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Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue in
Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redis ...
, London, England located on Rosebery Avenue next to New River Head. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500-seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive rehearsal rooms and technical facilities also housed within the site. Sadler's Wells is renowned as one of the world's leading dance venues. As well as a stage for visiting companies, the theatre is also a producing house, with a number of associated artists and companies that produce original works for the theatre. Sadler's Wells is also responsible for the management of the Peacock Theatre in the West End, during times not used by the
London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 milli ...
.


History


First theatre and pleasure gardens

Richard Sadler opened a "Musick House" in 1683, the second public theatre newly opened in London after the Restoration, the first being the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
. The first entertainments we see at this new building are vocal and instrumental concerts. The name Sadler's Wells originates from his name and the rediscovery of monastic springs, which previously served St John's Priory
Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redis ...
,Ackroyd, P. (2012). London Under. London: Vintage Books. on his property. This storied part of Sadler's career began around 1683 when two men were digging on his property after being advised to move gravel for the construction of a garden. They eventually struck something that they assumed to be buried treasure, but turned out to be a well. The iron-rich water was thought to provide health benefits. As such, Sadler claimed that drinking the water from the wells would be effective against " dropsy,
jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme meta ...
,
scurvy Scurvy is a deficiency disease, disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, anemia, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, ch ...
, green sickness and other distempers to which females are liable—ulcers, fits of the mother, virgin's fever and hypochondriacal distemper." In 1698 Thomas Guidott, a doctor of physick who popularised the waters of
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
, wrote what he called "A true and exact account of Sadlers Well, or, The new mineral-waters lately found out at Islington treating of its nature and virtues: together with an enumeration of the chiefest diseases which it is good for, and against which it may be used, and the manner and order of taking of it." In modern times the theatre continued to serve the
chalybeate Chalybeate () waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron. Name The word ''chalybeate'' is derived from the Latin word for steel, , which follows from the Greek word . is the singular form of ...
water and use it for air conditioning. This brought the health-giving properties of the mineral waters to national attention and an aristocratic clientele was soon attracted from round the country. Thus, this still quite rural location became famous for both water and for music, but as more wells were dug and the exclusiveness of Sadler's Wells declined, so did the quality of the entertainment provided—along with the quality of the clientele who were described as "vermin trained up to the gallows" by a contemporary, while, by 1711, Sadler's Wells was characterised as "a nursery of debauchery." By the mid-18th century, the existence of two "Theatres Royal"—in
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...
and
Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks T ...
—severely limited the ability of other London theatres to perform any drama combined with music, and Sadler's Wells continued its downward spiral.


