WILTON’S MUSIC HALL ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL ARTISTIC SEASON FOR THE NEWLY REPAIRED BUILDING

Wilton’s Music Hall will fully reopen to the public after four years of building works from September 2015 after completing much needed and vital Capital Project to secure the unique building. As part of the Capital Project, Wilton’s has opened up 40% of the building which was not previously accessible. When all rooms are re-opened, Wilton’s will present their inaugural artistic season and will feature a range of theatre, dance, opera as well as family events.

Frances Mayhew, Artistic Director of Wilton’s Music Hall said: “Now that we need no longer fear for the very fabric of our building, we can finally turn our attention to presenting a long term artistic programme that befits Wilton’s future.  Our aim is to be a Music Hall for today’s audience. We will be showcasing diversity in art form from theatre to dance to opera to classical music to puppetry to family shows with more popular performances sitting alongside more experimental works nurturing artists at the start of their careers. We want to bring artists and audiences from diverse disciplines and cultures together under this unique, creative and passionate roof, to produce a much fuller and richer programme across a more diverse range of disciplines. Now that Wilton’s is finally saved these ambitions for this tremendous and historic building can become a reality.”

Autumn Season

The Sting will open the season for the newly repaired Wilton’s Music Hall and will run from 9 September to 17 October 2015. Based on the 1973 caper film of the same name, in which two outraged, small-time con men set out to outwit a powerful mob leader and, to the accompaniment of Scott Joplin’s ragtime, the Big Con unfolds. The Sting will transport Wilton’s back to the 1930s depression era and the audience will have the chance to explore the newly repaired building.

Over the weekend of 24 and 25 October, Wilton’s will present The Magic of the Music Hall Family Weekender, a free weekend for people of all ages to come and learn about the history of music hall and the heritage of Wilton’s. The John Wilton Room, formerly known as The Library, will be officially reopened over the Family Weekender and will function as a dedicated history and heritage room from then on.

Following this, Box Tale Soup’s Casting The Runes will play over half-term from 27 to 31 October. An adaption of M.R. James’ classic thriller this hour-long production will feature just two performers, one hand-made puppet and a haunting soundtrack of original music. In addition to Casting The Runes, there will be family activities running during the day in all Wilton’s rooms.

The opera of the season will be l’Ospedale which will run from 10 to 21 November. Directed by James Hurley, Conducted by James Halliday and Designed by Rachel Szmukler, this exciting new operatic discovery will be the first fully staged production by Solomon’s Knot baroque collective. Based on the work of seventeenth-century poet Antonio Abati, and set to music to an unknown composer,l’Ospendale is a satire on patients, doctors and medical practices.

Wilton’s will present its long-awaited and first-ever panto this winter with Dick Whittington directed by Debbie Filtcroft and written by and starring Roy Hudd. Running from 1 to 31 December, Roy Hudd’s rip-roaring script will combine London and international travel themes that chime with Wilton’s own heritage.

2016 will see the return of Wilton’s Strike! Dance Festival from 8 to 14 February which showcases new and emerging dance artists. Presenting a selection of original concepts, the applications for participants will open in August 2015. The award-winning Mark Bruce Company will return to Wilton’s in February 2016 and following their success with Dracula with a retelling of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. This is an extraordinary new dance theatre production in which beauty, humanity, contemporary horror and fantasy splinter from ancient myth.

Capital Project

The Capital Project to repair Wilton’s started in 2011 (Phase 1) with the repair of the main auditorium space. Wilton’s is now approaching the end of the final phase (Phase 2) of works. Currently repaired and open to the public are: the main auditorium, new Aldgate and Allhallows Learning and Participation Studio, prop making workshop, The Champagne Charlie Room, The Study, The John Wilton Room (currently a temporary bar) and staff offices. By September 2015, repair work will also have finished on four accessible dressing rooms, a kitchen with pizza making facilities, lift and disabled access to all floors, The Mahogany Bar, store rooms and cellars. As a result of this, when the building is fully reopened in September 2015 Wilton’s will have many new spaces which will help the Music Hall realise its potential as a creative, hub, community resource and landmark heritage site.

Learning & Participation

From September 2015, Wilton’s learning and participation programme will sit alongside artistic and heritage events. This programme will include a range of imaginative activities which will include bespoke workshops, participation projects for schools and community groups and free family activities. The previously reopened Aldgate and Allhallows Learning and Participation Studio which is a new space for community and artistic activities, will sit alongside The John Wilton Room, a free public space which will include archaeology exhibitions and access to the Wilton’s archives. The full programme of learning and participation events will be announced in due course.