London Pub Theatres Magazine is ten years old. The magazine came into existence to support pub theatres; to celebrate their successes, to publicise the opportunities they offer, and to emphasise their importance to the theatre industry as a whole.   We look back at the last ten years, the major events, the theatres and the people. 

2015

AWARDS

BREAD AND ROSES THEATRE, founded in 2014 by Tessa Hart (Artistic Director) and Rebecca Pryle (Managing Director), launches two awards:  A bi-annual Award for Emerging Companies offering a week of research and development and a bi-annual Playwriting Award for new full length plays which feature at least half of female, non-binary or gender neutral roles by UK and Europe based writers.

BREAD AND ROSES PLAYWRITING AWARD WINNER 2015 is awarded to Emma Gibson for Bloodletting

BREAD AND ROSES THEATRE is recipient of the ICWP 50/50 Applause Award and goes on to win is two more times (2016 & 17). The award is given to theatres that programme 50 or more female playwrights each season. The theatre continues to champion female playwrights and under represented theatre makers.

Images: Tessa Hart, co-founder of Bread and Roses Theatre / Lucy Roslyn in The State Vs John Hayes at King's Head Theatre / Celebrated actor Richard Braine, one of LPTM's first reviewers

PRODUCTIONS (Reviewed by LPTM)

THE BOAT by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Pigdog Theatre Company at Theatre N16, Balham

TRAIN SPOTTING directed by Adam Spreadbury Maher at King’s Head Theatre

THE STATE VS JOHN HAYES by Lucy Roslyn premiered at King’s Head Theatre in 2015 and won the Argus Angel for Artistic Excellence.

A PRAYER by Selma Dimitrijevic (Artistic Director of Greyscale Theatre), performed by Niall Bishop, directed by David Loumgair

YOU TWEET MY FACE SPACE by Tom Hartwell, produced by Boots and Cats Productions, directed by Anne Stoffells at The Hen & Chickens Theatre

TORN APART (Disillusion) written and directed by BJ McNeill, presented by No Offence Theatre at Theatre N16

F*CKING MEN by Joe DiPietro, directed by Mark Barford at King’s Head Theatre January 2015

THE MERCURIOUS MISADVENTURES OF HATTER AND HARE! Aelfa Centauri Theatre Company at The Rabbit Hole Theatre, Hampstead 18 November to 4 December 2015

SPARKS by Simon Longman, Produced by Curran McKay for Folie a Deux and Tom Richards for Bitterblossom at Old Red Lion Theatre

LIVING BETWEEN LIES, devised by Underfoot Theatre Company at The King’s Head Theatre

THE FIRST REVIEWERS JOIN THE LPTM TEAM

Emma Zadow, Dionne Farrell, Laura Thomas, Richard Braine. 

LPTM is particularly proud to introduce Senior reviewer Richard Braine.  Richard is playwright, director and celebrated actor having worked extensively throughout the country including Chichester Festival Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange, Birmingham Rep, and Stephen Joseph Theatre in Yorkshire. His Television and Film credits include: “Calendar Girls”, “Pride, Prejudice and Zombies”, “Finding Neverland”, “Bridget Jones”, “Suspicions of Mr Whicher”, “Mr Selfridge” and many years ago Gussie Fink-Nottle in “Jeeves and Wooster”. 

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT

Although THE HOPE THEATRE has received no regular public subsidy since its 2013 opening, it was the first Off West End venue to open with a house agreement with Equity. This ensures a legal wage for all actors, stage managers and box office staff working at the theatre.

FESTIVALS

BREAD AND ROSES THEATRE  open CLAPHAM FRINGE FESTIVAL

FESTIVALS

The BREAD AND ROSES THEATRE join V-Day Festival annual event and invite fellow artists to take part.  Throughout V-DAY’s history, activists and artists have used this platform to look at the connection between gender-based violence and political instability, armed conflict, xenophobia, unsafe working conditions, transphobia, homophobia, and racism. This is an artistic rising and a charity event, participation is voluntary as per V-DAY.org rules and guidelines.

