Hugh Jackman launches theatre company to produce ‘intimate and accessible’ shows

Wolverine star Hugh Jackman has launched a theatre company to produce “intimate and accessible” shows alongside Broadway and West End producer Sonia Friedman.

Together will see the pair work alongside director Ian Rickson to create full-length shows that give audiences “a chance to experience theatre in a fresh and engaging way” in the UK, US and other countries.

The pair say the company will focus on equal pay for actors and shared creative credit, by “stripping the fully rehearsed productions down to their essentials” making the small venue shows as affordable as possible.

In a joint statement, Jackman and Friedman said: “With director Ian Rickson we wanted to create a company where actors, writers, and directors could experiment, explore, and take risks, away from the pressures that are often associated with the commercial theatre world.

“Together is about going back to basics, rediscovering the simple, thrilling essence of live performance.

“At the same time, this isn’t about our stepping away from Broadway or the West End, it’s about supporting and co-existing alongside them.

“We have always been drawn to theatre because of its raw energy — the excitement of a first reading, the joy of stepping into an unexpected role, that sense of a shared experience.

“With Ian, this company is our way of sharing those moments with audiences, making them part of our process.

“We also want to embrace flexibility — whether that’s through varied performance schedules during the week or staging plays in repertoire, allowing productions and ideas to evolve in a spontaneous and organic way.

“By removing some of the usual constraints, we hope to create a space where the productions can feel fresh, alive, and ever-changing.”

Jackman, 56, is best known for playing superhero Wolverine in the X-Men film franchise and Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with roles in Van Helsing, The Greatest Showman and Flushed Away.

Friedman, 59, is the first person to win producer of the year for three years running at The Stage Awards, and was featured in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People Of 2018.