Bush Theatre

Bush Theatre

The Bush Theatre at night. Photo by Guy Bell.
Address	7 Uxbridge Road, London W12 8LJ Hammersmith and Fulham, London
Coordinates	51°30′19″N 0°13′33″W / 51.505277°N 0.225939°W
Owner	The Alternative Theatre Company
Type	Studio theatre
Capacity	144 seats (81 seats at previous site)
Production	Seasons of guest and commissioned productions
Opened	1972
Website
www.bushtheatre.co.uk

The Bush Theatre is based in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 and has since become one of the most celebrated new writing theatres in the world.

A seedbed for the best new playwrights, many of whom have gone on to become established names in the industry, the Bush has produced hundreds of groundbreaking premieres, many of them Bush Theatre commissions, and hosted guest productions by leading companies and artists from across the world.

Artistic Directors

• Jenny Topper (1977–88), jointly with Nicky Pallot (1979–90)^[1]
• Dominic Dromgoole (1990–96)^[2]
• Mike Bradwell (1996–2007)^[3]
• Josie Rourke (2007–12)^[4]
• Madani Younis (2011–present)^[5]

Venue

The Bush Theatre's Original Home (2005)

In 1972 the theatre was established above The Bush public house on the corner of Goldhawk Road and Shepherd's Bush Green, in what was once the dance studio of Lionel Blair. It was established by a maverick actor, Brian McDermott, who used to tour the Fringe.^[6] The venue, despite its fame and massive output, was intimate, only holding a maximum audience of approximately 80.

In November 2010, the Bush Theatre announced it would be leaving its home of nearly forty years and moving to the old Passmore Edwards Public Library building, round the corner from its own home, on Uxbridge Road.^[7]

The move took place in 2011 and opened with the "Sixty-Six Books" project.^[8] This was a celebration of the anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, which used 66 different writers, many of whom were veterans of the Bush.

Madani Younis took over as Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre in 2012. In 2013 he programmed the company’s most successful season to date, which saw the theatre play to 99% capacity.

The Bush Theatre's 2013 production of Pulitzer Prize for Drama winning Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar.

New writing

The Playwriting Department at the Bush Theatre is committed to discovering the best new plays from playwrights from the widest range of backgrounds and therefore seek unsolicited submissions from playwrights throughout the year in dedicated script windows. The Bush is a proud champion of playwrights with a keen interest in those voices not often heard and reflecting the contemporary culture ofLondon, the UK and beyond. The Department receives nearly 2000 scripts a year from new and established playwrights all of which are read and considered for production or development at the Bush.^[9]

Book

To celebrate 40 years of the Bush Theatre, "Close-Up Magic": 40 Years at the Bush Theatre^[10] was published, charting the history of the theatre and including contributions from past directors, actors, writers and audience members.

Productions

Selected past productions

This is a list of selected productions of the Bush Theatre:^[11]

