The Sunday before last I was at the Young Vic to see a performance by the Belarus Free Theatre company. I went for two reasons: the first was to learn about Belarus - the people, the politics and why people risk getting arrested to attend theatre; and the second reason was to test my assumptions about the purpose and value of theatre.
... if I'm completely honest there was also a third reason and that was to see Jude Law (despite the mo - still a hottie!) in the flesh alongside Sir Ian McKellen, Sam West and Sienna Miller.
The Belarus Free Theatre company were formed around 5 years ago to give creative expression to the injustices faced by the Belarusian people under an oppressive neo-Stalinist regime. They are a small ensemble who rehearse and perform in secret locations that are advertised through word of mouth and a system of furtive text messaging. In a country where people who oppose the government regularly disappear, the theatre company is kept alive (literally) through a broad network of high profile international support from celebrities and organisations, particularly in the UK. As well as the people mentioned above, Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, and Steven Spielberg have been vocal supporters.
The company performed a double bill of two plays which focused on the suffering of the Belarusians. Both plays were Brechtian in style as they presented a flood of facts, statistics and stories to overwhelm the audience underscored by projected text and images, music and dance. The question of whether or not the theatre was any 'good' is kind of beside the point. The performers were obviously talented and passionate about the work. The writer(s) had a lot to say and the words tumbled over us in long unedited prose - like someone who is allowed to tell a story they've been bottling up for years and years and so they tell it in a rush trying to get all the words out without missing any detail.
Editing, design, structure, dramatisation and ambiguity are all luxuries we enjoy and indeed take for granted in theatre. Theatre that strives to educate can easily be boring. Which is where the active participation of the audience becomes crucial in forcing themselves to engage with what they are seeing and to appreciate the road it has travelled to reach the stage.
Theatre is story telling. Story telling which has become highly sophisticated in some parts of the world. So was theatre effective? The audience certainly sat up in their seats when Jude Law stepped onto the stage, and Sir Ian before him.
The producer of the company, Natalia Koliada, spoke to the audience and explained that their aim in performing tonight was to get ordinary people like us to engage emotionally with the ordinary people of Belarus and for us to give them our support.
I was disappointed as I'm sure the theatre we were shown tonight is not the theatre that people risk their lives to see. Understandably they would have felt they needed to take this opportunity to impart some important messages to us and they wouldn't want to risk leaving the message up to our own interpretation.
It occurred to me as I watched the actors, that despite all the infastructure and production trappings that accompany theatre, teh essential magic of theatre is that it can be created out of thin air. While this 'dangerous' theatre is squashed in their country, these actors could carry their weapons on the street, through customs and across borders without detection. In fact, a number of their talented British supporters carried amunition - in the form of acting training - into Belarus where they worked with the company in secret.
Writing from London - where there is theatre in every form - the fact that the Belarus Free Theatre company exists is exciting. An art form that can sometimes be pure entertainment can also be a secret tunnel.
Friday, 17 December 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
What's black and white and read all over?
Me! First reading organised on foreign territory: tick! Today's reading was one of the main events I've been tasked with here in London and (thanks to the support of my lovely colleagues) it went off without a hitch. Hurrah!
Over the course of yesterday and most of today, fourteen actors worked with the director and writer to bring the script to life. Watching this process has renewed my appreciation of the craft of acting. When I had read the script to myself, the version that played out in my head didn't have anywhere near the depth and range that these actors brought to the text. The ensemble of actors were extremely professional and focused and by this afternoon were able to practically perform the play for an audience of producers, directors and venue programmers.
There were drinks and nibbles afterwards and the cast seemed really pleased with the result. As one actress put it: they'd really made it 'sparkle'. I think a lot of credit for this should go to the casting director (another craft I have a new respect for!) who picked actors who could believably deliver the 'ye aulde English' dialogue but bring a freshness and, well, sexiness frankly. A bit of a Baz Luhrman meets R+J ... but without the screaming down the telephone (oh, did I slip that one in? hey it's my party and I'll blog if I want to).
I am conscious of my previous entry where I wondered at the usefulness of readings in giving useful feedback. And certainly for the financial investment these events require, you'd sure as eggs want feedback! After this afternoon's experience I think that at the very least it's possible to get a reading on the room (today's audience seemed engaged for the duration - might have had something to do with the handsome bugger reading the lead role though...). I'm sure that the senior staff at my company will get more detailed feedback in one-to-one chats over the next few days.
As I heard said many times since I've been here, if there were a magic formula for knowing what will work in theatre, we'd all be rich. Ultimately it just comes down to instinct. Hearing the script read was a very illuminating experience. I think I'll let it settle over the next couple of days and see what I make of it then... in case anyone is interested in my honest feedback!
Over the course of yesterday and most of today, fourteen actors worked with the director and writer to bring the script to life. Watching this process has renewed my appreciation of the craft of acting. When I had read the script to myself, the version that played out in my head didn't have anywhere near the depth and range that these actors brought to the text. The ensemble of actors were extremely professional and focused and by this afternoon were able to practically perform the play for an audience of producers, directors and venue programmers.
There were drinks and nibbles afterwards and the cast seemed really pleased with the result. As one actress put it: they'd really made it 'sparkle'. I think a lot of credit for this should go to the casting director (another craft I have a new respect for!) who picked actors who could believably deliver the 'ye aulde English' dialogue but bring a freshness and, well, sexiness frankly. A bit of a Baz Luhrman meets R+J ... but without the screaming down the telephone (oh, did I slip that one in? hey it's my party and I'll blog if I want to).
I am conscious of my previous entry where I wondered at the usefulness of readings in giving useful feedback. And certainly for the financial investment these events require, you'd sure as eggs want feedback! After this afternoon's experience I think that at the very least it's possible to get a reading on the room (today's audience seemed engaged for the duration - might have had something to do with the handsome bugger reading the lead role though...). I'm sure that the senior staff at my company will get more detailed feedback in one-to-one chats over the next few days.
As I heard said many times since I've been here, if there were a magic formula for knowing what will work in theatre, we'd all be rich. Ultimately it just comes down to instinct. Hearing the script read was a very illuminating experience. I think I'll let it settle over the next couple of days and see what I make of it then... in case anyone is interested in my honest feedback!
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| Period Piece(s) |
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
The Robbers: a show that gives more than it takes
After all my whinging, last night I had the best night in fringe theatre in two months sitting in one of the plush cinema seats at the New Diorama Theatre. This new adaptation of 18th century German playwright The Robbers by Daniel Millar and Mark Leipacher was big, sexy and sophisticated (I honestly didn’t mean to make it sound like Sophia Loren – maybe their own adjectives are better: fierce fast and furious). I wish I knew more people in London UK
The Glass Menagerie at the Young Vic was also excellent. Despite the auditorium being a strangely large cavernous space (imagine Belvoir with five times the ceiling height and a balcony), everyone in the room was completely involved in the action on stage. I’m guessing that if the performance was any less engaging, it would be very easy for a show to fall flat in that venue.
Anyhoo… I don’t intend to turn this blog into a theatre reviews site. There are enough people writing their own online already and frankly, apart from the company, who really wants to hear someone else’s opinion? Unless you get some sort of sick pleasure in seeing other people’s hard work getting picked to pieces, in which case you should subscribe to a site like The West End Whingers. Like I do.
Speaking of giving and taking away, I’ve recently learned that cuts to arts funding have meant that every organisation - from the National Theatre down – is required to apply for their funding as if for the first time. Basically everyone has until March 2011 to justify their existence and will know by September what their financial future will look like. I guess it never hurts for organisations – especially those that have been around for a while – to re-examine themselves and look for new directions to grow or collaborate. What's the expression? Adapt or die? This time next year the UK arts scene could look very different!
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Two months, more than twenty shows - and counting!!
