Unicorn Theatre facts for kids
Unicorn Theatre
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 Unicorn Theatre
Location in Central London
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| Address | Tooley Street London, SE1 United Kingdom |
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| Coordinates | 51°30′16″N 0°04′54″W / 51.504496°N 0.081677°W |
| Public transit |   London Bridge |
| Owner | Unicorn Trust |
| Type | Receiving and producing house |
| Capacity | 290–seat (main) 100–seat (studio theatre) |
| Production | Guest productions |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 2005 |
| Architect | Keith Williams |
| Website | |
| unicorntheatre.com | |
The Unicorn Theatre is a special place in London, England, made just for children's plays. It's located in the London Borough of Southwark. This amazing building was built specifically for the theatre and opened in 2005. It even won an award for its design!
The theatre was designed by an architect named Keith Williams. It was built by a company called Arup. Inside, you'll find two theatre stages, a studio for learning, a space for rehearsals, a café, and a meeting room.
The Unicorn Theatre started a long time ago, in 1949. It was founded by a woman named Caryl Jenner. At first, it was a mobile theatre, meaning it traveled around. In 1961, the theatre began showing plays for children at the Arts Theatre in London's West End. By 1967, the company took over the lease of that theatre. This became the Unicorn's home until their current building opened in 2005. Even then, adult shows continued to be performed there in the evenings.
The Unicorn is a registered charity. This means it's a non-profit organization that helps the community. It also gets support from Arts Council England, which helps fund arts and culture in England.
Contents
How the Unicorn Theatre Started
The story of the Unicorn Theatre begins in 1944. A writer named Caryl Jenner used to write Christmas pantomimes. These are fun, musical plays often based on fairy tales. While children watched her plays, she carefully observed them. She wanted to know which parts of the show kept their attention and which didn't. This helped her understand what children enjoyed most in theatre.
In November 1949, Caryl Jenner created a company called Mobile Theatre Ltd. Her big idea was to travel around Britain, visiting both towns and small, isolated villages. She wanted to bring theatre to people who might not usually get to see it. To earn extra money, they also performed for adults in the evenings.
In 1962, the company changed its name to the Unicorn Theatre Club. Then, in 1967, they stopped traveling. They received a yearly grant from the Arts Council, which helped them settle down. They took over the lease at the Arts Theatre in London. This theatre became their home until the current Unicorn Theatre was built in 2005. Caryl Jenner, the founder, passed away on January 29, 1973, when she was 55 years old.
Theatre Leaders
The Unicorn Theatre has had many important people leading it over the years.
Presidents of the Unicorn Theatre
The current president of the Unicorn Theatre is Juliet Stevenson. She took on this role in 2007, following Sir Alan Ayckbourn.
Artistic Directors
The artistic director is in charge of the creative side of the theatre, like choosing plays and guiding performances. Here are the people who have held this important role:
- Caryl Jenner (1947–1973)
- Matyelok Gibbs (1973–1977)
- Nicholas Barter (1977–1986)
- Chris Wallis (1986–1990)
- Richard Williams (1990–1997)
- Tony Graham (1997–2011)
- Purni Morell (2011–2017)
- Justin Audibert (2018–2023)
- Rachel Bagshaw (from 2023)
Gallery
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The Weston Theatre is the Unicorn's main stage. It can seat about 290 people.
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This is the outside of the Unicorn Theatre. It was designed by Keith Williams.
