Theatre503, formerly the Latchmere Theatre, is a theatre located at 503 Battersea Park Road in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, above the Latchmere pub. The venue is known for promoting the work of new writers.
History
The theatre was founded in 1982 as the Latchmere Theatre, an offshoot of the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. It is a custom-built studio theatre. The opening production was a new adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which proved so successful that the production transferred to the West End. In 2004 the theatre was renamed as Theatre503 under Artistic DirectorPaul Higgins, and became a home for new writing. In 2006 Paul Robinson and Tim Roseman were appointed as Artistic Directors with the brief of developing the theatre's profile. Robinson was sole Artistic Director from 2012 to 2016. Under Robinson and Roseman, the venue saw the premiere of works by writers including Duncan Macmillan, Tom Morton-Smith, Anna Jordan, Alice Birch, Charlene James, Katori Hall, Jon Brittain and Phoebe Eclair-Powell. It has won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award and two Olivier Awards, in 2010 for its production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop and 2017 for Rotterdam by Jon Brittain. Andrew Shepherd became Executive Director at the beginning of 2016. In August of the same year, Lisa Spirling became Artistic Director, directing the winner of the 2016 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award, In Event of Moone Disaster by Andrew Thompson, nine years after making her directorial debutCotton Wool by Ali Taylor at the same venue. Steve Harper is the theatre's Literary Manager and has overseen the debuts of more than 1,000 first time writers during his tenure. Over 120 debut and emerging writers are staged each year in more than 70 productions ranging from one night series of shorts to full length four week runs. In a two year cycle they read and receive over 4,000 scripts including their bi-ennial International Playwriting Award, 503 Five writers-in-residence, unsolicited and their pioneering Rapid Write Response programme.
Winners of The Theatre503 International Playwriting Award
2014 Bea Roberts - And Then Come the Nightjars and Paul Murphy - Valhalla 2016 Andrew Thompson - In Event of Moone Disaster 2018 Danusia Samal - Out of Sorts
The 503Five
Beth Steel, Lou Ramsden, Nimer Rashed, Rex Obano, Richard Marsh ; Brad Birch, Charlene James, Chris Urch, Gemma Langford, Jon Brittain Brian Mullin, Chloe Todd Fordham, Ella Greenhill, Neasa O'Callaghan, Vinay Patel Aisha Zia, Chris Hogg, Mahad Ali, Ross Willis, Yasmin Joseph, Annie Jenkins, Benedict Lombe, Joel Tan, Jon Berry, Zak Mahinfar
Awards and nominations
2020
Winner
Writers Guild Award, Best New Play
2019
Winner
Off West End, Best New Play
Nominations
Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright
Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright
Broadway World for Best Director
2018
Winner
Off West End, Best New Play
Stage Debut Award, Best Writer
Nominations –
Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright
Off West End, Best Supporting Male in a Play
2017
Winner – Olivier Awards, Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre Rotterdam by Jon Brittain Nominations –
WhatsOnStage Awards – Best Actor, David Harewood for The Mountaintop
WhatsOnStage Awards – Best New Play, Katori Hall for The Mountaintop
Alfred Fagon Award – Rex Obano for Slaves
2009
Nominated – Evening Standard Awards, Most Promising Playwright, Katori Hall for The Mountaintop Shortlisted – Evening Standard Awards – Best Actor, David Harewood for The Mountaintop Nominated – TMA Awards, Best New Play, The Lifesavers by Fraser Grace Winner – Meyer Whitworth Award, Ali Taylor for Cotton Wool