To celebrate surviving two months in London, I've put together a list of the performances I've seen since I arrived. Hurrah!
Here they are... more or less in order of appearance:
Lovesong – The Albany, Deptford
A Disappearing Number - The Novello Theatre
Beautiful Burnout - York Hall, Bethnal Green
Reclining Nude in Black Stockings – The Arcola Theatre
Lovers' Walk - Southwark Playhouse
Breed – 503
Krapp's Last Tape - Duchess Theatre
Estate Walls – Oval House Theatre
Avenue Q - Wyndhams Theatre
The Drowsy Chaperone – Upstairs at the Gatehouse
The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain – The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Theatre Souk – ex-Uzbekistan Airlines offices
Rum and Coca Cola – Greenwich Theatre
Nerve – Baron’s Court Theatre
La Soiree – South Bank Big Top
Harriet! (reading) – Soho Theatre
Gypsy – Kings Theatre, Glasgow
Saturn Returns –Finborough Theatre
LAMDA Duologues – Leicester Square Theatre
Celebrity Autobiography – Leicester Square Theatre
The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain – York Theatre Royal
Bright Star – Tabbard Theatre
There Will Be More – The Cock Tavern
The Glass Menagerie – The Young Vic
Phew! It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
Here they are... more or less in order of appearance:
Lovesong – The Albany, Deptford
A Disappearing Number - The Novello Theatre
Beautiful Burnout - York Hall, Bethnal Green
Reclining Nude in Black Stockings – The Arcola Theatre
Lovers' Walk - Southwark Playhouse
Breed – 503
Krapp's Last Tape - Duchess Theatre
Estate Walls – Oval House Theatre
Avenue Q - Wyndhams Theatre
The Drowsy Chaperone – Upstairs at the Gatehouse
The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain – The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Theatre Souk – ex-Uzbekistan Airlines offices
Rum and Coca Cola – Greenwich Theatre
Nerve – Baron’s Court Theatre
La Soiree – South Bank Big Top
Harriet! (reading) – Soho Theatre
Gypsy – Kings Theatre, Glasgow
Saturn Returns –Finborough Theatre
LAMDA Duologues – Leicester Square Theatre
Celebrity Autobiography – Leicester Square Theatre
The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain – York Theatre Royal
Bright Star – Tabbard Theatre
There Will Be More – The Cock Tavern
The Glass Menagerie – The Young Vic
Phew! It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
A kick in the pants for actor/producers
It's been a rough week theatre-wise: three strikes and I'm staying out of the fringe for a while. I thought I'd just mention two of the low points here as there are lessons that I think we can all take away with us.
Number 1. If you are a producer, do not star in your own show. At the limit, a director can star in their own show (perhaps another discussion for another time), but never a producer. You may as well just call the thing "My Life Starring Me" and be done with it. Personally I believe that the role of the producer should be a role apart. Quite often, especially on the fringe, you see actors or directors taking on the role of producer because either they believe they can, or because there's no one else around qualified to do it. With all the many definitions floating around about what a producer is, perhaps it is easier to work from the outside in by starting with what the role is not: it's not the thing to do if you want to get famous. It is a behind-the-scenes role keeping all the elements of the show in balance. You are the glue and glue is supposed to be invisible - especially on 19th century xiao dynasty vases.
Number 2. Seating in fringe venues is really uncomfortable. Last night I spent two long hours in the second back row with my knees at an angle so as not to annoy the woman sitting in front of my while the man behind me kicked me square in the bottom once every ten minutes or so (to his credit, he did apologise and look very embarrassed when the lights came up at the end and he realised what he thought was part of my seat was actually a part of me).
Now I am more than aware of the circumstances that lead to fringe audiences being made to sit on uncomfortable seats and I know that I'm guilty of subjecting audiences to them as well. All of the independent shows I've produced have been witnessed from a hard wooden bench covered only with a thin piece of foam. And then there's the other problem of climate control inside these tiny venues lit by stage lights. One of my stoic friends declared after sitting through one of my shows: 'we were sweating and fanning ourselves like the Polynesian women's church choir up there in the back row!'.
I think the first priority for fringe venues should be making sure their audiences are comfortable. It's probably in everyone's interest that they can take a drink in with them too. As a back-up, I'm also seriously considering including a 'cushion' line in future show budgets, though I'm sure other items will creep up past it on the list once the twinges in my back fade away. As a producer (the ones who aren't also acting in the show) is the one to spend the most time up in the bleachers, it pays to have some extra padding, a fan, and a song book at the ready.
The fourth show I saw this week was very good and I was very comfortable watching it! The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain toured to York and I was lucky enough to go backstage and to meet the company after the show.
Number 1. If you are a producer, do not star in your own show. At the limit, a director can star in their own show (perhaps another discussion for another time), but never a producer. You may as well just call the thing "My Life Starring Me" and be done with it. Personally I believe that the role of the producer should be a role apart. Quite often, especially on the fringe, you see actors or directors taking on the role of producer because either they believe they can, or because there's no one else around qualified to do it. With all the many definitions floating around about what a producer is, perhaps it is easier to work from the outside in by starting with what the role is not: it's not the thing to do if you want to get famous. It is a behind-the-scenes role keeping all the elements of the show in balance. You are the glue and glue is supposed to be invisible - especially on 19th century xiao dynasty vases.
Number 2. Seating in fringe venues is really uncomfortable. Last night I spent two long hours in the second back row with my knees at an angle so as not to annoy the woman sitting in front of my while the man behind me kicked me square in the bottom once every ten minutes or so (to his credit, he did apologise and look very embarrassed when the lights came up at the end and he realised what he thought was part of my seat was actually a part of me).
Now I am more than aware of the circumstances that lead to fringe audiences being made to sit on uncomfortable seats and I know that I'm guilty of subjecting audiences to them as well. All of the independent shows I've produced have been witnessed from a hard wooden bench covered only with a thin piece of foam. And then there's the other problem of climate control inside these tiny venues lit by stage lights. One of my stoic friends declared after sitting through one of my shows: 'we were sweating and fanning ourselves like the Polynesian women's church choir up there in the back row!'.
I think the first priority for fringe venues should be making sure their audiences are comfortable. It's probably in everyone's interest that they can take a drink in with them too. As a back-up, I'm also seriously considering including a 'cushion' line in future show budgets, though I'm sure other items will creep up past it on the list once the twinges in my back fade away. As a producer (the ones who aren't also acting in the show) is the one to spend the most time up in the bleachers, it pays to have some extra padding, a fan, and a song book at the ready.
The fourth show I saw this week was very good and I was very comfortable watching it! The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain toured to York and I was lucky enough to go backstage and to meet the company after the show.
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| Behind the scenes at the York Theatre Royal: The Musketeers practice their jousting |
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| Note the plush red seats... mmm comfortable |
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| York Theatre Royal |
Saturday, 6 November 2010
fly poo '
So on Wednesday night I got outdone by an apostrophe!
After confidently buying my £5 ticket to a preview of Saturn's Return at the Finborough Theatre, I set off for the theatre around two hours early ready to face whatever diversions the tube strike could throw at me.
... two hours later (actually it wasn't really that bad, some of the lines were back up and running a light service by the evening) I arrived at the Finborough Theatre in Earl's Court. As I walked down the street towards the popular pub theatre that was actually undergoing a huge refurbishment and was almost entirely covered in scaffolding, I was given warm handshakes and knowing smiles by the resident Aussies as they welcomed me 'home'.
The Finborough Theatre prides itself in programming new international work and so I was excited to be taking the opportunity to see Australian playwright Tommy Murphy's play that was commissioned by STC recently. It wasn't until I negotiated the scaff and climbed the narrow stairs to reach the box office and I was offered a program for Saturn Returns by Noah someone or other that I realised my mistake! I stared at the program for a while and the woman behind the counter got a bit nervous I think!
