Bush Theatre

The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers.

Artistic Directors

• Brian McDermott and Nicholas Newton (1972-1975)
• Peter Wilson (1975-1977)
• Jenny Topper (1977–1988), jointly with Nicky Pallot (1979–1990)
• Dominic Dromgoole (1990–1996)
• Mike Bradwell (1996–2007)
• Josie Rourke (2007–2012)
• Madani Younis (2011–2018)
• Lynette Linton (2019–2025)
• Taio Lawson (2025–Present)

History

On Thursday 6 April 1972, the Bush Theatre was established above The Bush public house on the corner of Goldhawk Road and Shepherd's Bush Green, in what was once the dance studio of Lionel Blair. It was established by a maverick actor, Brian McDermott, who used to tour the Fringe, and was shortly joined by theatre producer Nicholas Newton. The venue, despite its fame and massive output, was intimate, with a maximum audience of approximately 80. The first production was an adaption of The Collector by John Fowles, directed by John Neville and starring Annette Andre and Brian McDermott; it had previously played at the King's Head Theatre. During the next three years they produced over 30 productions including the musical Dick Deterred by David Edgar and Lindsay Kemp's Flowers both at the Bush Theatre and then at the ICA Theatre.

Throughout 1992, the Bush Theatre celebrated 20 years at the frontier of new writing. "What has held the Bush together for 20 years? Blind faith, youthful commitment and a tenacious belief in new writing: above all, perhaps, the conviction that new work deserves the highest standards in acting, direction and design", wrote The Guardian. The Bush won The Empty Space Award for the year's work, which included Billy Roche's Bush plays A Handful Of Stars, Poor Beast in the Rain and Belfry playing in repertory as The Wexford Trilogy, which toured to Wexford Opera House and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.

In November 2010, the Bush Theatre announced it would be leaving its home of nearly forty years and moving to the former Passmore Edwards Public Library building, round the corner from its first home, on Uxbridge Road.

The relocation took place in 2011 and the new venue opened with the "Sixty-Six Books" project. This was a celebration of the anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, which used 66 writers, many of whom were veterans of the Bush.

That same year, Artistic Director Josie Rourke announced her departure from the Bush to take up the position of Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse. The Board appointed Madani Younis as her successor from January 2012. In 2013, he programmed the theatre's most successful season to date, which saw the theatre play to 99% capacity.

In Spring 2016, the Bush Theatre relocated its plays to found spaces around Shepherd's Bush and Notting Hill, as the former library building closed for the largest capital project in the theatre's history. Borrowing new and iconic spaces with their own histories and tales of the local community, this season of work welcomed new audiences and residents by offering a number of free and subsidised theatre tickets to local people.

In March 2017, following a landmark year of taking plays into the communities of West London, the Bush Theatre returned home following a £4.3m revitalisation of the venue. The year-long redevelopment was driven by the aim of realising Younis’ vision for a theatre that reflected the diversity and vibrancy of London. Upon reopening, the building was to be more sustainable and entirely accessible, with a new entrance, front-of-house area and exterior garden terrace to the main street.

Lynette Linton became Artistic Directory in January 2019, following Younis' appointment as Creative Director at the Southbank Centre. That same year, the theatre was named London Theatre of the Year by The Stage.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bush Theatre filmed several of its productions and offered them to online viewers.

Venue

Following the 2016/17 redevelopment, the Bush Theatre has two performance spaces:

• The Theatre, a reserved seating venue with a maximum capacity of 180. It has remained in its original location and can be configured in a thrust, end on or in the round layout.
• The Studio, an unreserved seating venue with a maximum capacity of 70, is a home for emerging artists and producers. Similarly, this space can be configured in a thrust, end on or in the round layout.

The building also contains an Attic rehearsal space and Writer's Room, along with a Café Bar, garden terrace and playtext library, which is the largest public theatre reference library in the United Kingdom.

The redevelopment of the venue was 'Cultural Project of the Year' finalist at the AJ Architecture Awards 2017, and 'Highly commended Cultural Building' at the AJ Retrofit Awards 2017, and selected by the Hammersmith Society as winner of their Conservation Award for 2017.

New writing

The Literary Department at the Bush Theatre is committed to discovering new plays from playwrights from the widest range of backgrounds and therefore seek unsolicited submissions throughout the year in dedicated script windows. Chosen plays reflect the contemporary culture of London, the UK and beyond. The Department receives nearly 2000 scripts a year from new and established playwrights, all of which are read and considered for production or development at the Bush.

