Menier Chocolate Factory facts for kids
Official Logo
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Exterior of the theatre
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| Address | 53 Southwark Street London, SE1 England, United Kingdom |
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| Coordinates | 51°30′18″N 0°05′50″W / 51.5051°N 0.0972°W |
| Type | Fringe theatre |
| Capacity | 180 |
| Opened | 2004 |
The Menier Chocolate Factory is a special theatre in London, England. It's a smaller, cozy theatre with 180 seats, known as an Off-West End venue. This means it's a bit outside the main, famous West End theatre district, but still puts on amazing shows!
You can find it inside an old chocolate factory building from the 1870s. This historic spot is now a vibrant place where you can watch exciting plays, lively musicals, live music concerts, and even stand-up comedy. Many people consider it one of London's most exciting smaller theatres.
Contents
Discovering the Menier Chocolate Factory's Story
From Chocolate to Theatre: A Sweet Transformation
The building where the Menier Chocolate Factory theatre now stands has a long history! A French company, also called Menier Chocolate, built this large, five-story factory in London between 1865 and 1874. It was a busy place for making and storing chocolate. In 1996, this historic building was recognized as a special landmark.
The theatre we know today opened its doors in 2004. It was built in a special area at the back of the old factory. David Babani is the artistic director, which means he helps decide which shows the theatre puts on.
Award-Winning Performances and Big Successes
The Menier Chocolate Factory quickly became famous for its amazing shows. In 2005, it won the Peter Brook/Empty Space Up and Coming Venue Award, showing it was a rising star in the theatre world. David Babani and co-founder Danielle Tarento also won an award for being outstanding newcomers that same year.
Many of the theatre's productions have won major awards and even moved to bigger stages like London's West End and Broadway in New York City!
- In 2007, the musical Sunday in the Park with George won five Olivier Awards, which are like the Oscars for British theatre. Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell won awards for their leading roles. This show later moved to Broadway in 2008.
- At the 2009 Olivier Awards, Douglas Hodge won Best Actor in a Musical for his role in La Cage aux Folles. This production also won for Best Musical Revival.
- In 2010, two Menier Chocolate Factory shows, A Little Night Music and La Cage aux Folles, opened on Broadway. They starred famous actors like Catherine Zeta Jones, Angela Lansbury, Douglas Hodge, and Kelsey Grammer. These shows won several Tony Awards, which are Broadway's highest honors, including awards for Best Leading Actress, Best Leading Actor, Best Director, and Best Musical Revival.
The Menier Chocolate Factory continues to present a wonderful mix of classic musicals, exciting new plays, and hilarious comedy shows.
Memorable Shows and Productions
The Menier Chocolate Factory is famous for its diverse and exciting shows, including classic plays, popular musicals, and brand-new stories. Many of these productions have been so successful that they've moved to bigger stages in London's West End or even to Broadway in New York City!
Here are a few highlights from the many wonderful shows that have been performed here:
- Little Shop of Horrors (2006): A fun musical about a singing plant that became very popular.
- Forbidden Broadway (2009 and 2014): A hilarious show that parodies famous Broadway musicals.
- Aspects of Love by Andrew Lloyd Webber (2010): A romantic musical by a very famous composer.
- Pippin (2011-2012): A musical about a young prince searching for meaning in his life.
- Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim (2012-2013): Another successful musical that transferred to the West End.
- Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith (2015-2016): This musical was a huge hit and moved to the Savoy Theatre in the West End.
- Fiddler on the Roof (2018-2019): A beloved musical about family and tradition, directed by the famous Trevor Nunn.
Images for kids
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Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors in 2006
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Forbidden Broadway in 2009
