Sir Ian McKellen declares Horden's new theatre open
Welcome to The Playhouse
Joseph Hammal had just accepted a job with a well known coffee shop chain when he got an email inviting him to join County Durham’s new theatre company, Ensemble ’84.
What twists and turns life can take!
On Saturday evening, the 23-year-old from Shotley Bridge performed two scenes from Hamlet in front of an invited audience and a VIP guest, Sir Ian McKellen, one of the greatest classical actors on the world stage (to say nothing of Gandalf and his countless film roles).
Sir Ian had, in fact, just delivered a spellbinding rendition of ‘All the World’s a Stage’, the famous speech from Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
As well as giving Joseph a hard act to follow, he demonstrated the wonderful acoustic qualities of the theatre in Horden which he’d just opened, cutting a ribbon to mark the official transformation of a former Roman Catholic church into The Playhouse, permanent new home of Ensemble ’84.
For Joseph, that email some 18 months ago was the realisation of a dream.
“I fell in love with acting from a very young age but never had any opportunities to pursue it professionally,” he said against the post-show hubbub.
“I did some training at the Theatre Royal (on its Project A acting course) and worked for a bit after that, just doing adverts and small things.
“It got to a point where I thought either I move to London and try there and likely have no money and nowhere to live, or I get something I can earn a bit of money from to support myself (hence the coffee shop application).
“Then along comes Ensemble ’84 and it completely changed my life.
“It was everything I wanted in a company and for it to be in County Durham was just a dream come true, to be honest. I pinch myself every day.”
In a blink, a soon-to-be rookie barista became a professional actor, leading to that moment on Saturday, playing Hamlet in front of a man who shone in the role in his twenties and again at 80.
“I’ll remember that for the rest of my life,” Joseph said.
“I’ll be able to say I was in a room with Sir Ian McKellen performing a soliloquy from Hamlet for him. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Sir Ian, after the applause died down, had got to his feet and uttered words that would be music to the ears of any young actor.
“I thought that was fantastic,” he said. “Heartfelt and therefore original… very personal.”
Of Ensemble ’84 and its new theatre, he said: “What a resource you’ve got in your midst. It’s unique, wonderful.”
Ensemble ’84 came out of County Durham’s search for something special for its City of Culture bid. It approached creative consultant Sud Basu who in turn recommended Mark Dornford-May, founder of renowned South African theatre company Isango Ensemble.
The idea of bringing that company to County Durham grew into something more ambitious when Mark expressed an interest in building a similar enterprise from scratch in County Durham.
Having worked in the townships of South Africa, he understood that Horden, struggling after the loss of its pit, needed a boost.
He liked the people and, as he told Sir Ian on Saturday, found they seemed to like him. “I’ve never felt anything but welcomed here.”
A relationship thus established, he set about working his proven magic, not only recruiting locally for a company of actors but buying the old church and the adjoining presbytery where he intends to live.
He and others have worked wonders on the place since I visited a few months ago.
The old pews have been banked up around a central performance area while quirky theatrical embellishments include a grave to Yorick (long dead star of the Hamlet graveyard scene which Joseph and others also performed on Saturday) and the Ensemble ’84 sunburst logo worked into the iron gates and the lantern-like skylight which once supported a cross.
Mark Dornford-May, trailing many accomplishments and with many friends in the theatre world, brought Sir Ian to Horden to cut that ribbon and unveil a plaque.
The actor was generous with his time, telling the actors of Ensemble ’84 that he’d have applied to join if he’d been in their shoes.
He reflected on his early years in Lancashire and the flowering of his own acting ambitions, bemoaning meanwhile the loss of the old repertory system which ensured most towns had a thriving theatre scene.
Sir Ian recalled opening other new theatres, including Nottingham Playhouse and Sheffield Crucible, and said he had been intrigued by the idea of a new theatre in Horden.
He claimed a distant kinship with the area, a relative once having managed the colliery at nearby Houghton le Spring.
“I hope what goes on here, the music and drama, fires the spirit of a community that perhaps needs a little light and warmth,” he said.
It has certainly fired the spirit of all connected with Ensemble ’84.
Joseph Hammal said he had been “terrified and honoured and excited in equal measure” to be offered the part of Hamlet, aware of the responsibility but not under as much pressure as we might imagine.
“To have the faith of Mark is great but, that said, we’re doing Hamlet as a company. I can’t do anything unless everyone else is supporting me and vice versa.
“I’ve felt so supported, guided and nurtured at Ensemble ’84. It’s been a fantastic experience so far.
“All of us here agree that without Ensemble ‘84 we just wouldn’t have these opportunities.
“There are people in the company with children and others who care for elderly relatives. This is a lifeline for us as actors and artists.”
Sir Ian was presented with a portrait by another talented company member, Mia Cummings, who returned to County Durham after studying illustration in Lincoln. The training has borne fruit since she not only performs but designs the posters for the company.
The new mural you’ll see above the entrance, bearing the motto ‘Our future we build from the past’, is hers too.
As for Sir Ian McKellen, he may turn 87 this month but he is still working hard as an actor, while also campaigning to support the arts. New film The Christophers is just out and his reprise of Gandalf (The Hunt for Gollum) and his X-Men character Magneto (Avengers: Doomsday) will be eagerly awaited by fans.
As some of us saw on Saturday, when delivering Shakespeare’s lines in front of an audience, the years drop away. Sensitive to every nuance of the text, he lights up a theatre. Pure genius.
As for Ensemble ’84, what little we saw of its new production of Hamlet – or The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, as this First Quarto version has it – made it look one to savour.
As Mark Dornford-May explained, the First Quarto version – possibly that which Shakespeare and his actors used when touring – is half the length of the better known First Folio version and with significant textual differences.
Sir Ian promised to come back to see it.
It runs from May 26 until June 6 at The Playhouse on South Terrace, Horden, and you’ll find ticket details on the Ensemble ’84 website.