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Theatre503
The Grace Theatre
The Latchmere Theatre
Theatre503 and Latchmere Pub
Map
Address503 Battersea Park Road
London, SW11
United Kingdom
Coordinates51°28′29″N 0°09′15″W / 51.4746°N 0.1542°W / 51.4746; -0.1542
Public transitNational Rail London Overground Clapham Junction
TypeFringe theatre
Capacity63 seats
Current useTheatre
ProductionNew writing
Opened1982; 42 years ago (1982)
Website
theatre503.com

Theatre503, formerly the Latchmere Theatre, is a theatre located at 503 Battersea Park Road in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, above the Latchmere pub. The venue is known for promoting the work of new writers.

History

The theatre was founded in 1982 as the Latchmere Theatre (the name taken from that of the pub downstairs), an offshoot of the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. It is a custom-built[clarification needed] studio theatre. The opening production was a new adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which proved so successful that the production transferred to the West End.

In 2004 the theatre was renamed as Theatre503 under Artistic Director Paul Higgins, and became a home for new writing. In 2006 Paul Robinson and Tim Roseman were appointed as Artistic Directors with the brief of developing the theatre's profile. Robinson was sole Artistic Director from 2012 to 2016. Under Robinson and Roseman, the venue saw the premiere of works by writers including Duncan Macmillan, Tom Morton-Smith, Anna Jordan, Alice Birch, Charlene James, Katori Hall, Jon Brittain and Phoebe Eclair-Powell. It has won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award and two Olivier Awards, in 2010 for its production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop and 2017 for Rotterdam by Jon Brittain.

Andrew Shepherd became Executive Director at the beginning of 2016. In August of the same year, Lisa Spirling became Artistic Director, directing the winner of the 2016 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award, In Event of Moone Disaster (October 2017) by Andrew Thompson, nine years after making her directorial debut Cotton Wool by Ali Taylor at the same venue. Steve Harper is the theatre's Literary Manager and has overseen the debuts of more than 1,000 first time writers during his tenure.

Over 120 debut and emerging writers are staged each year in more than 70 productions ranging from one night series of shorts to full length four week runs. In a two year cycle they read and receive over 4,000 scripts including their bi-ennial International Playwriting Award, 503 Five writers-in-residence, unsolicited and their pioneering Rapid Write Response programme.

Winners of The Theatre503 International Playwriting Award

The 503Five

Beth Steel, Lou Ramsden, Nimer Rashed, Rex Obano, Richard Marsh (2011–12); Brad Birch, Charlene James, Chris Urch, Gemma Langford, Jon Brittain (2013–14) Brian Mullin, Chloe Todd Fordham, Ella Greenhill, Neasa O'Callaghan, Vinay Patel (2015–16) Aisha Zia, Chris Hogg, Mahad Ali, Ross Willis, Yasmin Joseph (2017–18), Annie Jenkins, Benedict Lombe, Joel Tan, Jon Berry, Zak Mahinfar (2019–20)

Awards and nominations

2020

Winner

2019

Winner

Nominations

2018

Winner

Nominations –

2017

Winner – Olivier Awards, Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre Rotterdam by Jon Brittain (Premiered at Theatre503 in 2015 before transferring to Trafalgar Studios)

Nominations –

2016

Winner – Off West End, Best Producer (DEM Productions at Theatre503)

2015

Nominations –

2014

Winner – Argus Angel for Artistic Excellence (Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho) Winner – Off West End, Best Set Designer (Signe Beckmann for A Handful of Stars) Nominations –

2013

Nominations – Off West End Awards:

2011

Winner – Off West End Awards:

2010

Winner – Olivier Awards, Best New Play, The Mountaintop by Katori Hall

Nominated –

2009

Nominated – Evening Standard Awards, Most Promising Playwright, Katori Hall for The Mountaintop Shortlisted – Evening Standard Awards – Best Actor, David Harewood for The Mountaintop Nominated – TMA Awards, Best New Play, The Lifesavers by Fraser Grace (co-production with Mercury Theatre, Colchester) Winner – Meyer Whitworth Award, Ali Taylor for Cotton Wool

2008

Nominated – Peter Brook Empty Space Award

Productions

Landmark Productions

References

External links

Theatres in London
Categories