Abstract
Tom Cantrell explores how the National Theatre Studio supported the research and development of new projects via the example of one of the most innovative and unusual theatrical productions developed at the National Theatre, the documentary musical London Road (2011). The chapter features interviews with Purni Morell, who was Head of the Studio from 2007-2011, and with London Road’s writer, Alecky Blythe, and composer, Adam Cork. The chapter explores how Morell was able to tailor the significant resources available at the Studio to support the project’s development. The chapter explores the distinction between development and production and the real tension between them. Cantrell explores notions of ownership, the complex power structures within organisations, and how Morell developed a model of support within the Studio that foregrounded flexibility and the ability to respond to the needs of an evolving project.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Research and Development in British Theatre |
| Editors | Tom Cantrell, Karen Quigley, Katherine Graham, Mark Love-Smith |
| Publisher | Methuen |
| Chapter | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781350300354 |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 1 Aug 2024 |