SAVED, ALADDIN & More Set for Lyric Hammersmith in '11/'12 Winter Season

Artistic Director Sean Holmes today announced the Autumn/Winter 2011/2012 Season at the Lyric Hammersmith; including a celebration of the work of one of Europe's most renowned living dramatists Edward Bond. With the first major London revival in over 25 years of Bond's seminal play SAVED set for October 2011 and the presentation of three of his more recent one act plays CHAIR, THE UNDER ROOM and HAVE I NONE in April 2012.

'A celebration of one of our greatest living writers including the explosive Saved. Two of Britain's leading companies bringing new work to their favourite theatre. Panto flying in on a magic carpet
and a Filtered Dream. Another typical year at the Lyric,' said Sean Holmes, Artistic Director

The 2011-2012 Winter Season Includes: 

THE WILD BRIDE

07 - 24 September 2011

Press Night: Monday 12 September, 7pm

A KNEEHIGH THEATRE PRODUCTION
Kneehigh return to the Lyric Hammersmith with the London premiere of THE WILD BRIDE; a lyrical tale with a brutal edge and a beating heart in a story of what happens when your father accidentally sells you to the Devil.
Betrayed by her silly father, and rejecting not only the Devil but also her home, our heroine walks into the wilderness. In the wilds she meets a Prince and becomes pregnant, but her heart breaks when he is called to war and she is forced to step out on her own again. Charting the journey from girlhood to womanhood, through storytelling, devilish humour and live and found music, this is a grown up romance for brave children and adults alike.
Kneehigh is one of Britain's most innovative theatre companies. For 30 years the company has created vigorous, popular and challenging theatre for audiences throughout the UK and beyond. Based in Cornwall they work with an ever-changing ensemble of performers, musicians, artists, technicians and administrators and are passionate about a multi-disciplined creative process. Their previous productions at the Lyric Hammersmith include Cymbeline and Nights at the Circus. Other shows include The Red Shoes, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Hansel & Gretel and Brief Encounter.

Ages 11+

In a celebration of the work of Edward Bond, Sean Holmes, revives the uncompromising SAVED and, together with the dramatist himself, stages three of Bond's one act plays; CHAIR, THE UNDER ROOM and HAVE I NONE.

SAVED

06 October - 05 November 2011

Press Night: Thursday 13 October, 7pm

By Edward Bond

Directed by Sean Holmes

Designed by Paul Wills

Lighting by Oliver Fenwick

Sound by Nick Manning
A LYRIC HAMMERSMITH PRODUCTION

Originally banned for its revolutionary ferocity and ground-breaking vision, Edward Bond's SAVED is revived by Lyric Artistic Director Sean Holmes. For the last 25 years Bond has refused professional productions of the play in the UK. This production at the Lyric Hammersmith opens for previews on Thursday 06 October 2011 with a press night on Thursday 13 October 2011.
Edward Bond's uncompromising vision of working class South London caused uproar with the debut production of SAVED in 1965; shocking audiences and critics alike; it did however prove to be massively influential and was fundamental in the abolishment of stage censorship. Bond has inspired a generation of British playwrights including Sarah Kane, whose seminal play Blasted Holmes revived to great critical acclaim in November 2010, winning the Olivier Award for 'Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre'.

Bond was born in London to working-class parents in 1934, he had virtually no formal education and left school at 15. He worked in various jobs before the Royal Court staged his first professional production, SAVED in 1965. Bond has written over 50 plays, which have been produced in more than 60 countries. He has also written for the cinema, opera and poetry, and a large body of theoretical work on drama.

Sean Holmes became Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith in January 2009. His directing credits for the Lyric include; the Olivier Award-winning revival of Sarah Kane's seminal play Blasted; the Olivier Award-nominated Ghost Stories (now in the West End, Toronto and set for a UK tour in 2012); the critically acclaimed A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky; Three Sisters with Filter and Trevor Griffiths' Comedians. Other directing credits include: Twelfth Night (Tricycle); Loot (Tricycle); Treasure Island (West End); Pornography (Traverse/Birmingham Repertory): The English Game (Headlong); The Man Who Had All The Luck (Donmar Warehouse) and The Entertainer (Old Vic).
Ages 14+

Edward Bond IN THE LYRIC STUDIO A LYRIC HAMMERSMITH PRODUCTION
In celebration of one of Europe's major living playwrights the Lyric Hammersmith will present in April 2012 three of Bond's one act plays Chair, The Under Room and HAVE I NONE in the Lyric Studio; a rare opportunity to see Bond's work performed by one professional company. There will be a number of supporting events as a platform for Bond's unique vision; confronting the state of modern British theatre and its place in society.

The three shorts Chair, The Under Room and HAVE I NONE are all set in England 2077 exploring dystopian societies where liberties, identity and compassion are questioned. In the first ever professional stage production of the play in the UK, Edward Bond will himself direct Chair originally broadcast as a radio play on BBC Radio 4 in 2000. Bond will also direct The Under Room, which will be performed in rep alongside HAVE I NONE directed by Lyric Artistic Director Sean Holmes.

Dates and times for shows and events in April 2012 will be announced shortly.

Ages 14+

ALADDIN

19 November - 31 December 2011

Press Night: Friday 02 December, 7pm & Saturday 03 December, 2pm

By Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Steve Marmion

Directed by Steve Marmion

Designed by Tom Scutt

Lighting by Philip Gladwell

Sound & Music by Tom Mills
A LYRIC HAMMERSMITH PRODUCTION
The Lyric's traditional pantomime is back with the return of last years creative team including director Steve Marmion and writers Joel Horwood and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm; following the great success of Dick Whittington and his Cat and Jack and the Beanstalk, this year East meets West (London) in ALADDIN. With a flying carpet, a magic lamp, a monkey and, of course, Widow Twankey, this year's pantomime will be a festive treat for the whole family.

