The Yard Theatre, opened in 2011, is a theatre in a converted warehouse in Hackney Wick in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It programmes theatre and performance, nightlife, and works with young people and its local community.[1]
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| Address | Unit 2A Queen's Yard, Hackney Wick London United Kingdom |
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| Public transit |  Hackney Wick |
| Type | Non-profit producing theatre, nightlife venue, community organisation |
| Capacity | 110 seats, 250 club capacity |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 13 July 2011 |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Architect | Practice Architecture |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
editThe Yard was founded by Artistic Director Jay Miller in 2011, with support from Tarek Iskander, Sasha Milavic Davies and Alex Rennie. They worked with architectural firm Practice Architecture to convert a disused warehouse into a theatre and bar.[2] Originally intended to have a 3-month life-span, The Yard became an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation in 2017.[3] In 2016 it took over management of Hackney Wick community centre Hub67,[4] and in 2019 took on The Hall in East Village, London Borough of Newham.[5] In 2024, it was awarded a £700,000 from Arts Council England's Capital Investment Programme to go towards major refurbishment and extension of the organisation's current building.[6]
Awards
editThe Yard was awarded the final Peter Brook Empty Space Award in 2013[7] and 2017,[8] as well as the Dan Crawford Innovation Award in 2012.[9]
Programme
editShows that originated at The Yard include Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum Dreams, which later transferred to the National Theatre and became the hit BBC show Chewing Gum. Its successful nightlife programme has been featured in national press,[10][11][12] and in the New York Times.[13]
Theatre productions include a gender-swapped production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible,[14] the premiere of Pulitzer Award-winning writer Clare Barron’s Dirty Crusty,[15] and an entirely digital day of online performance, Yard Online.[16] From March 2020, The Yard took all of its community and young people's work online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]
The Yard reopened after the pandemic with a season featuring Gracie Gardner's Athena, directed by Grace Gummer in conjunction with the National Theatre, alongside Lanre Malaolu's SAMSKARA and Dipo Baruwa-Etti's An unfinished man.
In 2022, they premiered Vinay Patel's reimagining[18] of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, set in space and featuring a fully South Asian cast. In 2023, they premiered James Fritz's The Flea, a retelling of the 1889 Cleveland Street Scandal. In 2024, they then premiered a season featuring HOTTER Project's The Last Show Before We Die, Rhianna Ilube's Samuel Takes a Break in Male Dungeon No. 5 After a Generally Successful Day of Tours about a fictional tour guide working at Ghana's Cape Coast Castle and Sami Ibrahim's Multiple Casualty Incident.
Founder Jay Miller's credits at The Yard Theatre have included The Flea by James Fritz,[19] This Beautiful Future by Rita Kalnejais,[20] The Crucible by Arthur Miller starring Emma D'Arcy,[21], Dirty Crusty by Clare Barron,[22] Removal Men by MJ Harding,[23] Lines by Pamela Carter, starring Ncuti Gatwa.[24]
The Yard Theatre also programmes nightlife. Notable parties and collectives past and present include INFERNO,[25] Pxssy Palace,[26] Knickerbocker, Queer House Party, Mind Ur Head, T-Boys, GGI,[27] DOOMSCROLL, Popola and Habibti Nation.
References
edit- ^ "About us | The Yard Theatre". theyardtheatre.co.uk/.
- ^ "Practice Architecture | The Yard Theatre".
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (27 June 2017). "Diversity is the real winner in Arts Council England's new round of funding" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "HUB67 | The Yard Theatre". theyardtheatre.co.uk/.
- ^ Krook, Alex. "The Hall | The Yard Theatre". theyardtheatre.co.uk/.
- ^ "Yard Theatre to build new venue in Hackney". 8 May 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Empty Space… Peter Brook Awards – Winners 2013 | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Peter Brook Empty Space Awards to end as 2017 winners announced | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com.
- ^ "Empty Space… Peter Brook Awards – Winners 2012 |". WestEndTheatre.com - London Theatre Tickets.
- ^ Hall, Jake (16 March 2020). "Celebrating five years of Dalston's queerest, most hedonistic rave".
- ^ Anderson, James (8 January 2020). "The new free beauty newspaper from CSM students".
- ^ Coldwell, Will (21 February 2017). "10 top tips from our London correspondent" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Williams, Holly (3 February 2019). "It's a Theater, With Craft Beer and D.J.s Until 6 a.m. (Published 2019)". The New York Times.
- ^ "'The Crucible' review".
- ^ "Dirty Crusty review: Messed up and magnificent anti-romcom". Evening Standard. 30 October 2019.
- ^ "Yard Online review – switch on your mobile and take a seat on your toilet". the Guardian. 18 May 2020.
- ^ Chant, Holly (19 May 2020). "Hackney Wick theatre puts on digital festival to showcase its young people's programmes". Hackney Gazette.
- ^ Clark, Nick (30 August 2022). "Writer Vinay Patel on Doctor Who and sending Chekhov into space". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ London, The Reviews Hub- (18 October 2023). "The Flea - The Yard Theatre, London". The Reviews Hub. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "This Beautiful Future review, Yard Theatre, London, 2017". The Stage. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Mountford, Fiona (3 April 2019). "The Crucible review — Intense production mashes modern and traditional". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Jessie (30 October 2019). "Dirty Crusty review: Messed up and magnificent anti-romcom". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (9 November 2016). "Songs from the detention centre: the drama set on immigration's frontline". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (3 November 2015). "Lines review – a baptism of fire in the barracks". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Team, Everpress (17 March 2022). "INFERNO: The Nicest Party In London". Everpress. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ Dazed (2 May 2018). "Pxssy Palace: the club night dancing away discrimination". Dazed. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "GGI is the rave for London's Queer East and Southeast Asian community - GUAP". guap.co. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2024.