Pushing boundaries on stage
Pushing boundaries on stage
Over 90 years, we’ve facilitated long-standing, meaningful relationships between artists and audiences, connecting the UK and the rest of the world through performing arts.
We work with artists, performers and arts organisations to inspire and enthral audiences around the globe. We share the best of UK contemporary dance and theatre with the world, opening conversations and challenging perceptions.
Our commitment to supporting performers and engaging audiences worldwide builds cultural understanding and enables new partnerships between international artists and performers.
Marking the beginning of our long legacy in supporting British theatre companies, our very first tour took the Old Vic Theatre Company to Egypt in 1939.
The company performed Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Hamlet, starring Sir Alec Guinness.
International tours resumed after the war. In 1948, the Old Vic Theatre Company travelled to Australia and New Zealand. Led by Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, it included performances of Shakespeare’s Richard III.
The tour was a resounding success, covering 4,600 miles and reaching audiences of over 300,000 people. Following the tour we advised on the establishment of a national theatre in Australia.
We also supported the Sadler’s Wells Ballet Company on numerous international tours. In the years after the Second World War, the company visited France, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Sweden and Norway as well as the USA and Canada.
‘In few weeks, Margot Fonteyn and the Sadler’s Wells had restored as much glitter to Britain’s tarnished tiara as any mission the English had sent abroad since the war.’
Time Magazine
We broke new ground in 1983 when we supported the National Theatre in Greece with their production of The Oresteia.
They became the first foreign company to perform in the ancient amphitheatre of Epidaurus.
Throughout our history, we’ve shown that performing arts can provide hope and healing in times of fragility and conflict. Sharing stories that carry messages beyond borders.
At the height of the Cold War, our commitment to culture and bridging cultural divides did not waver.
In the same year that the Berlin Wall was erected, we supported the UK National Youth Theatre’s production of Julius Caesar in the city.
In partnership with the Scottish government, in 2007 we supported the National Theatre of Scotland’s US tour of Black Watch.
Written by Gregory Burke, the play tells the story of Scotland’s legendary 300-year-old Black Watch regiment and is based on interviews with soldiers who served in Iraq.
Listen to former British Council Chair Neil Kinnock share his memories of watching the play.
In 2016, a production of Minefield brought together veterans from both sides of the Falklands conflict to explore their experiences through theatre.
Watch an excerpt of Minefield by Lola Arias
We co-founded one of the most prestigious global celebrations of performing arts in 1940, the Edinburgh International Festival.
In 2017, we marked the 70th anniversary with a special programme of events: Spirit of ’47.
In 2024, we continue to support the Edinburgh International Festival.
We took part in Global Conversations, a space for disabled creatives working in the performing arts to learn and make connections, hosted by the festival.
The events included a case study workshop led by Chela de Ferrari for the performers of Teatro La Plaza’s Hamlet and for 15 Scottish practitioners.
‘The British Council has been pivotal to my growth as an artist. From supporting Kaash to TOROBAKA, they have enabled me to share stories on a global stage, transcending borders and cultures.
I am immensely grateful for their continued efforts in bringing my voice to the world, which is simply an amplification of many important voices that have courageously whispered into my soul and then to the rest of the world.’
Akram Khan, dancer and choreographer
Bahok
Bahok
Ma
Ma
Vertical Road
Vertical Road
‘The British Council made me who I am today. The British Council have opened my eyes to a big wide world where stereotypes of us British are just waiting to be smashed.’
Michael Clark
‘I cannot express enough the importance of touring, performing and testing new work abroad.
Letting new work breathe, finding its own voice, being given a chance to develop and begin a dialogue with these countries which continues to this day [...] I, as one of Michael Clark’s dancers, am super grateful to the British Council and long may they live!’
Ellen Van Schuylenburch, Michael Clark Company dancer
We believe in the power of inclusive arts. Through our mission to foster a rich cultural exchange beyond borders and ensure a range of voices are heard and celebrated, we have supported the arrival of international artists in the UK.
In 2012, as part of the Cultural Olympiad in London, we helped create Unlimited, an international disability arts programme promoting inclusive arts.
Learn more about Unlimited’s incredible story from founder Jo Verrent
Remix Dance Company’s Second Broken, 2012 © Remix Dance Company.
Remix Dance Company’s Second Broken, 2012 © Remix Dance Company.
We partnered with Owlspot Theatre and Graeae Theatre Company to stage The Tempest: Swimming for Beginners in 2021, bringing together D/deaf and disabled artists from Japan, the UK and Bangladesh © Victor Frankowski.