The recently appointed Artistic Director of Soho Theatre Steve Marmion returns to the Lyric Hammersmith having directed the previous two pantomimes. His other credits include Macbeth (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness (Headlong Theatre); the critically acclaimed successes Vincent River in New York, Only the Brave in Edinburgh (nominated for Best New Musical and Best New Music) and Metropolis in Bath. He also transferred Rupert Goold's Macbeth to Broadway.

Joel Horwood is one of the UK's most exciting young writers. He has been a member of the Royal Court/BBC 50 scheme and on attachment at Hampstead Theatre and the National Theatre Studio. Horwood co-wrote the Lyric's first two pantomimes and is currently under commission with Paines Plough and the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse. He is also writing for Cowboy Films/Channel 4 and Ecosse Films. His recent plays include; Come to Where I'm from (Paines Plough); The Conte of Monte Cristo (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Blue Lenses (Royal and Derngate)

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm is a comedy writer, performer and playwright. She was selected for the prestigious 2008-09 BBC College of Comedy, following the success of the television series School of Comedy for E4 and Hotel Trubble for CBBC. Lloyd Malcolm was a member of the writing team for the Lyric's 2009 and 2010 pantomimes, her other plays include Leo and Lisa, a commissioned piece for Kevin Spacey at the IWC Schaffhausen gala event in Geneva (2007); 50 Ways to Leave your Lover and Suddenlossofdignity.com (Bush Theatre).

Ages 6+

LOVESONG

11 - 28 January 2012

Press Night: Thursday 12 January, 7pm

By Abi Morgan

Directed and choreographed by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett

A FRANTIC ASSEMBLY AND DRUM THEATRE PLYMOUTH PRODUCTION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH Chichester Festival Theatre

Frantic Assembly return to the Lyric Hammersmith following their award-winning production of Othello, to present the London premiere of LOVESONG a collaboration with acclaimed writer Abi Morgan.

LOVESONG intertwines a couple in their twenties with the same man and woman a lifetime later. Their past and present selves collide in this haunting and beautiful tale of togetherness.

Vivid and dynamic, Frantic Assembly's celebrated physical style combines movement, design, music and text. Recent production highlights include Beautiful Burnout (co-production with National Theatre Scotland), Stockholm by Bryony Lavery, a radical reworking of Shakespeare's Othello, pool (no water) by Mark Ravenhill, and a site specific show for Brighton Festival Dirty Wonderland.

Writer Abi Morgan, whose film and TV credits include the forthcoming Iron Lady (starring Meryl Streep); The Hour (BBC's signature summer drama series starring Dominic West) and Sex Traffic, is reunited with Frantic Assembly with whom she worked on the much praised Tiny Dynamite.
Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Developed with the support of the RSC Studio

Ages 14+

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

09 February - 17 March 2012

Press Night: Monday 13 February, 7pm

By William Shakespeare

Created by Filter

Directed by Sean Holmes
A LYRIC HAMMERSMITH AND FILTER THEATRE PRODUCTION

Exhilarating theatre company Filter returns to collaborate with Sean Holmes, to remix, rework and revitalise Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
As seen in their hugely popular Twelfth Night (Royal Shakespeare Company/Tricycle) where classic verse met riotous gig, the combination of Filter's exuberance and Holmes' precision have proved a winning formula. Their previous collaborations have also included the national tour of Three Sisters (Lyric Hammersmith) and their ground-breaking version of Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle (National Theatre).
Filter was formed in 2003 by actors Ferdy Roberts, Oliver Dimsdale, and musician Tim Phillips. Filter's shows create an on-stage fusion of live and recorded music - their trademark of live integrated sound. In addition to their collaborations with Sean Holmes credits include: Silence (Royal Shakespeare Company); Water (Lyric Hammersmith) and Faster (BAC/UK Tour/NYC).

Sean Holmes became Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith in January 2009. His directing credits for the Lyric include; the Olivier Award-winning revival of Sarah Kane's seminal play Blasted; the Olivier Award-nominated Ghost Stories (now in the West End, Toronto and set for a UK tour in 2012); the critically acclaimed A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky and Trevor Griffiths' Comedians. Other directing credits include: Loot (Tricycle); Treasure Island (West End); Pornography (Traverse /Birmingham Repertory): The English Game (Headlong); The Man Who Had All The Luck (Donmar Warehouse) and The Entertainer (Old Vic).
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM will be designed by one of The Linbury Prize finalists. The Linbury Prize for Stage Design was founded in 1987 by Anya Sainsbury CBE as a springboard for recent theatre design graduates. Twelve finalists will work with four professional production companies and exhibit their work at the National Theatre. Four of the 12 will then win a commission to realise their designs and one designer is awarded the overall winner's title. This year's finalists will be announced in July, with the overall winner announced in November.

Ages 11+

In Conversation

Award-winning playwright and Lyric Artistic Associate Simon Stephens chats to the creative forces involved in the Autumn/Winter 2011/2012 season.

The Wild Bride - 19 Sep 6pm

Saved - 10 Oct 6pm

LoveSong - 17 Jan 6pm

A Midsummer Night's Dream - 27 Feb 6pm

Tickets £3

FREE First Nights (FFN)

As part of the Lyric Hammersmith's commitment to its local borough, anyone who lives or works in Hammersmith & Fulham can claim two free tickets to see all main house productions. People just need to come to the Ticket Office with proof of their home or work address, on either the Friday or Saturday before the FFN to pick up their free tickets.

Supported by Hammersmith & Fulham Council

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For more information and tickets, visit www.facebook.com/LyricHammersmith

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