Second and third theatres

Since the Theatres Royal confined themselves to operating during the autumn and winter, Sadler's Wells filled the gap in the entertainment market with its summer season, traditionally launched on Easter Monday. Thomas Rosoman, manager from 1746 to 1771, established the Wells's pedigree for opera production and oversaw the construction of a new stone theatre, in just seven weeks—at a cost of £4,225; it opened in April 1765.
Charles Dibdin Charles Dibdin (before 4 March 1745 – 25 July 1814) was an English composer, musician, dramatist, novelist, singer and actor. With over 600 songs to his name, for many of which he wrote both the lyrics and the music and performed them himself, ...
, a shareholder and manager of Sadler's Wells, took the regular nineteenth century styled proscenium theatre space and turned it into something new that audiences would flock to. The entirety of the stage was replaced with a permanent tank filled with water, and a second tank located on the roof that created a waterfall trickling down the backdrop of scenes when needed. Designer Thomas King carefully planned and installed a water tank that covered the entirety of the stage. Due to the close proximity to the New River, water was pumped into the venue's tank using an Archimedes wheel. Traditionally used to move water from low-lying areas to higher lying areas for irrigation, it seemed to be a perfect solution to transport the water from the river to the stage tank. This technology was made effective by the use of a hand crank and tremendous physical strength. Typically a crew of 12 to 14 men worked for about a half-day to fill the tank. Although regularly filled and drained, the tanks required constant maintenance and were often filthy. More often than not, audience members were seen jumping off the balconies and into the water in order to confirm the water was real. Some aquatic drama venues featured large waterfalls, pulling water from the tank and circulating it back in order to create the appearance of cascading water of the first records of a water tank used in entertainment venues was recorded in 1794. Each theatre company produced about three substantial shows per season. Derek Forbes highlighted the use of "water-boys" that were tasked with executing scenery switches, operating large props such as chariots and battleships, and controlled the operation of the waterfall, making waves when necessary. In the latter half of the 18th century the theatre presented a wide variety of productions. There were patriotic plays and pageants such as "A Fig for the French", which was produced to boost national morale after a heavy British defeat in a sea battle off Grenada at the hands of the French and Spanish fleets. A stirring spectacle reflecting the
Fall of the Bastille The Storming of the Bastille (french: Prise de la Bastille ) occurred in Paris, France, on 14 July 1789, when revolutionary insurgents stormed and seized control of the medieval armoury, fortress, and political prison known as the Bastille. At ...
won from the previously hostile ''Public Advertiser'' newspaper the enthusiastic review: "...finer scenes of greater effect have not been produced at any Theatre for many years". The community loved experiencing live interpretations of the battles they have been hearing news about. To produce the spectacle, ships were built exactly to scale of an inch to a foot in comparison to the Naval ships in the war. The precise detail work used in producing the set pieces was so pristine that they had the exact rigging systems and mechanisms that the ships in battle had. Craftsman that made the original ships were brought in throughout the process. Over 115 ships were on stage with guns, canons, and children actors. During the early years of the 19th century, many famous actors appeared at the theatre, including Edmund Kean, as well as popular comedians such as Joseph Grimaldi who for all his gifts as a dramatic actor, is best remembered as the creator of "Joey the Clown" complete with the rouge half-moons on either cheek. However, the period was characterised by much public drunkenness and loutish behaviour, and the rural location prompted the management to provide escorts for patrons after dark to conduct them into central London. With the construction of a large