Battersea Arts Centre
Encyclopedia
The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance
space near Clapham Junction in Battersea
, in the London Borough of Wandsworth
that specialises in music
and theatre productions.
and the London Borough of Wandsworth
, among others.
In 1901 a large pipe organ was installed in the Grand Hall. This was an unusual instrument designed by Robert Hope-Jones
, a pioneering organ builder who invented many aspects of the modern pipe organ. His ideas went on to form the basis of the Wurlitzer
theatre organ in the 1920s and 30s. The BAC pipe organ has been unusable for years, but restoration work has begun.
David Jubb has been the BAC's artistic director since 2004. In 2008 he was joined by David Micklem, with whom he shares the Joint Artistic Directorship of BAC.
BAC operates a "scratch" methodology as part of its "ladder of development" for new work. Performances are shown at various stages of development to an outside audience, whose input and criticism guides the further evolution of the work.
Companies and artists performing at BAC have included:
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
space near Clapham Junction in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, in the London Borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
that specialises in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and theatre productions.
History
The theatre was founded in 1980 in a Grade II* listed building which originally opened in 1893 as Battersea Town Hall. The building was designed in 1891 by E. W. Mountford. The space was converted to a community arts centre in 1974. BAC currently receives grants towards the building's operating costs from Arts Council EnglandArts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
and the London Borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
, among others.
In 1901 a large pipe organ was installed in the Grand Hall. This was an unusual instrument designed by Robert Hope-Jones
Robert Hope-Jones
Robert Hope-Jones , is considered to be the inventor of the theatre organ in the early 20th century...
, a pioneering organ builder who invented many aspects of the modern pipe organ. His ideas went on to form the basis of the Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
theatre organ in the 1920s and 30s. The BAC pipe organ has been unusable for years, but restoration work has begun.
David Jubb has been the BAC's artistic director since 2004. In 2008 he was joined by David Micklem, with whom he shares the Joint Artistic Directorship of BAC.
BAC operates a "scratch" methodology as part of its "ladder of development" for new work. Performances are shown at various stages of development to an outside audience, whose input and criticism guides the further evolution of the work.
Past productions
- PunchdrunkPunchdrunkPunchdrunk is a British theatre company, formed in 2000, the pioneer of a form of "immersive" presentation in which the audience is free to choose what to watch and where to go. This format is related to "promenade theatre"....
Theatre Company's promenade performance of "The Masque of the Red DeathThe Masque of the Red Death"The Masque of the Red Death", originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death" , is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, has a...
" by Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
ran through most of the building from September 2007 to April 2008 - Richard Thomas's early work as Kombat Opera, including Tourette's Diva, leading to the development of Jerry Springer - The Opera, which premièred at BAC in 2002, before transferring to the Royal National TheatreRoyal National TheatreThe Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
- Jackson's Way, the winner of the 2004 Perrier Award in EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. A one-man show which mocks the world of motivational speaking and embraces it through encouraging 'pointless actions'.
Companies and artists performing at BAC have included:
- Punchdrunk
- Neil HarbissonNeil HarbissonNeil Harbisson is a Catalan raised, Northern Ireland born artist, musician and performer best known for his self-extended ability to hear colours. In 2004 he became the first person in the world to wear an eyeborg. The inclusion of the eyeborg on his passport photo has been claimed by some to be...
- Mark ThomasMark ThomasMark Clifford Thomas is a left-wing English comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter from south London. He first became known as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s. He is best known for political stunts on his show, The Mark...
- Jeremy HardyJeremy HardyJeremy James Hardy is a British alternative comedian who is also known for his socialist politics.-Career:Hardy was born in Farnborough, Hampshire. He attended Farnham College and studied Modern History and Politics at the University of Southampton...
- David Hoyle
- Ra-Ra ZooRa-Ra ZooRa-Ra Zoo was an English-based circus theatre company , started by Sue Broadway, Stephen Kent, David Spathaky and Sue Bradley while they were all working and staying together at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe...
- Kneehigh TheatreKneehigh TheatreKneehigh Theatre is an international theatre company based in Cornwall, England.Kneehigh was started in 1980 by Mike Shepherd. Early productions were performed in village halls, marquees, cliff-tops and quarries...
- Theatre de Complicite
- Will AdamsdaleWill AdamsdaleWill Adamsdale is an English actor.Adamsdale was educated at Eton College and the Oxford School of Drama. In 2004, he starred in a self-penned one man show called Jackson's Way at the Edinburgh Fringe. The intended run for the production was ten days, before the intervention of cult comedian...
- Stewart LeeStewart LeeStewart Lee is an English stand-up comedian, writer and director known for being one half of the 1990s comedy duo Lee and Herring, and for co-writing and directing the critically acclaimed and controversial stage show Jerry Springer - The Opera...
- The Plague (English punk rock band)The Plague (English punk rock band)The Plague are an English punk rock band. Formed in South East London during 1976, the band were initially in existence until 1981. They reformed in 2005...
- Told By An Idiot