Connections (also referred to as New Connections and formerly Shell Connections and BT Connections) is the Royal National Theatre in London 's annual youth theatre festival. It was founded in 1995 and sponsored by Royal Dutch Shell until 2007 when the Bank of America took over the sponsorship. The plays are also published by the National Theatre each year.
60-617: The National Theatre annually commissions ten plays from established playwrights which are performed by youth theatre groups across the UK. Groups are invited to perform at Connections Festivals held at a professional theatre in their area. A random performance group from each play is then performed at the end of the Festival at the National Theatre. Several of the specially commissioned Connection plays have been professionally produced at
120-465: A National Theatre Company, which would lease the Old Vic theatre in the interim. The "National Theatre Company" opened on 22 October 1963 with Hamlet , starring Peter O'Toole in the title role. The company was founded by Laurence Olivier , who became the first artistic director of the company. As fellow directors, he enlisted William Gaskill and John Dexter . Among the first ensemble of actors of
180-429: A great surprise. To save himself, Jake weaves his best story yet. It is so good that the gang drop their tough trendy act and demand starring roles in the unfolding fantasy of mystery, danger, love and the final encounter with Sparkleshark. Eventually, they make a pact to meet up every week as a group and tell stories together. Jake – 14 years of age, he is a highly imaginative and creative individual creating stories in
240-532: A large theatrical bookshop, restaurants, bars and exhibition spaces. The terraces and foyers of the theatre complex have also been used for ad hoc, short seasonal and experimental performances and screenings. The riverside forecourt of the theatre is used for regular season of open-air performances in the summer months. The Clore Learning Centre is a new dedicated space for learning at the National Theatre. It offers events and courses for all ages, exploring theatre-making from playwriting to technical skills, often led by
300-664: A live audience. The service was launched initially to UK secondary schools in 2015 with productions for Key Stage 3 pupils and above. In November 2016, the National Theatre launched to service to UK primary schools, adding a number of new titles for Key Stage 2. Productions currently offered by the service include Frankenstein (directed by Danny Boyle , starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller ), Othello (directed by Nicholas Hytner , starting Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear ), Antigone (directed by Polly Findlay , starring Christopher Eccleston and Jodie Whittaker ), and Jane Eyre (directed by Sally Cookson ). In 2018,
360-619: A newspaper, they're portrayed as violent, dysfunctional and dangerous." Professional Premiere 7 June 1999 at the Royal National Theatre , London. Directed by Terry Johnson . Since its debut Sparkleshark has had many productions around the world, including at the Australian Theatre for Young People . Royal National Theatre The National Theatre , officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as
420-482: A notable standing ovation. Following the show, Ridley published a book of his short plays, citing each member of the Youth Lyric cast as a thank you to their work. The cast played the show for a further three years. Among the admirers of the play's first production was the playwright Patrick Marber , who cited the drama as greatly influencing the writing of his 2004 play The Musicians , which like Sparkleshark
480-440: A notebook. He however is often bullied by others and dismissed as a geek, resulting in him spending most his free time at school hiding between the bins. Polly – 14 years of age, she only joined school with the others last week. She has noticed Jake despite his secluded nature and loves his stories. Natasha – 15 years of age, she has looked after Polly in her first week at school coaching her into how to be popular. She has
540-511: A portrait of actress Katie Leung standing in front of The Shed as part of the artist's "London Portraits" series, where he asked various cultural figures to choose a place in London for the backdrop of their portraits. Leung explained she chose The Shed as her backdrop because she performed there in the 2013 play The World of Extreme Happiness , and also because "... it's a temporary theatre, it's not permanent, and I wanted to make it permanent in
600-691: A site close to the Royal Festival Hall for the purpose, so the National Theatre Act 1949 ( 12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6 . c. 16), offering financial support, was passed by Parliament . Ten years after the foundation stone had been laid in 1951, the government declared that the nation could not afford a National Theatre; in response, the LCC offered to waive any rent and pay half the construction costs. The government still tried to apply unacceptable conditions to save money, attempting to force
660-616: A theatre in Bloomsbury . This work was interrupted by World War I. In 1910, George Bernard Shaw wrote a short comedy, The Dark Lady of the Sonnets , in which Shakespeare himself attempts to persuade Elizabeth I of the necessity of building a National Theatre to stage his plays. The play was part of the long-term campaign to build a National Theatre. Finally, in 1948, the London County Council (LCC) presented
