Polka over the years
1967
Polka started life as a touring company in 1967, under the Artistic Directorship of Richard Gill. He was spurred on by a commitment to fine design and craftsmanship and a passion for puppetry, taking the company’s work to many of Britain’s major theatres. By 1971, Polka was attracting staggering audiences of 250,000 each year.
1976
In 1976, Polka found the Holy Trinity Halls in Wimbledon and on 20th November 1979, following a lengthy fundraising campaign and fit-up, Polka – The Children’s Theatre officially opened. It was the UK’s first theatre venue dedicated exclusively to children. This momentous event was marked by a Gala Performance attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
With two performance spaces, a café, a playground, a toyshop and exhibition spaces, Polka was unique in its child-centred design. Its annual programme consisted of seven home-produced productions, plus Polka provided a permanent London venue for touring children’s theatre companies from all over the UK and abroad.
1988
In 1988, Vicky Ireland joined Polka as the company’s second Artistic Director. Under Ireland’s leadership, and with a focus on quality scriptwriting, Polka worked with some of Britain’s leading writers, including Alan Ayckbourn, Philip Pullman, David Holman, Jamila Gavin, Malorie Blackman, Charles Way and Mike Kenny. Vicky’s devotion to quality playwriting was also reflected in the appointment of a Director of New Writing in 2001, out of which Polka’s New Writing Programme was born.
1994
In 1994 Polka won the Vivien Duffield Theatre Award to begin its pioneering audience development initiative, Curtain-Up!, offering free tickets to schools. The scheme, which still runs, has introduced over 80,000 school children to the magic of theatre since it began.
2002
In 2002, Annie Wood was appointed as Polka’s third Artistic Director. Her first major commission was the groundbreaking installation performance piece, ‘Best Behaviour’, devised and directed by Mark Storor. Part theatre and part live art, the show took place in the theatre’s foyer, and was hailed as “one of the best pieces of theatre this century” in a five-star review in The Guardian. Polka continued to innovate in theatre for babies and toddlers, while the first ‘Polka Teens’ show went into production in the Main Theatre.
2007
2007 saw the arrival of Jonathan Lloyd as Artistic Director. Jonathan’s appointment led an ambitious and entertaining mix of new plays, adaptations and innovative work for Early Years audiences. Shows included the premiere of Fevered Sleep’s ‘Brilliant’; ‘Ghosts in the Gallery’ by Paul Sirett, a collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery; and ‘Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play’ which toured nationally and internationally. Education projects flourished, and Freefalling was launched, our flagship Youth Theatre programme for children in Merton in challenging circumstances.
2013
Polka appointed Peter Glanville as Artistic Director in 2013. During his tenure Polka staged ambitious productions such as ‘Minotaur’ and ‘Operation Magic Carpet’, as well as exciting collaborations such as ‘Dot, Squiggle and Rest’ with the Royal Opera House. He launched the PolkaLAB programme, supporting new artists from Global Majority backgrounds to develop new work, and worked alongside 17 European countries in the Culture Europe funded Mapping programme, leading to the establishment of the first Big Dreams Early Years Theatre Festival.
2018 – 2021
In 2018, Executive Director Stephen Midlane stepped down after over 40 years of service to Polka, with Lynette Shanbury taking up the reins alongside Glanville as Joint CEO. The following year the theatre temporarily closed for a major redevelopment of the building
Whilst the venue was closed, the company toured to venues and schools, and created the Polka40 project, celebrating 40 years of the company’s work. In August 2021 the venue reopened following a £9m redevelopment, with hugely improved customer and backstage facilities, performance spaces and accessibility.
2023 – Now
Helen Matravers was appointed as Polka’s Artistic Director in January 2023. Her focus has been on the development of work by underrepresented artists in the Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) sector, as well as building national coproducing partnerships. In 2024 she established the Polka Playwriting Award, Catapult Artist Development programme, and an annual free school’s touring programme. The same year, Polka won the coveted UK Theatre Award for Most Welcoming Theatre, as well as Merton’s Best Business, and went on to secure the theatre’s first Olivier Award nomination for The Nutcracker (a coproduction with Little Bulb Theatre).
Polka’s Archive
Polka’s extensive archive is currently housed at the University of Worcester, where it comprises over 4,000 photographs, 200 scripts and prompts, 350 posters and flyers, 150 programmes, recordings of performances, minutes of company meetings, artistic notes, correspondence, building plans, set designs, sketches and press cuttings.
The archive also includes fascinating props, costumes, and puppets from leading and pioneering puppeteers of the last four decades. It provides an insight into the company’s responses to cultural, social, economic and political changes over five decades.
Unfortunately the archive is not currently accessible, but we hope this will change soon. However you can view our online archive featuring information on Polka40, which also includes a series of oral histories, as well as a show archive of Polka-produced productions since 2021.
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