PRODUCTIONS (just a few of the shows reviewed by LPTM)

FRED STRANGEBONE’S FREAKSHOW, Presented by Honky Bonk, The London Horror Festival at The Old Red Lion Theatre

EIGENGRAU by Penelope Skinner, Presented by Annie Jackson at King’s Head Theatre

ANTIGONE Adapted by Brendan Murray, Directed by Matthew Parker at The Hope Theatre

PIECE OF SILK by Jennie Buckman, Presented by Standing on the Shoulders of Giant productions at The Hope Theatre

FLESH & BONE by Elliot Warren, Presented by Lotus Productions and Unpolished Theatre at Etcetera Theatre, Camden

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Presented by The Jack Studio Theatre Adapted by Steven Canny & John Nicholson                          THE WORST WAS THIS by Matte O’Brien, Presented by Wild Goose Chase at The Hope Theatre

CRIME DOESN’T PLAY, presented by The Twins Macabre, London Horror Festival, at Old Red Lion

2017

2018

AROUND THE THEATRES

Velenzia Spearpoint is appointed Artistic Director of BREAD AND ROSES THEATRE 

AWARDS

THEATRE503 International Playwriting Award winner is announced: Out of Sorts by Danusia Samal (published by Nick Hern Books)

NOTABLE PRODUCTIONS

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Music and lyrics by William Finn, Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Presented by MKEC Productions at Drayton Arms Theatre

INTO THE NUMBERS by Christopher Chen, directed by Georgie Straight, Presented by Arsalan Sattari Productions at Finborough Theatre

CRYSTAL CLEAR devised by Phil young, produced by White Deer Theatre at Old Red Lion Theatre. 

BOAT PEOPLE by Emma Park, directed by Harry Meacher at Pentameters Theatre

THE UNNATURAL TRAGEDY by Margaret Cavendish directed by Graham Watts at White Bear Theatre

Bram Stoker’s DRACULA adapted by Ross McGregor for ARROWS AND TRAPS at Jack Studio Theatre

THE WHITE ROSE directed and written by Ross McGregor, produced by Arrows and Traps at JACK STUDIO
CYRIL’S SUCCESS and JEANNIE and  A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGICLA ONGOLOGY UNIT all at Finborough Theatre

Louise Coulthard’s COCKAMAMY at THE HOPE

AN HONOURABLE MAN, by Michael McManus at WHITE BEAR THEATRE
GRACIE by Joan McLeod at the FINBOROUGH

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT at UPSTAIRS AT THE GATEHOUSE

CRUMPLE ZONE at the KING’S HEAD

Steven Berkoff’s EAST by Atticist Productions, directed by Jessica Lazar, at the KING’S HEAD THEATRE  

David Grieg’s OUTLYING ISLANDS at King's Head Theatre

WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM? at The OLD RED LION
KES, directed by Kate Bannister at Jack Studio Theatre

Image above: Christopher Tester and in Cornelia Baumann in THE WHITE ROSE by Ross McGregor at JACK STUDIO

Image below: THE UNNATURAL TRAGEDY by Margaret Cavendish directed by Graham Watts at White Bear Theatre

2019

LPTM

LPTM announces its inaugural LONDON PUB THEATRE OF THE YEAR AWARDS.  These are held in October at LION AND UNICORN THEATRE kindly supported by Artistic Director David Brady.   Actor (and LPTM reviewer) Richard Braine is Head Judge.

AWARDS

WINNERS OF THE INAUGURAL LONDON PUB THEATRE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2019 -

LONDON PUB THEATRE OF THE YEAR 2019  is awarded to Adam Spreadbury-Maher  (Artistic Director) KING’S HEAD THEATRE

King’s Head team lead by Artistic Director Adam Spreadbury-Maher has an outstanding track record for nurturing theatre talent through associate companies, individual artists and the King’s Head director’s training programme. Spreadbury-Maher has also championed fair pay with an equity agreement, he has also supported opera and LGBTQ queer theatre.

