The Stage

Dromgoole to premiere new writing at the Globe

Published Wednesday 11 January 2006 at 18:05 by Nuala Calvi

Dominic Dromgoole is to premiere two new plays by writers Howard Brenton and Simon Bent as part of his inaugural season as artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

The Story of Abelard and Heloise and Under the Black Flag will run alongside four of Shakespeare’s Roman plays, as part of a drive to reinvent the Globe as a hub of new writing, as it was in the 17th century.

Dromgoole said: “I’m very keen that writers become part of the bloodstream again and rub up against Shakespeare’s plays directly. So we’ve started a commissioning fund for 2007-8 and are talking to a lot of writers, who are very excited about working with us.”

In future years half the Globe’s programme will consist of premieres. Jack Shepherd has already been commissioned to write a new play for the venue and managers are also in talks with Debbie Tucker Green.

Dromgoole will direct Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra in the 2006 season, while Lucy Bailey will direct Titus Andronicus and Chris Luscombe The Comedy of Errors.