Anyhoo, once I'd adjusted to the fact that I was in for a completely different evening to the one I was expecting, I settled in as well as I could on the unsympathetic bench seating to watch Saturn in the act of Coming Back. The play wasn't that bad though it was always going to struggle to get the casting right: the play calls for an actor who appears to be in his late eighties. Finding a good actor that age who is actually still acting and willing to work in a fringe production for little or no money would have to be quite a challenge! The actor they did find was passable but not believable enough to give the play real gravity. The actor who played the same character as a young man however had me close to tears!
So I'm still yet to see The Comeback for Saturn but I have learned an important lessons about the possessive, the consequences of wearing an Aussie flag bandanna in Earl's Court, and casting older actors in fringe theatre.
The End.
After confidently buying my £5 ticket to a preview of Saturn's Return at the Finborough Theatre, I set off for the theatre around two hours early ready to face whatever diversions the tube strike could throw at me.
... two hours later (actually it wasn't really that bad, some of the lines were back up and running a light service by the evening) I arrived at the Finborough Theatre in Earl's Court. As I walked down the street towards the popular pub theatre that was actually undergoing a huge refurbishment and was almost entirely covered in scaffolding, I was given warm handshakes and knowing smiles by the resident Aussies as they welcomed me 'home'.
The Finborough Theatre prides itself in programming new international work and so I was excited to be taking the opportunity to see Australian playwright Tommy Murphy's play that was commissioned by STC recently. It wasn't until I negotiated the scaff and climbed the narrow stairs to reach the box office and I was offered a program for Saturn Returns by Noah someone or other that I realised my mistake! I stared at the program for a while and the woman behind the counter got a bit nervous I think!
Anyhoo, once I'd adjusted to the fact that I was in for a completely different evening to the one I was expecting, I settled in as well as I could on the unsympathetic bench seating to watch Saturn in the act of Coming Back. The play wasn't that bad though it was always going to struggle to get the casting right: the play calls for an actor who appears to be in his late eighties. Finding a good actor that age who is actually still acting and willing to work in a fringe production for little or no money would have to be quite a challenge! The actor they did find was passable but not believable enough to give the play real gravity. The actor who played the same character as a young man however had me close to tears!
So I'm still yet to see The Comeback for Saturn but I have learned an important lessons about the possessive, the consequences of wearing an Aussie flag bandanna in Earl's Court, and casting older actors in fringe theatre.
The End.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Read it and weep
Hi 'everyone',
Sorry for my long absence. Blame it on Richard Branson who had one of his umpalumpas cut the phone/interweb/TV cable to our house. If anything significant has happened on the telly in the last week, please post it here so I can get myself up to date! Apparently Americain won.
Last week I was lucky to have been invited along to a reading of a new musical at a theatre in Soho. I'm also going along to another tonight and organising a third for the company I'm working with.
A reading is a funny thing. They're certainly not for everyone - as I discovered today when an artistic director whom I had invited to the one I'm organising replied that he is 'rubbish at readings' and could he just have a copy of the script to read to himself.
The idea behind a reading of course is to hear the words of the play spoken as they were intended to be heard and not read. They are often 'moved' readings meaning that the actors are mostly on their feet, wearing an approximation of the costume the character would wear and brandishing a few props.
The usual practice for a reading seems to be that the actors are in the rehearsal room for around two days (at £50 per day) with the reading held at the end of the second day. The musical I heard on Friday afternoon however was the result of three years of workshopping and development and of course the actors had all those songs to learn and even a bit of choreo.
The aim of the reading is to engage others in the production and attract funding, or a co-producer, or both. They are also useful for the director and writer to receive feedback from the industry about the production before they have gone down the path of getting it to the stage.
At the end of Friday's reading I did wonder at exactly how effective readings are for the latter purpose. In general, people are either very shy about giving honest feedback (especially when it's negative) but worse than that, artists are very bad at asking for it. While I wouldn't say that the show I saw was a write-off, I did have what I felt would be some constructive criticism for the director. We had an opportunity to speak to the director in the mingling afterwards but the director seemed to be less about discussing the work and more about defending it. Indeed after three years of development she would have been quite attached to it!
While I'm sure that the director would have had a few wines with her close industry friends to hear their views, she's hardly benefiting from her investment in the reading by getting as wide a range of opinions as her future audiences will inevitably represent.
I vote in favour of readings as not only are they a fantastic networking opportunity, they bring the words on the page to life and give an overall impression of the work. I give an extra vote for readings that ply you with chocolates and champagne at the end! There just aren't enough of those.
I will let you know how tonight goes and of course how the reading I am organising fares.
It's been too long since I've last written so a few shows have gone under the bridge. La Soiree - a reincarnation of the show I saw at the Speigeltent in Sydney a few years ago - was excellent. The bar service was stupidly slow though so despite their being a very high ratio of bar attendants to audience members, it took me all interval to get served and I missed the first performance of the second act! Don't worry, the Bar Manager heard my constructive criticism and to his credit was very receptive to it.
Ciao for now! xx
Sorry for my long absence. Blame it on Richard Branson who had one of his umpalumpas cut the phone/interweb/TV cable to our house. If anything significant has happened on the telly in the last week, please post it here so I can get myself up to date! Apparently Americain won.
Last week I was lucky to have been invited along to a reading of a new musical at a theatre in Soho. I'm also going along to another tonight and organising a third for the company I'm working with.
A reading is a funny thing. They're certainly not for everyone - as I discovered today when an artistic director whom I had invited to the one I'm organising replied that he is 'rubbish at readings' and could he just have a copy of the script to read to himself.
The idea behind a reading of course is to hear the words of the play spoken as they were intended to be heard and not read. They are often 'moved' readings meaning that the actors are mostly on their feet, wearing an approximation of the costume the character would wear and brandishing a few props.
The usual practice for a reading seems to be that the actors are in the rehearsal room for around two days (at £50 per day) with the reading held at the end of the second day. The musical I heard on Friday afternoon however was the result of three years of workshopping and development and of course the actors had all those songs to learn and even a bit of choreo.
The aim of the reading is to engage others in the production and attract funding, or a co-producer, or both. They are also useful for the director and writer to receive feedback from the industry about the production before they have gone down the path of getting it to the stage.
At the end of Friday's reading I did wonder at exactly how effective readings are for the latter purpose. In general, people are either very shy about giving honest feedback (especially when it's negative) but worse than that, artists are very bad at asking for it. While I wouldn't say that the show I saw was a write-off, I did have what I felt would be some constructive criticism for the director. We had an opportunity to speak to the director in the mingling afterwards but the director seemed to be less about discussing the work and more about defending it. Indeed after three years of development she would have been quite attached to it!
While I'm sure that the director would have had a few wines with her close industry friends to hear their views, she's hardly benefiting from her investment in the reading by getting as wide a range of opinions as her future audiences will inevitably represent.
I vote in favour of readings as not only are they a fantastic networking opportunity, they bring the words on the page to life and give an overall impression of the work. I give an extra vote for readings that ply you with chocolates and champagne at the end! There just aren't enough of those.
I will let you know how tonight goes and of course how the reading I am organising fares.
It's been too long since I've last written so a few shows have gone under the bridge. La Soiree - a reincarnation of the show I saw at the Speigeltent in Sydney a few years ago - was excellent. The bar service was stupidly slow though so despite their being a very high ratio of bar attendants to audience members, it took me all interval to get served and I missed the first performance of the second act! Don't worry, the Bar Manager heard my constructive criticism and to his credit was very receptive to it.
Ciao for now! xx
Friday, 22 October 2010
30% off? Bargain!
The cuts have arrived. On Wednesday, the government's spending review was announced and arts organisations learned their fate, more or less.
