- Menier Chocolate Factory
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Coordinates: 51°30′18″N 0°05′50″W / 51.5051°N 0.0972°W
Menier Chocolate Factory 
Exterior of the theatreAddress 51/53 Southwark Street City London Country 
United KingdomCapacity 180 Type fringe theatre Opened 2004 www.menierchocolatefactory.com The Menier Chocolate Factory is an award-winning 180 seat fringe studio theatre, restaurant and gallery. It is located in a former 1870s Menier Chocolate Company factory in Southwark Street, a major street in the London Borough of Southwark, central south London, England. The theatre stages plays and musicals, live music and stand-up comedy. According to the Evening Standard, it is "one of the most dynamic fringe venues in London".[1]
The theatre hosted the world premiere of the musical Take Flight.
In autumn 2007, Samuel West directed an acclaimed revival of Patrick Marber's Dealer's Choice, which then transferred to the Trafalgar Studios. Stephen Wight, who played the comedy role of Mugsy won the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in November 2007.
A London revival of La Cage aux Folles was to have begun in November 2007 but the opening was delayed by illness until 8 January 2008. It then ran at the Menier until 8 March 2008.[2]
Contents
History
The Menier Chocolate Factory was opened in 2004 in its current incarnation, the building having been derelict since the 1980s. It is run by artistic director David Babani.[3] In 2005, he received the Peter Brook/Empty Space Up and Coming Venue Award. In the same year, he and Danielle Tarento jointly won the Evening Standard Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer.
Notable Productions
Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors
Forbidden Broadway set in 2009- This Other England (2005) — a series of new writing from Paines Plough, including Philp Ridley's controversial Mercury Fur.
- Murderer (play) by Anthony Shaffer - 10 November 2004 to 22 January 2005.
- Tick, Tick... Boom! by Jonathan Larson - 31 May to 28 August 2005.
- What we did to Weinstein by Ryan Craig - 21 September to 12 November 2005.
- Sunday in the Park with George (November 2005),[4] which won the 2005 Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Design. It transferred to the Wyndham's Theatre in May 2006, where it won five Olivier Awards. The production then transferred to Broadway in January 2008.
- The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown - 18 July to 30 September 2006.
- Little Shop of Horrors (November 2006), which transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre and then to the New Ambassadors where it closed on 8 September 2007.
- Dealer's Choice (play) by Patrick Marber starring Roger Lloyd Pack - 17 September to 28 November 2007 and then 6 December 2007 to 29 March 2008.
- La Cage aux Folles (January – March 2008) A London revival, starring Philip Quast as Georges and Douglas Hodge as Albin/Zaza, opened on 8 January 2008 and played until March 8, subsequently transferring to the West End from 20 October 2008, at the Playhouse Theatre.
- The Common Pursuit Starring James Dreyfus, Nigel Harman, Reece Shearsmith and Robert Portal (May – July 2008)
- A Little Night Music Starring Hannah Waddingham, Alexander Hanson and Maureen Lipman, 20 November 2008 – 8 March 2009, subsequently transferring to the West End from 28 March 2009, at the Garrick Theatre.
- Rookery Nook By Ben Travers (April – June 2009).
- Forbidden Broadway By Gerard Alessandrini - 25 June to 13 September 2009.
- Talent by Victoria Wood - 17 September to 14 November 2009.
- Sweet Charity starring Tamzin Outhwaite Book by Neil Simon, Music by Cy Coleman and Lyrics by Dorothy Fields - 21 November 2009 to 7 March 2010.
- Hannah Waddingham Live at the Chocolate Factory - 16 March to 20 March.
- The Willy Russell Season (in repertoire): Shirley Valentine starring Meera Syal and Educating Rita starring Larry Lamb and Laura Dos Santos - 26 March to 8 May 2010.
References
- ^ Menier Chocolate Factory — Restaurant Reviews, tobyyoung.co.uk.
- ^ Reviews — La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory), British Theatre Guide, 2008.
- ^ Interview with David Babani, British Theatre Guide, 2007.
- ^ Reviews — Sunday in the Park with George (Menier Chocolate Factory), British Theatre Guide, 2005.
External links
Categories:- 2004 establishments
- Studio theatres in London
- Theatres in Southwark
- Menier family
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