MRS KLEIN - Almeida Theatre

MRS KLEIN 

by Nicholas Wright

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Photo front cover and this page: Getty MRS 

KLEIN 

by Nicholas Wright

Photo: Bridget Jones 

Cast in order of appearance: 

Mrs Klein Clare Higgins 

Paula Nicola Walker 

Melitta Zoë Waites 

Director Thea Sharrock 

Design Tim Hatley 

Lighting Neil Austin 

Sound Ian Dickinson for Autograph 

Casting Sarah Bird 

Dialect Coach Jan Haydn Rowles 

Fight Director Alison de Burgh 

Assistant Director Oliver Baird 

There will be one interval. 


by Nicholas Wright 

Production Manager James Crout 

Company Stage Manager Laura Flowers 

Deputy Stage Manager Alice Irving 

Assistant Stage Manager Laura Draper 

Costume Supervisor Jackie Galloway 

Wardrobe Supervisor Catrina Richardson 

Wardrobe Deputy Eleanor Dolan 

Hair and Make Up Supervisor Fiona Matthews 

Chief Technician Jason Wescombe 

Lighting Technician Robin Fisher 

Sound Technician Howard Wood 

Theatre Technician Adriano Agostino 

Production Carpenters Gareth Carrow 

Craig Emerson 

Set built by Miraculous Engineering 

Set painted by Charlotte Gainey 

Natasha Shepherd 

Wardrobe placement Ruth Williams 

Production photography John Haynes 

Rehearsal photography Bridget Jones 

3

4 

Psychoanalysis 

and Melanie Klein 

Psychoanalysis 

Psychoanalysis refers to both a body of theory concerning human 

psychology and, more familiarly, to a treatment based on that 

theory. In treatment the analysand lies on a couch while the 

analyst sits in a chair a little behind and to one side. Sessions are 

fifty minutes long, and usually five times a week at fixed times. In 

this constant setting, free from interruption, the analysand can 

express the kind of private thoughts that we all have but do not 

normally speak aloud. Yet even when in an environment which 

explicitly sanctions us to say what we are really thinking, we may 

still find ourselves feeling uncomfortable, holding back thoughts 

as we come to realise that some of our true motives and feelings 

have been unavailable to us. They were unconscious until the 

analysis made them available. 

Sigmund Freud 

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) put together the ideas which underpin 

psychoanalysis, going beneath the surface of the apparently 

rational in our daily lives. He recognised that humans were full of 

awkward sensualities, desires, susceptibilities, ambitions and 

rivalries. At first, Freud’s focus was on trying to understand what 

lay behind neurotic symptoms, dreams, slips of the tongue – the 

kind of embarrassing but revealing mistake that a possessive 

father might make when giving a speech at his daughter’s wedding 

– but later the analytic focus broadened to include all our thinking 

and remembering concerning our closest relationships. Deeper 

answers could be arrived at to the important questions of why and 

whom do we love, and why and whom do we hate. Moreover Freud 

saw that these awkward hidden feelings from the past also began 

to show themselves in the way the analysand felt and behaved 

towards the analyst in the present. This is called the transference. 

He concluded that powerful sexual and possessive feelings must 

exist in children towards the members of their immediate family – 

mother, father, brothers and sisters. These ‘oedipal’ phantasies are 

not the same as adult sexuality. They are both age and phase 

appropriate, but their normal unfolding and resolution is essential 

if the child is to develop into an adult relatively free of neurotic 

suffering. 

Melanie Klein 

Melanie Klein was born in Vienna in 1882. She first came in contact 

with psychoanalysis in Budapest in 1914-15 when she entered analysis 

with Sandor Ferenczi. She was drawn to psychoanalysis because it 

offered her a place where she could take her own sufferings and 

because there she encountered ideas which stirred her deeply. In 1921, 

she moved to Berlin. Klein’s unhappy marriage to Arthur Klein came to 

an end in 1924. The couple’s three children, Melitta, Hans and Eric 

were at that time respectively 20, 17 and 13 years old. Klein’s 

experience with her second analyst, Karl Abraham, a careful and 

disciplined clinician, who saw that there were also powerful negative 

feelings in the transference, was very important to her. 

Portrait of Melanie Klein by Szekely Aladar c.1910. Courtesy of 

Wellcome Library, London, and the Melanie Klein Trust 

In the 1920s it was not uncommon for intellectuals to travel to Berlin or 

Vienna to seek experience of psychoanalysis, seen as offering a radical 

new angle on human affairs. Alix Strachey, in Berlin, wrote vividly to her 

husband, James, of Klein’s personality and work at this time. Her 

description of the originality of Klein’s ideas led to Klein being invited to 

London to give a series of lectures; and she moved to London on a 

permanent basis in 1926. It is clear from her published papers that 

Klein’s grief over the death of her son Hans in 1934, and perhaps as 

well the estrangement from her daughter Melitta, played a significant 

part in the ideas that Klein developed in this period. These have gone 

on to be immensely important in terms of the subsequent 

development of psychoanalysis. 

Apart from some wartime spells in Cambridge and Scotland, Klein 

spent the rest of her life working in London, until her death in 1960. 

David Taylor

Klein’s Ideas 

The First Period 

If it can be said that Freud showed us the 

child in the adult, then it was Klein who 

showed us the infant in the child. Just as 

Freud had put forward a view of childhood 

that was different from that generally 

accepted at the time, Klein’s conception of 

mental life in infancy was different from 

anything that went before. The very idea 

that babies formed relationships or had a 

mental life at all was in itself revolutionary. 

When Klein first began to work analytically 

with children, infants were thought to 

function in a reflex, automatic way 

organised around the satisfaction of 

hunger and the avoidance of discomfort. 

Nowadays we see clearly how when a 

mother nurses and cares for her baby she 

does so in a way which reflects her 

awareness that her baby has a whole range 

of capacities and feeling-states to which 

she is intuitively attuned. Yet most 

scientific theory of that time denied the 

significance of this unformulated, intuitive 

kind of knowledge. 

Of course, we can only infer what might be 

in the mind of a very young baby. The baby 

cannot tell us directly, yet it seems clear 

that the infant’s mental life must take a 

pre-verbal form. When children are a little 

older it becomes possible to know, as 

opposed to intuit, the kind of things that 

can occupy the mind of a child. This is 

one of Susan Isaacs’ observations of a 

child but it could equally well could have 

been one of Klein’s: 

‘A little girl of one year 6 months saw a 

shoe of her mother’s from which the 

sole had come loose and was flapping 

about. The child was horrified and 

screamed with terror. For about a week 

she would shrink away and scream if 

she saw her mother wearing any shoes 

at all, other than a familiar pair of 

bedroom slippers. The offending pair 

was not worn again for several 

months. The child gradually forgot 

about her terror and let her mother 

wear any sort of shoes. At two years 

and 11 months (15 months later), she 

suddenly said in a frightened voice to 

her mother, ‘where are mummy’s 

A selection of children’s drawings used by Melanie Klein. Courtesy of Wellcome Library, 

London, and the Melanie Klein Trust 

broken shoes?’ Her mother hastily 

said, fearing another screaming attack, 

that she had sent them away. The child 

then commented, ‘they might have 

eaten me right up!’. 

Close observations of young children bear 

out the themes of the great fairy tales, such 

as Hansel and Gretel. In the fabulous 

nature of the young child’s imaginative life, 

eating and being eaten all up plays a large 

part. Klein saw the profoundly symbolic 

nature of the child’s imagination, leading 

her to recognise that children’s play is 

equivalent to an adult’s dreams and 

associations. The child uses play and 

games to work over matters of central 

importance: what is involved in feeding 

and being fed, what goes in and what 

comes out, the importance of mother’s 

breasts and tummy, including the 

possibility of new babies, the imagined 

relations between mummy and daddy – all 

are expressed in a language of bodily 

exchange, and imbued with powerful 

feeling. 

Klein considered, contrary to what is often 

said of her, that the family environment 

was of utmost importance. Children need 

good, consistent parental care to help 

them, not least with the often turbulent 

5

6 

A letter from Melitta to her 

mother Melanie Klein, 1934 

‘I hope you will therefore also allow 

me to give you some advice. You do 

not take it enough into consideration 

that I am very different from you. I 

already told you years ago that 

nothing causes a worse reaction in 

me than trying to force feelings into 

me – it is the surest way to kill all 

feelings. Unfortunately, you have a 

strong tendency towards trying to 

enforce your way of viewing, of 

feeling, your interests, your friends 

etc onto me. I am now grown up and 

must be independent; I have my own 

life, my husband; I must be allowed 

to have interests, friends, feelings 

and thoughts which are different or 

even contrary to yours. I do not think 

that the relationship with her mother, 

however good, should be the centre 

of her life for an adult woman. I hope 

you do not expect from my analysis 

that I shall again take an attitude 

towards you which is similar to the 

one I had until a few years ago. This 

was one of neurotic dependence. I 

certainly can, with your help, retain a 

good and friendly relationship with 

you, if you allow me enough freedom, 

independence, and dissimilarity, and 

if you try to be less sensitive about 

several things. 

Also, don’t forget that through our 

shared profession a difficult situation 

is created; this could most certainly 

be solved if you treated me like 

another colleague and allowed me all 

the freedom of thinking and 

expression of opinion, as you do the 

others. 

With love 

yours, Melitta’ 

tendencies of the infantile internal world. 

Children are highly sensitive to events in the 

family environment, but the reaction to 

these occurs through the prism of the 

child’s phantasy life. Klein took the view 

that children have innately an inner world 

which is active in creating the view of the 

external world. Babies have both 

experiences of great satisfaction, and of 

great distress. Klein argued that the 

mother’s repeated care in restoring the 

infant to a good state puts the infant ‘back 

together’ and is experienced by the baby as 

its relation with a ‘good breast’. Periods of 

disturbance or deprivation are experienced 

as a relation with a ‘bad breast’. The infant 

can sometimes project some of the feelings 

which were in origin his own (for instance 

that of biting hunger) into the objects of the 

Melanie Klein (right), with one of her sons, and Melitta (left). Courtesy of Wellcome Library, 

London, and the Melanie Klein Trust 

external world. In these ways the infant’s 

world is populated with creatures borne of 

the imagination, depicted vividly in Maurice 

Sendak’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. 

The Second Period 

In the years 1930-45 Klein developed a 

whole new theoretical structure, 

suggesting that a major change in the 

infant’s mind begins at around 4-5 

months. The good and the bad objects of 

the baby’s imagination which were once 

experienced as entirely separate now begin 

to be seen as one – the baby comes to 

understand that the figure (the ‘bad 

breast’) which is feared is the same as the 

good figure (the ‘good breast’) which is 

loved. This introduces a whole new set of 

feelings including the capacity for concern 

and anxiety, lest the mother has been 

harmed by the baby’s feelings of rage. 

Klein argued that this process involves 

mourning – that while at first it may be 

ushered in by weaning, versions of it recur 

throughout life whenever there is any 

significant change or loss. It is intimately 

connected with mental growth, with 

maturation and with creativity. 

The Last Period 

In the early 1950s Klein made her last 

major contribution: her ideas concerning 

the damaging effects of envy in psychic 

life. Klein felt that many aspects of 

aggressive behaviour, of devaluation and 

contempt, were unconscious expressions 

of envy. Although destructive envy is much 

increased by emotional deprivation and by 

bad experiences in life, Klein also felt that 

fundamentally it derived from the infant’s 

envy of the goodness of the breast. She 

thought this was universal and to some 

extent constitutional. However, this does 

not mean that envy, once understood, 

cannot be mitigated. 

The Influence of Klein’s ideas 

Klein’s work was narrower in its range than 

Freud’s. This may be one of the reasons why 

Klein’s ideas are much less well known in the 

public sphere than those of Freud. However, 

for many psychoanalysts her major papers 

are profound. They are absolute 

psychoanalysis rather in the way that 

Beethoven’s late quartets are absolute music. 

In the half-century since her death Klein’s 

ideas have been extended even beyond the 

important new developments they led to in 

psychoanalysis, towards an understanding of 

group dynamics and society itself. 

David Taylor 

David Taylor is a training and supervising 

psychoanalyst of the British Psychoanalytic 

Society; he is also the clinical director of the 

Tavistock Adult Depression Study.