I won't try to go into a detailed discussion of the whole thing as a) I don't think I could if I tried and b) there is plenty of good discussion to be found about the impact the cuts will have to be found elsewhere. In broad strokes, the Arts Council of England (ACE) has been asked to absorb a 30% cut while passing on no more than 15% cuts to the bodies it supports. This is a tragedy for ACE as they had already cut their costs by 20%. Being asked to effectively cut their costs by 70% over the space of five years means that there'll be nothing left but bone and grissle! They certainly won't have the capacity to support the many organisations and initiatives they currently support even as said organisations go through a very rough patch themselves.
What I found interesting was the way in which these cuts brought the old 'what good are the arts?' debate onto the television screens and into the newspapers. And that people whom you would think would be sticking up for the arts at such a time had some fairly unuseful things to say. Check out Richard Brooks in the last ten minutes of The Culture Show that aired last night on the BBC (I was having a night off from theatre!). His argument is that the arts thrive in times of scarcity and that this environment will help those art forms that 'audiences want to see' 'like contemporary dance' rise to the surface. Has he just completely missed the point of funding and the arts as a public good? Crikey.
Other not very useful comments came from certain Artistic Directors of certain theatres, who spoke to the Telegraph (for the Aussies: yes, it is just like the Australian newspaper of the same name and I'm sure his comments would have satisfied that readership just as well).
For the conversation to have turned so quickly to talk of 'well it's not like we're running a hospital or a school or anything vital', is pretty disturbing for a country with such a rich cultural life. It's a shame that the arts aren't viewed as being more intrinsic to the social fabric.
Not everyone thinks this way of course. Here's a fantastic animation stating the case for the arts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6rYDaORe3k
I won't try to go into a detailed discussion of the whole thing as a) I don't think I could if I tried and b) there is plenty of good discussion to be found about the impact the cuts will have to be found elsewhere. In broad strokes, the Arts Council of England (ACE) has been asked to absorb a 30% cut while passing on no more than 15% cuts to the bodies it supports. This is a tragedy for ACE as they had already cut their costs by 20%. Being asked to effectively cut their costs by 70% over the space of five years means that there'll be nothing left but bone and grissle! They certainly won't have the capacity to support the many organisations and initiatives they currently support even as said organisations go through a very rough patch themselves.
What I found interesting was the way in which these cuts brought the old 'what good are the arts?' debate onto the television screens and into the newspapers. And that people whom you would think would be sticking up for the arts at such a time had some fairly unuseful things to say. Check out Richard Brooks in the last ten minutes of The Culture Show that aired last night on the BBC (I was having a night off from theatre!). His argument is that the arts thrive in times of scarcity and that this environment will help those art forms that 'audiences want to see' 'like contemporary dance' rise to the surface. Has he just completely missed the point of funding and the arts as a public good? Crikey.
Other not very useful comments came from certain Artistic Directors of certain theatres, who spoke to the Telegraph (for the Aussies: yes, it is just like the Australian newspaper of the same name and I'm sure his comments would have satisfied that readership just as well).
For the conversation to have turned so quickly to talk of 'well it's not like we're running a hospital or a school or anything vital', is pretty disturbing for a country with such a rich cultural life. It's a shame that the arts aren't viewed as being more intrinsic to the social fabric.
Not everyone thinks this way of course. Here's a fantastic animation stating the case for the arts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6rYDaORe3k
Theatre takes flight!
Say what you like about my spelling, at least when I promise something in this blog, I deliver!
Last Saturday night I cracked out the A - Z and found Picton Place not far from Bond Street tube station. I almost walked past the entrance as I was distracted by a quaint sign for Uzbekistan Airlines on the side of the building. Then I realised: I was in the right place! This was the temporary residence of Theatre Delicatessen, a great name for a great experience. Just like a fancy delicatessen in a posh, trendy neighbourhood, there was a variety of quality produce on offer. From spicy sausages to smelly cheeses.
The spiciest sausage would have to have been a piece called 'Soft Armour' on the third floor in what looked like a disused laboratory (why would Uzbekistan Airlines have a laboratory on the third floor?? Maybe it's safer not to ask). This was proper audience participation and all twelve of us became torch-bearers in the plot as it rolled along in some unexpected directions. When we walked in the room, dressed in lab coats provided, there was a body on a metal table and some sort of medical specialist examining it. Members of the audience were asked to help prepare the body - even washing her feet and brushing her hair! When it's revealed that the dead woman was attacked in a dark alley late at night, suddenly all the men in the room were bailed up and taken into the adjoining room separated by a window. With all the women in the first room then asked, along with the dead woman who by now was sitting up chatting, to identify 'her' killer, the audience was very cleverly brought right into focus.
It was all done with a bit of a twinkle in the eye and was a real hoot! If the actors had taken themselves or their subject matter more seriously it could have felt a bit false or pretentious at such close quarters.
Anyway, the whole concept of a building full of theatre was brilliant and with no reserved seats, no queues, no rules about what to see when, and beer in plastic cups, it felt like a mini festival. According to their website, next on the bill is Ibsen's A Doll's House. I'll be sure to check that out as it could be an experience and a half if they take over the building in the same way.
The Drowsy Chaperone - of which I saw a semi-professional production done 'Upstairs at the Gatehouse' is a fantastic musical and this production, given some money, could easily transfer to a larger theatre. Interestingly, the show closed after just three weeks in the West End a few years ago. Perhaps it was just a case of poor marketing or stiff competition, but then I think with all the theatre references and in-jokes, the target audience for this show may be exactly the kind of vile people who don't pay for their tickets anyway. Tough sell!
Term for the day:
'Press night' is the name given to the opening night or the first night after the previews. Of course press don't always come to press night, especially to see anything outside of London. This is one of the big challenges of touring.
Last Saturday night I cracked out the A - Z and found Picton Place not far from Bond Street tube station. I almost walked past the entrance as I was distracted by a quaint sign for Uzbekistan Airlines on the side of the building. Then I realised: I was in the right place! This was the temporary residence of Theatre Delicatessen, a great name for a great experience. Just like a fancy delicatessen in a posh, trendy neighbourhood, there was a variety of quality produce on offer. From spicy sausages to smelly cheeses.
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| Theatre can be a gamble - especially when audience participation is involved! |
It was all done with a bit of a twinkle in the eye and was a real hoot! If the actors had taken themselves or their subject matter more seriously it could have felt a bit false or pretentious at such close quarters.
Anyway, the whole concept of a building full of theatre was brilliant and with no reserved seats, no queues, no rules about what to see when, and beer in plastic cups, it felt like a mini festival. According to their website, next on the bill is Ibsen's A Doll's House. I'll be sure to check that out as it could be an experience and a half if they take over the building in the same way.
 |
| Upstairs at the Gate House |
The Drowsy Chaperone - of which I saw a semi-professional production done 'Upstairs at the Gatehouse' is a fantastic musical and this production, given some money, could easily transfer to a larger theatre. Interestingly, the show closed after just three weeks in the West End a few years ago. Perhaps it was just a case of poor marketing or stiff competition, but then I think with all the theatre references and in-jokes, the target audience for this show may be exactly the kind of vile people who don't pay for their tickets anyway. Tough sell!
Term for the day:
'Press night' is the name given to the opening night or the first night after the previews. Of course press don't always come to press night, especially to see anything outside of London. This is one of the big challenges of touring.
 |
| The Young Vic: so trendy |
Monday, 11 October 2010
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto
Do you ever have those days where you never could have imagined in the morning where you'd end up that afternoon?
On Thursday morning I had a quick coffee with the AD of Tamasha Theatre Company who kindly invited me along to a 'thing' at the Jellyfish Theatre that afternoon. I say 'thing' because I didn't catch the name of what it was I was being invited to however I had already heard about the Jellyfish Theatre (a temporary structure made entirely of recycled materials) and was keen to see what it was all about.
