Tricycle Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent
, England
. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as political work.
After securing the support of the London Borough of Brent, the GLA and Arts Council England
, the company began work converting an old music and dance Forester's Hall on the Kilburn High Road into what is now known as the Tricycle Theatre, opting for this space due to the lack of local entertainment facilities for the residents of Kilburn at the time.
The 235 seat auditorium, designed by architect Tim Foster and theatre consultant Iain Mackintosh, resembled a courtyard and was built using free-standing builders scaffolding that supported padded benches rather than individual seats, which resulted in 'an innovative, intimate and unique theatre space'.
In 1987 the theatre suffered a devastating fire that spread from a neighbouring timber yard and which gutted the auditorium, however, after extensive fundraising, the theatre was rebuilt and reopened in 1989, with only minor alterations.
In 1998, a 300 seat cinema was added to the complex, and in 2001 the Creative Space was built for the theatre's extensive education and
community work. All stages of the development were designed by Tim Foster Architects.
In 1994 the Tricycle produced Half the Picture by Richard Norton-Taylor
and John McGrath (a dramatisation of the Scott Arms to Iraq Inquiry), which was the first play ever to be performed in the Houses of Parliament. This was the first of a series of plays that have subsequently become known as the Tricycle Tribunal Plays. The next, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1946 War Crimes Tribunal, was Nuremberg, which was followed by Srebrenica – the UN Rule 61 Hearings, which later transferred to the National Theatre
and the Belfast Festival at Queen's
.
In 1999, the Tricycle’s reconstruction of The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry - The Colour of Justice received tremendous critical and public acclaim went on to play for two weeks at Theatre Royal, Stratford East and transferred to the Victoria Palace
in the West End. It completed a national tour in 1999 which included Belfast and the National Theatre
.
In 2003 JUSTIFYING WAR – Scenes from the Hutton Inquiry
opened at the Tricycle.
In 2004 the Tricycle produced Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom written by Victoria Brittain and Gillian Slovo
from spoken evidence, which transferred to the New Ambassadors Theatre
in the West End and the Culture Project in New York (where Archbishop Desmond Tutu appeared in the production). In 2006 the Tricycle presented a performance of the play at the Houses of Parliament and also on Washington’s Capitol Hill. It has since been performed around the world and in the US through the ‘Guantanamo Reading Project’, which develops community productions of readings of the play. Twenty-five of these have already been held in cities across America.
Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Inquiry
opened in 2005 and later transferred to Belfast, Derry and to the Abbey Theatre
for the Dublin Theatre Festival
. In 2006 the theatre was awarded an Evening Standard Special Drama Award
for "pioneering political work", and a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement for Bloody Sunday.
In 2007 'Called to Account - the indictment of Tony Blair for the crime of aggression against Iraq - a hearing' was staged at the Tricycle with evidence from Richard Perle
, the Chilean Ambassador to the U.N. and ex- Cabinet Minister Clare Short
. All of these plays have been broadcast by the BBC on radio or television, and have together reached audiences of over 30 million people worldwide.
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as political work.
History
The Tricycle Theatre opened on the Kilburn High Road, London, in 1980 as the permanent home of the Wakefield Tricycle Company, a touring theatre company that was known for producing British premieres, new writing, children's shows and theatre for the community in London and the South East.After securing the support of the London Borough of Brent, the GLA and Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
, the company began work converting an old music and dance Forester's Hall on the Kilburn High Road into what is now known as the Tricycle Theatre, opting for this space due to the lack of local entertainment facilities for the residents of Kilburn at the time.
The 235 seat auditorium, designed by architect Tim Foster and theatre consultant Iain Mackintosh, resembled a courtyard and was built using free-standing builders scaffolding that supported padded benches rather than individual seats, which resulted in 'an innovative, intimate and unique theatre space'.
In 1987 the theatre suffered a devastating fire that spread from a neighbouring timber yard and which gutted the auditorium, however, after extensive fundraising, the theatre was rebuilt and reopened in 1989, with only minor alterations.
In 1998, a 300 seat cinema was added to the complex, and in 2001 the Creative Space was built for the theatre's extensive education and
community work. All stages of the development were designed by Tim Foster Architects.
Facilities
- 235-seat theatre
- 300-seat cinema
- Art Gallery
- The Cameron MackintoshCameron MackintoshSir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
Rehearsal Studio - The James BaldwinJames Baldwin (writer)James Arthur Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.Baldwin's essays, for instance "Notes of a Native Son" , explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-20th century America,...
Studio - for workshops and smaller theatre - The Paint Box - a visual arts studio endowed by the John S Cohen Foundation
- The August WilsonAugust WilsonAugust Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama...