Memories of Melanie Klein 

Interview with Hanna Segal 

Hanna Segal, born in Poland in 1918, is one 

of the few living psychoanalysts analysed by 

Melanie Klein herself. Segal is in her own 

right one of the most distinguished 

contemporary thinkers and writers in the 

Kleinian tradition. 

In August 2001 she was interviewed in 

London by Daniel Pick and Jane Milton, 

psychoanalysts belonging to the British 

Psychoanalytical Society, as part of a project 

to gather reminiscences about Klein as a 

person and reflections on her clinical and 

theoretical contributions. 

Hanna Segal: As I knew her, she was an 

extremely warm person and very very 

generous… very little concerned about 

money. She was very good fun. She had a 

good sense of humour. I only remember her 

once saying something bitchy. It was about 

two candidates of the same analyst, and she 

said; ‘the trouble is that x is nice but isn’t 

clever, y is clever but he’s not at all nice!’ She 

was tremendously focussed on her work and 

both tolerant and intolerant. In things that 

she felt were genuine developments she was 

very tolerant… But when it came to what she 

felt was betrayal of psychoanalytic principles, 

or when she felt Kleinians departed from her 

work, she could be quite intolerant. For 

instance, although she understood it, she 

found it difficult in a way to forgive [Ernest] 

Jones for bringing over Freud and his family 

here rather than to America, because of the 

troubles that Anna Freud produced. This was 

absurd, of course. Jones wanted to find the 

best place for them. And Klein could be very 

very demanding of her ex-analysands and 

pupils. 

Daniel Pick: In what way? 

HS: Well, she never missed a scientific 

meeting or a congress and she didn’t like it 

if one wasn’t there. If one didn’t work. But 

she was, I think, pretty devoid of narcissism. 

In my view one of the reasons why the 

[British Psychoanalytical] Society didn’t split 

like other Societies is that neither Anna 

Freud nor Melanie Klein were driven 

excessively by personal ambition. They 

fought because they disagreed. Most splits 

happen because of analysts’ narcissism and 

grandiosity. 

Portrait of Melanie Klein by Douglas Glass, 1952. Courtesy of Wellcome Library, London, and 

the Melanie Klein Trust 

DP: Do you know much about Klein’s 

experience of living in England during the 

1920s and 1930s, before your first encounter 

with her? How did she find England as a 

place to come to? 

HS: She was immensely grateful to England 

and to the British Society. Whenever, in bad 

times, there was talk about the Kleinians 

splitting from the Society her position was 

that it was the British Society that gave her a 

home and a place to teach and that she 

would not do anything that would damage 

the Society. I think she liked England. 

DP: Do you think English culture 

importantly affected her ideas and her 

interests in early childhood or other aspects 

of psychic life? 

HS: …I would associate her more with 

French culture, but that may be pure 

projection. She spoke quite fluent 

French. But also, I think Slovene. (She told 

me later it amused her when I was 

struggling for the translation of something 

from Polish which she could understand 

perfectly well! Slovene is very close to 

Polish.) I think her husband was in Slovenia, 

before they divorced. This was before the 

war. You know, a continental educated 

person would have influences from various 

cultures. She certainly liked England – she 

never grumbled about it (as I do!). But then 

England before the war was, apart from the 

dictatorships, the most reactionary, 

snobbish and class-ridden system. I don’t 

think it would have affected her in the circles 

she was. But during the war and after the 

7

8 

Chronology 

1882 – Melanie Klein born Melanie Reizes 

in Vienna, March 30 

1901 – Melanie engaged to Arthur Klein in 

June 

1903 – marries Arthur Klein 

1904 – birth of Melitta Klein in Rosenberg, 

January 19 

1905 – Melanie and Arthur travel to Trieste, 

Venice, Abbazia 

1906 – visit Rome, Naples, Florence, Genoa 

1907 – birth of Hans Klein March 2 

1908 – Kleins move from Rsoenberg to 

Krappitz 

1909 – Kleins move to Hermanetz 

1910 – Kleins move to Budapest 

1913 – London Psycho-Analytical Society 

founded October 30 by Ernest Jones 

1914 – birth of Erich Klein, July 1. Melanie 

possibly goes into analysis with 

Ferenczi. She also reads Freud’s 

Über den Traum. Arthur conscripted 

into Austro-Hungarian army 

1916 – Arthur invalided back to Budapest 

1918 – Fifth International Psycho-Analytical 

Congress held in Budapest. Klein 

hears Freud read Lines of Advance 

in Psycho-Analytical Therapy 

1919 – Klein reads first paper and is made 

member of Budapest Society in 

June. Arthur moves to Sweden, 

Melanie takes children to 

Ružomberok during “White Terror” 

in autumn 

1920 – International Journal of Psycho- 

Analysis founded by Ernest Jones. 

Berlin Poliklinic opens 14 February. 

Klein’s first paper published in 

International Zeitschrift für 

Psychoanalyse 6. She attends Sixth 

International Psycho-Analytic 

Congress at The Hague in 

September 

1921 – Klein moves with Erich to Berlin, 

January 

1922 – Klein made associate member of 

Berlin Psychoanalytic Society. 

1923 – Klein elected to full membership of 

Berlin Psychoanalytic Society in 

February. Reconciliation with Arthur 

1924 – British Institute of Psycho-Analysis 

established. Klein enters analysis 

with Abraham. Melitta marries 

Walter Schmideberg in April.Klein 

gives first congress paper, The 

Technique of the Analysis of Young 

Children, at Salzburg. Final 

separation of Melanie and Arthur 

Klein 

1925 – Klein lectures in London for three 

weeks in July 

1926 – probable year of Kleins’ divorce; 

Klein arrives in England in 

September, followed by Erich in 

December. Klein recorded as 

“visitor” at the British Society 

1927 – Symposium on child analysis in 

May. Klein elected to full 

membership in British Psycho- 

Analytical Society October 2 

1928 – Melitta joins Klein in London 

1931 – Klein takes on first training 

analysand, W.Clifford M.Scott 

1932 – Publication of Klein’s The Psycho- 

Analysis of Children. Walter 

Schmideberg joins Melitta in 

London 

1933 – Paula Heimann arrives in England. 

Melitta elected to full membership 

in British Psycho-Analytical Society 

1934 – Death of Hans Klein in April 

Melanie Klein (left) holding Melitta as a baby. Courtesy of Wellcome Library, London, and 

the Melanie Klein Trust 

war it was a transformed country and was a 

developing country. The effects of the war in 

some ways were profoundly beneficial, not 

just to the development of analysis but in 

terms of the democratisation of England. 

DP: Is that her view or yours? 

HS: That’s my view. 

DP: And hers? 

HS: I don’t think she talked about it much. 

What she would talk about was analysis 

quite a lot, but also current cultural events, 

which were largely English. She used to go a 

lot to the theatre and the cinema. 

DP: I don’t imagine you interviewed her in 

the way that we’re interviewing you. But did 

you get a sense of what brought her to 

psychoanalysis? And did she ever refer to 

the origins of her interest in early childhood? 

HS: I think that she certainly went into 

analysis for depression. She was a very 

depressed woman and I suspect that she 

must have been rather hysterical because of 

all the symptoms but she attached so much 

importance to what she called the 

epistemophilic instinct… She was just 

passionate about discovering human 

nature. An insatiable interest in that, hence 

her interest in literature. She originally 

wanted to study medicine and she didn’t 

because of falling in love rather 

unfortunately and marrying an extremely 

unsatisfactory man. But when she had a 

year to wait – I don’t know exactly how long 

– between her marriage or between the time 

they had to leave – there was no point in 

starting medicine – then I think she started 

a degree in literature. I think she was just 

fantastically interested. 

DP: What kind of things did she like to read? 

Was she more interested in central 

European literature? French? English fiction? 

HS: You could ask me that about Klein or 

about me and I couldn’t answer. We were 

interested in good books. Some were 

Russian, some were English and some were 

French. She was also very fond of theatre 

and of music too. She played the piano and 

she went to concerts. 

Jane Milton: What sort of music did she like? 

HS: Mostly classical. That was her 

favourite. But she was also very jolly. She 

liked a good laugh, she liked 

wine. Somewhere once – I think it was in 

the Dordogne – she won a wine tasting 

competition. A very rare achievement for a 

woman! And once, at a Hungarian 

exposition, we got a big box of real genuine 

Tokai and she liked it so much we kept it for 

her special usage. She was extremely 

sociable, she liked a good party, a good

drink, a good laugh. In that way very 

different from Anna Freud. There was 

nothing prim or school marmish about 

her. She remained quite flirtatious until her 

very old age. She was a very beautiful 

woman when she was young. In Budapest, 

Balint told me, she was called ‘the black 

beauty’ because she was so attractive, and 

dark. She was quite flirtatious. 

*** 

HS: [Klein’s] whole relationship to her 

children was terribly interfered with by her 

mother. She was very dominated by her 

mother. Her mother constantly wanted her 

to send the children away and to go and 

take a cure here, there and everywhere and 

Melanie would write desperate letters that 

she was worried about the children and 

missed the children and her mother would 

say, ‘Everything is all right. You stay and 

complete your cure.’ This type of thing. Now 

what happened with Melitta I think is this. 

Melitta was very gifted and, of course, Klein 

did analyse her own children like all analysts 

did at that time, including Freud. I don’t 

know what went on with her and Melitta 

then, but she [Melitta] certainly started as an 

analyst, continuing very much her mother’s 

work. Then she went into analysis with 

Glover who was also enthusiastic about 

Klein to begin with and they made a sort of 

total alliance against her. Klein was 

convinced that Glover actually had an affair 

with Melitta, though she never voiced it 

except to me and perhaps to other intimate 

friends. And also there is a paper of 

Glover’s that I cannot trace in which he says 

that with very paranoid people sometimes 

the best thing is to fix the paranoia on one 

member of the family that leaves the rest 

free. 

*** 

DP: Did the process of writing come easily 

to her? 

HS: I don’t know, because I don’t know how 

it was in German. In English she found it 

difficult and her early writing is very 

indigestible. I think her English improved 

with time – Envy and Gratitude is very 

A ‘Sunbeam Speed 20’, similar to the car shared by Melanie and Melitta. Photo kindly supplied by John Fletcher. 

readable – but she didn’t have Freud’s gift of 

just the right expression. 

JM: Do you think that’s why some people 

have been put off – they’ve got the wrong 

end of the stick somehow because she’s not 

writing in her own mother tongue and she’s 

not got such a gift for writing? 

HS: It could be that when you’re writing 

English with German in mind it doesn’t 

work well. She had a capacity for languages 

– her spoken English was very good – and 

she picked up Slovene very easily – but she 

wasn’t primarily a writer. 

DP: What about as a public speaker? What 

sort of presence did she have? 

HS: She was good. And in the room, no 

matter what the situation, one had the 

feeling of a very powerful presence. 

This is an edited version of the original 

interview transcript, reproduced with the 

kind permission of Hanna Segal and the 

Melanie Klein Trust. 

9

10 

CAST 

CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE 

Clare Higgins 

Mrs Klein 

Theatre includes: All’s Well That Ends 

Well; Oedipus; Landscape; A Slight 

Ache; Major Barbara; Vincent in Brixton 

(Best Actress – Olivier, London Critics’ 

Circle and Evening Standard awards; 

also Broadway: nominated for Tony, 

Outer Critics’ Circle and Drama Desk 

awards); The Futurists; The Secret 

Rapture; King Lear; Richard III; Napoli 

Millionaria; Absence of War; Sweet Bird 

of Youth (Best Actress – Olivier, Critics’ 

Circle and Time Out awards); The 

Children’s Hour (Critics’ Circle Award); 

The Walls (all National Theatre); A 

Midsummer Night’s Dream; Hamlet; 

Antony and Cleopatra (RSC); Time and 

the Conways; The Rivals; A Streetcar 

Named Desire (Greenwich Theatre); 

The Deep Man; Rollo; Blood Black and 

Gold; Measure for Measure (Royal 

Exchange Manchester); Phaedra; 

Hecuba (Best Actress – Olivier Award) 

(Donmar Warehouse); The Fever; 

Jenkin’s Ear (Royal Court); Night of the 

Iguana; Death of a Salesman; 

Beethoven’s Tenth; A Streetcar Named 

Desire; The Ride Down Mount Morgan; 

A Letter of Resignation (West End); 

Present Laughter; The Seagull (West 

Yorkshire Playhouse); Heartbreak 

House; The Secret Rapture (Chichester 

Festival Theatre); Who’s Afraid of 

Virginia Woolf? (Bristol Old Vic). 