• 2015 Forget Me Not by Tom Holloway
• 2015 RADAR 2015
• 2015 F*ck the Polar Bears by Tanya Ronder
• 2015 The Invisible by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
• 2015 The Angry Brigade by James Graham
• 2015 The Royale by Marco Ramirez
• 2015 Islands by Caroline Horton
• 2014 Visitors by Barney Norris
• 2014 Albion by Chris Thompson
• 2014 RADAR 2014
• 2014 Perseverance Drive by Robin Soans
• 2014 Incognito by Nick Payne
• 2014 We Are Proud to Present a Presentation by the Herero of Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, from the German Sud-Ouest Afrika Between the Years 1895 - 1915 by Jackie Sibblies-Drury
• 2014 Ciphers by Dawn King
• 2013 Jumpers for Goalposts by Tom Wells
• 2013 RADAR 2013
• 2013 The Herd by Rory Kinnear
• 2013 Josephine and I by Cush Jumbo
• 2013 Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
• 2013 Three Birds by Janice Okoh
• 2013 Money the game show by Clare Duffy
• 2012 Straight by D. C. Moore
• 2012 Snookered by Ishy Din^[12]
• 2012 Chalet Lines by Lee Mattinson^[13]
• 2012 The Beloved by Amir Nizar Zuabi^[14]
• 2012 Mad About the Boy by Gbolahan Obisesan^[15]
• 2012 Fear by Dominic Savage^[16]
• 2012 Our New Girl by Nancy Harris^[17]
• 2011 The Kitchen Sink by Tom Wells^[18]
• 2011 Sixty-Six Books by Sixty-Six Writers^[19]
• 2011 This is where we got to when you came in by non zero one^[20]
• 2011 Where's My Seat? by Dierdre Kinahan, Tom Wells and Jack Thorne^[21]
• 2011 In The Beginning by Nick Payne^[22]
• 2011 Moment by Deirdre Kinahan^[23]
• 2011 Little Platoons by Steve Waters^[24]
• 2011 The Knowledge by John Donnelly^[25]
• 2010 My Romantic History by D C Jackson^[26]
• 2010 The Aliens by Annie Baker^[27]
• 2010 The Great British Country Fete by Russell Kane and Michael Bruce^[28]
• 2010 Like A Fishbone by Anthony Weigh^[29]
• 2010 A Little Gem by Elaine Murphy^[30]
• 2010 Eigengrau by Penelope Skinner^[31]
• 2010 The Whisky Taster by James Graham^[32]
• 2009 The Contingency Plan by Steve Waters^[33]
• 2009 The Stefan Golaszewski Plays by Stefan Golaszewski^[34]
• 2009 If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet by Nick Payne^[35]
• 2009 Sea Wall by Simon Stephens^[36]
• 2009 2 May 1997 by Jack Thorne^[37]
• 2009 suddenlossofdignity.com by Zawe Ashton, James Graham, Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm & Michelle Terry^[38]
• 2009 Apologia by Alexi Kaye Campbell^[39]
• 2009 Stovepipe by Adam Brace^[40]
• 2009 Wrecks by Neil LaBute^[41]
• 2008 50 Ways to Leave your Lover at Christmas by Leah Chillery, Ben Ellis, Stacey Gregg, Lucy Kirkwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm & Ben Schiffer^[42]
• 2008 I Caught Crabs in Walberswick by Joel Horwood^[43]
• 2008 Broken Space Season by Neil LaBute, Bryony Lavery, Simon Stephens, Declan Feenan, Mike Bartlett, Nancy Harris, Lucy Kirkwood, Ben Schiffer, Jack Thorne & Anthony Weigh^[44]
• 2008 Turf by Simon Vinnicombe^[45]
• 2008 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Leah Chillery, Ben Ellis, Stacey Gregg, Lucy Kirkwood & Ben Schiffer^[46]
• 2008 2,000 Feet Away by Anthony Weigh^[47]
• 2008, Tinderbox by Lucy Kirkwood^[48]
• 2008 Artefacts by Mike Bartlett^[49]
• 2008 Helter Skelter/Land of the Dead by Neil LaBute^[50]
• 2007 tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! by Mike Packer^[51]
• 2007 How To Curse by Ian McHugh^[52]
• 2007 Flight Path by David Watson^[53]
• 2007 Trance by Shoji Kokami^[54]
• 2007 Elling by Simon Bent^[55]
• 2007 Tom Fool by Franz Xaver Kroetz^[56]
• 2007 I Like Mine With a Kiss by Georgia Fitch^[57]
• 2007 Product: World Remix by Mark Ravenhill^[58]
• 2007 What Would Judas Do by Stewart Lee^[59]
• 2006 Whipping It Up by Stephen Thompson^[60]
• 2006 Bones by Kay Adshead^[61]
• 2006 Pumpgirl by Abbie Spallen^[62]
• 2006 Cruising by Alecky Blythe^[63]
• 2006 Crooked by Catherine Trieschmann^[64]
• 2006 Trad by Mark Doherty^[65]
• 2006 Christmas Is Miles Away by Chloe Moss^[66]
• 2006 Try These On For International Size by Reg Cribb, Jón Atli Jónasson, Abbie Spallen, Shoji Kokami^[67]
• 2006 Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers Of The Qur'an by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt^[68]
• 2005 When You Cure Me by Jack Thorne^[69]
• 2005 Bottle Universe by Simon Burt^[70]
• 2005 After the End by Dennis Kelly^[71]
• 2005 The Obituary Show by The People Show^[72]
• 2005 Kingfisher Blue by Lin Coghlan^[73]
• 2005 Mammals by Amelia Bullmore^[74]
• 2005 Take Me Away by Gerald Murphy^[75]
• 2005 Bites by Kay Adshead^[76]
• 2004 Going Donkeys by Richard Cameron^[77]
• 2004 How Love Is Spelt by Chloe Moss^[78]
• 2004 Damages by Steve Thompson^[79]
• 2004 Adrenalin...Heart by Georgia Fitch^[80]
• 2004 One Minute by Simon Stephens^[81]
• 2004 Christmas by Simon Stephens^[82]
• 2003 The God Botherers by Richard Bean^[83]
• 2003 Airsick by Emma Frost^[84]
• 2003 Nine Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo^[85]
• 2003 Little Baby Nothing by Catherine Johnson^[86]
• 1997 Disco Pigs by Enda Walsh^[87]
• 1997 Love and Understanding by Joe Penhall^[88]
• 1997 St Nicholas by Conor McPherson^[89]
• 1997 All of You Mine by Richard Cameron^[90]
• 1987 Dreams of San Francisco by Jacqueline Holborough^[91]
• 1987 It's A Girl by John Burrow
• 1987 Tattoo Theatre by Mladen Materic^[92]
• 1987 The Mystery of the Rose Bouquet by Mauel Puig^[93]
• 1987 Effies Burning by Valerie Windsor^[94]
• 1987 People Show No 92 Whistle Stop by People Show^[95]
• 1987 Love Field by Stephen Davis^[96]
• 1987 More Light by Snoo Wilson^[97]
• 1987 An Imitation of Life by Abbie Spallen^[98]
• 1986 The Oven Glove Murders by Nick Darke^[99]
• 1986 Making Noise Quietly by Robert Holman^[100]
• 1983 Hard Feelings by Doug Lucie^[101]
• 1972 The Relief of Martha King by David Parker^[102]
• 1972 Christmas Carol by Frank Marcus^[103]
• 1972 Plays for Rubber Gogo by Christopher Wilkinson^[104]