Creative Space - education and outreach workshops - Cafe-Bar
Tricycle Productions
- Broken GlassBroken GlassBroken Glass is the fourth album by Crowbar released on October 29, 1996.-Track listing:#"Conquering" – 2:48 #"Like Broken Glass" – 3:43 #" Turn Away from Dying" – 5:00 #"Wrath of Time Be Judgement" – 3:32 #"Nothing" – 5:29...
by Arthur Miller (30 Sep-27 Nov 2010) - Women, Power and Politics (4 Jun-17 Jul 2010) Following the General Election, the Tricycle presented a season of twelve new plays which examined both the history of women’s role in politics, and the complex issues surrounding women’s participation and role in contemporary governments.
- Not Black and White by Roy Williams, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Bola Agbaje (8 Oct-19 Dec 2009) a season of full length plays looking at 21st century London from a black perspective
- The Great Game: AfghanistanThe Great Game: AfghanistanThe Great Game: Afghanistan is a British series of short plays on the history of Afghanistan and foreign intervention there, from the First Anglo-Afghan War to the present day. It is organised into three sets of four plays and draws its name from the 19th and 20th century Great Game, a geopolitical...
A festival which included 12 newly commissioned short plays by Richard BeanRichard BeanRichard Bean, born in East Hull in 1956, is an English playwright.-Early years:Bean studied Social Psychology at Loughborough University of Science and Technology and graduated with a 2-1 BSc Hons, and went on to become an occupational psychologist, having previously worked in a bread plant for a...
, David EdgarDavid Edgar (playwright)David Edgar is a British playwright and author who has had more than sixty of his plays published and performed on stage, radio and television around the world, making him one of the most prolific dramatists of the post-1960s generation in Great Britain.He was resident playwright at the Birmingham...
, David GreigDavid Greig (dramatist)David Greig is a Scottish playwright and theatre director.Greig was born in Edinburgh in 1969 and was brought up in Nigeria. He studied drama at Bristol University. He has been commissioned by the Royal Court Theatre, the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company amongst others.His...
, Amit Gupta, Ron Hutchinson, Stephen JeffreysStephen JeffreysStephen Jeffreys is a British playwright.His plays include Like Dolls or Angels ; Carmen 1936 ; Valued Friends ; The Clink ; The Libertine - also a screenplay filmed with Johnny Depp; A Going...
, Abi Morgan, Ben Ockrent, J T Rogers, Simon StephensSimon StephensSimon Stephens is an English playwright.Hailing originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester, he is now an increasingly significant voice in English theatre. His plays are often humane explorations of family life...
, Colin TeevanColin TeevanColin Teevan is an Irish playwright, radio dramatist, translator and academic.Teevan has premiered works in the National Theatres of Ireland, Scotland and the Royal National Theatre in London, He has been a regular collaborator of directors Hideki Noda, Sir Peter Hall, and actors Greg Hicks, Clare...
and Joy Wilkinson (17 Apr-14 Jun 2009) The production, which received an Olivier Award Nomination for Outstanding Achievement returned to the Tricycle in the autumn of 2010 before embarking on a tour of the USA. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/138118-Londons-Tricycle-to-Reprise-Great-Game-Afghanistan-Plus-New-Blessing-Play-Ahead-of-US-Tour) - LOOTLoot (play)Loot is a two-act play by the English playwright Joe Orton. The play is a dark farce that satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force....
by Joe OrtonJoe OrtonJohn Kingsley Orton was an English playwright.In a short but prolific career lasting from 1964 until his death, he shocked, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies...
, starring Matt Di AngeloMatt Di AngeloMatt Di Angelo in London, England is an English actor and singer.He is mostly known for playing fictional character Deano Wicks in the popular British soap EastEnders, and for his current role of Sean Kennedy in the BBC series Hustle.-Education:He attended Southgate School, and started studying...
, David HaigDavid HaigDavid Haig is an Olivier Award-winning English actor and FIPA Award-winning writer. He is known for his versatility, having played dramatic, serio-comic and comedic roles, playing characters of varied social classes...
and Doon MackichanDoon MackichanDoon Mackichan is an English comedienne and actress.-Biography:Born in London, Mackichan was brought up in Surrey until the age of 9 when she moved with her family to Upper Largo, Fife. She is a graduate of Manchester University...
(11 Dec 2008-31 Jan 2009)
- Radio GolfRadio GolfRadio Golf is a play by American playwright, August Wilson, the final installment in his ten-part series, The Pittsburgh Cycle. It was first performed in 2005 by the Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut and had its Broadway premiere in 2007 at the Cort Theatre...
by August WilsonAugust WilsonAugust Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama...
(2 Oct-1 Nov 2008) - Let There Be Love by Kwame Kwei-ArmahKwame Kwei-ArmahKwame Kwei-Armah, is a British actor, playwright, singer and broadcaster. In 2005 he became the second black Briton to have a play staged in the West End...
(17 Jan-16 Feb 2008) (revived 5- 30 Aug 2008) - Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick ShanleyJohn Patrick ShanleyJohn Patrick Shanley is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He also contributed articles on the performing arts to The New York Times among other publications.-Life and career:...