tank, flooded from the nearby New River, an '' Aquatic Theatre'' was used to stage extravagant naval melodramas, such as ''The Siege of Gibraltar''. Special effects like burning volcanoes and fireworks were often used on stage because they reflected well off the water's glossy surface. Sea creatures were often a focal point and excited rowdy audiences who were seeking a show where they could let loose and enjoy a few beers in the process. These shows were extremely popular until they started to decline around 1818 due to the rising popularity of pony races. For around 25 years, these aqueous spectacles served as a leading form of theatre performance that offered a unique opportunity to see the sea in 19th Century London. The theatre also presented successful adaptations of popular novels of the time, such as ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...
'' and '' The Old Curiosity Shop'', which ran during January 1841.Victorian Theatres in London
accessed 12 February 2007
Just as Sadler's Wells seemed at its lowest ebb, an unexpected champion arrived in the shape of the actor-manager
Samuel Phelps Samuel Phelps (born 13 February 1804, Plymouth Dock (now Devonport), Plymouth, Devon, died 6 November 1878, Anson's Farm, Coopersale, near Epping, Essex) was an English actor and theatre manager. He is known for his productions of William ...
. His advent coincided with the passing of the Theatres Act 1843 which broke the duopoly in drama of the Theatres Royal and so Phelps, with scene painter T. L. Greenwood and leading lady Mrs Mary Warner, was able to introduce a programme of
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
to the Wells. His productions (from 1844 to 1862), notably of ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (1844), '' Antony and Cleopatra'' (1849) and '' Pericles'' (1854), were much admired. The well-known actress Isabella Glyn made her first notable appearance as Lady Macbeth on this stage. Phelps was followed between 1863 and 1869 by lessee Robert Edgar and his wife, actress
Alice Marriott Alice Sheets Marriott (October 19, 1907 – April 17, 2000) was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was married to J. Willard Marriott, founder of the hospitality company Marriott Corp. Early life and career Marriott was born in ...
, who continued the same programme alongside contemporary plays.Sadlers Wells theatre archive: Miss Marriott the female Hamlet, by Carys Lewis, 17 November 2011
/ref> In 1870 the lessee and manager was the actor William Henry Pennington, a former soldier. In latter part of the 19th century the pendulum swung back to melodrama by the 1860s. This period of the theatre's history is affectionately depicted in Pinero's play '' Trelawny of the 'Wells''' (1898), which portrays Sadler's Wells as outmoded by the new fashion for
realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: * Classical Realism *Literary realism, a mov ...
. The era of aqua drama ended as fast as it seemingly began as audience members began to move onto new fascinating ideas for entertainment. This shift can possibly be attributed to the fact that scenery and props were routinely being reused which seemed to bore the audience, but it is also thought that contributions of the war took away from the stories that this type of melodrama told. At the beginning of this change in time, these full-length plays were considered to be a real-life example of combat which was an interesting cultural experience for unaffiliated audience members, yet as the war continued, audience members became more sensitive towards the topic and often shied away from it. Although typically meant to be serious, some plays were wrongly interpreted as poking fun and overly dramatising the war therefore being insensitive towards those who were actually fighting. Even though it is unclear when these aquatic performances ended, there is evidence that one of the final uses of these massive water tanks took place in 1824. Shortly after that, no further records of the famed genre exist. By 1875, plans to turn it into a bath house were proposed and, for a while, the new craze of roller skating was catered to, as the theatre was converted into a roller-skating rink and later a prize fight arena. The theatre was condemned as a dangerous structure in 1878.


