Babies are signed up as the stage stars of the future at Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric is giving all newborn babies in H&F a chance to join an exclusive club with access to shows, classes and activities for the next 25 years.
‘Born in the Borough’ is for babies born in, and living in, Hammersmith & Fulham. As the theatre began on 20 July 1895, the babies who will qualify for the special membership must be born between 20 July this year and 20 July 2021.
Artistic director Rachel O’Riordan promised that the project would offer every baby real opportunities “to enjoy the life-enhancing experience of theatre in their lives”.
“My hope is that Born in the Borough will ensure all our ‘125 Babies’ will develop a lifelong love of the arts,” she said. “We may even find the next Ian McKellen or Noma Dumezweni!”
John Horton, of Chiswick and Hammersmith’s independent estate agents Horton and Garton, welcomed the offer. “It’s an original way of involving the 2020-21 year group in the arts, and I wish it well,” he said. “We’ll do all we can to support the Born in the Borough members.”
Lockdown promise
While the Lyric Square theatre, dance and film complex is currently closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the full details of the benefits of Born in the Borough will be revealed when it reopens following lockdown.
A lively Little Lyric programme gives children as young as one or two the chance to participate in stimulating puppet and story-telling sessions, while the Young Lyric company continues music, dance and performing through teenage years.
Babies registered in the coming year can expect free entry to some shows (particularly the annual panto) and, eventually, the chance of a career.
Lyric executive director Sian Alexander said: “Our community has supported us throughout our 125 years, and because of that we’ve survived demolitions and past threats of closure.”
She described the Born in the Borough project as “our gift to Hammersmith & Fulham” to offer the theatre’s anniversary year group “a creative and cultural childhood”.
By including all babies born in H&F in the next year, the aim is to celebrate and support the borough’s vibrant and diverse community.
If you are the parent or guardian of a baby born between 20 July this year, and 20 July next year, you can register them as a ‘Lyric 125 Baby’ by emailing 125Baby@lyric.co.uk
- The Lyric Hammersmith began life as the New Lyric Opera House in 1895, although its roots went back even further to a tiny theatre building in Bradmore Grove, Hammersmith, in 1888.
- Marie Rambert worked at the Lyric in the 1920s before setting up the dance company that bears her name, while Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party and Michael Frayn’s Noises Off had their debut performances at the theatre.
- Ian McKellen first stepped on to a London stage at the Lyric, Peter Brook’s early work was performed there, while others to have trodden the boards include Sheila Hancock, Richard Burton, Lillie Langtry, Tanika Gupta, John Gielgud, Edith Evans, Alec Guiness, Ellen Terry, Dora Bryan, Dirk Bogarde, Ian Carmichael, Paul Scofield, Dorothy Tutin and Peter Ustinov.
Reopened by The Queen in 1979, it has since been transformed by a huge rebuilding programme which has added dance studios and cinema spaces.
The Lyric aims to reopen in November for Aladdin – this year’s pantomime. For more details, visit www.lyric.co.uk
