The Persians wins design award

A scene from The Persians

The work of Mike Brookes and Simon Banham from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies (TFTS) on the National Theatre Wales’ production of The Persians has been acknowledged with the award for Best Design by the Theatrical Management Association (TMA).

The TMA is the UK’s major business association for organisations and companies involved professionally in the production and presentation of the performing arts.

The award was announced at the TMA Annual Awards 2010 where were held at the Lyric Hammersmith on Sunday 7 November.

Simon Banham, Mike Brookes and Professor Mike Pearson, also a member of staff at the Department, played pivotal roles in the production of which was staged at the military training village on Mynydd Epynt in the Brecon Beacons in August 2010.

The flagship show in National Theatre Wales’ (NTW) inaugural season of new work, The Persians received critical aclaim in the press with the Guardian describing it as a “superb production” and Telegraph as “extraordinary, one of the most imaginative, powerful and haunting theatrical events of the year.”

Speaking of the award Mike Brookes said; "The response to The Persians has been very encouraging. It is genuinely gratifying to see that the work has stayed in people's imaginations in this way".

Speaking of the award Simon Banham said; “I am delighted that our work on The Persians has been so well received. The validation that comes with this award is as much about the ambition of The National Theatre of Wales and the support and encouragement that TFTS offers to those of us engaged in professional practice as it is about the work of two designers.”

Professor Adrian Kear, Head of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television said:
‘I’m delighted that the work of Mike Brookes and Simon Banham has been acknowledged with this prestigious award. Their creative intelligence and professional experience lies at the heart of the Scenography and Theatre Design provision in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies (TFTS), and their achievement on The Persians is evidence of the benefits of having cutting-edge research and professional practice in the Department. It is also evidence of the strong contribution TFTS makes to the creative life of the nation’

Simon Banham is currently working on a new opera based on the bombing of Air India flight 182, a co-production between Vancouver’s PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and the Cork Midsummer festival.

Mike Brookes is currently in Berlin, completing a commission for Hebbel am Ufer.

Banham and Brookes will next work together on Quarantine’s (www.qtine.com) new piece ‘Entitled' opening next year at The Royal Exchange in Manchester and Sadler’s Wells in London.

Since 1991 the Annual TMA Theatre Awards have celebrated the creative excellence and outstanding work seen in UK theatres each year. In 2005 the TMA established the TMA Management Awards to champion and applaud the successful business initiatives and acumen of performing arts organisations.

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