We partnered with Owlspot Theatre and Graeae Theatre Company to stage The Tempest: Swimming for Beginners in 2021, bringing together D/deaf and disabled artists from Japan, the UK and Bangladesh © Victor Frankowski.
Shakespeare stands unparalleled as an enduring symbol of British culture, continuing to inspire and influence worldwide.
Throughout our history we have worked with artists and performers to share his work around the world, including supporting Shakespeare performances in countries where no British theatre company has previously performed.
In 1979, the Old Vic made history as the first British theatre company to tour China. Their production of Hamlet starred Derek Jacobi and was directed by Toby Robertson. The nine performances in Shanghai and Beijing received standing ovations nightly and were watched by over ten million people on television.
In 1980, we organised a seven-week tour of India for the Cambridge Theatre Company, showcasing Shakespeare’s Macbeth. With 42 performances in six cities, the tour drew packed audiences, including an enthusiastic reception in Delhi attended by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In 2012 we worked with the South Sudan Theatre Company to deliver a ground-breaking performance of Cymbeline at London’s Globe Theatre in 2012. The performance was part of the London Cultural Olympiad, during which the Globe played host to 37 Shakespeare plays in 37 languages over a six-week period.
In 2023, we supported local director Amr Gamal to stage an Arabic-language performance of Hamlet in Aden, Yemen.
Shakespeare stands unparalleled as an enduring symbol of British culture, continuing to inspire and influence worldwide.
Throughout our history we have worked with artists and performers to share his work around the world, including supporting Shakespeare performances in countries where no British theatre company has previously performed.
In 1979, the Old Vic made history as the first British theatre company to tour China. Their production of Hamlet starred Derek Jacobi and was directed by Toby Robertson. The nine performances in Shanghai and Beijing received standing ovations nightly and were watched by over ten million people on television.
In 1980, we organised a seven-week tour of India for the Cambridge Theatre Company, showcasing Shakespeare’s Macbeth. With 42 performances in six cities, the tour drew packed audiences, including an enthusiastic reception in Delhi attended by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In 2012 we worked with the South Sudan Theatre Company to deliver a ground-breaking performance of Cymbeline at London’s Globe Theatre in 2012. The performance was part of the London Cultural Olympiad, during which the Globe played host to 37 Shakespeare plays in 37 languages over a six-week period.
In 2023, we supported local director Amr Gamal to stage an Arabic-language performance of Hamlet in Aden, Yemen.
Founded in 1994 in Craiova, Romania with the help of the British Council, the acclaimed International Shakespeare Festival Craiova celebrates 30 years in 2024.
Emil Boroghină, Romanian actor and director, is the founder of the festival, president of the Shakespeare Foundation and a founding member of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network.
In 1964 we marked the quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s birth.
To celebrate the occasion, we commissioned the Marlowe Dramatic Society at Cambridge University to record Shakespeare’s complete works on vinyl. Started in 1958, the collection of recordings was published in 1964 and featured student actors who went on to have illustrious careers, including Prunella Scales and Sir Ian McKellen.
We supported a three-month world tour with several British theatre companies performing Shakespeare in over 40 countries.
In Nigeria, ‘A Shakespeare Festival’ was produced on a lorry and drove from town to town to 60,000 people.
In Bucharest, the Royal Shakespeare Company performed one of the plays informally with Romanian actors and in the local language.
In Belgrade, Serbia, they gave recitals for university students who couldn’t get tickets to the main performance.
In 1964 we marked the quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s birth.
To celebrate the occasion, we commissioned the Marlowe Dramatic Society at Cambridge University to record Shakespeare’s complete works on vinyl. Started in 1958, the collection of recordings was published in 1964 and featured student actors who went on to have illustrious careers, including Prunella Scales and Sir Ian McKellen.
We supported a three-month world tour with several British theatre companies performing Shakespeare in over 40 countries.
In Nigeria, ‘A Shakespeare Festival’ was produced on a lorry and drove from town to town to 60,000 people.
In Bucharest, the Royal Shakespeare Company performed one of the plays informally with Romanian actors and in the local language.
In Belgrade, Serbia, they gave recitals for university students who couldn’t get tickets to the main performance.
In 2016, we marked the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with a global celebration of his work.
Shakespeare Lives engaged over 60 million people with performances and educational programmes, reaffirming Shakespeare’s enduring legacy today.
A series of films were produced by artists and directors with a focus on the relevance of Shakespeare today.
Our commitment to performing arts is not just about the present but also about building a legacy that will inspire future generations.
Through strategic support and innovative programmes, the British Council ensures that the UK’s influence in performance continues to thrive globally.
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