Author Elizabeth Charlesworth
Published 11/05/2021
OV Back Together – Matthew Warchus
How do you come back from a year of separation? A year filled with fear, shock, loss, anger, debilitating powerlessness and exhausting lurches between hope and despair. Yet also a year filled with new discoveries, new ways of connecting, new priorities and new solidarity and support for each other. A year which has changed everything and everyone. Our children have taught us how. I watched mine go back to school weeks ago, back on the bus, back through the gates shoulder to shoulder with their peers. They didn’t go back alone. They went back together.
We are absolutely delighted to be reopening our doors to live audiences and rebooting in person all of the other important work that The Old Vic engages in alongside its main stage productions. It’s particularly gratifying to be able to play our part in bringing theatre freelancers (including writers, directors, designers, choreographers, musicians and performers) back to work after an impossibly challenging period.
There were times during the last year when the neon sign on the front of our building, declaring ‘We’ll Be Back’, seemed less confidently assertive and more poignantly hopeful… even over-optimistic. But through astonishing efforts and support from friends old and new, we’ve made it to reopening. We don’t take that for granted. We feel incredibly fortunate to be back. Very grateful to all those who made it happen. And very excited to be Back Together.
Matthew Warchus
Artistic Director