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Life is a Dream – coming to the Barbican next month
16 March 2023
Our Spanish-language production of Life is a Dream performs at our London home, the Barbican, next month. Don’t miss your chance to see Cheek by Jowl’s “original, daring and transgressive” production of Calderon’s classic.
As You Like It – a new Education Pack
30 January 2023
We’ve just released the latest in our series of education packs, based on our 1991-95 production of As You Like It.
Find Out More.
“Uncomfortable, controversial, brilliant” – Press reviews of Life is a Dream
24 January 2023
Our new Spanish-language production of Life is a Dream has opened in Madrid, where it continues to play at the Teatro Comedia until the 26th February – and the reviews are in…
Read them here…
Watch the brand new trailer for Life is a Dream
24 November 2022
We’re delighted to share with you the first trailer for our new production of Life is a Dream, now performing in Spain, and coming to London in April 2023.
Watch the trailer.
An update on Cheek by Jowl’s Arts Council status
21 November 2022
Like many other organisations up and down the country, we recently learned that we will be excluded from receiving funding from ACE as part of their 2023 – 2026 portfolio.
Read the full statement here.
Life is a Dream is coming to the Barbican!
¡La Vida es Sueño llega al Barbican!
10 October 2022
Ahead of its premiere in Seville next week, we are delighted to announce that our first Spanish-language production, Life is a Dream will be performing at our London home, the Barbican, from 13-16 April 2023.
Find Out More.
Looking back at Fuenteovejuna
13 October 2022
On the eve of the premiere of Life is a Dream, we’re looking back at Declan and Nick’s previous exploration of the Spanish Golden Age – Fuenteovejuna.
Read More.
Oedipus
4 October 2022
In May 2022 after many years of collaboration, Declan and Nick were invited to create a production of Oedipus (Oedip Rege) in Craiova, Romania, with the ensemble of the Teatrul Naţional “Marin Sorescu”.
Find Out More.
Ubu Roi: Now Streaming on Digital Theatre+
23 September 2022
Our 2013 production of Alfred Jarry’s irreverent masterpiece, Ubu Roi, is now available to stream on Digital Theatre+.
Find Out More.
Hello from rehearsals…
21 September 2022
Rehearsals for our new production of Life is a Dream (La Vida es Sueño) are well underway in Madrid!
The company has gathered together a few weeks after the initial exploratory Research & Development week, ‘the Woods’, to continue the creation process with Declan and Nick.
Read More
Introducing ‘Not True, But Useful…’ Series 5!
22 August 2022
In this new series, Declan and Nick answer questions submitted by our listeners on everything from how to deal with verse, to the advice they still give themselves, and how to get out of your own way.
Listen here
Peter Brook, 1925-2022
3 July 2022
“Peter blazed light through the heart of theatre and passed tranquilly through his life kicking open doors.
He found his own inimitable way of welding together those incompatible energies of theatre- the need to share in the spirit, and the need to put on a show…”
Read Declan and Nick’s words here.
Announcing: Life is a Dream/La Vida es Sueño
16 June 2022
We are excited to announce a brand-new production of Calderón de la Barca’s La Vida es Sueño – Life is a Dream – which will premiere in Seville this October and go on to perform at the Teatro Clásico in Madrid from December.
More Here
Board Changes
7 June 2022
We are very sad to say goodbye to Beth Byrne, Cheek by Jowl’s Executive Director from 2011 to 2015 and Trustee from 2017 to 2022 who has recently decided to step down from her role as a Trustee of the Board.
We are delighted to welcome back Emma Stenning to the Board. Emma was a Cheek by Jowl Trustee before becoming Soulpepper Theatre Company’s Executive Director in Toronto in 2018. She is now back in the UK and working as CEO of Belvoir Castle – and we are very grateful that she has agreed to re-join our Board.
More Here
Even More Not True, But Useful…
1 June 2022
We’ve been releasing a brand new set of bonus podcast episodes in which Declan and Lucie continue their conversations about theatre, directing, acting, and life. With subjects as diverse as the importance of “flow” in a rehearsal room, the relationship between characters and time, and embracing the actor’s predicament of sometimes ‘not feeling things’, you can find Not True, But Useful… wherever you listen to podcasts, and here on our website.
Listen here
Back on Stage…
25 May 2022
Earlier this month our Artistic Directors Declan and Nick opened Oedip Rege, their new production of Sophocles’ transgressive and disturbing Oedipus Rex, with the National Theatre ‘Marin Sorescu’ of Craiova in Romania. This is their first ever Romanian-language production, after taking many Cheek by Jowl shows to Romania over the years. A collaboration eight years in the planning, it has opened to rave reviews from the Romanian press.
Click here to read more
A message from Cheek by Jowl
01 March 2022
We are shocked and appalled by the invasion of Ukraine and by the events unfolding over the past few days. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and we join our voice in unison with our friends in Russia and with all those calling for peace…
Click here to read the full message
As You Like It documentary from the archive
We unearthed an incredible documentary about our production of As You Like It, which was originally broadcast in 1995 as part of the BBC’s Open University programming…
Click here to read more and watch the documentary
Listen to a brand new bonus mini-series of ‘Not True, But Useful’
13 January 2022
In these special bonus episodes for the cold winter months, Declan shares all-new insights with Lucie Dawkins about theatre, rehearsal processes, and how his ideas about life and acting have shifted over the last four decades.
Click here to catch up on the mini-series on our podcast hub
An anniversary message from Lev Dodin
#CheekbyJowl40
18 October 2021
To celebrate 40 years of Cheek by Jowl, Lev Dodin, artistic director of the Maly Drama Theatre, St Petersburg, sent the company a personal message, reflecting upon the years of friendship between the artists that have lasted to this day.
