Today marks one year since the new Everyman opened its doors to the public for the first time.
It has been an incredible 12 months in the life of the theatre; from the 4,500 people who poured in to the building on that day to winning the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize. The fireworks may have stopped but the celebrations are on-going. The vibrancy and brilliance, dare and humanity brought into the building by the productions, performers, young people and audience members mean the new theatre is already surpassing the capabilities of its predecessor, becoming a national inspiration and a vital community resource. The Everyman is truly a building for everyone.
At the heart of the Everyman is the auditorium which was re-launched with Gemma Bodinetz’s Twelfth Night and invited audiences to ‘Play On’. A year on they can now ‘Dream On’ in Nick Bagnall’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Between those two plays the theatres have produced three world premières, two Young Everyman Playhouse shows and a record-breaking run of the rock ‘n’ roll panto. Elsewhere the building is demonstrating its value to the community in the varied way it is used. The Everyman has hosted events ranging from TEDx Liverpool and events for the BBC to poetry and live music in the bistro and it has already hosted its first wedding reception.
The building itself has been lauded for its architectural quality, winning 3 regional, 8 national and 2 international awards including the RIBA Stirling Prize – the first time this leading architectural award has gone to Liverpool – the World Architecture News Best New Performing Space 2014 Award, The Stage Building of the Year and the Blueprint Awards for Best Public Project.
Everyman & Playhouse Artistic Director Gemma Bodinetz and Executive Director Deborah Aydon said:
“The last year has been an incredible journey which we’re delighted to have shared with so many people; from first time visitors to those who were regulars in the old building, our artists and young people to architects and our contemporaries in theatre. The on-going mission of the Everyman & Playhouse, embodied by the bricks and mortar of the new theatre, is to create work that has humanity, brilliance and dare, that is forward thinking, popular and that reflects it’s time and place. Ultimately, they seek to achieve joy beyond expectation in everything they do, on stage, off stage and in our community. The first 12 months are just the beginning.”
In the past 12 months The Everyman have put on 190 performances, 64 other events in their new spaces, hosted over 100 building tours and sold 61,000 tickets. Happy anniversary The Everyman, here’s to many, many more.