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In four years, David Babani has turned a disused factory into one of London's key theatres. Here's how he did it
"In London," says David Babani, "fringe theatre is a dirty word." And not without justification. It's meant to connote dissidence, dash and daring experiment. It's meant to breed the talents of tomorrow. But somehow, "fringe" has come to mean vanity projects, tatty revivals of tired classics, and sitting almost alone in rooms above pubs, while everyone downstairs has a lot more fun. So, when a fringe success story comes along, we should take notice.
That's where Babani comes in. This rumpled impresario, aged only 30, is artistic director of the Menier Chocolate Factory in southeast London, which celebrates its fourth birthday this week. "And when we do so," he says, "we will have shows running simultaneously on the West End, on Broadway, and one at the Chocolate Factory that's sold out."
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