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 Interactive map of The Yard Theatre | |
| Address | Unit 2A Queen's Yard, Hackney Wick London United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Public transit |  Hackney Wick |
| Type | Non-profit producing theatre, nightlife venue, community organisation |
| Capacity | 110 seats, 250 club capacity |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 13 July 2011 |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Architect | Practice Architecture |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Yard Theatre, opened in 2011, is a theatre in a converted warehouse inHackney Wick in theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets. It programmes theatre and performance, nightlife, and works with young people and its local community.[1]
The Yard was founded by Artistic Director Jay Miller in 2011, with support from Tarek Iskander, Sasha Milavic Davies and Alex Rennie. They worked with architectural firm Practice Architecture to convert a disused warehouse into a theatre and bar.[2] Originally intended to have a 3-month life-span, The Yard became anArts Council EnglandNational Portfolio Organisation in 2017.[3] In 2016 it took over management of Hackney Wick community centre Hub67,[4] and in 2019 took on The Hall inEast Village,London Borough of Newham.[5] In 2024, it was awarded a £700,000 fromArts Council England's Capital Investment Programme to go towards major refurbishment and extension of the organisation's current building.[6]
The Yard was awarded the finalPeter Brook Empty Space Award in 2013[7] and 2017,[8] as well as the Dan Crawford Innovation Award in 2012.[9]
Shows that originated at The Yard includeMichaela Coel’sChewing Gum Dreams, which later transferred to theNational Theatre and became the hitBBC showChewing Gum. Its successful nightlife programme has been featured in national press,[10][11][12] and in theNew York Times.[13]
Theatre productions include a gender-swapped production of Arthur Miller'sThe Crucible,[14] the premiere of Pulitzer Award-winning writerClare Barron’sDirty Crusty,[15] and an entirely digital day of online performance, Yard Online.[16] From March 2020, The Yard took all of its community and young people's work online in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[17]
The Yard reopened after the pandemic with a season featuring Gracie Gardner'sAthena, directed by Grace Gummer in conjunction with theNational Theatre, alongside Lanre Malaolu'sSAMSKARA and Dipo Baruwa-Etti'sAn unfinished man.
In 2022, they premieredVinay Patel's reimagining[18] ofAnton Chekhov'sThe Cherry Orchard, set in space and featuring a fully South Asian cast. In 2023, they premieredJames Fritz's The Flea, a retelling of the1889 Cleveland Street Scandal. In 2024, they then premiered a season featuring HOTTER Project'sThe Last Show Before We Die, Rhianna Ilube'sSamuel Takes a Break in Male Dungeon No. 5 After a Generally Successful Day of Tours about a fictional tour guide working at Ghana'sCape Coast Castle and Sami Ibrahim'sMultiple Casualty Incident.
Founder Jay Miller's credits at The Yard Theatre have includedThe Flea byJames Fritz,[19]This Beautiful Future byRita Kalnejais,[20]The Crucible byArthur Miller starringEmma D'Arcy,[21],Dirty Crusty byClare Barron,[22]Removal Men by MJ Harding,[23]Lines by Pamela Carter, starringNcuti Gatwa.[24]
The Yard Theatre also programmes nightlife. Notable parties and collectives past and present include INFERNO,[25] Pxssy Palace,[26] Knickerbocker, Queer House Party, Mind Ur Head, T-Boys, GGI,[27] DOOMSCROLL, Popola and Habibti Nation.
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