Television includes: Casualty 1909; 

Being Human; Minder; The Curse of 

Steptoe; Goldplated; Midsomer 

Murders; Murder in Suburbia; 

Casanova; M.I.T; The Bill; The Secret; 

Eureka Street; Heartbeat; Young Indie; 

Silent Witness; Kavanagh QC; Absence 

of War; Fatherland; Men of the Month; 

Circle of Deceit; Inspector Alleyn; 

Boon; Downtown Lagos; The Fruit 

Machine; After The War; Beautiful Lies; 

Upline; Hideaway; Foreign Body; Cover 

Her Face; The Citadel; Byron; Unity; 

Pride and Prejudice. 

Film includes: Spring of ‘41; The 

Golden Compass; Cassandra’s Dream; 

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont; Caught in 

the Act; The Libertine; Stage Beauty; 

The House of Mirth; B Monkey; Small 

Faces; Thin Ice; Bad Behaviour; 

Hellbound; Hellraiser; 1919.

Nicola Walker 

Paula 

For the Almeida: Cloud Nine. 

Other theatre includes: Gethsemane; 

Tales From the Vienna Woods; 

Edmond; Free (National Theatre); 

Relocated; Fresh Kills; Sweetheart 

(Royal Court); Modern Dance for 

Beginners (Soho Theatre); The Dead 

Eye Boy (Hampstead Theatre); Sexual 

Perversity in Chicago (Crucible 

Theatre, Sheffield); A Lie of the Mind 

(Donmar Warehouse); Passion Play 

(Donmar Warehouse/West End); Fifty 

Revolutions (Oxford Stage Company); 

Lovers (Gate Theatre/tour); The Man 

Zoë Waites 

Melitta 

For the Almeida: The Play About the 

Baby. 

Other theatre includes: Nicholas 

Nickleby (Chichester Festival 

Theatre/West End); Cyrano de 

Bergerac (Bristol Old Vic); Pravda 

(Chichester Festival Theatre/ 

Birmingham Rep); The Scarlet Letter; 

King Lear (Chichester Festival 

Theatre); Breaking The Code (Theatre 

Royal, Northampton); Antigone (Royal 

Albert Hall); A Midsummer Night’s 

Dream (City of London Sinfonia); 

Night of the Soul; The Prisoner’s 

Dilemma; Twelfth Night; Othello; The 

Family Reunion; Romeo and Juliet 

(RSC); The White Devil (Lyric 

Hammersmith); Hamlet (Greenwich 

Theatre/West Yorkshire 

Playhouse/Tour). 

Television includes: Doctors; The 

Other Boleyn Girl; Love in a Cold 

Climate; Unknown Soldier; Robin 

Hood. 

of Mode (Out of Joint tour/Royal 

Court); Hated Nightfall (Royal 

Court/tour). 

Television includes: Spooks; Turn of 

the Screw; Oliver Twist; Torn; Broken 

News; Redcap; People Like Us; Dalziel 

and Pascoe; The Last Train; Jonathan 

Creek; Touching Evil; Chalk; A Dance 

to the Music of Time; Moll Flanders. 

Film includes: Shooting Dogs; Shiner; 

Four Weddings and a Funeral. 

Radio includes: The Victim’s Daughter; 

La Grande Therese; The Big Town All 

Stars; The Listener. 

11

12 

CREATIVE TEAM 

Nicholas Wright 

Writer 

For the Almeida: Cressida (Almeida 

West End); Naked; Lulu (both 

adaptations). 

Other plays include: Treetops; One 

Fine Day (Riverside Studios); The 

Gorky Brigade (Royal Court); The 

Crimes of Vautrin (Joint Stock); The 

Custom of the Country; The Desert Air 

(RSC); Mrs. Klein; Vincent in Brixton; 

The Reporter (National Theatre). 

Adaptations: His Dark Materials 

(National Theatre). 

Versions: John Gabriel Borkman; 

Three Sisters (National Theatre); 

Thérèse Raquin (Chichester Festival 

Theatre/National Theatre). 

Opera libretti: The Little Prince 

(Houston Grand Opera); Man on the 

Moon (Channel 4). 

Television includes: Armistead 

Maupin’s More Tales of the City 

(Channel 4); three episodes of The 

No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 

(HBO/BBC). 

Books: 99 Plays; Changing Stages, cowritten 

with Richard Eyre. 

Thea Sharrock 

Director 

Thea trained at the Anna Scher 

Theatre and Market Theatre, 

Johannesburg. She was the Artistic 

Director of Southwark Playhouse 

2001-2003, and Artistic Director of the 

Gate Theatre 2004-2006. 


Other theatre includes: As You Like It 

(Shakespeare’s Globe); Equus (West 

End/Broadway); Happy Now?; The 

Emperor Jones; Free (National Theatre); 

Heroes (West End/Los Angeles); The 

Chairs; The Emperor Jones; Tejas 

Verdes (Gate Theatre); Voyage Round 

My Father (Donmar Warehouse/West 

End); Private Lives; Don Juan; Blithe 

Spirit; Betrayal; The Deep Blue Sea; The 

Fight for Barbara (Theatre Royal, Bath); 

A Doll’s House; Mongoose; Trip’s 

Cinch; The Sleepers Den (Southwark 

Playhouse); Top Girls (Battersea Arts 

Centre/UK tour/West End). 

Thea was the recipient of the James 

Menzies-Kitchin Memorial Trust’s 

Young Director of the Year Award 2000 

for which she directed Top Girls at 

Battersea Arts Centre. 

Tim Hatley 

Design 

Tim Hatley trained at Central St 

Martin’s School of Art & Design 

London, and won the Linbury Prize for 

Stage Design commission in 1989. 

Theatre includes: Endgame; The 3 

Lives of Lucie Cabrol; Out of a House; 

The Caucasian Chalk Circle 

(Complicite); Present Laughter; Rafta, 

Rafta; Henry V; Humble Boy; The 

Talking Cure; Vincent in Brixton; 

Stanley (Olivier Award winner); 

Hamlet; Flight; Sleep with Me; Darker 

Face of Earth (National Theatre); 

Richard III; Goodnight Children 

Everywhere; Talk of the City (RSC); 

Private Lives; What the Night is For; 

Another Country; Suddenly Last 

Summer; Moscow Stations; Puntilla & 

His Man Matti (West End); Shrek the 

Musical (Tony winner 2009); 

Spamalot (Olivier & Tony Award 

nominated); The Crucible; Private 

Lives (Olivier & Tony Award winner) 

(Broadway). 

Film includes: Stage Beauty; Closer; 

Notes on a Scandal. 

Neil Austin 

Lighting 

For the Almeida: Judgment Day; The 

Homecoming; Marianne Dreams; 

Dying for It; Tom and Viv; Romance; 

Macbeth. 

For Almeida Opera: The Silent Twins; 

As I Crossed the Bridge of Dreams; 

Love Counts; Man and Boy: Dada; The 

Cricket Recovers; The Embalmer. 

Other theatre includes: 

For the National Theatre: The 

Observer; England People Very Nice; 

Mrs Affleck; Oedipus; Her Naked Skin; 

Afterlife; The Emperor Jones; 

Philistines; The Man of Mode; Thérèse 

Raquin; The Seafarer (also Broadway); 

Henry IV Parts 1 and 2; Fix Up; The 

Night Season; A Prayer For Owen 

Meany; Further Than the Furthest

Thing; The Walls. 

For Donmar West End: Hamlet (also 

Denmark & Broadway); Madame de 

Sade; Twelfth Night. 

For Donmar Warehouse: Red; Life is a 

Dream; A Streetcar Named Desire; 

Piaf (also West End & Buenos Aires); 

Parade (also Los Angeles); John 

Gabriel Borkman; Don Juan in Soho; 

Frost/Nixon (also West End & 

Broadway); The Cryptogram; The Wild 

Duck; Caligula; After Miss Julie; Henry 

IV; World Music; The Cosmonaut’s 

Last Message to the Woman he once 

Loved in the Former Soviet Union. 

For the RSC: King Lear; The Seagull; 

Much Ado About Nothing; King John; 

Romeo and Juliet; Julius Caesar; Two 

Gentlemen of Verona. 

For the Royal Court: The Priory; Tusk 

Tusk; Fix-Up; Trust. 

In the West End: No Man’s Land; 

Dealer’s Choice; A Life in the 

Theatre; Japes. 

Dance includes: Rhapsody (Royal 

Ballet); The Soldier’s Tale (ROH2 at 

the Royal Opera House/Japanese 

Tour); The Canterville Ghost (English 

National Ballet); Pineapple Poll 

(Birmingham Royal Ballet); Darkness 

& Light (Miyako Yoshida, Tokyo). 

Opera includes: Chorus! (Welsh 

National Opera); Pulse Shadows 

(Queen Elizabeth Hall); L’Orfeo 

(Opera City, Tokyo). 

Ian Dickinson 

(for Autograph) 

Sound 

Theatre includes: 

For the National Theatre: Our Class; 

All’s Well That Ends Well; Death and 

the King’s Horseman; Harper Regan; 

The Hothouse; Pillars of the 

Community. 

For the Royal Court: Jerusalem; Wig 

Out!; Now or Later; Gone Too Far!; 

Rhinoceros; My Child; The Seagull 

(also Broadway); Krapp’s Last Tape; 

Drunk Enough To Say I Love You; 

Piano/Forte; Rock ‘n’ Roll (also West 

End and Broadway; Olivier & Tony 

Award nominations); Motortown; 

13

14 

The Eleventh Capital; Rainbow Kiss; 

The Winterling; Alice Trilogy; Fewer 

Emergencies; Way to Heaven; The 

Woman Before; Stoning Mary (& 

Drum Theatre, Plymouth); Breathing 

Corpses; Wild East, Dumb Show; 

Shining City (also Gate, Dublin); Lucky 

Dog; Blest Be the Tie (with Talawa); 

Ladybird; Notes on Falling Leaves; 

Loyal Women; The Sugar Syndrome; 

Blood; Playing the Victim (with Told By 

an Idiot); Fallout; Flesh Wound; 

Hitchcock Blonde (also West End); 

Black Milk; Crazyblackmuthafuckin’self; 

Caryl Churchill Shorts; Push Up; 

Fucking Games; Herons. 

For the RSC: Othello; Much Ado About 

Nothing (redesign); Night of the Soul; 

Testing the Echo. 

Other recent productions: King Of 

Hearts (Out of Joint); Love and 

Money; Senor Carras Rifles (Young 

Vic); A Few Good Men (Theatre Royal, 

Haymarket); Dr Faustus (Chichester 

Festival Theatre); The Magic Carpet 

(Lyric Hammersmith); Port; 

Prizenight; As You Like It; Poor 

Superman; Martin Yesterday; Fast 

Food; Coyote Ugly (Royal Exchange, 

Manchester); Eyes of the Kappa (Gate 

Theatre); Crime & Punishment in 

Dalston (Arcola Theatre); Search & 

Destroy (New End Theatre); The 

Whore’s Dream (RSC/Edinburgh). 

Sarah Bird 

Casting 

Sarah Bird started her career in BBC 

Radio and Television Drama and 

instigated the BBC’s first in-house 

casting department. The innovative 

series South of the Border was her first 

project as Casting Director. Other 

successful projects followed before 

she embarked on a flourishing and 

varied freelance career which includes 

many award winning films both for 

screen and television. 


Theatre includes: The Rise and Fall of 

Little Voice; Speaking in Tongues; God 

of Carnage; Rainman; Brief Encounter; 

Equus; Heroes; Calico (West End); 

Calendar Girls; ART; The Play What I 

Wrote (West End and tour); Bedroom 

Farce; Miss Julie (Rose Theatre, 

Kingston); The Apple Cart; The 

Browning Version (Theatre Royal, Bath); 

Rebecca (Tour). 