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#1732791982974720-561: A third production in Doncaster in partnership with Cast and six local community partners. The new adaptation of The Caucasian Chalk Circle was originally planned for 2020 but has been postponed, due to COVID-19. In December 2020, in partnership with The Guardian , Public Acts released an online musical called We Begin Again by James Graham ( Quiz ) as a music video and a standalone track released by Broadway Records. River Stage
780-571: A troublesome relationship with her father and yearns for his attention. Carol – 14 years of age, she dresses in the same manner as Natasha suggesting she wants to attain to her popularity. She is attracted to Russell. Russell – A good-looking 15 year old whom many of the girls are attracted to. He bullies Jake often beating him up with Buzz and Speed. Buzz and Speed – Both 14 years of age, they are Russell's sidekicks. Shane – 16 years of age, having already left school he used to be Natasha's boyfriend. Finn – Polly's 15-year-old brother, he
840-730: Is a lovely work and so good from so many angles...it has that inevitable and finished look that great work does." Despite the controversy, the theatre has been a Grade II* listed building since 1994. Although the theatre is often cited as an archetype of Brutalist architecture in England, since Lasdun's death the building has been re-evaluated as having closer links to the work of Le Corbusier , rather than contemporary monumental 1960s buildings such as those of Paul Rudolph . The carefully refined balance between horizontal and vertical elements in Lasdun's building has been contrasted favourably with
900-569: Is invited to perform in a final festival at the National Theatre, usually in the Olivier Theatre and Dorfman Theatre. The National Theatre Collection (formerly called On Demand. In Schools ) is the National Theatre's free production streaming service for educational establishments worldwide, which is free to UK state schools. The service is designed for use by teachers and educators in the classroom, and features recordings of curriculum-linked productions filmed in high definition in front of
960-482: Is large and has limited speech and communicative skills but possess extreme strength for his age, which makes most of the other children fearful and often refer to him as “The Monster”. Premiere 15 July 1997 at the Royal National Theatre , London. Directed by Michelle Wiggins and performed by the Youth Lyric Theatre , Belfast. The show was awarded first prize at BT National Connections, receiving
1020-511: Is produced by Fran Miller. The annual "Watch This Space" festival was a free summer-long celebration of outdoor theatre, circus and dance, which was replaced in 2015 by the River Stage festival. "Watch This Space" featured events for all ages, including workshops and classes for children and adults. "Watch This Space" had a strong national and international relationships with leading and emerging companies working in many different aspects of
1080-641: Is the National Theatre's free outdoor summer festival that place over five weekends outside the National Theatre in its north-east cornersquare. It is accompanied by a number of additional street food stalls and bars run by the NT. The event features programmes developed by various companies for the first four weekends, with the National Theatre itself programming the fifth weekend. Participating organisations have included The Glory, HOME Manchester , Sadler's Wells , nonclassical , WOMAD , Latitude Festival , Bristol's Mayfest and Rambert . The festival launched in 2015 and
1140-472: The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus , it has an open stage and a fan-shaped audience seating area for 1160 people. A "drum revolve" (a five-storey revolving stage section) extends eight metres beneath the stage and is operated by a single staff member. The drum has two rim revolves and two platforms, each of which can carry ten tonnes, facilitating dramatic and fluid scenery changes. Its design ensures that
1200-734: The National Theatre of Great Britain is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London , England. The NT was founded by the actor Laurence Olivier in 1963, and many well-known actors have performed with it since. The company was based at The Old Vic theatre in Waterloo until 1976. The current building is located next to the Thames in the South Bank area of central London. In addition to performances at
1260-465: The patent theatres , and new plays were subjected to censorship by the Lord Chamberlain's Office . At the same time, there was a burgeoning theatre sector featuring a diet of low melodrama and musical burlesque ; but critics described British theatre as driven by commercialism and a "star" system. There was a demand to commemorate serious theatre, with the "Shakespeare Committee" purchasing
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#17327919829741320-410: The "Royal" prefix to the name of the theatre was given in 1988, but the full title is rarely used. The theatre presents a varied programme, including Shakespeare, other international classic drama, and new plays by contemporary playwrights. Each auditorium in the theatre can run up to three shows in repertoire , thus further widening the number of plays which can be put on during any one season. However,