Fourth theatre

After re-opening as a theatre in 1879, it became a
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Br ...
and featured performers including Marie Lloyd and Harry Champion.
Roy Redgrave George Ellsworthy "Roy" Redgrave (26 April 1873 – 25 May 1922) was an English stage and silent film actor. Redgrave is considered to be the first member of the Redgrave acting dynasty. Early life Born George Edward Redgrave in 122 Kenningt ...
, founder of the theatrical dynasty also appeared there. Alice Marriott returned to manage the theatre from 1881 to around 1889. In 1896, the theatre was converted into a cinema. Patrons were amazed by the moving pictures of the Theatregraph with film of Persimmon winning The Derby and a saucy vignette entitled "The Soldier and His Sweetheart Spooning on a Seat". After a succession of managements in the 20th century, the theatre became increasingly run-down and closed in 1915.


Fifth theatre

By 1925 the proprietor of the Old Vic theatre, Lilian Baylis felt that her opera and drama productions needed to expand. In that year, she invited the
Duke of Devonshire Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British aristocratic families since the 16th century and ha ...
to make a public appeal for funds to set up a charitable foundation to buy Sadler's Wells for the nation. The appeal committee included such diverse and influential figures as
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
,
Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...
, G. K. Chesterton,
John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include '' The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize ...
, Dame Ethel Smyth and Sir
Thomas Beecham Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (29 April 18798 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic and the Roya ...
. It was not long before enough money had been amassed to buy the freehold. Also in 1925, Baylis began collaborating with the ballet teacher
Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (born Edris Stannus; 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Ru ...
, a former dancer with Sergei Diaghilev's
Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. ...
. At the time, de Valois was teaching in her own dance school, the Academy of Choreographic Art, but had contacted Baylis with a proposal to form a repertory ballet company and school. So in 1931 when Sadler's Wells was reopened, de Valois was allocated rehearsal rooms in the theatre and established the Sadler's Wells Ballet School and the Vic-Wells Ballet. The ballet company performed at both the Sadler's Wells and Old Vic theatres. The company grew as the school trained new dancers to join the company. The first principal dancers of the Vic-Wells ballet were
Alicia Markova Dame Alicia Markova DBE (1 December 1910 – 2 December 2004) was a British ballerina and a choreographer, director and teacher of classical ballet. Most noted for her career with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and touring internat ...
and Anton Dolin and the founder choreographer was Frederick Ashton, all three having been working with the Ballet Club of Marie Rambert. Designed by
F. G. M. Chancellor Francis Graham Moon Chancellor (30 September 1869 – 20 September 1940), styled professionally as F. G. M. Chancellor, was a Tasmanian''Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911'', The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surr ...
of Matcham & Co, the new theatre opened on 6 January 1931 with a production of '' Twelfth Night'' and a cast headed by Ralph Richardson as Sir Toby Belch and John Gielgud as
Malvolio Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy '' Twelfth Night, or What You Will''. His name means "ill will" in Italian, referencing his disagreeable nature. He is the vain, pompous, authoritarian steward of Olivia's house ...
. At the beginning of Baylis's management of Sadler's Wells, it was intended that the two theatres should each offer alternating programmes of drama and opera. This happened for a short while, but it soon became clear that it was not only impractical, but also made dubious commercial sense: drama flourished at the Old Vic but lagged behind opera and dance in popularity at the Wells. The Vic-Wells Opera Company was the name of the opera company performing at Sadler's Wells. By 1933/34 season the drama company under
Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at ...
included a range of acting talent including Charles Laughton, Peggy Ashcroft, Flora Robson, Athene Seyler, Marius Goring and James Mason. From 1940, while the theatre was closed during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, the ballet company toured throughout the country, and on its return changed its name to the Sadler's Wells Ballet. Similarly, the opera company toured to return as Sadler's Wells Opera Company, and it reopened the theatre with the premiere of
Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
's '' Peter Grimes''. In 1946, with the re-opening of the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the ballet company was invited to become the resident company there. De Valois decided that a second company was needed to continue ballet performances at Sadler's Wells, and so the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet was formed, with John Field as artistic director. The Sadler's Wells company later relocated to Covent Garden, where it was incorporated into the Royal Ballet's charter in 1956, becoming The Royal Ballet Touring Company. After a number of years as a touring group, it returned to Sadler's Wells in 1976, becoming the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet. In 1987, the Birmingham Hippodrome and Birmingham City Council invited Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet to re-locate to Birmingham. It did so in 1990 and changed its name to
Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of the five major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside The Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet. Founded as the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, the company ...
. Since the departure of the company, there has not been a resident ballet company at Sadler's Wells. The opera company moved out of Sadler's Wells Theatre to the London Coliseum in 1968 and was later renamed English National Opera. Sadler's Wells Theatre then became a temporary home both for foreign companies and those within the UK looking for a metropolitan shop-window. In addition, Sadler's Wells, strategically near but not in the West End, was seen as the ideal launching pad for artists at the outset of their careers. Throughout the 1970s a rich diversity of attractions appeared at Sadler's Wells, recapturing something of its former eclecticism. Productions ranged from Handel Opera to the Black Theatre of Prague, to the Netherlands Dance Theatre with its controversial nudity. Also appearing during this period were Merce Cunningham, Marcel Marceau, the Kabuki Theatre, the
Dance Theatre of Harlem Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is an American professional ballet company and school based in Harlem, New York City. It was founded in 1969 under the directorship of Arthur Mitchell and later partnered with Karel Shook. Milton Rosenstock served ...
and the Kodo Drummers from Japan. A disadvantage of such a diverse programme was that it prevented the theatre from having a consistent public image. Briefly in the 1980s, the theatre established the ''New Sadler's Wells Opera'' company to play
Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...
and other light opera. The company had some success for a few years and made several respected recordings, and then severed its relationship with the theatre around 1986 and became a touring company. It finally went out of business in 1989. The first performances of Matthew Bourne's ''Swan Lake''—which uniquely included an all-male cast of swans—took place in the main house in November 1995, before embarking on a UK tour then playing in the West End. The Lilian Baylis Theatre opened in October 1988 and it appeared that a permanent theatre company might emerge, but this was limited by funding difficulties. In 1994
Ian Albery Ian Bronson Albery (born 21 September 1936) is an English theatre consultant, manager, and producer. He is a former chief executive of Sadler's Wells Theatre (1994-2002), and was in charge of the Donmar Warehouse from 1961 to 1989.
became chief executive of Sadler's Wells and presided over the planning and eventual rebuilding of the theatre. On 30 June 1996, the last performance was given at the old theatre before the bulldozers moved in. On St. Valentine's Day the following February a more unusual ceremony took place when Albery buried a time capsule under the centre stalls of the new building.