Television includes: Hustle; Crash; 

Holby Blue; The Chase; Messiah; The 

Best Man; Silent Witness; Ny-Lon; 

Madame Bovary; Hetty Wainthropp 

Investigates; Pie in the Sky; Wycliffe. 

Film includes: A Bunch of Amateurs; 

Stormbreaker; As You Like It; Ladies in 

Lavender; Swimming Pool; Wilde.

Jan Haydn Rowles 

Dialect Coach 

Jan is currently Head of Voice at 

Shakespeare’s Globe (2008 and 2009 

seasons). 

Theatre includes: Absurdia; Betrayal 

(Donmar Warehouse); Pretend You 

Have Big Buildings; Henry V, Whose 

Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; True Love 

Lies (Manchester Royal Exchange); 

The Pain and the Itch; The Miracle; My 

Child; Over There (Royal Court); 

Kindertransport; Ten Tiny Toes; Mine 

(Shared Experience); Punk Rock; The 

Comedians (Lyric Hammersmith); 

She Stoops to Conquer; Serious 

Money (Birmingham Rep); numerous 

productions for Salisbury Playhouse 

and The New Wolsey Ipswich, and 

over 20 shows for the RSC. 

Film includes: Mister Nobody;, Brick 

Lane; And When Did You Last See 

Your Father?; Brothers of the Head . 

TV includes: Faking It; The Frankie 

Howerd Story; Gordon Ramsay: 

Cookalong; Hairspray; The School 

Musical. 

Jan has also co-written How to Do 

Accents (Oberon Books first edition 

2007, second edition 2009) and How 

to Do RP (2010). 

Alison de Burgh 

Fight Director 

For the Almeida: The Earthly Paradise; 

The Distance From Here. 

Theatre includes: Speaking in 

Tongues; The Dumb Waiter; Peter 

Pan, Bent; Donkey’s Years; As You 

Like It (West End); The Black Album; 

Harper Regan; Therese Raquin; Coram 

Boy; Pillars of the Community; Tales 

From the Vienna Woods (National 

Theatre); The King and I (Royal Albert 

Hall); Deadly Murder; Sugar Daddies; 

A Chorus of Disapproval; Separate 

Tables (The Mill at Sonning); Romeo 

and Juliet; Under The Black Flag 

(Shakespeare’s Globe); Macbeth; 

Romeo and Juliet (National Theatre 

Education); Woman Falling Over; 

Lady Boxers (National Theatre 

Studio); Romeo and Juliet; The 

Penelopiad; As You Like It; A 

Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC); 

Much Ado About Nothing (RSC/West 

End); Snake in the Grass; The Swing of 

Things (Stephen Joseph Theatre, 

Scarborough); The Dysfunckchonalz 

(Bush Theatre); Othello (Salisbury 

Playhouse); Henry V (Royal Exchange 

Manchester); Donkey’s Years 

(national tour); The Sexual Neuroses 

of Our Parents; Dimetos (Gate 

Theatre); Everything Is Illuminated 

(Hampstead Theatre); Gobbo 

(National Theatre of Scotland); 

Melody (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh); 

Cruel and Tender (Chichester Festival 

Theatre); The Gentleman From 

Olmedo; The Venetian Twins 

(Watermill Theatre, Newbury); 

Treasure Island (Belgrade Theatre, 

Coventry); Piaf (Crucible Theatre, 

Sheffield). 

Alison has also worked on a wide 

range of national and international 

opera productions. 

Film includes: Being Othello; Ghosts; 

Stubborn and Spite; Four; Respect; 

Promises, Promises. 

Oliver Baird 

Assistant Director 

Oliver trained on the directing 

programme at RADA, and was cofounder 

and artistic director of the 

Oxford-based company Tomahawk. 

Theatre includes: 

As director: Someone Who’ll Watch 

Over Me (Baron’s Court Theatre); 

Thérèse (GBS Theatre, RADA; also 

translator); The Winter’s Tale (Old 

Fire Station Studio, Oxford); Little 

Eyolf; Macbeth (Burton Taylor Theatre, 

Oxford); Nobody and Somebody 

(Gulbenkian Studio). 

As assistant director: Another Door 

Closed (Peter Hall Compnay/Theatre 

Royal Bath); Look Back in Anger; A 

Doll’s House (Northern Stage, 

Newcastle Upon Tyne/UK tour); Little 

Women (Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, 

RADA). 

PRODUCTION 

THANK YOUS 

Mike Brearley 

David Taylor 

Caroline Garland 

Sophie Solomon (violin & viola) 

Laura Anstee (cello) 

Matthew Scott & David Gallagher at 

the National Theatre music dept. 

In accordance with the requirements of the Council of the London Borough of Islington, persons shall not be permitted to stand or sit in any of the 

gangways intersecting the seating or to sit in any of the other gangways. 

15

16 

Photos: Louise Glover 

Behind the Scenes at the Almeida 

Wardrobe 

Wardrobe Supervisor Catrina Richardson tells us about the work involved in dressing the actors 

for a production on the Almeida stage… 

“A day in the life of Wardrobe varies from production to 

production, but most days begin with laundry – the first one 

of us to arrive deals with washing and drying all the 

costumes from the show the night before. There are usually 

some alterations or repairs to be done, particularly if the 

costumes are original period pieces. After dealing with the 

laundry there are always plenty of admin jobs. We order in 

replacement costume items; many items especially for a 

period show, such as buttons and braces, must be ordered 

from very specific sources. I might also deal with petty cash, 

staff rotas, and other day-to-day paperwork. We get a lot of 

requests for work placements, so I spend time sorting and 

interviewing for them. 

In addition to the production currently on-stage we are also 

working at the same time on the next production in rehearsal. 

We are expected to provide some costume items for the 

actors in rehearsal – things like glasses and particularly shoes 

are very helpful to actors in getting into role and feeling at 

ease with their movement and stage directions. I attend 

fittings with the Costume Supervisor, so that I am familiar 

with what the costumes will be when they arrive. 

We also manage the Almeida costume store; this is where all 

costumes and costume props from past productions are 

kept. Other theatres or Almeida Projects will often ask to 

borrow costumes so I’ll check them in and out, track down 

items for rehearsal, and generally keep it in order. 

By the time the actors arrive around 6pm we have always laid 

their costume items out in their dressing rooms ready for them 

– all items are put in the same place every day, and labelled 

down to each individual sock. Actors usually dress themselves, 

although sometimes they may need help with items like

corsets; and for some productions we 

have a dresser and a hair and makeup 

supervisor who assist in getting 

the cast ready in time. 

Half an hour before curtain-up we 

check the cast are all present and 

correct and there are no problems to 

sort out. We pre-set in the wings any 

items needed for a quick costume 

change mid-performance – an actor 

might have to change very quickly 

between scenes and often have to reenter 

the stage from another 

entrance. We write precise notes 

about where to keep their costumes 

waiting every night, and the order in 

which we do their changes. There are 

a few wardrobe ‘tricks’ we might use 

to speed things up, like elastic 

shoelaces or false buttons with 

poppers underneath, but mostly it’s 

just practice! 

Once the performance has started 

we keep an eye on it from the 

backstage monitor, ready to assist at 

the costume changes. Generally 

there won’t be many costume 

emergencies during a performance, 

although we’re always on hand to do 

quick repairs if necessary. 

Work varies slightly from production 

to production: in plays with a small 

cast like Mrs Klein the whole 

experience can be more intense; we 

need to take care of all the 

practicalities so that the cast can 

stay fully focused on their roles. 

With a larger cast the company 

usually look after themselves to a 

greater extent and we focus on the 

actors with the most costume 

changes. 

The essentials to Wardrobe are good 

sewing skills, knowledge of different 

historical periods, and attention to 

detail. Time management and good 

organisation are important too. We 

make sure the costumes are in the 

right places at the right times to enable 

the production to run smoothly.” 

17

18 

PAST ALMEIDA PRODUCTIONS 

2003 

THE LADY FROM THE SEA 

“The Islington powerhouse opens 

with this tremendous production 

by Trevor Nunn… electrifying… 

leaves you reeling.” 

Daily Telegraph 

Sponsored by Hydro 

I.D. 

“A riveting production… full of 

wonderful theatrical invention… a 

rich and shameful period of history 

and how memorably it is evoked.” 

Daily Mail 

Sponsored by Cadwalader, 

Wickersham & Taft LLP 

THE MERCY SEAT 

“Michael Attenborough’s 

production has a high voltage 

charge that never dips for a 

moment. This play plumbs the 

depths and deserves to be 

seen.”Daily Telegraph 

FIVE GOLD RINGS 

“Bold, elegant, lyrical, finely 

wraught… gorgeously staged and 

beautifully performed.” Time Out 

2004 

THE GOAT, OR WHO IS 

SYLVIA? 

“Superbly written … brilliant… 

flawless production; you won’t find 

more blazing acting anywhere… 

see it if you see nothing else.” 

Mail on Sunday 

Sponsored by Aspen Re 

FESTEN 

“Electrifying, shocking and 

profoundly moving… such talent, 

such skill, such humanity. 

Something to celebrate.” 

Sunday Times 

WHISTLING PSYCHE 

“An intense, haunting and 

beautiful play… two remarkable 

performances... marvelously 

rewarding.” Mail on Sunday 

BRIGHTON ROCK 

“An intelligent, edgy, adult musical 

which gives you something to 

think about... Hooray for that... 

a production of brilliant clarity... 

crackles with energy and evil.” 

Daily Express 

THE EARTHLY PARADISE 

“Gorgeous writing… very 

compelling, lovely and tragic. 

My play of the year.” 

New Statesman 

Sponsored by Cadwalader, 


2005 

MACBETH 

“The most powerful, chilling, 

evil-feeling Macbeth since 

McKellen and Dench.” The Times 


HEDDA GABLER 

“An electrifying hit… a wonderful 

production by Richard Eyre” 



BLOOD WEDDING 

“Brilliantly directed by Rufus Norris. 

Another indication of how well 

Michael Attenborough’s 

management is doing at the 

Islington playhouse.” Daily Express 

ROMANCE 

“You laugh uproariously... it’s a 

silly person who doesn’t.” 

Financial Times 

THE HYPOCHONDRIAC 

“Lindsay Posner’s exuberant, 

superbly acted production is 

riotously entertaining... has 

you laughing like a drain.” 


Main image: Joseph Millson (Thomas Hudetz) in Judgment Day, photo by Keith Pattison; Natasha Richardson (Ellida) in The Lady From the Sea, photo by Catherine Ashmore; 

Jonny Lee Miller (Christian) and Tom Hardy (Michael) in Festen, photo by John Haynes; Simon Russell Beale (Macbeth) in Macbeth, photo by Hugo Glendinning; Henry 

Goodman (Argan) in The Hypochondriac, photo by Hugo Glendinning.

2006 

THE LATE HENRY MOSS 

“A thrilling new play... acted up to the 

hilt by a remarkable company... an 

astonishingly wrought, high drama” 

Evening Standard 

Sponsored by Pinsent Masons 

PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT 

“You must see this play: it’s like a 

diamond cut with its own stardust.” 

Sunday Times 


ENEMIES 

“A superb theatrical achievement... 

an excellent cast...Michael 

Attenborough’s admirable 

staging...this is a major event in 

our theatre” Financial Times 

Sponsored by Cadwalader, Wickersham 

& Taft LLP 

TOM AND VIV 

“A magnificent and superbly acted 

piece of theatre...the play so 

powerfully succeeds...a sublime 

tragedy” Sunday Times 

THE LIGHTNING PLAY 

“Funny, touching and consistently 

entertaining” Daily Telegraph 


2007 

THERE CAME A GYPSY 

RIDING 

“A magnificent and harrowing play” 

The Spectator 

“Unmissable” The Observer 


Season Sponsor Cadwalader, 


DYING FOR IT 

“The rediscovery of a subversive Soviet 

classic: deserves a permanent place 

in the British repertory” The Guardian 

“Desperately funny... beautifully 

written” The Observer 

Season Sponsor Cadwalader, 


BIG WHITE FOG 

“For strong gripping drama and 

splendid, heartfelt acting, the show 

is hard to beat... outstanding” 


“A long-lost gem…an excellent 

company… a riveting production” 

Daily Mail 

AWAKE AND SING! 

