Giant Olive Theatre Company

Giant Olive Theatre Company

The Lion and Unicorn Theatre
Address

42-44 Gaisford St,

Kentish Town, NW5 2ED
London
Type Production Company
Capacity 60-80
Website
www.giantolive.com

Giant Olive Theatre Company was founded in the summer of 2008 by Artistic Director George Sallis. The company stages classical theatre, commedia dell'arte, dance, contemporary plays, comedy, new writing and has become well known for its Charles Dickens Christmas adaptations along with its bold dance projects including the GOlive Dance and Performance Festival, curated by Donald Hutera (The Times).

Hugh Bonneville is a Patron of the Company. Associate artists include Ray Shell (Starlight Express, The Lion King), Antonia Franceschi (FAME, New York City Ballet), Mark Baldwin Rambert Dance Company and Zoe Martlew.

Dance

From left to right: Hugh Bonneville, George Sallis, Antonia Franceschi, Mark Baldwin, Richard Alston, Martin Lawrence, 22 January 2011

In 2013, Giant Olive produced the inaugural GOlive Dance and Performance festival, curated by veteran arts journalist Donald Hutera, whose writing has appeared in The Times, Time Out, Dance Europe and many other publications and websites world-wide. The festival patrons were Siobhan Davies and Rosemary Butcher. Spread across 21 consecutive days, and comprising over four dozen individuals or companies, the GOlive Festival featured work by Darren Ellis, Ella Mesma, Renaud Wiser, Anusha Subramanyam, Daniel Hay-Gordon/Eleanor Perry, 70/30 Split, Shane Shambhu, Nuno Silva, Moreno Solinas, Peta Lily, The Dangerologists, Stephanie Schober, Anna Williams, Stopgap's Sg2, Angela Woodhouse, Dog Kennel Hill Project, Avatâra Ayuso, Mickael Marso Rivière, Jennifer Jackson/Susie Crow, Annie Lok, Zoi Dimitriou and Fred Gehrig amongst many others. Between them the artist involved had worked with the likes of Complicite, Richard Alston, Siobhan Davies, Shobana Jeyasingh, Russell Maliphant, The Royal Ballet, Wayne McGregor|Random Dance, Rambert Dance Company, Henri Oguike, Arthur Pita and Fiona Shaw.

In 2011, George Sallis and Antonia Franceschi teamed up to produce a Gala performance, to mark the closure of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre for refurbishment. The evening included performances choreographed by Richard Alston, Mark Baldwin, Martin Lawrence, Jonathan Goddard with poetry directed by Patsy Rodenburg, and ‘Disco’ from Giant Olive’s POP8, again featuring Ballet Black.[1]

In June 2009 Giant Olive Theatre Company produced 'POP8' with Antonia Franceschi, a new dance theatre piece incorporating a short film by Tal Rosner and Franceschi set in Kentish Town, and an additional film by Terry Braun also featuring Franceschi which was choreographed by Rambert's Mark Baldwin. Performers included Ballet Black dancers, resident at the Royal Opera House, Zoe Martlew on Cello and voiceovers from Franceschi and George Sallis directed by Patsy Rodenburg. The production was supported by Camden Council.[2] and received Critic's Choice in London's TimeOut.

The ZIP Project (Gun & Knife Crime)

Giant Olive received Time Out Critics Choice in 2010, for its Community Outreach project, 'ZIP:Gun & Knife Crime'. With the support of The Big Lottery Fund, Camden Council and Choice FM, the company ran workshops in Camden with people affected by gun and knife crime as victims or perpetrators. Working with the experiences and stories told, Giant Olive produced an original streetdance musical. The project was supported by Local MP, Rt Hon Frank Dobson, Councillor Tulip Siddiq, Councillor Abdul Hai and Chief Superintendent Neil Wilson.

The Gaea Theatre Festival

The Gaea Theatre Festival celebrates international women playwrights, performers, directors and designers and was launched by Giant Olive in August 2011. The festival received 7 award nominations from the OffWestEnd.com Theatre Awards and Time Out Critic's Choice for Caroline Horton's 'I'll Show You Mine'.

Little Olives

Little Olives is Giant Olive's children's theatre company.

Productions

Awards & Nominations

Nominations for the OffWestEnd.com Theatre Awards:

Most Promising New Playwright for Beauty Is Prison-Time

Best Female Performer for Beauty Is Prison-Time

Best Director for Beauty Is Prison-Time

Best Female Performer for I'll Show You Mine

Best Director for I'll Show You Mine

Best Female Performer for Nine

Best Male Performer for Not About Heroes

Giant Olive team

The Giant Olive team

The Giant Olive patrons

Production team

Advisors Artistic Advisor Donald Hutera

References

  1. ↑ londondance.com 28 January 2011
  2. ↑ http://www.giantolive.com/productions/giant-olive-previous-productions/pop8.html
  3. ↑ Theatre Royal Winchester listing published 1 February 2015
  4. ↑ published 3 September 2013
  5. ↑ Review in The Stage published 24 October 2011
  6. ↑ CRITICS CHOICE Review by Whats On Stage published 16 August 2011
  7. ↑ Review Whats On Stage published 4 August 2011
  8. ↑ Review in Time Out published 31 May 2011
  9. ↑ http://www.londondance.com/news_details.asp?NewsID=8136 published 28 January 2011
  10. ↑ http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/30809/a-christmas-carol published 20 December 2010
  11. ↑ Review in Time Out published 21 December 2009
  12. ↑ Review in The Stage published 27 November 2009
  13. ↑ Review in The Stage published 14 August 2009
  14. ↑ Listing in TimeOut Critics Choice 07/09
  15. ↑ Review in The Stage published 22 April 2009
  16. ↑ Review in The Stage published 27 March 2009
  17. ↑ Review in The Stage published 30 December 2008
  18. ↑ Review in The Stage published 21 November 2008
  19. ↑ Review in The Stage published 15 September 2008
  20. ↑ Listing in Remotegoat
  21. ↑ Mentioned in article in Whats On Stage published 13 October 2008
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