So by 3.30pm there I was trotting down Union Street in search of a recycled building. After mistakenly walking up to a gate that turned out to be a memorial to prostitutes who had apparently died in the line of duty when their workplace burnt down on Redcross Way, I found the Jellyfish.
On Thursday morning I had a quick coffee with the AD of Tamasha Theatre Company who kindly invited me along to a 'thing' at the Jellyfish Theatre that afternoon. I say 'thing' because I didn't catch the name of what it was I was being invited to however I had already heard about the Jellyfish Theatre (a temporary structure made entirely of recycled materials) and was keen to see what it was all about.
So by 3.30pm there I was trotting down Union Street in search of a recycled building. After mistakenly walking up to a gate that turned out to be a memorial to prostitutes who had apparently died in the line of duty when their workplace burnt down on Redcross Way, I found the Jellyfish.
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| The Jellyfish Theatre - side view |
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| The Jellyfish Theatre - the tail end |
The project is an initiative of the The Red Room called the Oikos Project which is intended to draw attention to environmental issues by staging two plays about such issues in this temporary structure (Saturday was the closing night of the second production and therefore the structure will begin to be demolished over the next few days). While the building itself has been well-received, unfortunately the two plays staged within it were panned by critics. I heard one person say it was a case of form over content and that this a problem with a lot of theatre at the moment where people are more concerned with novelty of form, forgetting about the substance.
Anyhoo, the 'thing' in the Jellyfish turned out to be a panel discussed hosted and attended by a collective of theatre companies from the BAEM sector (that's Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority). As it happened there were a few people there I had already met over the past few weeks as we are doing a co-pro with one of the companies, and I had also previously been introduced to the arts council representative who was there.
The panel discussion didn't appear to have a clear-cut aim but was more intended as a conversation about the current position of the sector - all based on anecdotal evidence - and what they see as the future of the sector - again, anecdotally. There was fierce-looking woman there who kicked off proceedings by quoting a poem about holding diamonds where her thighs meet (!). She quickly got into a heated debate with another panel member who announced that he deliberately doesn't take any of the disadvantaged black youth he mentors to see theatre about disadvantaged black youth (or 'hoody' dramas) as he thinks it wouldn't do them any good. Why take them to see something they could see in their own neighbourhood for free? Rather, he prefers to take them to see Ibsen or Shakespeare. Miss Twinkle took great exception to this and called him patronising.
Not having had much experience of "hoody" drama, I wasn't too sure what to make of all this. The way the panel member described it, a hoody drama would entail a night of guns, drugs and lots of words ending with "z" instead of an "s", such as Endz. It sounded terrible and not very interesting. Of course you would choose a night of Ibsen over this (though I have at least one colleague here who would beg to differ).
Luckily for me, I was off to see Estate Walls with my colleagues that night at the Oval House Theatre so I would find out for myself - that's definitely Walls with an "s" by the way which is actually I think what made it so good. This was a 'hoody' drama story told with vibrant, cleverly wrought language that, while it didn't let you forget you were on the street with these characters, also transcended the mundane to really sparkle. They were some really good young actors too, and a great set.
So the moral here is: there's good hoody drama and bad hoody drama, just as there's good Ibsen and bad Ibsen. I was told that the writer of Estate Walls sees everything he possibly can and is very eclectic in his tastes. It doesn't matter what your genre is, it's the content that matters! Amen!
Friday, 8 October 2010
Tickets on me
Sorry but I am just not used to paying for my theatre tickets! If you think that sounds lush, think of it this way: if you work in a bakery you get free bread, if you work in fashion you get free clothes, if you work in finance you get free money. And tickets are usually fairly easy to come by. In fact the Sydney theatre world trades in two types of currency: tickets and cases of beer (premium, not light - very important). Here, apparently, the theatre world trades on just the one form of currency: currency. People buy their tickets!
There is a very strong market in 'half price' tickets here. Outlets such as TKTS which offer discounted tickets on the day of the performance are part of the fabric and a first port of call for the many, many tourists who make up the West End audiences. Somehow, buying from a half-price ticket booth makes the purchase feel special and exclusive whereas, if the producer were to halve the ticket prices at the box office, you would start to wonder what's wrong with the show.
Perhaps a half-price ticket booth would benefit the Sydney scene - one in the middle of the Rocks to catch the tourists. It would give producers the opportunity to grab those last minute sales and maybe even negate the need to throw around so many complimentary tickets. What am I saying? Next I'll be paying for tickets at home too! Eek!
In the meantime I will continue to intone my mantra to the free ticket gods and offer fresh fruit and coffee grounds at their feet. I still have faith. War Horse... War Horse... War Horse....
By the way, caught Avenue Q on its way out of the West End. Bit of an indulgence as I'd already seen it in Sydney. Not as snappy as I remembered it but never mind: I only paid half price for my ticket :)
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Keep calm and for goodness sake stop carrying on!
Well the weather gets colder and the fall-out from the GFC continues to threaten arts funding cuts. But it's not all doom and gloom! As history shows us, there are a multitude of sayings that can be wheeled out at a time like this to cheer everyone up. Here are a few of my favourites from a little book of calm that was given to me recently. It's called 'Keep Calm and Carry On' which - I have learned - was one of a number of slogans generated by the British Government's Ministry of Information to help keep a lid on things should Hitler have invaded Great Britain. The book says:
Groucho Marx said: It isn't so much that hard times are coming; the change observed is mostly soft times going.
Benjamin Disaeli said: What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens.
...And the latest edition of The Stage says that the Olympics are going to ruin everything.
Just when I thought that funding cuts were the only thing to worry about! Me and my silly Australian optimism. The feature article in the weekly publication for the entertainment industry claims that, based on the experiences of previous Olympic host cities, people go to more sport - or stay home and watch sport - than go to the theatre during the Olympics. Shock. They are worried that the West End will suffer. I'm sure that there is truth in this as audiences in the West End do appear to comprise mostly of tourists. However I see this as being much more 'golden opportunity' than a 'getting to the end of the toilet roll' situation. The article cites evidence that Sydney experienced a drop in attendance at visitor attractions during Sydney 2000. But what of the effect the Olympics had on visitation - and indeed on Sydney's international image - after the Olympics? The West End Marketing Department - if there is such a thing (it wouldn't surprise me as they all seem to be operated by one of a few umbrella companies) need to grab the Olympic megaphone and tell the world about the field in which Great Britain excels (er, not sport).
As for the other members of the theatre family, I think the Olympics presents some fantastic opportunities for exposure, financially supported experimentation and shameless self-promotion. Case in point: mention Legs on the Wall and the AMP building in the same sentence and most people will know exactly who you are talking about!
Let's face it, an Olympic opening ceremony is going employ just about every acrobat and ballet dancer in the country in its bid to out-do the opening ceremonies that have gone before it and speaking to someone during the week who works freelance in the theatre and events industries, I've learned that these mega-events have been the catalyst for some fascinating advances in AV and animatronics.
Listen to me defending the Olympics! Oh dear.
The other thing that's good about the financial crisis is the recent emergence of a new genre called 'pop-up theatre'. Theatre-makers are taking over some of the many deserted shop fronts, offices and other formerly private places appearing throughout the city and transforming them into theatre spaces. Theatre Delicatessan is one such theatre company involved in this carry-on. I shall be attending one of their performances shortly and will provide you with a full report. So keep calm.
On a (not really) related note, sleep over theatre is another phenomenon to look out for. In June 2011 at the Barbican, punters will be lulled to sleep by performers as they (the audience) lie tucked up in one of 50 beds and then woken up and given breakfast by performers the next day!