Sixth theatre

The current theatre opened on 11 October 1998 with a performance by Rambert Dance Company of ''
Iolanthe ''Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri'' () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, first performed in 1882. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert ...
'' with sets designed by Derek Jarman and Laurence Bennett. The £54 million project was one of the first projects to receive funding from the National Lottery—which contributed £42 million. The new design gave a stage which was wider and deeper and able to accommodate much larger companies and productions than the one it replaced. A new layout to the auditorium accommodated more seats. An extension at the side of the building provided a new ticket office and foyers rising to the full height of the theatre, provided easier audience access to all levels and included bars, cafes and exhibition spaces. As well as the 1,500-seat main auditorium, Sadler's Wells also has a base at the Peacock Theatre near the
Aldwych Aldwych (pronounced ) is a street and the name of the area immediately surrounding it in central London, England, within the City of Westminster. The street starts east-northeast of Charing Cross, the conventional map centre-point of the city ...
in central London. The rebuilt Sadler's Wells retains the Grade II listing applied to the former theatre in 1950. It also retains access to the remains of the historic wells that still lie beneath the theatre. The architect was
Aedas Aedas is an architectural firm with eleven International offices founded by the Welsh architect Keith Griffiths. Aedas provides services in architecture, interior design, urban design, masterplanning and graphic design. It was established in 2002 ...
RHWL, the acoustic consultant was Arup Acoustics.
Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Towns ...
performed there, on 26 February 2000, and recorded the concert, for the '' Lifehouse Chronicles''
box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
. In 2001, Sadler's Wells joined in collaboration with the Random Dance director Wayne McGregor. The 10th-anniversary piece Nemesis ran until 2001. When Ian Albery retired as chief executive in October 2002 he was succeeded by Jean Luc Choplin, who had recently worked for Disneyland in Paris and Los Angeles and at one time worked with
Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
as a managing director of the Paris Opera Ballet. Although his contract ran until 2007, in January 2004 Choplin announced that he would be taking up a post at the
Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a ...
, Paris in 2006 and left shortly afterwards. Under the artistic directorship of Alistair Spalding since 2004, Sadler's Wells has expanded to become a production house as well as a receiving house, hosting performances by visiting companies from the UK and around the world. In 2013, ''Sadler's Wells Dance House'', a book by Sarah Crompton (Arts Editor in Chief of the ''Daily Telegraph'') was published by Oberon Books. It covers the period 2005–2013 in the theatre's history. To reflect this new ethos, in 2005 Spalding announced five associate artists, creating opportunities for them to work alongside each other and other collaborators in developing new work. The original five artists were '' BalletBoyz'' Michael Nunn and
William Trevitt William Trevitt (February 7, 1809 – February 8, 1881) was a doctor, politician, diplomat, and newspaper publisher in 19th century Ohio. He served two times as Ohio Secretary of State, three years in the Ohio House of Representatives, was a ...
, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Akram Khan, Jonzi D and
Wayne McGregor Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a multi award-winning British choreographer and director. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. McGregor was appointed Commander of t ...
. A further eleven artists were announced, bringing the total of Associates to sixteen: Russell Maliphant (2005), Sylvie Guillem (2006), Jasmin Vardimon (2006),
