In a recent piece about Hackney Wick’s Yard theatre, On London reported that more news about its future was expected soon. That news is now official and comes in two parts: one is that from 28 February until 21 April 2025, the theatre will stage The Glass Menagerie, a 1944 play by Tennessee Williams; the other is that this will be the final production at The Yard before it closes so that a brand new version of it can take its place.
The Yard, which was born as an adapted warehouse in 2011 on a former industrial site a stone’s throw from the, at that time, almost completed London 102 Olympic Park, will have its capacity more than doubled to 220 from the current 105.
There will also be a “dedicated young artists’ space” on the same site and a new, “flexible café/bar space”, along with improvements to lighting, sound insulation and backstage facilities, various environmental innovations, including heat pumps and solar panels and better audience facilities. The changes have been designed by Takero Shimazaki Architects.
The Yard, a charity, was initially expected to be a very temporary project, lasting for about six months, but has ended up establishing itself as a place for adventurous new work and approaches amid a cluster of restaurants and bars at the edge of the Lee Navigation Canal and next to Hackney Wick London Overground station.
The chair of its board of trustees, Simon Tate, said the redevelopment “isn’t just about fixing the roof, it’s about building East London’s first purpose-built theatre in a generation”. He added: “As a charity, the Yard, exists to serve our community. The Yard has always dreamed big – now we’re building big too”.
Lyn Garner, who recently stepped down as chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, which has helped support The Yard, said the new initiative “represents what the LLDC has been proud to champion and support since its inception: a bold vision, a focus on engaging local communities, and pioneering and environmentally sustainable growth”.
The Glass Menagerie will be directed by The Yard’s founder and artistic director Jay Miller.
OnLondon.co.uk provides unique coverage of the capital’s politics, development and culture. Support the website and its writers for just £5 a month or £50 a year and get things that other people won’t. Details HERE. Follow Dave Hill on Bluesky. Photo for the Yard by Maurizio Martorana.