New 500 Seat Dance Venue Proposed for London by Sadler's Wells

[Bruce Wall]

See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24821388

 

This is vitally needed and I know would be much appreciated.  

 

We have the Baylis Studio .... Wouldn't it be grand if this theatre could be known as the de Valois!

Edited November 5, 2013 by Meunier

[aileen]

What about a dance venue south of the river, perhaps near London Bridge or Waterloo? The Place, Sadler's Wells and Lilian Baylis are all north central.

[johnross]

The best place would be Ealing. It is in process of developing a Cinema Site in the centre of Ealing.  Easily accesible.  There is a Campaign for Ealing Performance and Art Centre which is trying to encourage the developers and Ealing Council of the need for such a Centre.  The 500 seater Dance space would fit in perfectly. Cepac's policy is:

To see a comprehensive range of arts facilities established within the Ealing Broadway area in the form of a high quality Performance and Arts Centre as a complement to current arts provision.

A Performance and Arts Centre will establish Ealing as a regional centre of excellence for professional and amateur music, drama, dance, film, comedy and other arts

[LinMM]

South of the river the new Rambert school will be moving in soon.....or already there now....right behind the National Theatre.

 

However although there is Dance space and the company will be rehearsing there....not sure about an actual performance space there.

Come to think of it if there isn't.....then this is a shame as its a brand new building so incorporating a theatre space even if a small one would have been a good idea.

No doubt finances start to feature though!

[aileen]

Ealing wouldn't be good for me, as I hate the tube, but perhaps it will be accessible via Crossrail. John, perhaps you should suggest to Cepac that it make its case to Sadler's Wells before ideas about the location of the new venue are fully formed.

[MargaretN7]

Something south of the river sounds like a good idea, and if near Waterloo it has bus links with Sadlers Wells. Sorry, John, but I think this sort of venture needs to be fairly central so that the multitude who live out of London, or even the outskirts of London, and use public transport need to be able to get home late in the evening.

If not south of the river, an alternative that may be considered is that Sadlers Wells is close to City University. A link there might be advantageous.

[Bruce Wall]

The launch of the new Northern Line extension into Battersea is to open in 2018 alongside the proposed opening of the new dance venue, Might not that area be a possibility?  That said, I, too, would plum for a south of the river venue ... with the appropriate facilities / links as Margaret has noted.  There is quite a bit of empty warehouse space near the hugely successful Menier Chocolate Factory that might be ripe/appropriate for conversion..  Perhaps something around there.   The Ovalhouse Theatre is moving into a new venue.  Perhaps taking over / re-developing that space would be an idea.  It is immediately across from the Oval Cricket Grounds ... and has both tube and many bus line links.  In fact, it is closer to Oval Tube than Sadler's Wells is to Angel and is already set up to deal with crowds.  

Edited November 6, 2013 by Meunier

[aileen]

I suppose the question is: why is the Ovalhouse Theatre moving? Is there a problem with the venue? A location near other arts venues would a good idea as you then become part of an arts hub. Waterloo has the two Vics and, as Meunier has said, the Menier Chocolate Factory is located near London Bridge. I do have a preference for Oval/Waterloo/London Bridge locations as they would be very convenient for me (I live in SE London)! I love Sadler's Wells but it is a bit of a hassle for me to get to.

[Bruce Wall]

I suppose the question is: why is the Ovalhouse Theatre moving? 

 

They were able to profit from a new community incentive .... They weren't leaving, I think, due to any unhappy experience with the current facility.  Indeed, now that I think of it, it could easily be fashioned into a malleable 500 seat dance venue ... and has a cafe and offices already established.  

Edited November 6, 2013 by Meunier

[aileen]

Slightly off-topic but still on the topic of Sadler's Wells' press conference, it was disappointing that there was no mention of any ballet companies coming to the theatre next year. As I said on another thread, I understood that Royal Swedish Ballet was supposed to be coming next summer. Do Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet have no plans to visit?

[aileen]

I have just received my SW brochure and am pleased to see that Scottish Ballet is bringing its R&J (Pastor) to the theatre in May next year. There's no mention of Royal Swedish Ballet though.

 

Oh, and NDT1 is also coming - in July (no Kylian, though).

[Jan McNulty]

Northern Ballet won't be at Sadler's Wells this Spring.