1380-797: The Circus. The festival was set up by its first producer Jonathan Holloway , who was succeeded in 2005 by Angus MacKechnie. Whilst the Theatre Square space was occupied by the Temporary Theatre during the NT Future redevelopment, the "Watch This Space" festival was suspended. but held a small number of events in nearby local spaces. In 2013 the National announced that there would be a small summer festival entitled "August Outdoors" in Theatre Square. Playing Fridays and Saturdays only,
1440-697: The Cottesloe. 2023 Source - Source - DNA Sparkleshark Sparkleshark is a stage play by Philip Ridley that was originally commissioned for the BT National Connections , the UK National Theatre's youth theatre scheme in 1997. Sparkleshark had a professional run at the Royal National Theatre in 1999 followed by a tour in 2001. The play is part of Ridley's sequence of plays for young people The Storyteller Sequence which share thematic similarities,
1500-669: The Head of New Work in 2015. National Theatre Live is an initiative which broadcasts performances of their productions (and from other theatres) to cinemas and arts centres around the world. It began in June 2009 with Helen Mirren in Jean Racine 's Phedre , directed by Nicholas Hytner , in the Lyttelton Theatre. The third season of broadcasts launched on 15 September 2011 with One Man, Two Guvnors with James Corden . This
1560-470: The NT's own artists and staff. One of its spaces is The Cottesloe Room, so called in recognition of the original name of the adjacent theatre. The dressing rooms for all actors are arranged around an internal light-well and air-shaft and so their windows each face each other. This arrangement has led to a tradition whereby, on the opening night (known as "Press Night") and closing night of any individual play, when called to go to "beginners" (opening positions),
1620-717: The National Theatre at its formation in 1963. He was considered the foremost British film and stage actor of the period, and became the first director of the Chichester Festival Theatre – there forming the company that would unite with the Old Vic Company to form the National Theatre Company. In addition to directing, he continued to appear in many successful productions, not least as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice . In 1969
1680-548: The National Theatre building, the National Theatre tours productions at theatres across the United Kingdom. The theatre has transferred numerous productions to Broadway and toured some as far as China, Australia and New Zealand. However, touring productions to European cities was suspended in February 2021 over concerns about uncertainty over work permits, additional costs and delays because of Brexit . Permission to add
1740-724: The National Theatre complex which it was estimated would cost about £80 million. The Studio building across the road from the Old Vic on The Cut in Waterloo. The Studio used to house the NT's workshops, but became the National's research and development wing in 1984. The Studio building houses the New Work Department, the Archive, and the NT's Immersive Storytelling Studio. The Studio is a Grade II listed building designed by architects Lyons Israel Ellis. Completed in 1958,
1800-525: The National Theatre reported that over half of UK state secondary schools have registered to use the service. On Demand. In Schools won the 2018 Bett Award for Free Digital Content or Open Educational Resources. In March 2020, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the National Theatre Collection was made available for pupils and teachers to access at home to aid blended learning programmes. In April 2020, six new titles were added to
1860-580: The National Theatre's first board chairman, it has a proscenium arch design and can accommodate an audience of 890. Named after Lloyd Dorfman (philanthropist and chairman of Travelex Group ), the Dorfman is "the smallest, the barest and the most potentially flexible of the National Theatre houses . . . a dark-walled room" with an audience capacity of 400. It was formerly known as the Cottesloe Theatre (named after Lord Cottesloe , Chairman of
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1920-458: The National Theatre. In 1999 Sparkleshark was performed. In 2006 three were produced; Burn by Deborah Gearing, Chatroom by Enda Walsh and Citizenship by Mark Ravenhill were performed in 2006; the latter two were revived in 2007 when they also toured. In 2008 Baby Girl by Roy Williams , DNA by Dennis Kelly and The Miracle by Lin Coghlan also received professional productions in
1980-561: The New Shakespeare Company (now the Royal Shakespeare Company , RSC); then Herbert Beerbohm Tree founded an Academy of Dramatic Art at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1904. This still left the capital without a national theatre. A London Shakespeare League was founded in 1902 to develop a Shakespeare National Theatre and – with the impending tercentenary in 1916 of his death – in 1913 purchased land for
2040-768: The South Bank Theatre Board), a name which ceased to be used with the theatre's closure under the National's NT Future redevelopment. The enhanced theatre reopened in September 2014 under its new name. The Temporary Theatre, formerly called The Shed, was a 225-seat black box theatre which opened in April 2013 and featured new works; it closed in May 2016, following the refurbishment of the Dorfman Theatre. In 2015 British artist Carl Randall painted
2100-522: The UK to create large-scale new work. The first Public Acts production was Pericles in August 2018, at the National Theatre, in the Olivier Theatre. The Guardian described this as 'a richly sung version with brilliant performances from a cast of hundreds.' The second production was As You Like It performed in August 2019 at the Queen's Theatre , Hornchurch. Since 2019, Public Acts has been working on
