The Scoop picks up venue award

Published Tuesday 7 November 2006 at 16:40 by Alistair Smith

Southwark-based open-air amphitheatre The Scoop has won this year’s Up and Coming prize at the 17th Empty Space… Peter Brook Awards.

The venue, which has for the past four summers hosted a season of free theatre presented by The Steam Industry company, received £1,500, which was picked up by director Phil Willmott, musical director Joe Fredericks and producer Suzanna Rosenthal on behalf of the venue.

Stage critic Mark Shenton, who was one of the judges on the award, commented: “The most democratic sort of theatre is the free variety… They have been offering a varied repertoire that stretches from Shaw and Brecht to Euripides and even a Christmas nativity show. They sometimes say that the best things in life are free and The Scoop are living proof of that.”

The Scoop was joined by Richmond’s Orange Tree Theatre, which won the studio theatre award and £2,000. Meanwhile, the Old Red Lion Theatre in north London was successful in the Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award category, receiving £2,000, Verb Theatre topped the Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award for its production of Limbo: Stories from 7/7, picking up a cheque for £1,500 and the Arcola Theatre in Dalston and the company Shapeshifter won the new Peter Wolff Theatre Trust Award for their collaboration on forthcoming show King Arthur, winning £2,000.