Now for some quick reviews:
Breed by Lou Ramsden at the 503Theatre (fringe pub theatre) was great! The theatre had a very Darlinghurst Theatre feel to it - and boy was it stifling! But this new play about the world of dog fighting (the dogs were done with mime and sounds effects) was a really interesting and convincing glimpse into unfamiliar territory. The cast - particularly the actors who played the father and the brother - were terrific. Although it was let down a little bit in the final scene when it got a little bit melodramatic and missed a few notes.
God save us all from Krapp's Last Tape! It's like eating something incredibly healthy and made of oats. Of course in the long run you know it's going to nourish your soul but it takes ages to digest. Michael Gambon gave an excellent demonstration of exactly how to keep an audience engaged while you eat a banana, Beckett gives us a perfect example of work that doesn't think much of you or care what you think either, and the audience put on a spectacular performance of clearing their throats and moving in their creaky chairs. I'm glad I saw it though.
And this just in: the Arcola is moving! So much for having a local haunt. It's not going far though, just a bit closer to Dalston Junction. Their current landlord is kicking them out so they can build fancy apartments. And the beat goes on...
I promise there will be more photos in the next one. xx
Groucho Marx said: It isn't so much that hard times are coming; the change observed is mostly soft times going.
Benjamin Disaeli said: What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens.
...And the latest edition of The Stage says that the Olympics are going to ruin everything.
Just when I thought that funding cuts were the only thing to worry about! Me and my silly Australian optimism. The feature article in the weekly publication for the entertainment industry claims that, based on the experiences of previous Olympic host cities, people go to more sport - or stay home and watch sport - than go to the theatre during the Olympics. Shock. They are worried that the West End will suffer. I'm sure that there is truth in this as audiences in the West End do appear to comprise mostly of tourists. However I see this as being much more 'golden opportunity' than a 'getting to the end of the toilet roll' situation. The article cites evidence that Sydney experienced a drop in attendance at visitor attractions during Sydney 2000. But what of the effect the Olympics had on visitation - and indeed on Sydney's international image - after the Olympics? The West End Marketing Department - if there is such a thing (it wouldn't surprise me as they all seem to be operated by one of a few umbrella companies) need to grab the Olympic megaphone and tell the world about the field in which Great Britain excels (er, not sport).
As for the other members of the theatre family, I think the Olympics presents some fantastic opportunities for exposure, financially supported experimentation and shameless self-promotion. Case in point: mention Legs on the Wall and the AMP building in the same sentence and most people will know exactly who you are talking about!
Let's face it, an Olympic opening ceremony is going employ just about every acrobat and ballet dancer in the country in its bid to out-do the opening ceremonies that have gone before it and speaking to someone during the week who works freelance in the theatre and events industries, I've learned that these mega-events have been the catalyst for some fascinating advances in AV and animatronics.
Listen to me defending the Olympics! Oh dear.
The other thing that's good about the financial crisis is the recent emergence of a new genre called 'pop-up theatre'. Theatre-makers are taking over some of the many deserted shop fronts, offices and other formerly private places appearing throughout the city and transforming them into theatre spaces. Theatre Delicatessan is one such theatre company involved in this carry-on. I shall be attending one of their performances shortly and will provide you with a full report. So keep calm.
On a (not really) related note, sleep over theatre is another phenomenon to look out for. In June 2011 at the Barbican, punters will be lulled to sleep by performers as they (the audience) lie tucked up in one of 50 beds and then woken up and given breakfast by performers the next day!
Now for some quick reviews:
Breed by Lou Ramsden at the 503Theatre (fringe pub theatre) was great! The theatre had a very Darlinghurst Theatre feel to it - and boy was it stifling! But this new play about the world of dog fighting (the dogs were done with mime and sounds effects) was a really interesting and convincing glimpse into unfamiliar territory. The cast - particularly the actors who played the father and the brother - were terrific. Although it was let down a little bit in the final scene when it got a little bit melodramatic and missed a few notes.
God save us all from Krapp's Last Tape! It's like eating something incredibly healthy and made of oats. Of course in the long run you know it's going to nourish your soul but it takes ages to digest. Michael Gambon gave an excellent demonstration of exactly how to keep an audience engaged while you eat a banana, Beckett gives us a perfect example of work that doesn't think much of you or care what you think either, and the audience put on a spectacular performance of clearing their throats and moving in their creaky chairs. I'm glad I saw it though.
And this just in: the Arcola is moving! So much for having a local haunt. It's not going far though, just a bit closer to Dalston Junction. Their current landlord is kicking them out so they can build fancy apartments. And the beat goes on...
I promise there will be more photos in the next one. xx
Monday, 27 September 2010
Tourific Theatre – but please mind the gap
The end of my second week in London and I’m getting to know the city a little better. Yesterday I was at Borough Market for lunch and then wafted about in the TATE during the afternoon (Matisse – tick, Giacometti – tick, Warhol – tick, oh, and discovered Victor Pasmore).
I wanted to see a show in the evening – but I also wanted to explore the Southwark area – but I still wanted to see a show – and see London at the same time. If only there were such thing as a travelling theatre piece that uncovers hidden treasures in the streets around the theatre and imbues otherwise urbane objects such as air vents and bollards lining a footpath with meaning.
Lovers Walk by Marcelo dos Santos and Gemma Kerr departed from Southwark Playhouse at 7pm and took about twenty of us on a one hour tour of all the places that were special to ‘Rosie’ and ‘Matt’ within a 1km radius of the theatre. A fantastic concept that left me wondering if it would work in other cities… It did in fact start life in Brighton and has been re-written for London. The actors telling the couple's story - sometimes in third person, sometimes in first, interacted with the audience (and the accidental audience) in each stop of the tour. It was a very special experience.
Not that I want to detract at all from the show, which I really enjoyed, but I did want to mention what a shame it is that people get killed while being entertained.
If people didn’t get killed while being entertained, the playwrights/producers wouldn’t have felt compelled to weave a disclaimer into the opening scene. It went something like this:
Matt: Matt loved her from the moment he saw her red umbrella. And he followed her across the road.
Rosie: (To Audience) As we walk around please make sure you don’t get hit by a car when you cross the road.
Matt: She disappeared around the corner.
Rosie: (To Audience) Please don’t trip over on the pavement.
OH&S is ruining our lives! I don’t want to harp on about it too much but I have experienced first hand just how difficult it is to make things happen in (Australian) public spaces and it comes down to the increased (perceived?) risk of being sued. The shame is, it's not only the theatre-makers who are risk-aware, but audiences are also attuned to risk as they encounter risk-mitigating measures every day in their work places and in public. So when something is set alight on stage, rather than enjoying the moment, audiences and theatre-makers alike are all looking for the bucket of sand.
Last week I read The Producers: Alchemists of the Impossible which presents a series of interviews with UK producers including Helen Marriage. It took her five years to arrange for a 12 metre high elephant puppet to walk down a street in London (The Sultan's Elephant 2006). The spectacle was a huge success: seen by an estimated one million people in London and highly acclaimed for its originality and appeal. This sort of thing should happen all the time and we shouldn't feel as though we're being done a favour when it does!
Of course, OH&S regulation isn't going to go away so it requires good problem-solving and negotiation skills on the part of theatre-makers if we want to make audiences believe they are taking their lives in their own two hands when the lights go down.
Of course, OH&S regulation isn't going to go away so it requires good problem-solving and negotiation skills on the part of theatre-makers if we want to make audiences believe they are taking their lives in their own two hands when the lights go down.
Now here are some flowers.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
And the award goes to...
Finally I can reveal the gripping truth about the award system for the UK entertainment industry!
The award rates in Britain are lower than Australia because... they are. Historically speaking, entertainment industry workers have never been paid much here. Sorry that probably wasn't very ground-breaking.
What was interesting was learning about how the award grades are determined.
The UK award for Theatre Managers Association/Equity Subsidised Repertory Performers looks like this:
MRSL stands for Middle Range Salary Level.