2160-418: The United Kingdom and then internationally. The programme began with a production of Phèdre , starring Helen Mirren , which was screened live in 70 cinemas across the UK. NT Live productions have since been broadcast to over 2,500 venues in 60 countries around the world. In November 2020, National Theatre at Home, a video on demand streaming service, specifically created for National Theatre Live recordings,
2220-628: The United States, Canada and Australia for a limited season in Spring 2012. Danny Boyle 's Frankenstein also returned to cinema screens worldwide for a limited season in June and July 2012. The fourth season of broadcasts commenced on Thursday 6 September 2012 with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time , a play based on the international best-selling novel by Mark Haddon . This
2280-481: The actors will go to the window and drum on the glass with the palms of their hands. Backstage tours run throughout the day and the Sherling High Level Walkway, open daily until 7.30 pm, offers visitors views into the backstage production workshops for set construction and assembly, scenic painting and prop-making. 2013 saw the commencement of the "NT Future" project; a redevelopment of
2340-521: The amalgamation of the existing publicly supported companies: the RSC, Sadler's Wells and Old Vic . Following some initial inspirational steps taken with the opening of the Chichester Festival Theatre in Chichester in June 1962, the developments in London proceeded. In July 1962, with agreements finally reached, a board was set up to supervise construction, and a separate board was constituted to run
2400-430: The audience's view is not blocked from any seat, and that the audience is fully visible to actors from the stage's centre. Designed in the 1970s and a prototype of current technology, the drum revolve and a multiple "sky hook" flying system were initially very controversial and required ten years to commission, but seem to have fulfilled the objective of functionality with high productivity. Named after Oliver Lyttelton ,
2460-400: The auditorium. National Theatre Connections is the annual nationwide youth theatre festival run by the National Theatre. The festival was founded in 1995, and features ten new plays for young people written by leading playwrights. Productions are staged by schools and youth groups at their schools and community centres, and at local professional theatre hubs. One of the productions of each play
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2520-624: The building was refurbished by architects Haworth Tompkins and reopened in autumn 2007. The National Theatre Studio was founded in 1985 under the directorship of Peter Gill , who ran it until 1990. Laura Collier became Head of the Studio in November 2011, replacing Purni Morrell who headed the Studio from 2006. Following the merge of the Studio and the Literary Department under the leadership of Rufus Norris, Emily McLaughlin became
2580-408: The building. A key intended viewing axis is from Waterloo Bridge at 45 degrees head on to the fly tower of the Olivier Theatre (the largest and highest element of the building) and the steps from ground level. This view is largely obscured now by mature trees along the riverside walk but it can be seen in a more limited way at ground level. The National Theatre's foyers are open to the public, with
2640-501: The company were Robert Stephens , Maggie Smith , Joan Plowright , Michael Gambon , Derek Jacobi , Lynn Redgrave , Michael Redgrave , Colin Blakely and Frank Finlay . Meanwhile, construction of the permanent theatre proceeded with a design by architects Sir Denys Lasdun and Peter Softley and structural engineers Flint & Neill containing three stages, which opened individually between 1976 and 1977. The construction work
2700-404: The future Charles III described the building in 1988 as "a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting". John Betjeman , a man not noted for his enthusiasm for brutalist architecture, wrote to Lasdun stating ironically that he "gasped with delight at the cube of your theatre in the pale blue sky and a glimpse of St Paul's to the south of it. It
2760-492: The lumpiness of neighbouring buildings such as the Hayward Gallery and Queen Elizabeth Hall . It is now in the unusual situation of having appeared simultaneously in the top ten "most popular" and "most hated" London buildings in opinion surveys. A recent lighting scheme illuminating the exterior of the building, in particular the fly towers , has proved very popular, and is one of several positive artistic responses to
2820-445: The most distinct being the redemptive power of storytelling. High up on a tower block roof, Jake writes magical and fantastic stories in his secret book to hide from bullies. Polly finds Jake on the roof and realizes that there is more to him than what meets the eye. Natasha joins Polly and finds her talking to a 'geek' shortly followed by Carol and the rest of the bullies. When the gang of boys actually arrive, though, everyone's in for
2880-637: The outdoor arts sector. Significant collaborators and regular visitors included Teatr Biuro Podrozy, The Whalley Range All Stars, Home Live Art, Addictive TV, Men in Coats, Upswing, Circus Space, Les Grooms, StopGAP Dance Theatre, metro-boulot-dodo, Avanti Display, The Gandinis, Abigail Collins, The World-famous, Ida Barr (Christopher Green), Motionhouse, Mat Ricardo, The Insect Circus, Bängditos Theater, Mimbre, Company FZ, WildWorks, Bash Street Theatre, Markeline, The Chipolatas, The Caravan Gallery, Sienta la Cabeza, Theatre Tuig, Producciones Imperdibles and Mario Queen of
