The Empty SPACE...Peter Brook AWARDs

THE EMPTY SPACE ... Peter Brook AWARDs founded by Blanche Marvin in 1989 and held at the National Theatre Studio (the awards’ new home), were created out of a need to raise the profile of the fringe theatre. It is from the fringe that a creative and experimental energy evolves, acting as a training ground for all categories of theatre talent: writers, actors, directors, designers, publicists, production and administration personnel. It is a place open to new talent.

The Empty Space…Peter Brook Awards are presented annually by Blanche Marvin’s London TheatReviews with the V and A Theatre Collections and newly added National Theatre Studio. They are awarded for a body of work and in recognition of the pioneering concepts/innovations in the spirit of Peter Brook, achieved by venues that perform in smaller theatre spaces (200 seats or less) and receive little or no public funding.

The Empty Space…Peter Brook Awards are the only awards that support studio venues and not the individual.

Award Categories
Established Studio Award and Up-and-Coming Studio Award
There are two categories of studio awards: the established studio and the up-and-coming studio. Both of these include regional as well as fringe theatres. The awards are given for a body of work to established studios with experienced artistic directors and to up-and-coming studios with experienced or new artistic directors struggling for recognition.

Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award
This award, named in honor of Dan Crawford who founded the King’s Head Pub Theatre, is given for a body of work to a ground-breaking pub theatre.

Judges for the Established Studio Award, Up-and Coming Studio Award and the Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award are: Lyn Gardner (The Guardian), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard), Samantha Marlowe (The Times), Dominic Cavendish (The Telegraph), Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews).

Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award
The Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award has been set up for gifted visiting companies to present their work in London at a studio theatre that could not afford to book them. The subsidy assists in paying the weekly theatre rentals, all too often the principal barrier to London performances. These monies are given jointly to the visiting company and the London studio theatre.

Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award
The Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award addresses the need to preserve actors in relationship to theatre venues. The repertory theatre has died and nothing has replaced this important training ground. This award is designed to help support ensemble companies where this fundamental work can be done.

Judges for the Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award and the Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award are: Thelma Holt (West End Producer), Peter Wilson (West End Producer), Purni Morell (Head of National Theatre Studio) and Blanche Marvin (London TheatReviews). The administrator for both of these awards is SOLT.

Consultants to the Empty Space…Peter Brook Awards are: Michael Billington (The Guardian), Jeremy Kingston (The Times), Paul Taylor (The Independent), Susannah Clapp (The Observer), Ruth Leon (The Lady) and Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday).

Award Prize
Established Studio Award £2,000(Each nominee - £350)
Up-and-Coming Studio Award £1,500 (Each nominee - £350)
Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award £1,500
Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award £2,000
Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award £2,000
emptySPACE AWARD...Peter Brook Award
Year London Award Artistic Director Regional Award Special Mentions
1990 Gate Theatre Stephen Daldry - -
1991 Gate Theatre Stephen Daldry - -
1992 Bush Theatre Mike Bradwell Haymarket Leicester -
1993 Orange Tree Sam Walters Glasgow Citizen -
1994 Tricycle and Soho Nicholas Kent, Abigail Morris Theatr Clwyd -
1995 Royal Court Theatre Upstairs Ian Rickson Traverse Theatre Southwark and Shared Experience
1996 BAC Tom Morris Stephen Joseph Young Vic, Royal Court, Bridewell
1997 Bush Theatre Mike Bradwell Birmingham Rep Studio BAC, LIFT, NT Studio
1998 Lyric Studio Peter James Salisbury Playhouse Man in the Moon, London New Play Festival
1999 Gate Theatre David Farr Oxford Stage Co Bridewell, Bush, Tricycle
2000 BAC Tom Morris Lyric Belfast -
2001 - - - PUSH 00, Arcola
Year Established Studio Artistic Director Up and Coming Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Studio Theatre PBrook/Equity Ensemble Dan Crawford Pub Theatre
2001 Watermill - Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory - Andrew Hilton Gutted Film and Theatre + Old Red Lion - -
2002 Crucible Michael Grandage Union Theatre - Sasha Regan Hidden Plot Theatre + Southwark - -
2003 Pit, Barbican Graham Sheffield Finborough - Neil McPherson Slipstream + Union - -
2004 Tricycle Nicholas Kent Theatre 503 Paul Higgins Shapeshifters + Finborough - -
2005 The Gate Thea Sharrock Menier Chocolate Factory - David Babani Adverse Camber + Union - Finborough
2006 The Orange Tree Sam Walters Scoop-Phil Wilmott Verb Theatre + Hackney Empire Studio - Old Red Lion Theatre
2007 The Drum, Plymouth Simon Stokes Young Vic-David Lan New End Theatre+Pluto Productions Paines Plough Bush Theatre
2008 Royal Court Dominic Cooke Union Theatre - Sasha Regan Hackney Empire Studio + Angle Company BAC Finborough Theatre

Special Mention: National Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, Paines Plough, Forest Fringe, Artichoke.

PETER BROOK’s SPEECH at the Empty Space... Peter Brook Awards 2008
Not long ago, a distinguished critic – perhaps he’s here today – wrote, after I brought a new production to London « When we came into the theatre we saw an empty space. YAWN!” I always take critics seriously yet here we are again giving awards to empty spaces. It’s surely time to take a new look at these two simple words. At first, they seemed to apply to the place where we play, our play-ground. Tradition and long standing habits had filled this with clutter, too much imagery, too many decorations, an excess of furniture and props. They clogged the imagination. Emptiness was a starting point, not for its own sake, but to help to discover each time what was really essential to support the richness of the actor’s words and presence. Today, this battle has largely been won, although electronic shapes and sounds are now eager to rush in. But the clutter is more hidden, it’s within the themes themselves – and within the actor. Anger, violence, hysteria, disgust and despair – these are so real that they must be expressed, powerfully, passionately. But light on a jet black screen only reflects blackness. It’s in the negative that an empty space has to be found. Today, emptiness is an uncomfortable challenge to the director and the writer, as well as to the actor. Can a space be left open, beyond all one thinks, believes and wishes to assert? Every page of Beckett’s plays is lightened with brackets enclosing the word ‘Pause’. Chekhov indicated the space in which the inexpressible could appear with three dots. And Shakespeare surrounded every line with space. Theatre exists so that the unsaid can breathe, can be heard and a quality of life can be sensed that gives a motive to the endless struggle. The finest expression of emptiness is silence. There are rare moments in theatre when a deep feeling shared by actors and audience draws all into a living silence. This is the rare, the ultimate empty space.
Peter Brook, Paris, 4.11.08