Not Just a Small One: Theatre for One

Theatre for One is a very exciting concept currently playing New York’s Times Square. Devised and created by acclaimed Set designer Christine Jones, other work includes ‘Spring Awakening’ at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, the initial idea for this unique travelling theatre space apparently came from seeing some intimate magic at a wedding. The idea is to provide a fantastically intimate experience between one audience member and one performer to allow a more distilled and intense theatrical event.

Of course a Theatre for One is not a new idea really; however this is perhaps the first time it has been treated with such a serious note. Here in the UK for nearly 40 years there has or had been a ‘Theatre for One’ in the ‘Smallest Theatre in The World’ which started out as a joke between actors starting out in the 70s. Names bandied around as those who came up with the concept and joke include Marcel Steiner, Jim Cartwright and Bob Hoskins. Steiner eventually purchased a motorbike with an oversized sidecar which it was suggested should be made into a mini theatre. Being a bodger Steiner duly did his duty to the world of theatre and created… this.

 

Without a doubt this theatre is meant in the spirit of fun and comedy. It is a completely eccentric quite British idea. A very successful one, it is perhaps the only theatre to have ever had constant 100% Audience attendance for every performance. However it is just in many ways a joke and a sideshow attraction, what the New York project has going for it in a different way is that it is in many ways an evolutionary experiment. Having gone through several working prototypes and program developments with various experimental theatre groups in New York this isn’t just a joke for the public to join in on, the people involved in this project are seriously studying the effectiveness of this form of the theatre. The costs and dedication involved have been quite high and I think this is a fascinating project which I wish them all the best with. I have only truly scratched the surface in this article about the project but you can read more on the official website here. I hope that after the Times Square shows that they seriously consider touring it to the UK, highly doubtful I know but still, I think a box theatre in the middle of Leicester Square or even perhaps Covent Garden would be a true theatrical event that few could afford to miss.

Xtofer