The Gate produced a season of Japanese art and theatre including play readings known as the Modern Noh Plays by Japanese writer, Yukio Mishima, directed by Robert J Carson. This ‘ambitious and adventurous season’ (Time Out 1987) set in stone the Gate’s international mark on British Theatre, being one of the first theatres in London to stick by international work and programme whole seasons around it.
How the Vote was Won, written by Cicely Hamilton. Programmed in response to Margaret Thatcher’s policies impacting the lives of the UK’s female population, this was part of a season directed by Tamara Hinchco.
Women’s suffrage had been a predominately a middle class movement, and so the second play of the series, Evelyn Glover’s A Chat with Mrs Chicky, was chosen as a notable example of working class women speaking for equality which resonated in the 80s.
Last was Inez Benusan’s The Apple, which examined equality in the household and sexual harassment in the workplace.
Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Robert Stevens.
‘When I first arrived in London in 1982 The Gate was already established as an artistic powerhouse and it was high on my list of theatres at which I wished to work. Within weeks of my taking the post, a fire at Bradford football ground left 56 people dead and 256 injured which led to the closure of the theatre. The hiatus proved to be an opportunity to plan a reopening with a fanfare. The play I decided upon was ‘Danny and the Deep Blue Sea’ by the little known John Patrick Shanley who was to gain international recognition two years later with an Oscar nomination for his screenplay of Moonstruck. The show was a great success and set us off on a course that was to be maintained for the next five years.’ Giles Croft, Artistic Director (1985-1990)
The Emperor Jones by Eugene O’Neill, directed by Lou Stein
The Emperor Jones tells the story of Brutus Jones, an African American man posing as Emperor of a small Caribbean island after escaping a murder jail sentence. Musicians, TV actors, even a real life witch doctor were brought in to bring Emperor Jones to life.
The production featured Reggae artist Barry Ford whose band, Merger, addressed political topics surround racial injustice. Ford is still very much involved with his music and mission having performed his ‘Rebel’ Reggae in 2014’s Notting Hill Carnival (which can be watched here: https://youtu.be/QcK-I5ibN1I)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, an adaptation of the book by Hunter S. Thompson directed by Lou Stein. A semi-autobiographical novel, it tells the story of journalist Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr Gonzo chasing the American Dream in Las Vegas through a drug-induced haze.
Hunter S. Thompson famously told Lou Stein, ‘If I don’t like what you’ve done with the book, I’m going to tear your theatre apart.’ You can read about Stein’s experience working with Thompson in his article here. Thankfully Hunter S. Thompson did like the show, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a huge success, later transferring to the West End. In 2014 Lou Stein re-imagined it again for Vault Festival.
This was the first play the Gate premiered at a new fringe venue at the Latchmere (now the home of Theatre503).
Treatment, written and directed by Jonathan Moore, ‘the Johnny Rotten of British Theatre’ (Evening Standard)
Set in south London, Treatment follows Liam who is part of a violent street gang but wants to escape. It was programmed in response to riots spreading through Brixton and Liverpool and The Independent called it ‘one of the most disturbing and exhilarating plays in London’
After Treatment’s run at the Gate, it became a BBC film in 1984, starring writer Jonathan Moore as Liam himself.
Gather In Your Name, performed by Staunch Poets and Players, a group of seven actors, dancers, writers and musicians.
Gather In Your Name used music, choreography and dance to reflect the inner lives of black people living in Britain and their relationship with Africa and the Caribbean, which was the troupe’s mission throughout their work, performing to mixed audiences throughout Britain. It was written by group lead, Don Kinch, who later opened the African People’s Theatre in Birmingham.
Alex Pascall OBE was the musical director on this show, who is known for being one of the developers of Notting Hill Carnival and as one of the first regular Black radio voices in the UK on BBC’s Black Londoners.
“Productions like Don’s Gather In Your Name, would never have come to the stage without theatres like The Gate, added to this were the anxieties Black audiences had in finding staged plays that related to them culturally. Those were challenging times. I recall a Black cultural exponent arguing with Don about the play and a number of us being concerned, but together we found a way and established common ground for understanding and the play was staged.
It is from such small theatres that today’s playwrights, actors and producers managed to find common ground to establish a presence and the craft of their productions.
Don and Staunch were active in pursing numerous issues to break down barriers within and beyond with challenging presentations, peep through the past decades, and generations of today would realise as they explore routes to the future where we were to inform themselves of today.”
Alex Pascall OBE
At Swim Two Birds written by Irish playwright Flann O’ Brien and directed by Founding Artistic Director Lou Stein.
