Royal Court Theatre (RCT) has launched a new temporary theatre, curated by RCT associate designer Chloe Lamford. Called The Site, the new workshop, rehearsal and performance space is situated next door to RCT.
Lamford explained the thinking behind the new theatre: “The usual roles in theatre are quite clearly defined; the writer writes a play, a director would then take the play on and then a theatre designer would visualise and create the play from that series of conversations. This time around we’re making a space and then we’re having conversations with five writers in response to this space that we’re making. Each writer is responding to the space in a different way.”
The five writers are Deborah Pearson, EV Crowe, Stacey Gregg, Theresa Ikoko and Nathaniel Martello-White. Some of them will write their plays on location at The Site, while all of them will respond directly to the unique demands of Lamford’s stage and provocations set by the RCT team.
In a press release, RCT described it as “a space where language, form, the body and instructions are the materials and where both artists and audiences are invited to rethink how we create, present, and watch plays.” The newly built auditorium will seat up to 50 people.
Royal Court associate director Lucy Morrison will support Lamford to deliver the project. Tickets go on sale on 2 May, with the full programme available through the RCT website.