LONDON PUB THEATRE OF THE YEAR 2019 JOINT RUNNERS-UP  awarded to Kate Bannister (Artistic Director) and Karl Swinyard (Executive Producer), JACK STUDIO THEATRE And Matthew Parker (Artistic Director), THE HOPE THEATRE

LONDON PUB THEATRES LIFE-TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD  goes to Léonie Scott-Matthews (Artistic Director) at Pentameters Theatre

Founded by Léonie Scott-Matthews in August 1968, Over its long history Scott-Matthews has nurtured the talents of numerous writers who are now household names. Dannie Abse (1923-2014), Kingsley Amis, Margaret Drabble, Ted Hughes, Laurie Lee, Roger McGough, Edna O'Brien, Harold Pinter, John Wain and the psychiatrist R.D. Laing,  Performers who appeared right at the start of their careers include: Adrian Edmundson, Ben Elton, French and Saunders, Nigel Havers, Celia lmrie, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Jenny Seagrove, Pamela Stephenson and Alexei Sayle.   Léonie has been honoured many times for her work, including Camden Council an ‘Asset of Community Value’ award, but the best asset is Leonie herself and this award recognises the outstanding work she has done over such a long period.

COMMENDATION FOR SERVICES TO PUB THEATRES  goes to Katie Danbury  (Artistic Director) at OLD RED LION THEATRE

 Awarded to Katy Danbury for her ground-breaking work on equality, inclusion and accessibility. She has encouraged creative and thoughtful ways of integrating access into theatre productions, with a consistently high standard of work. She also continues to run the LONDON HORROR FESTIVAL which opened at OLD RED LION THEATRE in 2011 and continues to be part of the cultural landscape in London during the Halloween season.

2020

LPTM

Announces Inaugural STANDING OVATION AWARDS for individuals and companies who have shown exceptional achievement in the pub theatre environment. 

THE PANDEMIC

March 2020 the Theatres close.

AROUND THE THEATRES

THE HOPE THEATRE   announces Kennedy Bloomer  as new Artistic Director and two months later the theatre are shut down. She navigated the theatre through the global Covid-19 pandemic and total closure by taking The Hope Theatre online. The Hope Theatre was successfully granted funds from the Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund, the ACE and DCMS Culture Recovery Fund 1 and 2, which enabled the theatre to survive. 

OLD RED LION THEATRE announces Alexander knott as new Artistic Director as Katy Danbury steps down.

Adam Spreadbury-Mahor's  tenureship as Artistic Director of KING’S HEAD THEATRE ends.

The Australian-born former opera singer introduced the first agreement with Equity for actors and stage managers to be paid a legal wage on the Fringe in 2011 and has been a vocal spokesperson for ethical employment. During his tenure, he has put on over 1,000 performances and as co-founder of OperaUpClose, introduced new audiences to the art form. Adam is a queer theatre-maker who has also long championed new work and revivals by and about the LGBTQIA+ community, for which the King's Head Theatre serves as an important hub.

GOLDEN GOOSE THEATRE is founded by Michael Kingsbury. Georgia Harris announced as Artistic Director.  Kingsbury came across Golden Goose pub when he took a different route on foot to visit his mother in her care home. He knew he'd stumbled across an ideal pub theatre venue, which would also benefit the pub and bring in the local community.

Artistic Director Neil McPherson CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF FINBOROUGH THEATRE. The theatre was founded in 1980 by June Abbots, Phil Wilmott took over as Artistic Director in 1984 and Neil McPherson became Artistic Director in 1999.

FINBOROUGH THEATRE continues to keep its ‘doors open’ by making plays available to view online completely free of charge.

FESTIVALS

ROSEMARY BRANCH announces first annual CURIOUS PUPPETS FESTIVAL to be held 2021

2021 - 2025 COMING SOON!