Theatre companies are graded by the Theatre Managers Association according to the number of people they employ, the number of venues they use and the colour of their carpet.
In one year, a Grade 1 company needs to pay an average salary of £429 and no less than £352 to any one performer. This gives companies the ability to pay good actors attractive salaries but in the balance, new actors are more than likely to end up on the minimum, regardless of the fact that the company is a Grade 1.
The awards for crew are just about the same (most slightly lower) however, to attract experienced crew members a company would never get away with paying the minimum. Quite often, crew members are offered a 'buyout', a fixed fee which covers any number of hours.
In conclusion, British awards are comparatively crap, but they are different degrees of crap depending on who you are and who you work for. Ta da!
Reclining Nude in Black Stockings by Snoo Wilson at the Arcola Theatre last night was great! While the script was a bit patchy, three out of the four performances were fantastic. I really enjoyed the opportunity the play gave us to hear the voice of the artists' muse and the performance of Simon Harrison playing Egon Schiele.
Studio 2 at the Arcola is tiny - it couldn't be more than a thirty seater - and really uncomfortable. I still don't think that excused the old fart next to me in the front row from putting his feet up on a seat that was obviously part of the set! The place has a great atmosphere though and is where all the beautiful people flock. Lucky for me it's just down the road :)
The award rates in Britain are lower than Australia because... they are. Historically speaking, entertainment industry workers have never been paid much here. Sorry that probably wasn't very ground-breaking.
What was interesting was learning about how the award grades are determined.
The UK award for Theatre Managers Association/Equity Subsidised Repertory Performers looks like this:
Minimum salary £352 (AUD$577)
MRSL Grade 1 £429 (AUD$704)
MRSL Grade 2 £383 (AUD$628)
MRSL Grade 3 £359 (AUD$589)
MRSL stands for Middle Range Salary Level.
Theatre companies are graded by the Theatre Managers Association according to the number of people they employ, the number of venues they use and the colour of their carpet.
In one year, a Grade 1 company needs to pay an average salary of £429 and no less than £352 to any one performer. This gives companies the ability to pay good actors attractive salaries but in the balance, new actors are more than likely to end up on the minimum, regardless of the fact that the company is a Grade 1.
The awards for crew are just about the same (most slightly lower) however, to attract experienced crew members a company would never get away with paying the minimum. Quite often, crew members are offered a 'buyout', a fixed fee which covers any number of hours.
In conclusion, British awards are comparatively crap, but they are different degrees of crap depending on who you are and who you work for. Ta da!
Reclining Nude in Black Stockings by Snoo Wilson at the Arcola Theatre last night was great! While the script was a bit patchy, three out of the four performances were fantastic. I really enjoyed the opportunity the play gave us to hear the voice of the artists' muse and the performance of Simon Harrison playing Egon Schiele.
Studio 2 at the Arcola is tiny - it couldn't be more than a thirty seater - and really uncomfortable. I still don't think that excused the old fart next to me in the front row from putting his feet up on a seat that was obviously part of the set! The place has a great atmosphere though and is where all the beautiful people flock. Lucky for me it's just down the road :)
Monday, 20 September 2010
Fringe and Tassels, er, Talawa
Hello followers!
I know you are all waiting anxiously for the results of my investigation into the differences between the Brit and Aussies award systems for the entertainment industry but PLEASE be patient! Geez.
Today I've been busy sitting in on a reading for the latest ETT production Rum and Coca Cola. Despite being a first read, it was very entertaining and the two roles are cast perfectly. The show is a co-pro (that's co-production, theatre speak OK?) between English Touring Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Talawa Theatre Company and the read was held in Talawa's rehearsal room (it took me forever to understand what everyone was saying to me when they were talking about this venue - Tower? Tallow? These Brits and their funny accents! ha ha). Gosh theatre companies have some lovely facilities here. Both ETT and Talawa have light-filled, good-sized rehearsal rooms - and right in the middle of London!
Speaking of venues, last night I got the scary bus through scary Hackney to see Beautiful Burnout at York Hall, Bethnal Green. The place reminded me strongly of a suburban sports hall or a scout hall, complete with a roller-shuttered canteen in the 'foyer'. Apparently York Hall has not been used as a theatre venue before and the Barbican (who were presenting the production along with the National Theatre of Scotland and Frantic Assembly) had shipped in FOH staff to run it for the season.
The effect was a true 'friendly fringe' experience and once inside the 'auditorium', it was clear that the venue was in fact a perfect fit for the story which plays out on a revolving boxing ring in the centre of the three seating banks.
The movement in this show was FANTASTIC, very similar to Stockholm in the level of control and detail required of the actors. In this case, they basically had to become boxers in order that the fighting would be believable. More interesting info here: [http://www.franticassembly.co.uk/media/media/downloads/Beautiful_Burnout_Resource_Pack.pdf]
Now I may or may not have a reputation for reacting badly to a strong combination of flouro lights and violence on stage but I'm happy to say that I lasted the distance! :) Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to the end of the flouro lights fad. Violence can stay but I'd prefer something with a happy ending... and maybe a song, thanks.
Sorry for all the shameful spelling mistakes by the way. Four years of spell check is to blame. I will try to do better.
Johanna xx
I know you are all waiting anxiously for the results of my investigation into the differences between the Brit and Aussies award systems for the entertainment industry but PLEASE be patient! Geez.
Today I've been busy sitting in on a reading for the latest ETT production Rum and Coca Cola. Despite being a first read, it was very entertaining and the two roles are cast perfectly. The show is a co-pro (that's co-production, theatre speak OK?) between English Touring Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Talawa Theatre Company and the read was held in Talawa's rehearsal room (it took me forever to understand what everyone was saying to me when they were talking about this venue - Tower? Tallow? These Brits and their funny accents! ha ha). Gosh theatre companies have some lovely facilities here. Both ETT and Talawa have light-filled, good-sized rehearsal rooms - and right in the middle of London!
Speaking of venues, last night I got the scary bus through scary Hackney to see Beautiful Burnout at York Hall, Bethnal Green. The place reminded me strongly of a suburban sports hall or a scout hall, complete with a roller-shuttered canteen in the 'foyer'. Apparently York Hall has not been used as a theatre venue before and the Barbican (who were presenting the production along with the National Theatre of Scotland and Frantic Assembly) had shipped in FOH staff to run it for the season.
The effect was a true 'friendly fringe' experience and once inside the 'auditorium', it was clear that the venue was in fact a perfect fit for the story which plays out on a revolving boxing ring in the centre of the three seating banks.
The movement in this show was FANTASTIC, very similar to Stockholm in the level of control and detail required of the actors. In this case, they basically had to become boxers in order that the fighting would be believable. More interesting info here: [http://www.franticassembly.co.uk/media/media/downloads/Beautiful_Burnout_Resource_Pack.pdf]
Now I may or may not have a reputation for reacting badly to a strong combination of flouro lights and violence on stage but I'm happy to say that I lasted the distance! :) Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to the end of the flouro lights fad. Violence can stay but I'd prefer something with a happy ending... and maybe a song, thanks.
Sorry for all the shameful spelling mistakes by the way. Four years of spell check is to blame. I will try to do better.
Johanna xx
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Get-in, Get-out and Get paid
Before they become the norm and I fail to continue to recognise them, I thought I'd just record a few of the differences I've noticed between the Australian and British theatre worlds.
My favourite are the British terms for our 'bump in/bump out'. Bumping anything has always made me think of a large woman pushing things around with her hip. Not sure why. The British 'get in/get out' sounds even more efficient and effortless - a bit George Clooney planning a bank heist in Oceans 11.
The most surprising difference is in the disparity between the awards. Less than AUD$660 per week for actors in Britain compared to the AUD$860 per week they would get in Australia! Can that be right? I hope to understand the award system in a little more detail and why the rates are comparatively low. My suspicion is that with the vast number of long running shows here (many shows run for years here) and therefore more stable employment available, British actors might end up better off in the long run. Don't worry I plan to make a full 60 Minutes investigation of this and get back to you with the shocking truth.
