THE HOPE THEATRE ANNOUNCES
RELAUNCH PLANS
WELCOMING AUDIENCES FROM 29 JUNE
TICKETS ON SALE HERE
The Hope Theatre can today announce details of the shows it will relaunch with this summer.
Closed since March 2020, this acclaimed 50 seat pub theatre in the heart of Islington will reopen on the public on 29 June at full capacity, in accordance with the government’s roadmap.
The first production will be THE BOY WITH THE BEE JAR by John Straiton (long-listed for the 2019 Bruntwood Prize), and directed by Philip Wilson, playing until 17 July, with a press night on 1 July 2021.
On a North London estate, a swarm of bees attracts an environmentally minded schoolboy. He strikes up a friendship with an old punk called Euston – the sole witness to a horrific crime – and together they play out the dark goings-on of life on the estate, and of their own fears.
Also playing from 29 June in the late evening slot is HOPE BOX from Blue Grass Theatre, a week of comedy celebrating live theatre and the artists that create it, with an exciting line-up of up-and-coming comedians, sketch artists, comedy actors and alternative acts.
The Hope Theatre will then host a series of shows encompassing sketch and stand-up comedy, drama, new writing and drag as part of the CAMDEN FRINGE during August, including HORRIGAN & HOWELL: A SKETCH TOO FAR from 2-8 August, TIER THREE SISTERS from 9 – 15 August, POSSIBILITIES also from 10 – 15 August, FOUR SISTERS from 16 – 19 August, OLIVES AND BLOWJOBS from 20 – 22 August, ASÒ from 16 – 22 August, TH’WILDCAT OF SHEFFIELD: UNSHIELDED from 23 – 27 August, and EDDIE BRIMSON: NAUGHTY BOY from 23 – 27 August. Tickets for the Camden Fringe will go on sale from 31 May.
The Hope Theatre will present an in-house production for four weeks in September, with full details to be announced.
Kennedy Bloomer, the Artistic Director of the theatre since January 2020 said, “We’re absolutely thrilled and grateful to be able to plan to re-open in June. The Hope hasn’t been able to open since March 2020 and although we’ve managed to create online we can’t wait to be back open to a live audience again. Freelance artists need our support now more than ever and we’re as committed as ever to our Equity house agreement and supporting paid opportunities.”
Opening in 2013, The Hope Theatre was originally a sister theatre of Islington’s King’s Head Theatre, renovated from a function room above the famous Hope & Anchor pub and music venue into a black box studio theatre. The Hope Theatre has transferred two productions to the West End (Ushers to the Charing Cross Theatre and the Snoo Wilson’s Lovesong Of The Electric Bear to The Arts) and has been home to many world premieres. It also housed the professional world premiere of Joe Orton’s Fred And Madge.
The Hope Theatre is a place for audiences and companies to explore BIG ideas. It nurtures and develops new producing models, working with exciting companies to present a mix of new writing, lost gems from well-known writers, re-polished classics and innovatively staged musicals.
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.
In 2020, Kennedy Bloomer became Artistic Director of the theatre and 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. The Hope Theatre team would like to gratefully acknowledge the role that this funding has played in enabling the venue to survive and reopen this summer.
Artistic Director: Kennedy Bloomer
Deputy Artistic Director: Toby Hampton
Technical Manager: Gianluca Zona
Theatre Assistant: Rebecca Tessier
Patron: Paul Clayton
Support The Hope Theatre: https://www.thehopetheatre.com/support-us/
Or visit www.thehopetheatre.com for more information.