(22 Nov - 12 Jan 2008) - Moonlight & Magnolias by Ron Hutchinson (Sep 2007-3 Nov 2007) (revived 2 Jul - 2 Aug 2008)
- Called to Account edited by Richard Norton-TaylorRichard Norton-TaylorRichard Norton-Taylor is a British editor, journalist and playwright.He is a security-affairs editor of the British newspaper The Guardian.-Early life and education:...
(19 Apr - 9 Jun 2007) - Fabulation by Lynn Nottage (14 Sept-21 Oct 2006)
- The 39 StepsThe 39 Steps (play)The 39 Steps is a farce adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock. Patrick Barlow wrote the adaptation, based on the original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon of a two-actor version of the play...
adapted by Patrick Barlow (10 Aug - 9 Sep 2006)
Tribunal Plays
The Tricycle has established a unique reputation for responding to contemporary issues and events with its ground-breaking 'tribunal plays' based on verbatim reconstructions of public inquiries and for its political work.In 1994 the Tricycle produced Half the Picture by Richard Norton-Taylor
Richard Norton-Taylor
Richard Norton-Taylor is a British editor, journalist and playwright.He is a security-affairs editor of the British newspaper The Guardian.-Early life and education:...
and John McGrath (a dramatisation of the Scott Arms to Iraq Inquiry), which was the first play ever to be performed in the Houses of Parliament. This was the first of a series of plays that have subsequently become known as the Tricycle Tribunal Plays. The next, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1946 War Crimes Tribunal, was Nuremberg, which was followed by Srebrenica – the UN Rule 61 Hearings, which later transferred to the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and the Belfast Festival at Queen's
Belfast Festival at Queen's
The Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's is an annual arts festival held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The 49th Festival will take place from 14 to 31 October 2011.-History:...
.
In 1999, the Tricycle’s reconstruction of The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry - The Colour of Justice received tremendous critical and public acclaim went on to play for two weeks at Theatre Royal, Stratford East and transferred to the Victoria Palace
Victoria Palace
Victoria Palace is a palace in Victory Square, Bucharest, built in 1937, which is the headquarters of the Prime Minister of Romania and his cabinet.-See also:*Government of Romania...
in the West End. It completed a national tour in 1999 which included Belfast and the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
.
In 2003 JUSTIFYING WAR – Scenes from the Hutton Inquiry
Hutton Inquiry
The Hutton Inquiry was a 2003 judicial inquiry in the UK chaired by Lord Hutton, who was appointed by the Labour government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.On 18 July 2003, Kelly, an employee...
opened at the Tricycle.
In 2004 the Tricycle produced Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom written by Victoria Brittain and Gillian Slovo
Gillian Slovo
Gillian Slovo is a South African born novelist, playwright and memoirist.Her novels were at first predominantly of the crime and thriller genres, including a series featuring the detective Kate Baeier but she has since written more literary fiction...
from spoken evidence, which transferred to the New Ambassadors Theatre
New Ambassadors Theatre
The Ambassadors Theatre , is a West End theatre located in West Street, near Cambridge Circus on the Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster...
in the West End and the Culture Project in New York (where Archbishop Desmond Tutu appeared in the production). In 2006 the Tricycle presented a performance of the play at the Houses of Parliament and also on Washington’s Capitol Hill. It has since been performed around the world and in the US through the ‘Guantanamo Reading Project’, which develops community productions of readings of the play. Twenty-five of these have already been held in cities across America.
Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Inquiry
Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Inquiry
Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Inquiry is a 2005 dramatisation by English journalist Richard Norton-Taylor of four years of evidence of the Saville Inquiry, distilled into two hours of stage performance by Tricycle Theatre in London....
opened in 2005 and later transferred to Belfast, Derry and to the Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
for the Dublin Theatre Festival
Dublin Theatre Festival
The Dublin Theatre Festival is Europe's oldest specialized theatre festival. It was founded by theatre impresario Brendan Smith in 1957 and has, with the exception of two years, produced a season of international and Irish theatre each autumn. It is one of a number of key post-World War II events...
. In 2006 the theatre was awarded an Evening Standard Special Drama Award
Evening Standard Awards
The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, they are announced in late November or early December...
for "pioneering political work", and a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement for Bloody Sunday.
In 2007 'Called to Account - the indictment of Tony Blair for the crime of aggression against Iraq - a hearing' was staged at the Tricycle with evidence from Richard Perle
Richard Perle
Richard Norman Perle is an American political advisor, consultant, and lobbyist who began his career in government, a senior staff member to Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson on the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 1970’s...
, the Chilean Ambassador to the U.N. and ex- Cabinet Minister Clare Short
Clare Short
Clare Short is a British politician, and a member of the Labour Party. She was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 to 2010; for most of this period she was a Labour Party MP, but she resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an Independent. She...
. All of these plays have been broadcast by the BBC on radio or television, and have together reached audiences of over 30 million people worldwide.