2940-670: The playwright's birthplace for the nation demonstrating a recognition of the importance of "serious drama". The following year saw more pamphlets on a demand for a National Theatre from London publisher Effingham William Wilson. The situation continued, with a renewed call every decade for a National Theatre. Attention was aroused in 1879 when the Comédie-Française took a residency at the Gaiety Theatre , described in The Times as representing "the highest aristocracy of
3000-520: The portrait". The style of the National Theatre building was described by architecture historian Mark Girouard as "an aesthetic of broken forms" at the time of opening. Architectural opinion was split at the time of construction. Even enthusiastic advocates of the Modern Movement such as Nikolaus Pevsner found the Béton brut RAAC concrete both inside and out overbearing. Most notoriously,
3060-444: The post-2020 covid repertoire model became straight runs, required by the imperatives of greater resource efficiency and financial constraint coupled with the preference (and competition for the availability) of creatives working across stage and screen, thus bringing it in line with that of most theatres. In June 2009, the theatre began National Theatre Live (NT Live), a programme of simulcasts of live productions to cinemas, first in
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#17327919829743120-515: The programme included The Sneakers and The Streetlights by Half Human Theatre, The Thinker by Stuff & Things, H2H by Joli Vyann, Screeving by Urban Canvas, Pigeon Poo People by The Natural Theatre Company, Capses by Laitrum, Bang On! , Caravania! by The Bone Ensemble, The Hot Potato Syncopators , Total Eclipse of the Head by Ella Good and Nicki Kent, The Caravan Gallery , Curious Curios by Kazzum Theatre and The Preeners by Canopy. Laurence Olivier became artistic director of
3180-407: The restaurants, bars, bookshop, etc.). Support from Arts Council England provided 17% of income, 1% from Learning and Participation activity, and the remaining 9% came from a mixture of companies, individuals, trusts and foundations. In 1847, a critic using the pseudonym Dramaticus published a pamphlet describing the parlous state of British theatre. Production of serious plays was restricted to
3240-573: The service to bring the total up to 30 productions. These include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (directed by Benedict Andrews for the Young Vic , starring Sienna Miller and Jack O'Connell ) and Small Island (directed by Rufus Norris for the National Theatre). Public Acts is a community participation programme from the National Theatre working with theatres and community organisations across
3300-477: The theatre". The principal demands now coalesced around: a structure in the capital that would form a permanent memorial to Shakespeare; an "exemplary theatre" company producing at the highest level of quality; and a centre from which appreciation of great drama could be spread as part of education throughout the country. The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre was opened in Stratford upon Avon on 23 April 1879, with
3360-459: Was carried out by Sir Robert McAlpine . The Company remained at the Old Vic until 1976, when construction of the Olivier was complete. The National Theatre building houses three separate theatres. Additionally, a temporary structure was added in April 2013 and closed in May 2016. Named after the theatre's first artistic director, Laurence Olivier , this is the main auditorium. Modelled on
3420-492: Was commissioned for The National Theatre Connections several years later in 2004. Marber described his viewing of Sparkleshark as "one of the best nights I've ever had in the theatre, and I thought, 'Oh, I'd love to write one of those one day.' I thought it was an absolutely beautiful play." and commented that "I suppose I ended up writing a piece that conveyed something of how I felt when I saw Sparkleshark - moved by seeing teenagers working together, because every time you open
3480-453: Was followed by Arnold Wesker 's The Kitchen . The final broadcast of 2011 was John Hodge 's Collaborators with Simon Russell Beale . In 2012 Nicholas Wright 's play Travelling Light was broadcast on 9 February, followed by The Comedy of Errors with Lenny Henry on 1 March and She Stoops to Conquer with Katherine Kelly , Steve Pemberton and Sophie Thompson on 29 March. One Man, Two Guvnors returned to cinema screens in
3540-563: Was followed by The Last of the Haussmans , a new play by Stephen Beresford starring Julie Walters , Rory Kinnear and Helen McCrory on 11 October 2012. William Shakespeare 's Timon of Athens followed on 1 November 2012 starring Simon Russell Beale as Timon. On 17 January 2013, NT Live broadcast Arthur Wing Pinero 's The Magistrate , with John Lithgow . The performances to be filmed and broadcast are nominated in advance, allowing planned movement of cameras with greater freedom in
3600-400: Was introduced. Videos of plays are added every month, and can be "rented" for temporary viewing, or unlimited recordings can be watched through a monthly or yearly subscription programme. The NT had an annual turnover of approximately £105 million in 2015–16, of which earned income made up 75% (58% from ticket sales, 5% from NT Live and Digital, and 12% from commercial revenue such as in
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