Winners Announced for Empty Space…Peter Brook Awards 2015

Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio had Thelma Holt, the presenter, give the winner the cheque for £2000 to the Orange Tree Theatre for its series of collaborations, rediscoveries and new work such as the critically acclaimed Pomona. All nominees Theatre503, Crucible Studio Theatre, Ustinov Studio at Theatre Royal Bath, Southwark Playhouse and The Maria at Young Vic received a critic's speech for distinctive work.

Nina Soufy came from Paris with Peter Brook's message to celebrate our awards. Our highlight this year was achievement by studio theatres of professional quality of work. Most of all we recognised their bubbling energy throughout the country.

The selection panel for the awards is: Lyn Gardner (Guardian), Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph), Mark Shenton (The Stage & The Stage Blog), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard), Andrzej Lukowski (Time Out) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews + founder of the awards). Consultants are: Michael Billington (Guardian), Susannah Clapp (Observer), Jeremy Kingston (The Times) and Paul Taylor (The Independent). The panel evaluated all the nominees and winner, giving everyone their critic's speech which analysed their body of work. This award is vital in furthering the fundraising for the venues and changing the face of theatre.

The annual Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award of £2000 is to help establish deeper development of ensemble work within the studio theatres.

Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio had presenter, Thelma Holt, once again describing this award and giving a cheque to Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award of £2000 to the winner Simple8 Theatre Company.

The selection panel for the awards is Peter Wilson (producer of The Woman in Black), Thelma Holt (West End producer) and Blanche Marvin (publisher/critic of London TheatReviews + founder of the awards).

Today's award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio gave the winner of the Dan Crawford Innovation Award a cheque for £2000 to Summerhall for its ground-breaking theatre and other performing arts which celebrate both experimental and European work.

The Peter Brook Festival Award was given to Kandinsky Theatre, a company that combines a clever way of storytelling with the theatrical boldness of devised work for which it received a cheque of £1000.

The Peter Brook Special Achievement Award was given to Jonathan Church of the Chichester Festival Theatre for turning a summer venue into a major regional theatre and creating a marvellous team of technicians and Frances Mayhew of Wilton's Musical Hall for restoring London's oldest music hall to its former glory.

The selection panel for the Dan Crawford Innovation Award is: Lyn Gardner (Guardian), Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph), Mark Shenton (The Stage & The Stage Blog), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard), Andrzej Lukowski (Time Out) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews + founder of the awards). Consultants are: Michael Billington (Guardian), Susannah Clapp (Observer), Jeremy Kingston (The Times) and Paul Taylor (The Independent). The panel evaluated the nominees and winner, giving careful thought to the choosing. This award is vital in furthering the fundraising for the venues. Catering sponsored by Anonymous. Wine sponsored by Charing Cross Theatre. Awards directed by Niki Marvin.

Photo Credit: "Peter Brook" by John Thaxter - Own work. Licensed under CC0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peter_Brook.JPG#/media/File:Peter_Brook.JPG

To post a comment, you must register and login.