Gate Theatre announces first season at Camden venue after 'politicised' NPO cut

The Gate Theatre has announced the first season at its new Camden location Theatro Technis @ 26 Crowndale.

It follows news of the London venue’s 100% funding cut in the recent Arts Council England NPO announcement, which the Gate has described as "politicised".

The line-up includes of the UK premiere of Robert O’Hara’s Bootycandy, directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu and Brassic FM co-created by Zia Ahmed, who also wrote the play, and Stef O’Driscoll, who will also direct the show.  

Chair of the Gate’s board, Shami Chakrabarti, said: “My thanks to everyone who nearly broke my inbox with anger at the politicised cut to our theatre. 

"Please now come and break the box office for an exciting new season that will help us keep the Gate open for many great seasons, stories and artists to come.”

Interim artistic director O’Driscoll said: "Our first season in Camden is full of stories which speak to values close to the hearts of our team and local community, from the UK premiere of Robert O’Hara’s outrageous and hard- hitting Bootycandy about growing up black and gay in 1970s’ America, to a co-pro with Pigfoot on Hot In Here, featuring theatre’s first energy-harvesting dancefloor and derived from interviews with climate advocates across the world; and lastly Brassic FM, a collaboration with Zia Ahmed about work which connects deeply to our local multicultural working-class community in Somers Town."

O’Driscoll said that the Gate "has always been a place to nurture and challenge the next generation of artists to create ground-breaking theatre".

She added: "Our first season at our new home at Theatro Technis @ 26 Crowndale is no exception. In true Gate style, no two visits to our shows will be the same. This season celebrates everything the Gate has come to stand for across its 43-year history, connecting global voices to local stories."

Season at a glance

Bootycandy by Robert O’Hara 
Directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu 
Designed by Milla Clarke
February 13 to March 11, with press night on February 16

Hot In Here (an energy-generating dance party)
Co-produced by Pigfoot and Gate Theatre, and commissioned and supported by Camden People’s Theatre
Co-directed by Hetty Hodgson and Bea Udale-Smith
June 5 to 24, with press night June 8

Brassic FM Co-created and written by Zia Ahmed and co-created and directed by Stef O’Driscoll
September 4 to 23, with press night on September 7