Bush Writers Group

The Bush Writers’ Group (formerly known as the Emerging Writers’ Group) is a development programme run by the Bush Theatre to support early-career writers, with participants selected through a competitive open application process. Several alumni have had work produced at the Bush and have gone on to receive wider professional recognition within the theatre industry.

Productions

A list of selected productions of the Bush Theatre.

Productions in the 2020s

Productions in the 2010s

• 2019 Chiaroscuro by Jackie Kay
• 2019 Baby Reindeer by Richard Gadd
• 2019 I Wanna Be Yours by Zia Ahmed
• 2019 The Arrival by Bijan Sheibani
• 2019 Strange Fruit by Caryl Phillips
• 2018 Misty by Arinzé Kene
• 2018 Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock
• 2018 Dismantle Festival by Project 2036
• 2017 The Hijabi Monologues by Amal Abdi, Hanan Issa, Sahar Ullah and Nimmo Ismail
• 2016 The Royale by Marco Ramirez
• 2016 Boys Will Be Boys by Melissa Bubnic
• 2016 Right Now by Catherine-Anne Toupin
• 2016 Pink Mist by Owen Sheers
• 2015 Forget Me Not by Tom Holloway
• 2015 RADAR 2015
• 2015 F*ck the Polar Bears by Tanya Ronder
• 2015 The Invisible by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
• 2015 The Angry Brigade by James Graham
• 2015 The Royale by Marco Ramirez
• 2015 Islands by Caroline Horton
• 2014 Visitors by Barney Norris
• 2014 Albion by Chris Thompson
• 2014 RADAR 2014
• 2014 Perseverance Drive by Robin Soans
• 2014 Incognito by Nick Payne
• 2014 We Are Proud to Present a Presentation by the Herero of Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, from the German Sud-Ouest Afrika Between the Years 1895 – 1915 by Jackie Sibblies-Drury
• 2014 Ciphers by Dawn King
• 2013 Jumpers for Goalposts by Tom Wells
• 2013 RADAR 2013
• 2013 The Herd by Rory Kinnear
• 2013 Josephine and I by Cush Jumbo
• 2013 Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
• 2013 Three Birds by Janice Okoh
• 2013 Money the game show by Clare Duffy
• 2012 Straight by D. C. Moore
• 2012 Snookered by Ishy Din
• 2012 Chalet Lines by Lee Mattinson
• 2012 The Beloved by Amir Nizar Zuabi
• 2012 Mad About the Boy by Gbolahan Obisesan
• 2012 Fear by Dominic Savage
• 2012 Our New Girl by Nancy Harris
• 2011 The Kitchen Sink by Tom Wells
• 2011 Sixty-Six Books by Sixty-Six Writers
• 2011 This is where we got to when you came in by non zero one
• 2011 Where's My Seat? by Dierdre Kinahan, Tom Wells and Jack Thorne
• 2011 In The Beginning by Nick Payne
• 2011 Moment by Deirdre Kinahan
• 2011 Little Platoons by Steve Waters
• 2011 The Knowledge by John Donnelly
• 2010 My Romantic History by D C Jackson
• 2010 The Aliens by Annie Baker
• 2010 The Great British Country Fete by Russell Kane and Michael Bruce
• 2010 Like A Fishbone by Anthony Weigh
• 2010 A Little Gem by Elaine Murphy
• 2010 Eigengrau by Penelope Skinner
• 2010 The Whisky Taster by James Graham