Christopher Wheeldon Christopher Peter Wheeldon OBE (born 22 March 1973) is an English international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Life and career Born in Yeovil, Somerset, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet da ...
(2007), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (2008),
Hofesh Shechter Hofesh Shechter (born 3 May 1975) is an Israeli choreographer, dancer and composer based in London. He is best known for being the founder and artistic director of the Hofesh Shechter Company. Shechter was nominated for the Tony Award for Best ...
(2008), Michael Hulls (2010), Kate Prince (2010), Nitin Sawhney (2010), Michael Keegan-Dolan (2012) and
Crystal Pite Crystal Pite (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian choreographer and dancer. She began her professional dance career in 1988 at Ballet BC, and in 1996 she joined Ballett Frankfurt under the tutelage of William Forsythe. After leaving Ballet ...
(2013).
Breakin' Convention Breakin’ Convention is an international hip-hop theatre festival based in London, England that was founded in 2004 and is produced annually by Sadler's Wells theatre. It has been under the artistic direction of playwright and dancer Jonzi D ...
, the International Festival of hip hop dance theatre has been produced annually by Sadler's Wells since 2004. ''zero degrees'', a collaboration between dance artists Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, visual artist
Antony Gormley Sir Antony Mark David Gormley (born 30 August 1950) is a British sculptor. His works include the ''Angel of the North'', a public sculpture in Gateshead in the north of England, commissioned in 1994 and erected in February 1998; '' Another ...
and composer Nitin Sawhney and ''PUSH'', a programme of work made by Russell Maliphant for himself and Sylvie Guillem, are two of the award-winning productions to emerge from the new Sadler's Wells. In March 2009, Sadler's Wells launched the Global Dance Contest—an online competition to find new dance talent from around the world. The competition will run for four years, with a winner receiving a cash prize and the chance to perform at Sadler's Wells Sampled, the taster weekend which each January showcases the huge range of dance to be seen throughout the year at the theatre. The first winner was Shu-Yi Chou, a 26-year-old choreographer from Taiwan. His work '' 875Ravel and Bolero'' was performed at Sadler's Wells on 30 and 31 January 2010. UK based James Wilton won the competition in 2011 with ''The Shortest Day''. In 2012 the Swiss-based British choreographer Ihsan Rustem was the winner with ''State of Matter''. In 2015, Sadler's Wells coproduced the show ''Triptyque'' with the Montreal-based collective
The 7 Fingers The 7 Fingers is an artist collective based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The group is also known by its French name " Les 7 doigts de la main", which is sometimes shortened to "Les 7 Doigts". History The 7 Fingers is a collective founded in 200 ...
.


Archives

The Islington Local History Centre holds the archive of Sadler's Wells Theatre, with material dating from 1712 onwards.


References


Sources

* Arundell, Dennis Drew, ''The Story of Sadler's Wells, 1683–1977'', David and Charles, Newton Abbott, 1978. * Crompton, Sarah, ''Sadler's Wells Dance House'', (Oberon Books, 2013) * Dent, Edward J., ''A Theatre for Everybody: The Story of The Old Vic and Sadler's Wells'', London: 1945. * Earl, John and Sell, Michael ''Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950'', pp. 116–7 (Theatres Trust, 2000)


External links


Sadlers Wells websiteSadlers Wells HistorySadler's Wells on the Theatres Trust website

Sadler's Wells at Google Cultural Institute
– Daily Telegraph obituary
Sadler's Wells Theatre Archive, c1712-2012
*
Independentopera at Sadler's Wells
{{Authority control Dance in London Contemporary dance Dance venues in England 1683 establishments in England Theatres completed in 1998 Music venues completed in 1998 Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Islington Grade II listed theatres Theatres in the London Borough of Islington Opera houses in England Pleasure gardens in England Ballet venues in the United Kingdom The Royal Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet