Celebrating 20 years of bringing some of the world?s most original, risk-taking and popular artists to the capital, the 2001 London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), marks the end of its traditional biennial format as it embarks on a year-round schedule of productions.
Co-directors Rose Fenton and Lucy Neal said ?In 1981, Britain was missing out on a wealth of international theatre, and it seemed to us that a festival for London was a way forward. 20 years later, the landscape has changed and international work is now a mainstay of many theatres? programmes, enthusiastically attended by appreciative London audiences.? By abandoning its biennial format, the new-look LIFT is in a position to explore new opportunities and take greater risks. At this year?s Festival, a new form of performance-curation is piloted and a handful of unusual collaborations have their first airing. Hallmark LIFT events are to continue, including three days of large-scale outdoor celebrations such as ?Garden of Light?, by firework maestro Christophe Berthonneau, at Victoria Park.