Oh and guess what: Australian theatres are much better at getting to know their audiences! Despite the huge number of theatres in the UK which must inevitably share audiences, each theatre guards their audience data from the other like a beefeater. While a few of the major companies have adopted the Tessitura software, on a per capita basis - according to my excellent command of mathematical ratios - Australia is way ahead. [Here's a list of UK and Australian companies who use Tessitura to share audience data: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessitura_software , no need to thank me].
I suppose that the very fact that there are so many theatres and theatre companies in the UK makes for a very competitive environment. Again, I plan to discover more on this point. I've been lucky enough to have been given contacts at a number of theatres around town so I'll be able to ask the question.
Tonight it's Beautiful Burnout by Bryony Lavery at York Hall, Bethnal Green. Lavery and Frantic Assembly were responsible for Stockholm which they brought to STC earlier this year. I have a special reason for wanting to see more of Lavery's work and all will be revealed shortly!
Today's photo of the day is of the offensively ugly Barbican building which I saw for the first time today. I can't believe that anything like it could be built anywhere in the world let alone in the cultural capital of the world! Apparently I'm not the only one to have had this initial reaction to it but it appears to have been accepted by the city and has become some of the most sought-after real estate in London. Ew.
The building surrounds what was once Shakespeare's local church.
A demain!
My favourite are the British terms for our 'bump in/bump out'. Bumping anything has always made me think of a large woman pushing things around with her hip. Not sure why. The British 'get in/get out' sounds even more efficient and effortless - a bit George Clooney planning a bank heist in Oceans 11.
The most surprising difference is in the disparity between the awards. Less than AUD$660 per week for actors in Britain compared to the AUD$860 per week they would get in Australia! Can that be right? I hope to understand the award system in a little more detail and why the rates are comparatively low. My suspicion is that with the vast number of long running shows here (many shows run for years here) and therefore more stable employment available, British actors might end up better off in the long run. Don't worry I plan to make a full 60 Minutes investigation of this and get back to you with the shocking truth.
Oh and guess what: Australian theatres are much better at getting to know their audiences! Despite the huge number of theatres in the UK which must inevitably share audiences, each theatre guards their audience data from the other like a beefeater. While a few of the major companies have adopted the Tessitura software, on a per capita basis - according to my excellent command of mathematical ratios - Australia is way ahead. [Here's a list of UK and Australian companies who use Tessitura to share audience data: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessitura_software , no need to thank me].
I suppose that the very fact that there are so many theatres and theatre companies in the UK makes for a very competitive environment. Again, I plan to discover more on this point. I've been lucky enough to have been given contacts at a number of theatres around town so I'll be able to ask the question.
Tonight it's Beautiful Burnout by Bryony Lavery at York Hall, Bethnal Green. Lavery and Frantic Assembly were responsible for Stockholm which they brought to STC earlier this year. I have a special reason for wanting to see more of Lavery's work and all will be revealed shortly!
Today's photo of the day is of the offensively ugly Barbican building which I saw for the first time today. I can't believe that anything like it could be built anywhere in the world let alone in the cultural capital of the world! Apparently I'm not the only one to have had this initial reaction to it but it appears to have been accepted by the city and has become some of the most sought-after real estate in London. Ew.
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| St Giles Cripplegate |
A demain!
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Get Your Fresh Producer Daily here!
Hi everyone,
This is where I'm going to share my (mis)adventures as a producer in London. It's also my first adventure into the world of blogging - you can practically hear the shackles of my hitherto closely guarded 'privacy' dropping to the floor with a clang. A bit strange writing for a potentially diverse audience but let's see how I go....
My first week at ETT has been exciting and varied. Within a few hours of starting on my first day, I found myself wearing a hard hat and high-vis jacket standing a concrete bunker that is to be a new theatre near Westminster! The theatre auditorium, designed by Tim Foster, will I think look a lot like the Melbourne Arts Centre.
The next day I found myself a fly on the wall at a Theatre Managers Association meeting in Drury Lane Theatre Royal!
The feeling among theatre producers and managers is that the near future is looking grim. In the current economic climate they are all anticipating funding cuts of at least 10%. For some of the theatre managers who spoke at the meeting, this would mean they would need to sacrifice entire programs (most said their education and access programs would be the first to go) and come up with inventive ways to continue other programs. One manager gave the example of a new role that had been created at his theatre called 'House Manager and Digital Content Strategist' (ushers who use facebook apply here!).
Interestingly, the managers of regional theatres who spoke pointed out that while their local funding bodies - mostly the councils - were poised to pull the rug out from under them, the same councils were still publishing tourist brochures with their theatres on the cover as the major local attraction!
I haven't yet gauged if the level of pessimism was warranted or could be a bit of a cultural thing - you know, the way people here always talk about how it might be sunny now but rain is forecast all week!
The second day ended in Deptford at the ETT show that is coming to the end of its UK tour this weekend. Lovesong is one man show incorporating beautiful soul into a monologue of an oddly charismatic man. The house was packed and the audience was really involved - gasping and laughing and jumping to their feet at the end! Can't wait to see the next offering by ETT which opens in Coventry in a few weeks.
Finally, got a half-price ticket to A Disappearing Number last night at the Novella Theatre (apparently it was called something else before Cameron Mackintosh bought it - imagine being able to rename a theatre!). The show had received such a good wrap when it was in Sydney so I was really looking forward to it. Beautiful physical performances and great use of multimedia. I probably just wasn't in the right mood to submit to the trickery of the narrative. It felt a bit like when a magician says 'look nothing up my sleeve' while you know they've got a poor rabbit hidden in their armpit.
OK that's enough for now. Thanks for your patience while I get the hang of this blog thing!
More soon.
This is where I'm going to share my (mis)adventures as a producer in London. It's also my first adventure into the world of blogging - you can practically hear the shackles of my hitherto closely guarded 'privacy' dropping to the floor with a clang. A bit strange writing for a potentially diverse audience but let's see how I go....
My first week at ETT has been exciting and varied. Within a few hours of starting on my first day, I found myself wearing a hard hat and high-vis jacket standing a concrete bunker that is to be a new theatre near Westminster! The theatre auditorium, designed by Tim Foster, will I think look a lot like the Melbourne Arts Centre.
The next day I found myself a fly on the wall at a Theatre Managers Association meeting in Drury Lane Theatre Royal!
The feeling among theatre producers and managers is that the near future is looking grim. In the current economic climate they are all anticipating funding cuts of at least 10%. For some of the theatre managers who spoke at the meeting, this would mean they would need to sacrifice entire programs (most said their education and access programs would be the first to go) and come up with inventive ways to continue other programs. One manager gave the example of a new role that had been created at his theatre called 'House Manager and Digital Content Strategist' (ushers who use facebook apply here!).
Interestingly, the managers of regional theatres who spoke pointed out that while their local funding bodies - mostly the councils - were poised to pull the rug out from under them, the same councils were still publishing tourist brochures with their theatres on the cover as the major local attraction!
I haven't yet gauged if the level of pessimism was warranted or could be a bit of a cultural thing - you know, the way people here always talk about how it might be sunny now but rain is forecast all week!
 |
| Lovesong at the Albany in Deptford |
The second day ended in Deptford at the ETT show that is coming to the end of its UK tour this weekend. Lovesong is one man show incorporating beautiful soul into a monologue of an oddly charismatic man. The house was packed and the audience was really involved - gasping and laughing and jumping to their feet at the end! Can't wait to see the next offering by ETT which opens in Coventry in a few weeks.
OK that's enough for now. Thanks for your patience while I get the hang of this blog thing!
More soon.
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