GO Ha Ha with Giant Olive’s Edinburgh Comedy Previews!

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre will be playing host to some of this year’s finest Comedians ahead of their trek up to Edinburgh for the Festival season.

Come and join the fun for two weeks from Monday 18th July until Saturday 31st July.  Two shows, every night at 7.30pm and 9.30pm.

Featuring award-winning comedian Joe Bor (‘Terrific’, Time Out) as he shares his struggle to try to get a six-pack before he reaches 30 and the “Melodious, witty and absurdly sexy” (Arthur Smith) SEGUE SISTERS in ‘A JAILHOUSE SPECTACULAR’a story of survival, great escapes, love, barred windows and rubber ducks.

Giant Olive will also be bringing you “the Bob Monkhouse of political comedy” ANDY ZALTZMAN  (Stephen Armstrong, The Sunday Times) and a brand new hour of simply hilarious stand-up comedy and simply ridiculous comic songs from the simple multi-award winning PHIL NICHOL (“Riotously funny”, Sunday Telegraph).

TV’s Big Brother winner PETE BENNETT makes his stand up debut utilising comedy, music and puppetry.

For a full line up, visit: http://www.giantolive.com/comedy.html

To book tickets visit: http://www.ticketweb.co.uk

4 Stars for Giant Olive Theatre’s ‘Tom Jones’

Tom Jones

Giant Olive Theatre relaunched officially with ‘Tom Jones’ on Thursday 26th March and the critical response to the adaptation of Henry Fielding’s comic masterpiece has been fantastic.

FOUR STARS  “This play is like the person whose end of the table you always endeavor to sit at” The Public Reviews Read more

“Giant Olive Theatre’s production of Tom Jones is a hysterical romp through an eighteenth century landscape, incredibly rich in language and fashion” Extra!Extra! Read more

 ”A riot of rollicking fun” Howard Loxton, The British Theatre Guide Read more

THREE STARS “Nimbly acted by a cast of only seven, it’s a fun and sexy adaptation of Henry Fielding’s most famous and epic novel”.  London Festival Fringe Review Read more

‘Tom Jones’ runs until 13th June, for a full schedule of performances visit http://www.giantolive.com/whatson.html

To book tickets, click here

“Giant Olive Theatre is back” West End Extra

The West End Extra announced today that the Giant Olive Theatre Company is back!

Read all about it:

“Kentish Town’s Giant Olive theatre company have been a staple of these pages since the group formed in 2008 – and now they’re back following a refit of their base in the Lion and Unicorn, Gaisford Street. Upcoming productions at the venue include sci-fi drama The Borrowed Earth Foundation, Tom Jones and The King’s Face, which centres on the story of Henry V’s assent to the throne. For tickets call 08444 771 000″

Published: 12 May, 2011 by JOSH LOEB

Gaea Theatre Festival

The Gaea Theatre Festival 2011

Starting August and running for four months…

A celebration of women playwrights, directors & performers

Produced by Giant Olive Theatre Company

More information and a full festival programme to follow very shortly…

www.giantolive.com

BBC World Features Giant Olive Theatre’s ‘ZIP: Gun & Knife Crime’

Tuesday 19th April 2011

BBC World Russia featured Giant Olive Theatre Company’s ‘ZIP: Gun & Knife Crime’ in a special programme on tackling gun & knife crime in London.  The BBC Russia radio programme featured interviews with Ray Shell, ZIP’s Director, along with footage from the video diary kept throughout the theatre project.

‘ZIP: Gun & Knife Crime’ was conceived by George Sallis and Ray Shell in 2010. Giant Olive organised a series of workshops with people in Camden affected by Gun & Knife Crime and using the material gathered, produced ‘ZIP’ which received Time Out’s Critics Choice at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in August 2010.

The Giant Olive team are now working on funding bids for phase two of ZIP:Gun & Knife Crime, reaching communities in England affected by the issues raised about youth crime.

See BBC Russia News Article

Giant Olive Article in The Stage

Lion & Unicorn announces reopening season

Published Wednesday 13 April 2011 at 14:39 by Adam Baker

Kentish Town’s Lion & Unicorn has revealed the re-opening seasons in its fully refurbished venue.

Run by in-house company Giant Olive, the refurbished theatre will kick-start with a new comedy night on May 16, featuring comedian Steve Furst and special guests in the improvised character comedy show Q&A. The fringe theatre will then stage a production of Tom Jones, based on the Henry Fielding novel. Previews start from May 24.

The Lion & Unicorn Pub in which the theatre is house will now offer a new bar and dining space serving British dishes, Sunday roasts and an outside BBQ.

Giant Olive artistic director George Sallis, said: “We’re coming up to our third anniversary since taking over the Lion & Unicorn Theatre. With the introduction of a quality food and drink operator and a continuation and expansion of our eclectic theatre programme, I see an exciting year ahead.”

Other events to be held include Immaculate, by Oliver Lansley and the Exchange Theatre Company for Bastille Week – a week of theatre dedicated to French writing, performance and culture.

Meanwhile, two weeks of Edinburgh comedy previews will wrap up the end of July with 28 performances from comedians performing at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Giant Olive will also host the Gaea Theatre Festival in August, described as a new festival celebrating female playwrights, performers and directors.

Read the original article here.

Giant Olive Theatre Programme Announcement

Exciting news as Giant Olive Theatre plans it’s grand reopening with the hillarious adaptation of Tom Jones.

Originally a Henry Fielding novel, this clever adaptation by Ross Ericson is proudly presented by Giant Olive Theatre Company and will run from Tuesday May 24th through to Sunday May 25th for a preview week.

Visit the Giant Olive Theatre Tom Jones Webpage here and follow the event on Facebook here.

Yours theatrically,

The Giant Olive Team.

Giant Olive Theatre Website Launch!

Welcome to the new virtual face of Giant Olive Theatre in Kentish Town.

Have a look around the site as we prepare to announce the Spring 2011 Theatre Season! www.giantolive.com

Yours in theatre,

The Giant Olive Team.

Giant Olive Theatre Refurbishments!

Welcome to the brand new Giant Olive Theatre blog!

The major refurbishments of Giant Olive Theatre at the Lion & Unicorn are well underway and the team is looking forward to welcoming you to the exciting new season commencing in May!

Stay tuned for more updates and a thrilling Spring Program soon to be announced.

Have a look through the gallery and archive of productions thus far here: http://www.giantolive.com

Yours in theatre,

The Giant Olive Team.