“Stirring and fabulously well 

performed” Mail On Sunday 

“Richly rewarding” Independent 

CLOUD NINE 

“An absolute treat…wholly 

heavenly” Daily Telegraph 

“Scorching stuff, and more 

entertaining than anything on in 

the West End” Sunday Telegraph 

MARIANNE DREAMS 

“A great Christmas show… 

beautiful and funny” Independent 

“Inspired, potent theatre” 



2008 

THE HOMECOMING 

“A masterly production” 

Sunday Times 

“Exemplary…pitch perfect” 

The Observer 

“Michael Attenborough’s 

production sparkles like a 

100-carat diamond…great theatre” 

Sunday Telegraph 


THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS 

ISCARIOT 

“A sensational hit…a truly epic 

production” Daily Telegraph 

“A great piece of theatre…go see it, 

do yourself a favour” BBC 2 

Newsnight Review 

A co-production with 

Headlong Theatre 

ROSMERSHOLM 

“A great production of one 

of Ibsen’s greatest plays… 

a masterclass in acting… book 

while you can” Sunday Times 

“An unadulterated delight” 



WASTE 

“ An overwhelming experience” 

Evening Standard 

“Another forgotten gem unearthed 

by the Almeida…a superlative 

production” Independent on 

Sunday 

“A spellbinding production of a 

superbly rich and subtle play” 


IN A DARK DARK HOUSE 

“LaBute’s most disquieting 

yet…and his most subtle” 

The Observer 

“Michael Attenborough gives the 

play a scorching reality…pulsates 

with feeling. If this is “directors’ 

theatre”, I’m all for it” 

Sunday Times 

2009 

DUET FOR ONE 

“Overwhelming… the performance 

of a lifetime… a triumph” Evening 

Standard 

“Bowled me over… a noble and 

deeply moving piece of theatre… 

a masterclass in acting” 



PARLOUR SONG 

“It’s a beauty, wickedly funny” 

Financial Times 

“It will be a vintage year if we see 

a better-acted play than this” 

Independent 

“One of the most truthful, honest 

and thought-provoking shows 

I have seen in a very long time” 



WHEN THE RAIN STOPS 

FALLING 

“Michael Attenborough’s perfect 

production… some of the best 

acting in London” Sunday Times 

“Something very special” 


“A beautiful, subtle play that weaves 

a slow irresistible spell…beautifully 

delivered” Financial Times 

JUDGMENT DAY 

“A cracker… a terrific cast” 


“Thoroughly hypnotic… a wonderful 

restoration of a great play” 

What’s On Stage 

Brendan Coyle (Earl) and Trevor Cooper (Henry) in The Late Henry Moss, photo by John Haynes; Danny Sapani (Victor Mason), Ayesha Antoine (Caroline Mason) and Kedar 

Williams-Stirling (Phillip Mason) in Big White Fog, photo by Catherine Ashmore; Kenneth Cranham (Max) in The Homecoming, photo by Hugo Glendinning; Will Keen (Henry 

Trebell) and Phoebe Nicholls (Frances Trebell) in Waste, photo by Johan Persson; Juliet Stevenson (Stephanie Abrahams) and Henry Goodman (Dr Feldmann) in Duet for One, 

photo by John Haynes; Toby Jones (Ned) and Andrew Lincoln (Dale) in Parlour Song, photo by Simon Annand; Lisa Dillon (Younger Elizabeth Law) in When the Rain Stops Falling, 

photo by John Haynes. 19

22 

ALMEIDA PROJECTS 

“Almeida Projects provides an active, creative link between 

our theatre and its audience, more specifically an audience 

that may not have considered that the theatre might be for 

them. This is not simply to ensure an audience for the 

future; it is to establish the right of every individual to selfexpression, 

to the belief that they possess creative 

potential, that theatre is a populist, collaborative art form 

as available to them as to everybody else. 

Whether any young person working with us goes on to 

become a professional writer, actor, director, designer, 

administrator or technician is of secondary interest. Our 

aim is to act as a catalyst to their energies, to their hunger 

to participate – celebrating the creativity of young people in 

the best way we know how: by offering them our 

experience, our expertise and our unique theatre.” 

Michael Attenborough, Artistic Director. 

Almeida Projects’ work is inspired by the theatre’s productions and we 

deliver a range of high quality, innovative activities including: 

• A subsidised ticket scheme supported by regular teacher’s evenings, 

free resource packs, free introductory and curriculum workshops 

• Residencies and bespoke projects in partnership with local schools 

and community groups 

• The Young Friend of the Almeida scheme 

• A Trainee Workshop Leader Programme 

To book subsidised tickets, a workshop or to find out more about 

Almeida Projects contact Charlie, Projects Administrator, on 

020 7288 4916 or email projects@almeida.co.uk 

Highbury Grove Theatre School 

Highbury Grove Theatre School is a year-long programme of activity 

enabling participants to engage with professional theatre makers to 

explore the various roles within theatre, on stage and behind the 

scenes. Two artists are working with students from Year 7, 8 and 9 to 

offer a basic introduction to using masks and puppetry. As well as 

developing performance skills, these workshops link to the themes of 

Mrs Klein, exploring the roles that we play in families. As the year 

progresses, students will work with a range of theatre practitioners 

and will take acting, singing and dance exams. In addition to 

performance skills, Theatre School encourages the development of 

teamwork, speaking and listening skills at Key Stage 3, and builds 

confidence in school life. Theatre School builds on the success of last 

year which saw two groups work with writers and directors to create, 

rehearse and perform two new plays. Almeida Projects is delighted 

to continue our exciting partnership with Highbury Grove School to 

deliver this unique opportunity for students. 

Into the Almeida 

“My favourite part of the process was going to the Almeida, because I 

could see how it works” Year 8 student, aged 12 

This autumn, Almeida Projects is opening up the doors to the 

Almeida Theatre, giving young people a broader understanding of 

the inner workings of a producing theatre. 

Much of our work with sees students engaging in theatre through 

practical activity, acting and devising scenes of work inspired by the 

Almeida Theatre’s productions. Yet every production involves more 

than just actors: many other people are at work in the building, from 

the lighting box to the wardrobe. 

Offering access-all-areas Discovery Tours, Almeida Projects is taking 

students from our Partner Schools behind the scenes of the Almeida 

Theatre’s unique building. Discovery Tours encourage students to 

think about the variety of roles on offer in a theatre, learning about the 

importance of design, lighting and sound in a production and how 

these are realised by the Almeida team. They will also learn about its 

unique architecture as a ‘found space’ theatre, including its history 

from 1837 until the present day. 

As part of the Discovery Tours, students also spend time in the 

technical box, where, guided by the Almeida’s team of technicians, 

they are shown how the lighting and sound boards are operated, and 

learn about the importance of the DSM and ‘The Book’. 

Young Friends of the Almeida 

Work across the breadth of the theatre building continues with the 

Young Friend of the Almeida scheme. The year-long YFA LAB project 

will offer a range of pathways alongside performing, enabling 

participants aged 15-21 to take up the challenge to develop skills in 

writing, directing, stage management and marketing. Together they 

will form a brand new company of young practitioners, to produce a 

new performance for, by and supported by, young people, at the 

Almeida Theatre in August 2010. 

If you would like more information about jobs behind the scenes at 

the Almeida, please visit our Almeida Revealed section of the website, 

where you can read in-depth information about a number of key 

departments, including interviews with current Almeida staff. 

www.almeida.co.uk/education

ASSISTED PERFORMANCES 

The Almeida Theatre schedules assisted performances in order to make 

theatre more accessible and enjoyable for people who may find it difficult to 

see or hear everything that takes place on stage. 

Captioned performances feature an electronic 

screen which displays the words being spoken on 

stage in time with the performance, much like 

the subtitles you would see on television. Sound 

effects and music are also captioned. 

As part of the theatre's on-going access 

programme the Almeida will be captioning 

performances in house. Having now completed 

Stagetext captioning training, the Almeida now 

has a team of three CACDP (Council for 

Advancement of Communication with Deaf 

People) qualified captioners, as well as our own 

caption box and equipment. 

Audio described performances are ideal for 

audience members with visual impairment. We 

provide a discreet headset, which allows you to 

listen to information about the set, costumes, 

body language and facial expressions of the 

performers, during pauses in the action on-stage. 

Prior to the performance patrons receive CDs 

giving details of the set, characters and 

costumes and on the day of the performance 

can attend a free touch tour where they get a 

chance to explore the set and costumes and 

meet some of the cast. 

ALMEIDA ACCESS WEEK 

22-27 March 2010 

- events to be announced 

GET IN TOUCH 

If you would like any more information 

about assisted performances or access, 

or to book for an assisted performance, 

please contact us: 

020 7288 4999 

email access@almeida.co.uk 

or visit www.almeida.co.uk 

Upcoming captioned performances: 


Wednesday 25 November, 2.30pm 

Tuesday 1 December, 7.30pm 

ROPE 

Saturday 16 January 2010, 3pm 

Tuesday 2 February 2010, 7.30pm 

MEASURE FOR MEASURE 

Wednesday 17 March 2010, 2.30pm 

Monday 22 March 2010, 7.30pm 

(followed by Speech-To-Text Talkback) 

RUINED 

Saturday 15 May 2010, 3pm 

Tuesday 25 May 2010, 7.30pm 

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY 

Saturday 10 July 2010, 3pm 

Tuesday 20 July 2010, 7.30pm 

Upcoming audio described performances: 


Saturday 28 November, 3pm 

(touch tour 1.30pm) 

ROPE 

Saturday 30 January 2010, 3pm 


MEASURE FOR MEASURE 

Saturday 27 March 2010, 2.30pm 

(touch tour 1pm) 

RUINED 

Saturday 22 May 2010, 3pm 


THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY 

Saturday 24 July 2010, 3pm 


Audio description by VocalEyes 

If you would like a 

large print copy of this 

programme please contact us 

using the details listed. 

With thanks to 

VocalEyes 

and See-a-Voice. 

23

24 

Photo: Ewald van der Straeten 

HISTORY OF THE ALMEIDA 

THE ALMEIDA THEATRE is a 321 seat venue 

in the heart of Islington. Built in 1837, 

originally as the Scientific and Literary 

Institute of Islington, the building has 

undergone many reincarnations including a 

Victorian music hall, a Salvation Army citadel, 

when the balcony was most likely added, and a 

factory for carnival novelties. 

It was converted and founded as a theatre in 1980 by 

Pierre Audi, rapidly building up a reputation for high 

quality drama, particularly during the 1990s under the 

Artistic Directorship of Jonathan Kent and Ian 

McDiarmid. 

In 2001 the company relocated to Kings Cross, whilst 

major refurbishment took place, providing an entirely 

new front-of-house and, through massive excavation, 

extra back-stage space. The company returned to 

Islington in 2002 under the direction of present Artistic 

Director Michael Attenborough. 

The Almeida is known worldwide for producing an 

adventurous and diverse range of British and 

international drama with some of the world’s finest 

artists. In its unique space, uniting the epic and the 

intimate, the Almeida presents classics (when foreign, 

in newly commissioned versions) aiming to reveal 

them in a fresh light, alongside brand new plays from 

across the English-speaking world. 

EXPLORE THE ALMEIDA 

The Almeida buiding in 1840 

You can find out more about the history of 

this fascinating building on our theatre tours. 

Led by an experienced guide they offer the opportunity 

to explore the depths of the theatre including 

backstage, wardrobe, and technical departments. 

The tours also look at the history of the building 

through its many incarnations up to the present day. 

We finish the tours with a complimentary tea or coffee 

in the bar. 

For more information see www.almeida.co.uk 

or to book a place on a tour contact box office on 

020 7359 4404.

Photo: Ewald van der Straeten 

Photo: Bridget Jones 

YOUR VISIT 

Welcome to the Almeida Theatre 

IN THE FOYER 

The box office, bar, kiosk and toilets 

are all at foyer level. 

Access to the Circle is outside and 

upstairs through the doors on 

Almeida Street. Access to the Stalls 

is through the doors in the foyer. 

