A "théâtre sans frontières" ...
During its first quarter-century:
- it produced over 30 plays
- performed in London theatres
- toured 9 times in the UK
- toured abroad in 12 countries on 3 continents
- and its credits included 7 Edinburgh Festival Fringe premières and performances at countless other theatre festivals.
THE CHERUB COMPANY LONDON was created by Andrew Visnevski and Simon Chandler in 1978, as an ensemble of young actors, designers and composers introducing rare classics and continental plays to the stage in a style that proved unconventional and brilliantly visual.
"Britain's cultural ambassadors"
THE INDEPENDENT (1989)
THE CHERUB COMPANY LONDON rescued from oblivion such plays as Calderon's Life Is A Dream, The Two Noble Kinsmen by Shakespeare and Fletcher and Middleton's A Chaste Maid In Cheapside; staged Michel de Ghelderode and award-winning adaptations of Franz Kafka, and took Shakespeare as far afield as the North-West frontier within sound of bomb and shrapnel and Sudan! For a quarter of a century, The Cherub Company London inspired audiences and artists, and established a reputation as a foremost innovative touring company, a pioneer and trendsetter in choices of repertoire and performance.
THE CHERUB COMPANY LONDON acquired a dynamic and dangerous artistic identity. It bridged the gap between text-based classical theatre and "total theatre". It broke the theatre-goer's traditional bias as to what constitutes a classical production and blazed the artistic trail for many companies. Its hallmarks were daring, youthful exuberance and a vibrant sexuality. Its highly individual style paid homage to popular theatre, masque, Commedia dell'Arte and the visually stimulating Eastern European theatre tradition.
THE CHERUB COMPANY LONDON continually changed and developed in the search for a more expressive theatre language that transcends barriers and conventions. Seeking to broaden its aims and dedicated to fostering the talent of young professionals, in 1995 The Cherub Company London initiated THEATRE ALIVE! - a unique cultural, educational and post-training guidance policy.
THE CHERUB COMPANY LONDON set a standard for visually and emotionally confrontational work based on high-quality text in multiform productions of adult physical theatre.
Founders: Andrew Visnevski (director 1978-2003) and Simon Chandler
Administrator until 2003 and Secretary to the Board until 2004: Vi Marriott
In Autumn 2003, I presented my 25th anniversary and last season with Cherub and resigned as Director. It was time to move on and create opportunities for someone younger.
In 2004, we (Cherub’s Board of Management: Charles Kenyon, Lyndall Goodman, Maggie McNie and myself Chairman) invited Michael Gieleta to take up the post of Artistic Director of The Cherub Company.
For information about the Cherub Company's current programme, please contact:
Michael Gieleta, Director
The Cherub Company London
9, Park Hill, London W5 2JS
+44 (0) 208 723 4358
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www.cherub.org.uk