London is bursting with theatres and colder evenings are the perfect time to don your your cultured gard and step out to the Almeida, says Julia Rebaudo
We always promise ourselves that we’ll make an effort to go to the theatre more often. With the autumn months looming, and the warm sunny London days retreated fast and furiously what better way to spend a Friday evening?
The Almeida theatre in Islington was built in 1837. Originally the building was used as reading rooms and for lectures for the Scientific and Literary Institution. Since then it has been a Victorian Music hall, a Salvation Army Citadel and a factory for carnival novelties.
It fell derelict in the 1960s but was rediscovered in 1972 by Pierre Audi, who renovated the building and opened it as the Almeida Theatre in 1980. Audi was the theatre’s first Artistic Director and under his direction the venue’s reputation grew. It became renowned for the International Festival of Contemporary Music, which was staged every summer. Major refurbishment took place in 2001, while two new performance spaces were created in a bus garage in Kings Cross.
At the moment Tom and Viv is being shown until 4 November. By Michael Hastings, the story is based on the stormy relationship between poet TS Eliot and his first wife Vivienne Haigh-Wood. Given 5 stars by The Sunday Times, tickets cost from £6 – £29.50 and the running time is 2 hours 35 minutes (including interval).