Productions in the 2000s

• 2009 The Contingency Plan by Steve Waters
• 2009 The Stefan Golaszewski Plays by Stefan Golaszewski
• 2009 If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet by Nick Payne
• 2009 Sea Wall by Simon Stephens
• 2009 2 May 1997 by Jack Thorne
• 2009 suddenlossofdignity.com by Zawe Ashton, James Graham, Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm & Michelle Terry
• 2009 Apologia by Alexi Kaye Campbell
• 2009 Stovepipe by Adam Brace
• 2009 Wrecks by Neil LaBute
• 2008 50 Ways to Leave your Lover at Christmas by Leah Chillery, Ben Ellis, Stacey Gregg, Lucy Kirkwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm & Ben Schiffer
• 2008 I Caught Crabs in Walberswick by Joel Horwood
• 2008 Broken Space Season by Neil LaBute, Bryony Lavery, Simon Stephens, Declan Feenan, Mike Bartlett, Nancy Harris, Lucy Kirkwood, Ben Schiffer, Jack Thorne & Anthony Weigh
• 2008 Turf by Simon Vinnicombe
• 2008 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Leah Chillery, Ben Ellis, Stacey Gregg, Lucy Kirkwood & Ben Schiffer
• 2008 2,000 Feet Away by Anthony Weigh
• 2008, Tinderbox by Lucy Kirkwood
• 2008 Artefacts by Mike Bartlett
• 2008 Helter Skelter/Land of the Dead by Neil LaBute
• 2007 tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! by Mike Packer
• 2007 How To Curse by Ian McHugh
• 2007 Flight Path by David Watson
• 2007 Trance by Shoji Kokami
• 2007 Elling by Simon Bent
• 2007 Tom Fool by Franz Xaver Kroetz
• 2007 I Like Mine With a Kiss by Georgia Fitch
• 2007 Product: World Remix by Mark Ravenhill
• 2007 What Would Judas Do by Stewart Lee
• 2006 Whipping It Up by Stephen Thompson
• 2006 Bones by Kay Adshead
• 2006 Pumpgirl by Abbie Spallen
• 2006 Cruising by Alecky Blythe
• 2006 Crooked by Catherine Trieschmann
• 2006 Trad by Mark Doherty
• 2006 Christmas Is Miles Away by Chloe Moss
• 2006 Try These On For International Size by Reg Cribb, Jón Atli Jónasson, Abbie Spallen, Shoji Kokami
• 2006 Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers Of The Qur'an by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
• 2005 When You Cure Me by Jack Thorne
• 2005 Bottle Universe by Simon Burt
• 2005 After the End by Dennis Kelly
• 2005 The Obituary Show by The People Show
• 2005 Kingfisher Blue by Lin Coghlan
• 2005 Mammals by Amelia Bullmore
• 2005 Take Me Away by Gerald Murphy
• 2005 Bites by Kay Adshead
• 2004 Going Donkeys by Richard Cameron
• 2004 How Love Is Spelt by Chloe Moss
• 2004 Damages by Steve Thompson
• 2004 Adrenalin...Heart by Georgia Fitch
• 2004 One Minute by Simon Stephens
• 2004 Christmas by Simon Stephens
• 2003 The God Botherers by Richard Bean
• 2003 Airsick by Emma Frost
• 2003 Nine Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo
• 2003 Little Baby Nothing by Catherine Johnson

Productions in the 1990s

• 1999 Howie the Rookie by Mark O'Rowe
• 1998 "Martin and John" by Sean O'Neil adapted from Dale Peck's novel
• 1998 "Love Upon the Throne" by Patrick Barlow
• 1997 Disco Pigs by Enda Walsh
• 1997 Love and Understanding by Joe Penhall
• 1997 St Nicholas by Conor McPherson
• 1997 All of You Mine by Richard Cameron
• 1991 The Pitchfork Disney by Philip Ridley

Productions in the 1980s

• 1988 A Handful of Stars by Billy Roche
• 1987 Dreams of San Francisco by Jacqueline Holborough
• 1987 It's A Girl by John Burrow
• 1987 Tattoo Theatre by Mladen Materic
• 1987 The Mystery of the Rose Bouquet by Mauel Puig
• 1987 Effies Burning by Valerie Windsor
• 1987 People Show No 92 Whistle Stop by People Show
• 1987 Love Field by Stephen Davis
• 1987 More Light by Snoo Wilson
• 1987 An Imitation of Life by Abbie Spallen
• 1986 The Oven Glove Murders by Nick Darke
• 1986 Making Noise Quietly by Robert Holman
• 1985 Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig
• 1983 Hard Feelings by Doug Lucie
• 1980 Duet for One by Tom Kempinski

Productions in the 1970s

• 1975 City Sugar by Stephen Poliakoff (then West End)
• 1975 Hitting Town by Stephen Poliakoff
• 1974 Dick Deterred by David Edgar (then ICA Theatre)
• 1974 Flowers by Lindsay Kemp (then West End)
• 1973 Under the Bamboo Tree by Tina Brown
• 1973 The Pope's Wedding by Edward Bond
• 1973 Tederella by David Edgar
• 1972 The Relief of Martha King by David Parker
• 1972 Christmas Carol by Frank Marcus
• 1972 Malcolm by Lewis Nkosi
• 1972 Plays for Rubber Gogo by Christopher Wilkinson
• 1972 The Collector by John Fowles adapted by David Parker

Books

To celebrate 40 years of the Bush Theatre, "Close-Up Magic": 40 Years at the Bush Theatre was published, charting the history of the theatre and including contributions from past directors, actors, writers and audience members.

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations between 1970s and 1990s

Awards and nominations in the 2000s

Awards and nominations in the 2010s

Awards and nominations in the 2020s

Bibliography

• Burkey, Neil (2011). . London: Profile Books Limited. ISBN978-1906-50765-7.

External links