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Primavera Productions is a professional theatre company founded in 2003 by Tom Littler, who is also the Artistic Director. It is based in London, UK.

Primavera is particularly noted for its revivals of rarely performed plays, although this does not seem to be its exclusive focus. This has included the "Forgotten Classics" series of rehearsed readings at The King's Head Theatre, Islington. These have featured a performance of Byron's Manfred starring young British actor Harry Lloyd, of Virginia Woolf's Freshwater starring Edmund Kingsley, John Lyly's Gallathea starring Mary Nighy, and Charles Dickens's No Thoroughfare starring Louise Brealey, all directed by Tom Littler. Other plays in the series not directed by Tom Littler included the first play in English by a woman (Mariam) and early works by American playwrights. In 2008 Primavera Productions announced a second "Forgotten Classics" series, including the 50th anniversary reading of T.S. Eliot's The Elder Statesman, starring Christopher Timothy, Harry Lloyd, Joanna Christie, and David Burt; an unperformed play by John Osborne, "A Place Calling Itself Rome", which rewrites Shakespeare's Coriolanus; and Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White.

Primavera Productions also produced at the Finborough Theatre where its 2007 work includes an opera by Ethel Smyth and a play by T. S. Eliot, The Confidential Clerk. In 2008, Tom Littler directed the first ever revival of Jingo: A Farce of War, a comedy by Charles Wood set in the last days of British occupation of Singapore before the humiliating surrender to the Japanese. Susannah Harker played Gwendoline and Anthony Howell played her ex-husband Ian. The revival was hailed as a rediscovery of a major playwright.^[1] Primavera's past productions have also included the Scottish premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Passion at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Scotsman Critics' Choice for Musicals / Opera), Into the Woods and A Streetcar Named Desire at the Oxford Playhouse, a production of Frank McGuinness' version of Ibsen's A Doll's House on tour, and Shakespeare's As You Like It as the inaugural production at the Said Business School in Oxford. All of these productions were directed by Tom Littler.

In 2009, Primavera Productions produced the first revival of Stephen Sondheim's first musical Saturday Night at the Jermyn Street Theatre.^[2] The show sold out for its run and successfully transferred to the Arts Theatre in the West End and to Theatre Royal, Windsor. Primavera also produced Bryony Lavery's play Origin of the Species later that year at the Arcola Theatre.^[3]

References

^ Michael Billington, The Guardian
^ Reported on 'Whatsonstage' - article, 20 August 2008 Archived 16 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
^ News article on Origin of the Species

External links

[1] Michael Billington, The Guardian

[2] Reported on 'Whatsonstage' - article, 20 August 2008 Archived 16 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[3] News article on Origin of the Species

[1]

[2]

[3]

