- DURATION 1 hr x 7
Event Description
Is there anything more exciting than the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd? Since the first playhouse opened in 1576, the theatres of London have ruled the theatrical world. This series of talks from Pete Allen will take you through the stage doors of some of the most famous Theatres in London including The Palladium, The National Theatre, The Old Vic and the greatest theatre in the world, The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
The Royal National Theatre (23rd February)
Described as having ‘that inevitable and finished look that great work does’ and ‘a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting’, The Royal National Theatre has never shied away from controversy both on and off stage. But it is also home to the greatest revival of the greatest musical ever written. Fact!
Drury Lane (2nd March)
The first National Theatre, the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane has provided entertainment for every monarch since the Charles II. This talk takes a personal journey through the history of one of the most famous theatres in the world with tales of being the body double for the man who wrote ‘My Fair Lady’ and almost being shot by the Queen Mother’s security detail…all because of Ken Dodd.
Exit Stage Left: Taking A Bow (9th March)
A look back at the theatre’s discussed in these Talks, with some traditional audience participation!
- Duration: 1 hr x 7
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (no replay available)
Meet the Host, Pete
Pete is the Director of The RC Sherriff Trust, a charity set up through the Will of the playwright and author RC Sherriff. Prior to this he was The Arts Development Officer for Elmbridge Borough Council where he was responsible for The Royston Pike Lecture Series. Previous to his work with Elmbridge Borough Council, Pete was co-founder and artistic director of WhirlygigArts which ran CRYPT (Cranleigh Young People’s Theatre), CMYT (Chequer Mead Youth Theatre) and The Big Picture Young People’s Film Workshop. He co-founded Storm the Stage Young People’s Theatre for Mole Valley District Council and was the Director of The Together in Waddon Community Project. He has also worked extensively as a professional theatre director and film-maker.
Preparing for the Event
For the best experience, you will need to have Zoom downloaded onto your computer. Please ensure you're connected to broadband/wifi rather than using your mobile phone connection (3G/4G).
We also recommend that pets are either calmly sitting on your lap or in another room, and any refreshments you may require are within your reach!
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.