Ian McKellen has formally opened a new theatre space for Ensemble 84 in Horden, County Durham, describing the company as fulfilling his romantic dreams about theatre. The actor said it was “shameful” that professional repertory companies, where actors learn their trade over time, no longer exist elsewhere in the UK.
Ensemble 84, formed 18 months ago, auditions local talent and employs them as actors and performers. McKellen contrasted this with institutions like the National Theatre, which he said hires actors as “hired helps” rather than employing them full-time. He praised the company for offering actors the chance to work together over a long period.
The company was founded by theatre director Mark Dornford-May, who previously co-founded the Isango Ensemble in South Africa. He said Ensemble 84 is now “probably the biggest employer in Horden since the National Coal Board closed”, offering hope to a community often associated with poverty and crime.
The company has a core cast of 15 performers, including former biochemistry student Willow Pearson and ex-civil servant Wendy Hindmarch. They have staged Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children and are preparing Hamlet. McKellen performed Shakespeare and watched scenes from the upcoming production.
