The Lichfield Garrick is a modern, purpose built

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

Lichfield Lichfield () is a cathedral city and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated roughly south-east of the county town of Stafford, south-east of Rugeley, north-east of Walsall, north-west of Tamworth and south-west of B ...

, a city in

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. The main auditorium seats 562 people and the Studio seats 157 people. The theatre is named after the 18th century actor

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of Sa ...

, who was brought up in Lichfield. The Garrick's program includes a variety of touring shows as well as its own productions. It is also used for

plays Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

and

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

by local amateur companies. Like most British theatres the Garrick also plays host to an annual Christmas

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

. The Lichfield Garrick regularly produces and co-produces work, runs an Artist Development programme and a Community Engagement programme that engages with local schools and arts organisations throughout the year. The theatre also runs weekly programmes including The Garrick Community Choir, The Morning Chorus and The Garrick Youth Theatre. The Lichfield Garrick is operated as a charitable theatre trust and is independent of Lichfield District Council, although the Council invests in the theatre as its principal partner. The board of trustees is chaired by Mark Wright. The theatre won the UK Theatre Award for the West Midlands Most Welcoming Theatre (2017) and the What's On Readers' Award for Staffordshire's Best Arts Venue (2018 - 2020).

History

The new £5.5 million theatre opened in July 2003 replacing the old Arts centre and Civic Hall. The project received over £1.4 million from the European Structural Funds Program. The architect was

Alan Short Alan Short (February 22, 1920, San Francisco – March 6, 2004) was an American politician. A third-generation Californian, He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He attended local schools in Stockton, California and College of the Pacific ...

, founder of Short & Associates. As well as adding a

fly tower A fly system, or theatrical rigging system, is a system of rope lines, blocks (pulleys), counterweights and related devices within a theater (structure), theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly, quietly and safely components suc ...

and

orchestra pit An orchestra pit is the area in a theater (usually located in a lowered area in front of the stage) in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music (such as opera and ballet) or in cases when incide ...

to the main auditorium, the theatre was remodelled, so that new front of house areas could be built, better backstage access provided and a studio theatre included. It is architecturally notable for its unique natural ventilation system, which is an eco-friendly design. In 2004 it won the Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice and CIBSE Project of the Year, among others. However, the building received a mixed response from the public, with some people arguing the theatre's design was not in keeping with the character of Lichfield. The first production, ''

The Recruiting Officer ''The Recruiting Officer'' is a 1706 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar, which follows the social and sexual exploits of two officers, the womanising Plume and the cowardly Brazen, in the town of Shrewsbury (the town where Farquhar himse ...

'', was directed by and starred

Corin Redgrave Corin William Redgrave (16 July 19396 April 2010) was an English actor and left-wing socialist activist. Early life Redgrave was born on 16 July 1939 in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kem ...

George Farquhar George Farquhar (1677The explanation for the dual birth year appears in Louis A. Strauss, ed., A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar' (Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1914), p. v. Strauss notes ...

is said to have written some of the play while staying at the George Hotel in Lichfield. It was also the first play that David Garrick performed in.

Garrick Rep Company

The Garrick Rep Company was formed in 2005 with the aim of providing theatre goers with powerful and exciting performances, produced in-house at the Garrick Theatre. Early productions were presented under the name of RDC Productions.

References

External links

Official Website

Guide to what's on in theatres around the UK

Twitter

Official Facebook
{{City of Lichfield Theatres in Staffordshire 2003 establishments in England Buildings and structures in Lichfield