| Address:
The Bush has requested you contact their web site for more information at: http://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/ Shepherd's Bush Green (Corner of Shepherds Bush Green and Goldhawk Road) |
Tube Stop(s):
Shepherd's Bush (Central Line) Shepherd's Bush (Hammersmith and City Line) |
| Phone:
The Bush has requested you contact their web site for more information at: http://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/ |
Performance Schedule:
Primarily evening performances, rarely lunchtime shows or matinees. |
| Ticket Info:
Tickets generally cost from £10 to £18 with concessions (lower priced tickets) available for children, senior citizens/OAPs and sometime members of performing arts communities. |
|
What's Playing:
"Lets Get It On", by various writers, March 28th to March 30th. A one week festival of new plays sponsored by Westwords and the Bush Theatre.
"Trad", by Mark Doherty, April 4th to April 28th. A 2005 hit at the Edinburgh Festival takes a twisted look at tradition, as two men wander through Ireland looking for the unknown child of one of them.
"Crooked", by Catherine Treischmann, May 3rd to June 3rd. A 14 year old writer arrives in a small town in Mississippi and meets a born-again friend.
"Cruising", by Alecky Blythe, June 7th to July 1st. The story of a 70+ year old woman who heads out on 33 blind dates in search of a new life partner.
Description:
The Bush Theatre was founded in 1972 above what was at that time the Bush Pub. The pub has since changed hands but the Bush Theatre remains in place upstairs. Recently the Bush has begun to position themselves as a "off-West End" theatre and they are trying to lose what they view as a stigma of being a pub theatre. As a result the Bush is making a strong effort to separate themselves from the the theatre below (which is very popular and always packed with mostly non-theatregoers).
The Bush primarily focuses on new plays and has been home to many burgeoning playwrights early in their careers. Among the playwrights who's work has been seen at the Bush are Billy Roche, Tony Kushner and Conor McPherson. Artistic Director Mike Bradwell chooses interesting and fun plays that make the audience think and the performers stretch.
Production values (sets, costumes, lighting, props, etc) are high quality. The Bush brings in strong designers most of whom have worked extensively in the UK and many of whom have worked in other London Fringe or institutional (NT, RSC, Young Vic, etc) theatres.
The Bush's performance space is basically a black box theatre with the audience seated on two sides of the playing area. The Bush has recently been upgraded (along with pub below it). The Bush now has an improved box office with computerized seating, a place to store jackets during the show and most importantly improved seating. The huge steps/platforms which used to have only cushions on them now have seats with backs. You still sometimes have to climb over people to get to your seat but no longer feel like you are sitting on couch cushions in someone's living room.
Like most pub theatres the Bush allows you to bring your drink into the theatre but if you plan to do so, you should let the bartender downstairs know so they can give you your ale in a plastic cup rather than a glass one.
The Bush pub has been a friendly place and the crowd is fairly young (as is the audience for the theatre). It will be interesting to see how the flavor of the pub changes after the renovation. The food is good solid pub food and generally quite tasty.
The Bush Theatre is one of my favorite pub theatres and membership there provides an unusual privilege, regular mailings that keep you up to date on what is playing at the theatre (I even get mailing from them in the United States).
The Bush has recently launched their own web site which can be found at: http://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/