costume storage, significantly expanding and improving the Orange Tree Theatre's operation. In July 2014, Arts Council England removed
6636-635: Was replaced by a Resident Director position in 2014/15. The Orange Tree currently runs an MA in Theatre Directing with St Mary's University, Twickenham which started in 2016–17. Since 2014 the theatre has won ten Offies (Off West End Awards), five UK Theatre Awards and the Alfred Fagon Audience Award . The Orange Tree Theatre won the Empty Space Peter Brook Award in 2006 and 2015. In 2017 it
6720-538: Was sold in 2013 after the charitable trust running the home concluded that the building no longer met modern requirements and could not be easily or economically upgraded. The trust opened an additional home in Solihull , West Midlands, and the remaining residents in Richmond moved in 2013 to a new purpose-built building in Surbiton . At the top of Richmond Hill , opposite the former Royal Star and Garter Home, sits
6804-436: Was the London regional winner for UK's Most Welcoming Theatre Award 2017. Richmond, London Richmond is a town in south-west London, 8.2 miles (13.2 km) west-southwest of Charing Cross . It stands on the River Thames , and features many parks and open spaces , including Richmond Park , and many protected conservation areas , which include much of Richmond Hill . A specific Act of Parliament protects
6888-423: Was the chance of a lunchtime production, so I wrote Living Remains and the Orange Tree staged it – my first-ever produced play! I was so excited that I didn't think about the space where it was performed [then a room above a pub], but now I realise that the Orange Tree's intimacy and simplicity provided an extra layer of excitement." Seven of his plays, and his second Ionesco translation have also been presented at
6972-400: Was to retain the same sense of intimacy as the old theatre, thus calling for an unusually small acting area. The solution was to create, at stage level, no more than three rows of shallow raked seating on any side of the acting area, plus an irregular, timber-clad gallery above of only one row (which helps to "paper the wall with people") under which actors could circulate on two sides to reach
7056-465: Was well received by the critics and it transferred to the National Theatre and Royal Exchange Theatre in autumn 2015. Terence Rattigan 's French Without Tears played two sell-out runs at the theatre then went on a UK tour with English Touring Theatre. Other rediscoveries include work by Robert Holman , Sharman Macdonald , Clare McIntyre and Caryl Churchill . New plays have included
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