Click here to read Lev Dodin’s message in English and Russian
Adrian Lester on As You Like It
11 August 2021
We’re delighted that our 1991-95 production of As You Like It has been featured in the podcast ‘Who Am I This Time?’ with two Cheek by Jowl alumni, David Morrissey and Adrian Lester.
Read more
A warm welcome to our new Trustees
11 August 2021
We’re delighted to announce the appointment of two new trustees to our Board of Directors – Ajay Chowdhury and Catrin Griffiths.
Find out more about our new Trustees
Third series a charm…
21 May 2021
Series 3 of ‘Not True But Useful’ is on its way! The new series will see Declan, Nick and Lucie returning to their mics to share personal insights into acting, directing, and plays, but above all, to build a bridge between these processes and life as we live it now.
Catch up on Series 1 & 2 here.
Designing Cheek by Jowl
15 May 2021
Over the past forty years, Nick Ormerod has designed the sets and costumes of our shows alongside Declan Donnellan. Discover Nick’s design process in his own words…
Read more here
Not True, But Useful…
Series 1 Transcripts – Edited Versions
7 January 2021
Following the release of our podcast ‘Not True, But Useful…’ in 2020, we decided to create an edited version of the transcripts that would stand alone as a written educational resource, accessible for free and available in several languages.
Read the Edited Transcripts here
A holiday message
18 December 2020
Thank you for being with us this year. Whether you have followed us, shared with us, dreamt with us, watched, listened, or supported…
Read more here
Series 2 of ‘Not True, But Useful’ is on its way!
12 November 2020
We’re delighted to announce the second series of our podcast ‘Not True, But Useful…’
Read more here
New series, new-look website
12 November 2020
Take a look at our website’s new podcast home, where you can catch up on Series 1, read more about the scenes discussed within each episode and view photos, rehearsal notes, costume and set designs.
Click here for the new podcast pages
The Knight of the Burning Pestle in Russia
1 November 2020
The Knight of the Burning Pestle returned to the Russian stage in September, with performances in Moscow, Voronezh and Samara. Take a look at these new production photos taken during its performances in Voronezh.
View the gallery here
The Revengers: Backstage at the Barbican
31 July 2020
Missing the theatre? Join the creatives of The Revenger’s Tragedy behind the scenes at the Barbican, in this new video created by the Piccolo Teatro di Milano to mark the performances in March 2020.
In Italian with English subtitles available
Watch the video here
Dear Class of 2020…
23 July 2020
‘We have never needed you so badly.’
Declan was invited by Nick Hern Books to contribute a message to the Drama Graduating Class of 2020.
Read his message and the rest of the collection at the NHB blog.
It’s a wrap for this series of the Cheek by Jowl podcast
30 July 2020
The first series of our podcast ‘Not True, But Useful’ is all done and dusted, and we had a blast recording it.
We hope that artists, teachers, actors, directors and everybody longing for the theatre have found it useful (if not true…)
Listen to all ten episodes here.
Declan’s Tagliatelle
5 May 2020
In The Actor And The Target we found a possible tool to help the actor escape from block. It contained some choices, rules and steps to…
Read it here in English and Italian
Chairs’ Letter: Please Help the Arts Survive
24 June 2020
The performing arts are battling for survival at a time when theatre matters more than ever. We urge readers to lobby the Government and MPs and join our fight for the survival of UK theatre.
Read the full letter
Donnellan sobre Shakespeare
16 July 2020
Get your hands on this new Spanish book by journalist Arantxa Vela Buendía, bringing together ten years of interviews with Declan Donnellan…
Click here for more information
Spotlight on: Cheek by Jowl’s Shakespeare productions
Shakespeare has always been at the core of Cheek by Jowl’s repertoire. Here is a look back at all our Shakespeare productions to date.
Click here for our spotlight
Declan’s Shakespeare brick
30 April 2020
“This is my Shakespeare brick…
Some years ago were uncovered the original foundations of “The Theatre”, which was The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s first venue…”
Read Declan’s story here
Tune into our podcast!
24 April 2020
Join Artistic Directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod in ‘Not True, But Useful…’ a podcast series all about theatre, acting, directing, and life.
Click here to listen
Live Captures
23 April 2020
The live captures of The Winter’s Tale and Measure for Measure were made available to the public until 25 May 2020.
You can still access the full shows by signing up for our Education Pack
The Knight of the Burning Pestle…
at home!
7 April 2020
A lockdown won’t stop our actors… The Knight of the Burning Pestle cast will do their finale dance at home instead!
мы скоро вернемся!
Click here to watch
A message from Declan and Nick
27 March 2020
“Today is World Theatre Day.
Happy theatre day fellow theatre workers! Many of us feel suspended in a long dropped cue…”
Read it here in several languages
‘What’s in a name?’
10 April 2020
The name ‘Cheek by Jowl’ was born one night in 1981 in desperation…
Nick was doodling with ideas… We wanted something that suggested “closeness”…
Read it here
Intern blog – Orla
9 April 2020
“My experience working with Cheek by Jowl has truly exceeded my expectations. Looking back over the past three months, I feel…”
Read it here
“Every evening I go on stage with Vindice I experiment my failure.”
5 March 2020
A blog piece written by Fausto Cabra, who plays Vindice in The Revenger’s Tragedy.
Read it here
Spotlight on:
Cheek by Jowl’s Russian productions
Twenty years on from our first Moscow shows, here is a look back at our Russian-language shows to date…
Click here for our spotlight
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