Chickenshed, the experimental theatre company once favoured by Princess Diana, has designs on the heart of London’s establishment.
Speaking last night at the launch of the company’s 40th anniversary book, Chickenshed: An Awfully Big Adventure, co-founder Jo Collins said: “I’d love us to be in the National Theatre. We deserve it. Sometimes the more comfortable artists that go to the National would benefit from experiencing that kind of edgy storyline.”
National Theatre kingpins Sir Trevor Nunn and Sir Kenneth Branagh are both involved with Chickenshed, the former a trustee, and the latter a patron. Collins thinks an alternative programme under incoming National artistic director Rufus Norris would be no bad thing.
Meanwhile, the book’s author, Liz Thomson, bemoaned the state of publishing.“This is the day Penguin is publishing Morrissey’s autobiography as a Penguin Classic,” she said. “There he is, between Thomas More and Mozart. The final bit of Penguin’s once wonderful reputation flushed down the lavatory.”
