Artistic Director Madani Younis announces major redevelopment of the Bush Theatre – as well as a new season of work.
New development of the Bush Theatre to be carried out by architects Haworth Tompkins, will include a brand new studio theatre to provide a second space, allowing for more work to be presented at the theatre.
This new redevelopment, starting in March, will also provide improved backstage facilities for artists and will be fully accessible across all areas.
During the building works, the theatre’s programme will move out into the wider community – embracing the buildings of West London.
The new programme of work will include the European premiere of Boys Will Be Boys (24th June- 30th July) about the representations of women in the male-dominated world of the city – the theatre’s first collaboration with Headlong.
Other productions included in the new programme of work are This Place We Know, a series of plays performed along the Uxbridge road featuring new talent established from the Bush Theatre’s history; The Neighbourhood Project and a revival of The Royale (4th November-26th November) – the critically acclaimed play based on the story of the first African-American heavyweight champion of the world. Booking for Boys Will be Boys and The Royale opens today.
Madani Younis, Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, said:”Whilst we are incredibly proud to be redeveloping our theatre for the next generation, a theatre should not be defined by its walls – which is why we want to go beyond them. We have the privilege of being at the heart of one of the most diverse places in the country, and at a cultural crossroads of everything that it is to live in London today. We want to create a building that embraces this, and work that celebrates this.”
The redevelopment of the theatre is set to cost £4 million, with much of the cost already been raised with the support of the Arts Council England and the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham as well as generous trusts and foundations, local businesses and individual donors.
This project aims to unlock the full potential of the old library, with the hope that the theatre will be able to attract 15,000 more visitors to the venue per year.