Published on Thursday 10 November 2011 01:00
The people in charge have been referring to it as a year-long celebration – but it is tonight that the party really gets started.
The world-famous Sheffield Crucible Theatre turns 40 today and celebrates with a series of events, from a gathering of former artistic directors to the thing that all birthday parties need – a huge, specially-made cake.
In some parts of the world the venue is most famous as the home of the World Snooker Championships – but over the past four decades the famous stage has hosted serious drama of a much more theatrical nature.
Kenneth Branagh in
Richard III, the premiere of Stephen Poliakoff’s
The Summer Party, and Joseph Fiennes in
Edward II have all played their part in the building’s history and they are anything but the only star names to have trod one of the country’s most beloved stages.
Ian McDiarmid, Marti Caine, Antony Sher, Derek Jacobi, Joanna Lumley – just in the last year John Simms, Dominic West and Clarke Peters. Such a galaxy of stars could scarcely have been imagined when the Crucible doors first opened back in 1971.
In a new book to mark the anniversary, the theatre’s first artistic director, and the man who helped to bring the building into being, Colin George remembers the day permission for the theatre was granted – and how it was anything but popular with the local community.
“One sunny spring day in 1966 I was walking to the Sheffield Town Hall, to ask the council for a subsidy,” he said. “At the town hall we were ushered into the main council chamber – empty, but for a formidable northern lady, seated at one end, on her Lord Mayor’s throne – Alderman Grace Tebbutt. She looked us over for a minute and then dropped her thunderbolt. ‘Nah then, where do you want your new theatre?’”
With Alderman Tebbutt’s backing, Mr George began working with the newly formed Sheffield Theatre Trust to begin drawing up the plans for the space that would become The Crucible.
In deciding the shape of the stage Mr George travelled to America with theatre director Sir Tyrone Guthrie and was convinced that the thrust – in which the audience envelop the stage on three sides – was the natural choice. Architect Tanya Moiseiwitsch was appointed and with the plans finalised building work began. However, the objections grew louder. “Not anticipated was the howl of anguish from a vociferous minority in Sheffield,” writes Mr George. “Criticisms made then now seem incredible 40 years later – ‘this theatre is a freak, it will be blacklisted by all reputable dramatists, no big names will consent to appear on such a stage’.”
How wrong they were.
In 1971 the appropriately named
Fanfare announced the opening of the building. This week, 40 years on, a new production will echo that opening moment. Bradford-based theatre company Invisible Flock are staging
Fanfared, a show that will literally take audiences on a journey around the Crucible in a show inspired by the venue’s history.
Running until November 12, it will be performed at the theatre tonight, along with
Lives in Art, the debut production from Sheffield People’s Theatre, a new community ensemble.
Current artistic director of the theatre Daniel Evans, said: “I’m thrilled. Over the coming weeks we’ll see a whole host of events that not only chronicle the history of our iconic building but also look forward to the next 40 years.
“As the Crucible enters its fifth decade, it is a genuine privilege to be leading the organisation during this special time.”
As well as the performances, tonight sees a unique event at The Crucible as previous artistic directors Colin George, Deborah Paige, Michael Rudman and Peter James are joined on stage by Mark Lawson for a discussion about the famous old building and its significance.
Paige explains the particular hold the Crucible has on audiences and artists alike.
“From the moment I walked on to the stage I couldn’t wait to direct my first show at The Crucible. The auditorium invites the actor and the audience to connect completely and there will never be a better reason to work in theatre than that. It remains, for me, the best, the most enduring and dynamic space I’ve ever worked in. I love it.”
The birthday celebrations continue with shows until November 12. For full details of all of tonight’s events call 0114 249 6000.
A book charting the history of the Crucible,
Crucible 40, is on sale at the theatre’s box office and cafe, priced £25.
Yorkshire Post