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+{{more footnotes|date=July 2023}}
-Primavera is a professional theatre company founded in 2003 by [[Tom Littler]], who is also the Artistic Director. It is based in London, UK. It is run by Tom Littler and Producer Chantelle Staynings and produces in the West End and throughout the UK. In 2007, it was awarded the Stage One Producers Bursary by the [[Society of London Theatre]].
+'''Primavera Productions''' is a professional theatre company founded in 2003 by [[Tom Littler]], who is also the Artistic Director. It is based in London, UK.
-Primavera is particularly noted for its revivals of rarely performed plays, although this does not seem to be its exclusive focus. This has included the "Forgotten Classics" series of rehearsed readings at the [[The King's Head Theatre]], Islington. These have featured a performance of [[Byron]]'s Manfred starring young British actor [[Harry Lloyd]], of [[Virginia Woolf]]'s Freshwater starring [[Edmund Kingsley]], John Lyly's [[Gallathea]] starring [[Mary Nighy]], and Charles Dickens's [[No Thoroughfare]] starring [[Loo Brealey]], all directed by Tom Littler. Other plays in the series not directed by Tom Littler included the first play in English by a woman (''Mariam'') and early works by American playwrights. In 2008 Primavera Productions announced a second "Forgotten Classics" series, including the 50th anniversary reading of T.S.Eliot's [[The Elder Statesman]], starring [[Christopher Timothy]], [[Harry Lloyd]], [[Joanna Christie]], and [[David Burt]]; an unperformed play by [[John Osborne]], "A Place Calling Itself Rome", which rewrites Shakespeare's [[Coriolanus]]; and Wilkie Collins's [[The Woman in White]].
+Primavera is particularly noted for its revivals of rarely performed plays, although this does not seem to be its exclusive focus. This has included the "Forgotten Classics" series of rehearsed readings at [[The King's Head Theatre]], Islington. These have featured a performance of [[Byron]]'s Manfred starring young British actor [[Harry Lloyd]], of [[Virginia Woolf]]'s Freshwater starring [[Edmund Kingsley]], John Lyly's [[Gallathea]] starring [[Mary Nighy]], and Charles Dickens's [[No Thoroughfare]] starring [[Louise Brealey]], all directed by Tom Littler. Other plays in the series not directed by Tom Littler included the first play in English by a woman (''Mariam'') and early works by American playwrights. In 2008 Primavera Productions announced a second "Forgotten Classics" series, including the 50th anniversary reading of T.S. Eliot's [[The Elder Statesman (play)|The Elder Statesman]], starring [[Christopher Timothy]], [[Harry Lloyd]], [[Joanna Christie]], and [[David Burt (actor)|David Burt]]; an unperformed play by [[John Osborne]], "A Place Calling Itself Rome", which rewrites Shakespeare's [[Coriolanus]]; and Wilkie Collins's [[The Woman in White (novel)|The Woman in White]].
-Primavera Productions also produced at the [[Finborough Theatre]] where its 2007 work includes an opera by [[Ethel Smyth]] and a play by [[T. S. Eliot]], ''[[The Confidential Clerk]]''. In 2008, Tom Littler directed the first ever revival of ''Jingo: A Farce of War'', a comedy by [[Charles Wood]] set in the last days of British occupation of Singapore before the humiliating surrender to the Japanese. [[Susannah Harker]] played Gwendoline and [[Anthony Howell]] played her ex-husband Ian. The revival was hailed as a rediscovery of a major playwright.<ref>Michael Billington, The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/mar/31/theatre]</ref>  Primavera's past productions have also included the Scottish premiere of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''Passion'' at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Scotsman Critics' Choice for Musicals / Opera), Into the Woods and [[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]] at the Oxford Playhouse, a production of Frank McGuinness' version of Ibsen's [[A Doll's House]] on tour, and [[Shakespeare]]'s ''As You Like It'' as the inaugural production at the [[Said Business School]] in Oxford. All of these productions were directed by Tom Littler.
+Primavera Productions also produced at the [[Finborough Theatre]] where its 2007 work includes an opera by [[Ethel Smyth]] and a play by [[T. S. Eliot]], ''[[The Confidential Clerk]]''. In 2008, Tom Littler directed the first ever revival of ''Jingo: A Farce of War'', a comedy by [[Charles Wood (playwright)|Charles Wood]] set in the last days of British occupation of Singapore before the humiliating surrender to the Japanese. [[Susannah Harker]] played Gwendoline and [[Anthony Howell (actor)|Anthony Howell]] played her ex-husband Ian. The revival was hailed as a rediscovery of a major playwright.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/mar/31/theatre Michael Billington], ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref>  Primavera's past productions have also included the Scottish premiere of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''Passion'' at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Scotsman Critics' Choice for Musicals / Opera), Into the Woods and [[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]] at the Oxford Playhouse, a production of Frank McGuinness' version of Ibsen's ''[[A Doll's House]]'' on tour, and [[Shakespeare]]'s ''As You Like It'' as the inaugural production at the [[Said Business School]] in Oxford. All of these productions were directed by Tom Littler.
-In 2009, Primavera Productions produced the first revival of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s first musical ''[[Saturday Night (musical)|Saturday Night]]'' at the Jermyn Street Theatre.<ref>Reported on 'Whatsonstage' - [http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821219227742 article, 20 August 2008]</ref> The show sold out for its run and successfully transferred to the [[Arts Theatre]] in the West End and to Theatre Royal, Windsor.
+In 2009, Primavera Productions produced the first revival of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s first musical ''[[Saturday Night (musical)|Saturday Night]]'' at the Jermyn Street Theatre.<ref>Reported on 'Whatsonstage' - [http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821219227742 article, 20 August 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616051825/http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821219227742 |date=16 June 2011 }}</ref> The show sold out for its run and successfully transferred to the [[Arts Theatre]] in the West End and to Theatre Royal, Windsor.  Primavera also produced Bryony Lavery's play ''Origin of the Species'' later that year at the [[Arcola Theatre]].<ref>[http://www.theatermania.com/london/news/07-2009/bryony-laverys-origin-of-the-species-slated-for-ar_20243.html News article on Origin of the Species]</ref>
-Tom Littler also works as a freelance director, assisting Sir [[Peter Hall (theatre director)|Peter Hall]] on [[A Doll's House]], the world premiere of [[Simon Gray]]'s ''Little Nell'' and on [[Noel Coward]]'s ''The Vortex'' with [[Felicity Kendal]], [[Peter Gill]] on ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' starring [[Penelope Keith]], Laurence Boswell on [[Christopher Hampton]]'s ''Treats'' starring [[Billie Piper]], and Alan Strachan on ''The Letter'' starring [[Jenny Seagrove]] and [[Anthony Andrews]] and ''Absurd Person Singular'' with [[Jane Horrocks]].
-Forthcoming productions include Bryony Lavery's play ''Origin of the Species'' at the [[Arcola Theatre]] in November 2009<ref>News article on Origin of the Species [http://www.theatermania.com/london/news/07-2009/bryony-laverys-origin-of-the-species-slated-for-ar_20243.html]</ref>.
 ==References==
@@ Line 17: / Line 14: @@
 * [http://www.primaveraproductions.com Primavera Productions website]
 * [http://www.kingsheadtheatre.org The King's Head website]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140204023502/http://mlrep.com/clients/ Talent agency profile of Director/Founder Tom Littler, and other folks involved with UK theatre]
-* [http://www.ml2000.org.uk Macnaughton Lord (Tom Littler's agents) website]
 * [http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Theatre-Review/the-confidential-clerk-finborough-theatre-review Review of The Confidential Clerk]
 * [http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/feature/1071/Shakespeares+As+You+Like+It/ Review of As You Like It]
-* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article3642720.ece Times review of Jingo]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110616045806/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article3642720.ece Times review of Jingo]
-* [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre/reviews/jingo-finborough-theatre-london-803081.html Independent review of Jingo]
+* [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre/reviews/jingo-finborough-theatre-london-803081.html Independent review of Jingo]
 [[Category:Theatre companies in London]]
-[[Category:2003 establishments]]
+[[Category:British companies established in 2003]]
+[[Category:Arts organizations established in 2003]]
+[[Category:2003 establishments in England]]