The following are available to buy 

from the kiosk in the foyer: 

EATING AND DRINKING 

• Playscripts, past & present 

• Programmes 

• Posters 

• Loseley Ice Creams 

• Almeida T-shirts 

• Copies of The Half by Simon Annand 

Infrared headsets are also available 

at the kiosk for a small deposit. 

The Almeida Theatre Bar offers simple, quality dishes prepared in our kitchen, a 

great wine list, fine coffees and a relaxed atmosphere, and in the evening 

becomes a lively bar for audiences and actors alike. 

Light and airy in the daytime, it is an ideal place to meet friends for lunch, 

make use of our free Wifi connection, or just relax and read the papers. 

The Theatre Bar is open to all. You can visit us from 11.30am – 11pm, 

Monday – Saturday, and eat with us between 12 – 7pm. 

To beat the rush we recommend that you pre-order your interval drinks 

at the bar before the performance. 

For further information, or enquiries about hiring the bar please call 

020 7288 4900 or visit www.almeida.co.uk 

DURING THE 

PERFORMANCE 

Please take your seats in good time. 

There will be a three minute bell 

before the start of the performance. 

To avoid distracting the performers 

and spoiling the performance for 

other audience members we ask that 

you keep noise to a minimum in the 

auditorium and please switch off 

mobile phones. We kindly request no 

photography or recording equipment 

be used in the auditorium. 

Plastic cups are available at the bar 

and from ushers to enable you to 

take drinks or sweets into the 

auditorium. We request that you do 

not take food in with you. 

Strobe lighting, smoke, and gunshots 

may be used in some of our 

productions. If you would like more 

information on stage effects please 

ask to speak to the Duty Manager. 

Tell us your 

thoughts... 

We'd love to hear your thoughts on your 

experience at the Almeida Theatre and in 

particular what you thought of today’s 

performance. Please fill in a card in the 

foyer, or email us on 

marketing@almeida.co.uk 

25

26 

JOIN THE 

ALMEIDA’S 

CIRCLE OF 

SUPPORTERS 

Every donation made through our Circle of 

Supporters scheme is vital to ensuring 

that the Almeida can continue to mount 

productions of outstanding quality in our 

beautifully refurbished theatre. 

IN ADDITION YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM: 

• Priority booking 

• Advance mailing 

• Exclusive events 

• Quarterly newsletter 

• Special offers 

• Programme accreditation 

• Personalised booking 

• Access to sold out shows 

See opposite for more details. 

(Benefits depend on level of support) 

If you would like to help us and 

become more involved with 

the theatre and its work, please 

join our Circle of Supporters today. 

For further information please call 

020 7288 4930 or email Lizzie Stallybrass 

at lstallybrass@almeida.co.uk 

Eileen Atkins and Imelda Staunton in There 

Comes A Gypsy Riding. Photo Mark Ellidge 

David Morrissey and Steven Mackintosh in In a 

Dark Dark House. Photo John Haynes 

Joseph Mawle in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. 

Photo Hugo Glendinning 

Daniel Hawksford and Laura Donnelly in 

Judgment Day. Photo Keith Pattison

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ALMEIDA AT 

ONE OF THE FOLLOWING LEVELS: 

ALMEIDA FRIENDS (£50+) 

For a suggested donation of £50 or more we may 

extend the following: 

• Advance mailing and priority booking 

• Regular information about Almeida news and events 

• Invitations to Supporters’ evenings 

• Ticket offers when available 

DESIGNERS’ CIRCLE (£120+) 


extend the above and the following: 

• Accreditation in Almeida Theatre programmes 

• Advance notice of Almeida Galas 

ACTORS’ CIRCLE (£300+) 



• Personalised booking service through the Development Office 

DIRECTORS’ CIRCLE (£500+) 



• Regular press release mailings, including latest 

casting updates 

• Opportunity of hiring the Almeida Bar for 

private functions (subject to availability) 

• Invitation to annual Directors’ Circle reception 

PATRONS (£1,000+) 

For a suggested donation of £1,000 or more we may 


• Invitations to selected Press Nights 

• Invitations to private post-show discussions with cast 

and creative teams 

• Invitation to Patrons’ lunch with the Almeida’s 

Artistic Director 

• Access to house seats when a production is 

officially sold-out (subject to availability) 

BENEFACTORS (£2,500+) 

For a suggested donation of £2,500 or more we may extend the 

above and the following: 

• Invitations to every Press Night 

• Acknowledgement on the Benefactors’ Board in 

the Theatre Foyer 

• Private Backstage Tour 

PRODUCTION CIRCLE (£5,000+) 



• Invitations to selected dress or technical rehearsals 

• Draft scripts when rehearsals for productions begin 

• Published scripts signed by cast or creative teams 

(subject to availability) 

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S INNER CIRCLE (£10,000+) 



A unique opportunity for a small team of individuals to become 

closely involved at the heart of the theatre company. Forming an 

exclusive partnership with the Artistic Director, members will play a 

crucial and active role in enabling the theatre’s programme and the 

artistic standards for which the Almeida is renowned. 

I would like to join the Almeida’s Circle of 

Supporters at the following level: 

(The amounts listed are suggested donations only) 

ALMEIDA FRIENDS (£50+) 

DESIGNERS’ CIRCLE (£120+) 

ACTORS’ CIRCLE (£300+) 

DIRECTORS’ CIRCLE (£500+) 

PATRONS (£1,000+) 

BENEFACTORS (£2,500+) 

PRODUCTION CIRCLE (£5,000+) 

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S INNER CIRCLE (£10,000+) 

Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss 

Address 

Tel (day) 

Tel (eve) 

Please acknowledge me/us in the Almeida Programmes as: 

(for gifts over £120) 

1. BY CHEQUE 

I enclose a cheque made payable to The Almeida Theatre Company for 

£ 

2. BY CREDIT CARD 

(You can also pay by calling Lizzie Stallybrass in the Development Office 

between 10am and 6pm Monday to Friday on 020 7288 4930) 

Please charge my credit card with 

Card No 

Name of cardholder 

Issue No (Switch only) 

Security Code 

Postcode 

Start date Expiry date 

Card Type Mastercard / American Express / Switch / Visa 

(please delete as appropriate) 

GIFT AID 

I am a UK taxpayer and would like the enclosed donation and any 

Signature Date 

further donations I may make to the Almeida Theatre to be tax 

effective under the Gift Aid scheme until I notify you otherwise. 

The Almeida is a registered charity no. 282167. Inland Revenue number XN 64354 

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO: 

ALMEIDA CIRCLE OF SUPPORTERS, FREEPOST LON18195, LONDON N1 1BR 

£

28 

ALMEIDA SUPPORTERS 

The Almeida is a truly unique theatre. The world’s finest acting, writing, designing and directing talents produce 

some of their best work in our much loved space, ensuring that the theatre is alive each night with performances 

that inspire and excite our audiences. 

However, the freedom and the means whereby we can be bold, risk-taking and distinctive and able to produce 

work of the highest quality, costs money. £3.3m per annum to be precise. Every year we raise £1.2m of that 

ourselves – more than box office income or subsidy from Arts Council England. 

We are, therefore, hugely reliant upon the financial commitment of a group of very special individuals, trusts and 

companies who choose to become involved at the heart of our theatre. Their support ensures that we can plan 

ambitiously for the future with security and confidence, whilst keeping ticket prices affordable (with over 40 seats 

sold each night for just £8). It also means we can continue to deliver Almeida Projects - our inspirational 

programme of work with young people and the local community. 

Accordingly, we owe immense thanks to a collection of committed and enthusiastic supporters - many of whom are 

listed below and without whose kindness we simply could not exist. I do hope that you too might consider becoming 

involved with our wonderful theatre, at whatever level - helping us to continue turning our dreams into reality. 

