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125 years of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (Your News)

125 years of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (Your News)

20 July 1895 – 20 July 2020. This summer the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre celebrates 125 years being at the heart of Hammersmith. The theatre has welcomed the world’s finest writers, directors, actors and theatre companies to its beautiful Frank Matcham designed theatre. From Harold Pinter to Tanika Gupta; Sir John Gielgud to Sheila Hancock; Complicite to Frantic Assembly, the Lyric has been a home where artists thrive.

As part of its belief in providing greater and equal access to theatre the Lyric has announced Born in the Borough – a commitment to provide twenty-five years of arts opportunities to babies born in the theatre’s home borough of Hammersmith & Fulham during the theatre’s birthday year.

Parents and guardians can register their child with the Lyric if they are resident in and have been born in the borough between 20 July 2020 – 20 July 2021. Once the theatre reopens these children will be offered free opportunities to take part in and enjoy the arts throughout their first twenty-five years.

The Lyric is synonymous with supporting young talent, with the start of many organisations and individuals careers rooted in the theatre. This started as early as the 1920s when it is said that Marie Rambert marked the birth of British ballet with her work at the Lyric, which was the beginning of what is now the world-renowned dance company.

In the 1950s, the 59 Theatre Co. presented landmark productions at the Lyric, shaping their vision as a company, they then went on to create the Manchester Royal Exchange. Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, Michael Frayn’s Noises Off and the plays of A.A. Milne received their debuts at the Lyric.

Following in the footsteps of Ian McKellen, who made his London debut on the Lyric stage in 1959, other actors who have more recently begun their careers have included Hammed Animashaun, Aneurin Barnard, Karl Queensborough, Iwan Rheon and Charlotte Wakefield.

Each year the Lyric nurtures the talent and creativity of thousands of young West Londoners aged 0-25 years old. They attend Young Lyric creative classes and activities in theatre, music, dance and film delivered by the Lyric and its Young Lyric partners; take part in local school programmes or visit the theatre to see Little Lyric shows and Main House productions.

Throughout the next year, the Lyric will work with local organisations to reach as many people as possible who can take up this offer. Parents & guardians will be asked to register their child as a ‘Lyric 125 Baby’ by emailing 125Baby@lyric.co.uk

Find out more about the Lyric’s history at: lyric.co.uk/our-home/about-us/history

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