References

1. "Jenny Topper and Nicky Pallot", 40 Years of Close Up Magic
2. "Interview with Mike Bradwell", The British Theatre Guide
3. "Interview with Mike Bradwell", The British Theatre Guide
4. "Josie Rourke New Artistic Director", The Stage
5. "Madani Younis New Artistic Director", News (BBC)
6. "Brian McDermott", The Times (obituary)
7. "Bush Theatre New Home", Official London Theatre
8. "24 Hour Events", Sixty-Six Books, Bush Theatre.
9. "BushGreen", Bush Theatre
10. "Bush Theatre Book", Bush Theatre, http://www.bushtheatrebook.com/ Check date values in: |date= (help)
11. https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/past-productions/
12. "Snookered", Bush Theatre, 2012
13. "Chalet Lines", Bush Theatre, 2012
14. "The Beloved", Bush Theatre, 2012
15. "Mad About The Boy", Bush Theatre, 2012
16. "Fear", Bush Theatre, 2012
17. "Our New Girl", Bush Theatre Archive, 2012
18. "The Kitchen Sink", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
19. "Sixty-Six Books", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
20. "This is where we got to when you came in", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
21. "Where's My Seat", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
22. "In The Beginning", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
23. "Moment", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
24. "Little Platoons", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
25. "The Knowledge", Bush Theatre Archive, 2011
26. "My Romantic History", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
27. "The Aliens", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
28. "The Great British Country Fete", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
29. "Like A Fishbone", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
30. "A Little Gem", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
31. "Eigengrau", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
32. "The Whisky Taster", Bush Theatre Archive, 2010
33. "The Contingency Plan", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
34. "The Stefan Golazewski Plays", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
35. "If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
36. "Sea Wall", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
37. "2nd May 1997", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
38. "suddenlossdinity.com", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
39. "Apologia", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
40. "Stovepipe", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
41. "Wrecks", Bush Theatre Archive, 2009
42. "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover At Christmas", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
43. "I Caught Crabs in walberwsick", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
44. "Broken Space Season", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
45. "Turf", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
46. "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
47. "2,000 Feet Away", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
48. "Tinderbox", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
49. "Artefacts", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
50. "Helter Skelter/Land of the Dead", Bush Theatre Archive, 2008
51. "tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ!", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
52. "How To Curse", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
53. "Flight Path", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
54. "Trance", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
55. "Elling", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
56. "Tom Fool", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
57. "I Like Mine With a Kiss", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
58. "Product: World Remix", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
59. "What Would Judas Do", Bush Theatre Archive, 2007
60. "Whipping It Up", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
61. "Bones", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
62. "Pumpgirl", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
63. "Cruising", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
64. "Crooked", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
65. "Trad", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
66. "Christmas Is Miles Away", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
67. "Try These On For International Size", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
68. "Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers Of The Qur'an", Bush Theatre Archive, 2006
69. "When You Cure Me", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
70. "Bottle Universe", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
71. "After the End", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
72. "The Obituary Show", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
73. "Kingfisher Blue", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
74. "Mammals", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
75. "Take Me Away", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
76. "Bites", Bush Theatre Archive, 2005
77. "Going Donkeys", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
78. "How Love Is Spelt", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
79. "Damages", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
80. "Adrenalin...Heart", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
81. "One Minute", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
82. "Christmas", Bush Theatre Archive, 2004
83. "The God Botherers", Bush Theatre Archive, 2003
84. "Airsick", Bush Theatre Archive, 2003
85. "Nine Parts of Desire", Bush Theatre Archive, 2003
86. "Little Baby Nothing", Bush Theatre Archive, 2003
87. "Disco Pigs", Bush Theatre Archive, 1997
88. "Love and Understanding", Bush Theatre Archive, 2003
89. "St Nicholas", Bush Theatre Archive, 1997
90. "All of You Mine", Bush Theatre Archive, 1997
91. "Dreams of San Francisco", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
92. "Tattoo Theatre", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
93. "The Mystery of the Rose Bouquet", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
94. "Effies Burning", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
95. "People Show No 92 Whistle Stop", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
96. "Love Field", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
97. "More Light", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
98. "An Imitation of Life", Bush Theatre Archive, 1987
99. "The Oven Glove Murders", Bush Theatre Archive, 1986
100. "Making Noise Quietly", Bush Theatre Archive, 1986
101. "Hard Feelings", Bush Theatre Archive, 1983
102. "The Relief of Martha King", Bush Theatre Archive, 1972
103. "Christmas Carol", Bush Theatre Archive, 1972
104. "Plays for Rubber Gogo", Bush Theatre Archive, 1972

External links

• The Bush Theatre Retrieved December 2014
• Bush Theatre at the Shepherd's Bush Blog Retrieved December 2014