Michael Attenborough 


Major Donors 

Ormonde & Mildred Duveen Trust 

Christophe Gollut 

The Ingram Trust 

Harvey & Allison McGrath 

Georgia Oetker 

The Rose Foundation 

Legacy Gifts 

Arthur Donald Fleming 

Clare Hope 

Almeida Projects Supporters 

National Lottery through Arts 

Council England 

The Andor Charitable Trust 

Sue Baring & Andre Newburg 

James & Erica Dickson 

The Foundation for Sport 

and the Arts 

Grocer’s Company Charitable Trust 

The Peter Harrison Foundation 

J.P. Morgan 

Mr & Mrs David Lakhdhir 

The Noël Coward Foundation 

The Rayne Foundation 

Jan & Michael Topham 

Andrew Wilkinson, Goldman Sachs 

Lady Alexander of Weedon 

Summer Festival Supporters 

American Airlines 

Eranda Foundation 

Gala Supporters 

Anonymous 

Berry Brothers & Rudd 

Gordon Campbell Gray 

Perdita Cargill-Thompson & 

Jonathan Martin 

G O Cowper-Coles 

Sarah & Louis Elson 

Eurostar 

Stamos J. Fafalios 

Joachim Fleury 

Mary Francis & Ian Rodger 

Mr & Mrs A Geczy 

Annie Gosney 

Maureen & Derek Harte 

Nick Jones 

John Kinder & Geraldine Downey 

Miss A Kulukundis 

David Lanch 

Anastasia Lewis 

Judith Loose 

Annette Lynton Mason 

Harvey & Allison McGrath 

Moulin Rouge, Paris 

Gerry Pack 

The Rayne Foundation 

The Rickety Charitable Trust 

Hilary Riva 

Jill & Paul Ruddock 

SG Hambros 

Carl & Martha Tack 

Robert Taylor & Michael Kallenbach 


John Torode 

Sarka Tourres 

Megan Whelan 

Hilary & Stuart Williams 

Artistic Director’s Inner Circle 

Eric Abraham & Sigrid Rausing 

Mrs Claus von Bulow 

Mercedes & Michael Hoffman 

Jack & Linda Keenan 

John Kinder & Geraldine Downey 

Rosemary Leith 

Midge & Simon Palley 

Jon & NoraLee Sedmak 

The Williams Charitable Trust 

Production Circle 

K.L. Breuss & G.P. Burgess 



Cathy & Guy Gronquist 

The Marina Kleinwort Trust 

Paul & Elizabeth O’Hanlon 

Rachel & Anthony Williams 

Benefactors 

Arimathea Charitable Trust 

Steve Barnett & Alexandra Marks 

Anthony & Andrea Coombs 

Ian & Caroline Cormack 

Sarah & Louis Elson 

Tim Fosberry 

Mr & Mrs A Geczy 

Lydia & Manfred Gorvy 

Barbara & Michael Gwinnell 

Susan Hahn & Duncan Moore 

Matthew & Severa Hurlock 

Carlo Kapp 

Charles & Nicky Manby 

Wayne Rapozo 

Sarah & Alastair Ross Goobey 

Jill & Paul Ruddock 

Lord & Lady Simon 

Nicola Stanhope 


Roderick & Melanie Vere Nicoll 

Andrew & Juliet Wilkinson 

Patrons 

Jeffrey Archer 

Jane Attias 

Keith & Barbara Bain 

Iain Barbour 

Sue Baring & Andre Newburg 

Sir Tim Berners-Lee 

Lord & Lady Bernstein 

Kate & Colin Birss

Jonathan & Isabel Blake 

Tony & Gisela Bloom 

Miriam Borchard 

Katie Bradford 

Perdita Cargill-Thompson & 

Jonathan Martin 

Richard & Robin Chapman 

Mr William Claxton-Smith 

Mrs Denise Cohen 

Mr & Mrs Stephen Cox 

Felicia Crystal 

Mr & Mrs Dannenbaum 

Sarah Deaves 

Angus Deayton 

Mr Robert H.F. Devereux 

James & Erica Dickson 

Robyn Durie 

Joel van Dusen 

Richard & Linda Ely 

Mr Peter Englander 

John & Tawna Farmer 

Daniel Friel 

Jackie & Michael Gee 

Jacqueline & Jonathan Gestetner 

Richard Gildea 

Michael Goddard 

David Graham 

Nick Gray 

Byron Grote & Susan Miller 

Andrew Haigh 

Pamela, Lady Harlech 

Maureen & Derek Harte 

Alisdair & Sophie Haythornthwaite 

Michael & Morven Heller 

Dorothy Henderson 

Michael Holland 

Michael Holter 

Linden Ife 

Nicholas & Maria Jones 

Nicholas Josefowitz 

Mary Kallaher & Matteo Perale 

Ralph & Patricia Kanter 

Dr & Dr C Kaplanis 

Mr Neil King 

Mr & Mrs Philip Kingsley 

Mr & Mrs David Lakhdhir 

Anthony Mackintosh 

Mr Raul Margara 

Stephanie & Carter McClelland 

Mr Julian Mills 

Barbara Minto 

Diana & Alan Morgenthau 

Emily Thornberry MP & 

Christopher Nugee QC 

The Oyster Foundation 

J Francis Palamara 

Barrie & Catherine Pearson 

Andrea & Hilary Ponti 

The Posgate Charitable Trust 

The David & 

Elaine Potter Foundation 

Michele Ragazzi 

Timothy & Judith Ritchie 

William & Julie Ryan 

Dr Mortimer & 

Theresa Sackler Foundation 

Susie Sainsbury 

Mr & Mrs Richard J Schwartz 

Mrs Carol Sellars 

Jennifer Sevaux 

The Simon Family 

Anthony Simpson & Susan Boster 

Norma & David Smith 

David & Tanya Steyn 

Adam & Sheri Sticpewich 

Mr R D Szpiro 

Ms Eileen Taylor 

Christian & Sarah Thun-Hohenstein 

Lord & Lady Tugendhat 

Judith Unwin 

Mr P Voyce 

Bob & India Wardrop 

Lady Alexander of Weedon 

Jack & Lina Wood 

Mr Neil Woodgate 

Michael & Kate Yates 

Directors’ Circle 

Lorraine Baldry 

J & A Benard 

Neil & Ann Benson 

Nicholas Berwin 

Sally A. Bourne 

Ms Diana Brant 

Anthony Bunker 

Barry Burland & Tim den Dekker 

Mr Simon Clark 

Carole & Neville Conrad 

John Crisp 

George T Dragonas 

Jim & Maureen Elton 

Mort & Frannie Fleishhacker 

Margaret Ford & John Stewart 

Mr Stephen Foss 

Anupam Ganguli 

David Gestetner & Angela Howard 

Annie Gosney & Tim McInnerny 

Nick & Fiona Green 

The Mimi & Peter Haas Fund 

Neville & Veronika Harris 

Mr Charles Henderson 

Gordon Holmes 

Sir Robin & Lady Jacob 

Peter & Maria Kellner 

London Arts Discovery Tours 

Lou & Tony Mallin 

Brenda Meldrum 

Maggie Mills 

David Mitchell 

Asha & Trevor Phillips 

John & Laurel Rafter 

Anthony Regan 

Mr Charles Russell 

Mr Brian D Smith 

Mr W J Smith-Bowers 

Tim & Sophia Steel 

Dr Miriam Stoppard 

Sally Walden 

Marilyn & Geoffrey Wilson 

Mr & Mrs Roger Wyand 

Jonathan Yudkin 

Actors’ Circle 

J Aldred 

Nicola Allpress 

Alexander Balcombe 

Mr & Mrs Andrew Barnett 

Jill Barton 

Susan Barty 

David & Primrose Bell 

Michael & Lesley Bennett 

Mr & Mrs Anthony Blee 

Lord & Lady Brown of 

Eaton-Under-Heywood 

Felicity Callinan 

Peter & Diana Cawdron 

Claire & Ivor Connick 

Juan Corbella 

Rosamund Shelley, Lady Cox 

Robert & Lynette Craig 

Paul Cullington 

Timothy & Patrcia Daunt 

Gill Cutbill & Ged Davies 

David Day 

José & David Dent 

Yvonne Destribats 

Mr R J Dormer 

Mrs Denise Esfandi 

Mr Alan Fenton 

Robert & Clare Gray 

Brian & Rosita Green 

Graeme & Fiona Griffiths 

Sheila & John Harvey 

Douglas Hawkins 

Ms Clodagh Hayes 

Ms Sioban Healy 

Martin & Alicia Herbert 

Rob & Sally Hull 

Joyce Hytner 

Tamara Ingram 

Latifa Kosta 

Byron Lang 

Mr Roger Lascelles 

Mr & Mrs B Lesslie 

Janet Martin 

Stephen & Nan-Yeong Matthews 

The Morris-Jones Family 

Ms Jane Norbury 

Mr Richard Polo 

Sophia Rauf 

Jan Ravens 

Mary Robey 

David Rocksavage 

Mr G C Rodopoulos 

Julian & Catherine Roskill 

Dr & Mrs Saggar 

Barry Serjent 

Dasha Shenkman 

Sue & Stuart Stradling 

Christoph & Marion Trestler 

Mr William Underhill 

Nicholas Watkinson 

Frank & Denie Weil 

Mr C C Wright 

Designers’ Circle 

Raymond A Adams 

Mr Aherne 

Mr Simon Aldridge 

D J Almeida 

Mr & Mrs Arkwrighht 

Mrs Carole J Armstrong 

Zac & Lucy Barratt 

Christopher Benson 

Michael Berkeley 

Rita & Ian Binder 

Mr & Mrs Boesch 

Mr M R Bowley 

Stuart Brand 

Gerald Brawn 

Mandy Bridger 

Sir Rodney Brooke 

Ossi & Paul Burger 

Dr Nigel Burton 

Mrs R J A Carawan 

Tiana Everett del Castillo 

Geraldine Caulfield 

Lady Cazalet 

Mr & Mrs P Chappatte 

Mr S J Clayman 

Mr T Coldrey 

John & Rosemary Coldwell 

Jonathan Crow 

Mr & Mrs Andrew Cunningham 

Mrs Pamela Curwen 

Professor Philip David 

Dr Sheilagh Davies 

Graham & Christine Dawson 

Justin & Emma Dowley 

Mr Kendall Duesbury 

Miss Sally England 

Mrs Joy Eve 

Mark Everett 

Lindy Fletcher 

Tony & Jane Fogg 

Mr P L Folmer 

Judith Foy 

Amanda Gestetner 

Bobbie Ginswick 

Jonathan Glasson & Jamie Lake 

Janine Goedert 

Andrew & Karen Goldstone 

Ms S J Goodman 

Mr Ian Grant 

Reade & Elizabeth Griffith 

Grouse Investment 

Nerissa Guest 

Debby Guthrie 

Miss Celia Hall 

Mr Martin John Hall 

Maurice & Valerie Halperin 

Sophie Hanscombe 

Rosemary Hanson 

Andrew & Anita Harper 

Crawford & Mary Harris 

Jonathan & Hélène Haw 

Polly Hester 

Professor Dame Joan Higgins 

Andy & Janelle Hill 

Jane Hill 

Caroline & Charles Hebbert 

29

30 

Mr Lew Hodges 

Madeleine Hodgkin 

Mrs Rosemary Hood 

Sam Howard 

Rachel Ingalls 

Dan Ison 

Christine Jay 

Professor Norman Joels 

Mrs M Johnston 

Mr Simon Jones 

Brian & Janet King 

Dr Andrew J Kisiel 

Sarah & Christopher Knight 

Ruth & Peter Kraus 

Kudos Film and Television 

Mrs A Lampert 

Mr David Lanch 

David John Langrish 

Jacqui Lavy 

Alan Leibowitz & Barbara Weiss 

Colette & Peter Levy 

Mr Dennis M Levy 

Susan & Steven Licht 

Mr & Mrs LE Linaker 

Paul & Brigitta Lock 

Mr Juan Manuel Lopez Eiris 

C & I Maggs 

Donald & Sally Main 

John McGinley 

Lynette & Willie McKechnie 

Ms A Millar 

Ms Tessa Moloney 

Alex & Susan de Mont 

Paula Morris 

Steve Morrison 

Sean Murphy 

Mrs VG Murray 

Mr & Mrs Myddleton 

Dr Venetia Newall 

Ray & Sarah O’Connell 

Ellie Packer & Bob Freidus 

Nigel Pantling 

Ms Sara Parkin 

Mrs Joyce Parsons 

Mr Duncan Perry 

Nick Perry 

Professor Brice Pitt 

Mr John Nevil Plant 

Preben & Annie Prebenson 

Oliver Prenn 

Mrs Caroline Price 

Sue Prickett 

Dennis Pyser 

Darren Quigg & Irina Hemmers 

Mrs E E Randall 

Dr Susan Rankine 

Ms Ruth Rattenbury 

Liz & Nick Reeve 

Mrs Kathleen Reeve 

Christopher Marek Rencki 

Mrs Mary Rendall 

Anthony Rhodes 

Clare Rich 

Robin Roads 

RobynCeleste 

Oliver WB Rooke 

Anthony Rudd 

Mrs Susan Rudeloff 

Christopher & Alison Samuel 

Simon & Abigail Sargent 

Schon Family Charitable Trust 

Gilly Schuster 

Dr Martin Seifert & Dr Jackie Morris 

Dr Sennett 

Mr Naveed Shah 

Mrs Susan Shammas 

Mr T W Sharp 

Justin Shinebourne & Laurence 

Chaussinand 

Elaine & English Showalter 

Jonathan Silver 

Mark Silverstein 

Peter & Moira Smith 

Mrs L Spitz 

Nick & Louise Steidl 

Mr AP & Mrs M T Stirling 

Julian & Maria Sturdy-Morton 

We would like to thank the following individuals for their dedication and support. 

Ambassadors 

Sue Baring 

Sarah Elson 


Rick Haythornthwaite 

Jack Keenan 

Georgia Oetker 

Jessica de Rothschild 

American Friends of the Almeida 

Theatre Trustees 

Kenneth David Burrows 

A. Michael Hoffman 

William Palmer 

Corporate Council 

Rick Gildea 

Chair 


Frederick Goetzen 

Tamara Ingram 

Dan Ison 

Andrew Wilkinson 

Gala Committee Chairs 

Jamie Arkell & Lise Mayer 

Cabaret Gala 

Juliet Wilkinson 

Chain Play II 

Martha Tack 

A Chain Play 

Saffron Burrows & Sydney Finch 

The Hypochondriac 

Thelma Holt & Damian Lewis 

Macbeth 


Awake and Sing! 

Blood Wedding 

Love Counts 

Jessica de Rothschild 

The Lady From The Sea 

Have you ever thought about supporting the Almeida Theatre with a legacy? 

Leaving a legacy is a very special way of ensuring that your tradition of 

support for the Almeida Theatre continues for years to come, allowing 

us to provide enriching theatrical experiences which will engage future 

generations. 

Individual Giving Committee 

Martha Tack 

Chair 

Jamie Arkell 


Andrew Haigh 

Dorothy Henderson 

Sam Howard 

Linda Lakhdhir 

Sheri Sticpewich 

Anne & Paul Swain 

Mr Andrew Taggart 

Peter Taylor 

Andrew & Deirdra Threadgold 

Monica Tross 

Anne & Robert Van Gieson 

The Lady Marina Vaizey 

Ms Donna Vinter 

Mr Andrew Wales 

Lady Ward 

Sue & Alan Warner 

Mr Tim Watson 

Mr John Welz 

Paul Wheeler 

Susan & Charles Whiddington 

Miss Lisa Whiffen 

Mr Widdis 

Dr Peter Willis 

Ms Ann E F Wingate 

Mr & Mrs D Woolf 

We would also like to thank the many 

generous Friends of the Almeida 

Theatre, whom we are unable to list 

individually 

Local Liaison Committee 

Nicky Manby 

Chair 

Jenny Black 

Annie Edge 

Rob Edge 

Susan Hahn 

Caroline Hoare 

Linden Ife 

Lynn Lomas 

Clare Parsons 

Joan Rogers 

Demelza Short 

Sarah Whitehead 

You can include the Almeida Theatre in your Will by directing your gift 

to the Almeida Theatre Company Limited, registered charity number 

282167. 

For any information concerning legacies please contact Lizzie Stallybrass at lstallybrass@almeida.co.uk or 020 7288 4935. 

Development Photographer 

Alex Brenner

ALMEIDA CORPORATE 

SUPPORTERS 

“A small stage where giants play” The Times 

The Almeida Theatre’s name is associated with critically 

acclaimed, award-winning productions. Actors, directors, 

writers and designers of the highest calibre have produced 

some of their finest work at the Almeida. 

Our Corporate Supporters benefit from bespoke, mutually 

beneficial partnerships with the theatre that include the 

following: 

• Unique entertaining opportunities with the Almeida’s 

first-class casts and creative teams 

• Branding, marketing and profiling opportunities 

• Staff training and employee involvement initiatives 

• CSR fulfilment via Almeida Projects: the theatre’s creative 

exchange with young people 

Principal Sponsor 

Major Sponsors 

The theatre is particularly grateful to Principal Sponsor Coutts 

& Co who are currently enjoying a seventh year of support. In 

partnership with the Almeida, Coutts & Co has benefited from 

exclusive client hospitality opportunities, professional 

development for staff and the creation of a unique film, 

Portrait of a Bank. 

To find out how the Almeida can help your business, please 

contact Katya Evans, Sponsorship Manager, who will be 

pleased to discuss your specific requirements. 

Telephone: 020 7288 4932 

Email: kevans@almeida.co.uk 

Corporate Partners Local 

Corporate Partners 

31

32 

THE ALMEIDA THEATRE 

COMPANY 

The Almeida Board 

Christopher Rodrigues CBE 

Chair 

Mary Francis CBE 

(Treasurer) 

Jill Barton 

David Carter 

Michael Gwinnell 


Giles Havergal CBE 

Thelma Holt CBE 

Artistic Directors 

1980 – 1990 Pierre Audi (Founder) 

1990 – 2002 Jonathan Kent 

Ian McDiarmid 

2002 – Michael Attenborough 

ADMINISTRATION 

General Manager 

Natasha Bucknor 

Assistant to the 

Directorate 

Rachel Barker 

Administrative 

Assistant 

David Swain 

ALMEIDA PROJECTS 

Director of Projects 

(Maternity Cover) 

Anne Langford 

Director of Projects 

Samantha Lane 

Projects Coordinator 

Natalie Mitchell 

Projects Administrator 

Charlie Payne 

Projects Workshop Team 

Lee Barnes 

Amma Boateng 

Kirsty Hoiles 

Rocio Jason-Henry 

Lootie Johansen-Bibby 

Louie Keen 

Nick Khan 

Freddie Machin 

Dan Pearce 

Rhiannon Sawyer 

Abdul Shayek 

BAR 

Bar Manager 

Hannah Woolhouse 

Deputy Bar Manager 

Lanre Bankole 

Linden Ife 

Tamara Ingram 

Jagdip Jagpal 


Ray O’Connell 

Rufus Olins 

Nigel Pantling 

Roy Williams OBE 

Bar Staff 

Naomi Ackie 

Kimberley Brewin 

Irene Cioni 

Dominique Edwards 

Emmeline Ham 

Sammy Hebert 

Neil Jones 

Margherita Malanchini 

Daniela Mangiapane 

Lara Rossi* 

Harriet Shillito* 

Melissa Smith* 

Max Sobol 

Luis Valentine 

*also Duty Bar Managers 

BOX OFFICE 

Box Office Manager 

Tina Farguson 

Box Office Supervisors 

Annette Butler (Maternity 

Cover) 

Wendy Taylor 

Suzanne Walker** 

Miranda Yates** 

** also Access Officers 

Box Office Assistants 

Maria Ferran 

Katie Southall 

Ruth Varley 

DEVELOPMENT 

Head of Development 

Kirsten Hughes 

Senior Development 

Manager 

Nadia Boujo 

Sponsorship Manager 

Katya Evans 

Individual Giving Manager 

Lizzie Stallybrass 

Events Officer 

Rebecca Lyle 

Development Board 


Chair 


Vice Chair 

Jamie Arkell 

Iain Barbour 

Sue Baring 

Jonathan Blake 

Georgiana Boothby 

Rick Gildea 


FINANCE 

Head of Finance 

Fraser Jopp 

Finance Manager 

Jenny Patterson 

Finance Officer 

Donika Yordanova 

FRONT OF HOUSE 

Theatre Manager 

Helen Noble 

Duty Managers 

Philippa Davidson 

Nick Durant 

Dervla Toal 

Head Ushers 

Jessica Carroll 

Geraldine Caulfield 

Chris Corby 

Camilla Mars 

Mary Okeke 

Ian Street 

Geoff White 

Ushers 

Demola Adelaja 

Ono Dafedjaiye 

Laura Evelyn 

Anisa Farabi 

Louise Glover 

Otto Hills-Fletcher 

Andrew Howard 

Janice Howard 

Louie Keen 

Shanice Loren 

Morwenna Mara 

Nic McQuillan 

Anne Sheasby 

Jeany Spark 

Becky Wright 

Theatre Tour Guide 

Jenny Hargreaves 

Cleaning Staff 

Principle Cleaning 

Services 

Lord Hart of Chilton 

Matthew Hurlock 

John Kinder 

Judith Loose 

Nicky Manby 

Lise Mayer 

Lady Rayne 

Andrea Sullivan 

Martha Tack 

Andrew Wilkinson 

Hilary Williams 

Andrea Wilson 

MARKETING 

Head of Marketing 

& Sales (Maternity Cover) 

Doug Buist 

Head of Marketing 

& Sales 

Jane Macpherson 

Marketing Officer 

Helen Bennett 

Marketing Assistant 

Louise Glover 

PRESS 

Press Representative 

Janine Shalom at 

Premier PR 

020 7292 8330 

PRODUCTION 

Head of Production 

James Crout 

Company Stage Manager 

Laura Flowers 

Chief Technician 

Jason Wescombe 

Lighting Technician 

Robin Fisher 

Sound Technician 

Howard Wood 

Theatre Technician 

Adriano Agostino 

Wardrobe Supervisor 

Catrina Richardson 

Wardrobe Deputy 

Eleanor Dolan 


Michael Attenborough 

Executive Director 

Neil Constable 

Artistic Associate 

Jenny Worton 

Associate Director 

Howard Davies 

Lighting Advisor 

Mark Henderson 

Sound Advisor 

John Leonard 

Associate Artist 

Femi Elufowoju, jr. 

CONSULTANTS 

Scripts Advisors 

Simon Burt 

Barry McCarthy 

Architects 

Burrell Foley Fischer 

Structural Engineering 

Consultants 

Alan Conisbee Associates 

Surveyor to the Almeida 

Hedley Merriman 

Auditors 

Haysmacintyre 

Solicitors 

Cumberland & Ellis 

Mishcon de Reya 

Wedlake Saint 

Production Insurance 

Giles Insurance Brokers 

Security 

Umair Jamil for 

McKenzie Arnold 

Security Ltd 

Access Consultant Group 

Mandy Colleran 

Wendy Haslam 

Ian Jentle 

Lois Keith 

Deborah Neve 

Caroline Parker 

Graphic Design 

With Relish 

Dave Roberts for Cantate 

Programme Print 

Cantate

Name a Seat 

“For my 18th birthday, my mum named a seat for me 

at the Almeida, my local theatre. At the time, I never 

dreamed that I’d work here, let alone be able to 

watch my own productions from my very own seat. 

Why not name your seat today and support the 

Almeida Theatre?” 

Thea Sharrock, director of Mrs Klein 

Minimum suggested donation £1,000 

CALL Lizzie Stallybrass on 020 7288 4935 

EMAIL lstallybrass@almeida.co.uk 

50 seats available for naming. All seats named during the Capital Appeal remain in place. Registered charity number 282167 

Young Friends 

of the Almeida 

Rope Mini Lab 

This autumn a group of 15 Young Friends of the Almeida 

are working with the Almeida Projects team to create a 

devised performance inspired by Rope. 

The group will be trawling the news for weird and 

wonderful stories of real life crimes and the characters 

behind them to devise their own theatrical crime thriller. 

Using Rope’s unique in-the-round staging as stimulus they 

will be exploring the relationship between performers and 

audience, to create an exhilarating experience whilst 

investigating all the elements of making live performance. 

Mini Lab will perform on 19 and 20 

December. For your free ticket and to find 

out ‘whodunnit’ click on the Young Friends 

tab at www.almeida.co.uk/education. 

Photo: Alex Brenner 

33

34 

ISLINGTON FIRST & UNDER 30s 

Be among the first to see the Almeida Theatre’s new productions 

If you live or work in the Islington area or are under 30 

you can take advantage of special ticket prices for our 

opening performances. 

Islington First: best available seats for £20 

Under 30s: best available seats for £15 

The offers are valid for the following performances: 

ROPE 10 – 15 December 2009 

MEASURE FOR MEASURE 12 – 17 February 2010 

RUINED 15 – 21 April 2010 

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY 10 – 15 June 2010 

These offers are based on seats usually priced £29.50 or £22. 

Eligible postcodes for Islington First are N1, N4, N5, N6, N7, N19, EC1. 

Proof of address (for Islington First) or age (Under 30s) will be required 

when collecting tickets. 

Tickets are limited and subject to availability. 

A NIGHT LESS ORDINARY 

Free theatre tickets for Under 26s 

Through Arts Council England’s A Night Less Ordinary 

initiative we are able to offer a limited number of free 

tickets to people under 26 for most performances 

Monday – Thursday. Tickets can be booked by phone or 

in person; for full instructions, availability, terms and 

conditions see almeida.co.uk/under26 

1 11:04 Page 2 

SJ Berwin 

is pleased to be a corporate partner 

of the Almeida Theatre 

www.sjberwin.com 

Berlin Brussels Dubai Frankfurt Hong Kong London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Turin 

SL Berwin LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England no OC313176 

18965 

Image: Catherine Friel

★★★★ 

‘A smart dialogue 

of the sexes’ 

Time Out 

★★★★ 

‘A fi ne ensemble 

production’ 

Daily Mail 

★★★★ 

‘I was hooked 

throughout’ 


★★★★ 

‘RIVETING’ 

The Times 

John 

Simm Ian 

Hart 

★★★★ 

‘As clever as 

it is comic’ 


★★★★ 

‘COMPELLING’ 

Sunday Express 

Lucy 

Cohu and 

Kerry 

Fox 

speaking 

in tongues 

by Andrew Bovell 

STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON 

Until 12 December 2009 

Duke of York’s Theatre | 0844 871 7623 | www.SpeakingInTonguesThePlay.com 

3 DECEMBER 2009 - 6 FEBRUARY 2010 

Cast Alfred Molina & Eddie Redmayne 

Director Michael Grandage 

Designer Christopher Oram 

Lighting Designer Neil Austin 

Composer & Sound Designer Adam Cork 

BOX OFFICE 0844 871 7624 donmarwarehouse.com 

EARLHAM STREET, SEVEN DIALS, LONDON WC2 

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR PRODUCTION SUPPORTERS 

Stephanie & Carter McClelland 

Ralph Goldenberg & Anna Barbagallo 

39

Sir John Everett Millais, Bt, Hearts are Trumps, (detail) 1872 

Whose turn is it? 

beyond petroleum 

Since 1990 our support has 

enabled Tate Britain to bring more 

great works out of the vaults and 

into public view. So visitors get to 

see more of the �nest collection 

of British art in the world, free. 

Recently it was the turn of 

John Everett Millais’ superb 

portrait of the daughters of Sir 

Walter Armstrong to go on show 

at Tate Britain. 

So now it’s your turn to go. 

BP British Art Displays 1500–2009 

Tate Britain 

Millbank 

London SW1 

Tel: 020 7887 8888 

www.tate.org.uk 

Open daily 10.00 – 17.50

Bermuda • France • Ireland • Singapore • Switzerland • UK • USA 

Aspen 

sponsors of great performances for 

six years at the Almeida Theatre 

Aspen provides reinsurance and insurance coverage to clients in various domestic and global 

markets through wholly-owned subsidiaries and offi ces in the United Kingdom, the United 

States, Bermuda, France, Ireland, Switzerland and Singapore. 

Aspen is delighted to continue its relationship with the Almeida Theatre as a Production Sponsor. 

European Private Equity Investors 

are proud to be supporters of the 

Almeida Theatre and extend their best wishes to 

Michael Attenborough and the entire Almeida Company 

on the occasion of their new production 

www.palamon.com 

www.aspen.bm

MRS KLEIN - Almeida Theatre

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