Collaborative Inquiring 20 05/ 20 Engaging 06 Ambitious Annual Report and Accounts 130th report of the Board To be submitted to the Annual General Meeting of the Governors convened for Friday 17 November 2006. To the Governors of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford- upon-Avon, notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Governors will be held in the Town Hall, Stratford-upon- Avon on Friday 17 November 2006 commencing at 2.30pm to consider the report of the Board and the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet of the Corporation at 31 March 2006, to elect the Board for the ensuing year, and to transact such business as may be transacted at the Annual General Meetings of the Royal Shakespeare Company. By order of the Board Vikki Heywood Secretary to the Governors Archana Ramaswamy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream created by Dash Arts photo: C P Satyajit in association with the British Council for The Complete Works festival Our purpose 03 Chairman’s statement 05 Contents Artistic Director’s report 07 Executive Director’s report 09 Summary accounts 10 – 19 Key achievements 20 – 21 Collaborative 22 – 25 Inquiring 26 – 29 Engaging 30 – 33 Ambitious 34 – 37 Transforming our theatres 38 – 41 Impact 42 – 43 Supporting our work 44 – 47 trilogy photo: Ellie Kurttz Year in performance 48 – 51 Henry VI Acting companies 52 – 53 The Company 54 – 55 Corporate governance 56 Associate artists 57 2005/2006 Front cover: Wela Frasier, in rehearsal for the in rehearsal Frasier, cover: Wela Front photo: Stewart Hemley Left to right: Lorna Brown, Nadine Marshall and Tanya Moodie in trade by debbie tucker green Connect with Shakespeare Our purpose is to connect and help others to connect with Shakespeare – responding to his plays through the work of contemporary actors, writers and artists. We want to deepen understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare through creative learning. Our purpose Defined by ensemble Our work is created through the ensemble principles of collaboration, trust, mutual respect, and a belief that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We want to inspire artists and staff to learn and make theatre at the same time. Engaged with the world We want to broaden and deepen our relationships with audiences and artists, producing bold, progressive work that engages with the world in which we live. Constitution and Objectives The Royal Shakespeare Company objectives are achieved by the from and elected by the Governors. is incorporated under the Royal production of plays by Shakespeare The Board has the power to Charter as ‘The Royal Shakespeare and by other classic playwrights appoint the officers and employees Company, Stratford-upon-Avon’ and by the commissioning and of the Corporation. and it is a registered charity. production of new plays, which are presented in the Company’s The Royal Charter gives authority The Company’s principal objectives theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon, for investment in property and laid down in the Royal Charter are in London, and on tour throughout securities of any description and to conserve, advance and the United Kingdom; and by for the appointment of an disseminate the dramatic heritage educational activities in schools, investment manager. of Shakespeare and to advance and colleges and for the community improve the dramatic arts, both in at large. The Report and Accounts comply the United Kingdom and through- with the current statutory out the world. The Company (or The members of the Corporation requirements, the requirements of Corporation) is charged with consist of a President and the the Statement of Recommended producing and presenting dramatic Governors. The management of Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting performances of all kinds and with the property and affairs of the by Charities’ (SORP 2005) and of teaching and training and other Corporation is delegated to the the Royal Charter. educational activities. These Board whose members are drawn 2005/2006 02/03 photo: John Haynes Elaine Cassidy and Iain Glenn inThe Crucible photo: Keith Pattison Elaine Cassidy and Iain Glen in The Crucible There are few theatre still sound some remarkable echoes. adding to the £15m in private companies in the world The winter season in Stratford donations already pledged. Funding with the courage to stage yielded two West End transfers, has also been secured from our including a stunning new version supporters in the United States Shakespeare’s complete of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and through the dedication of RSC works at the same time a wonderful two-part re-working America and its Board members. as planning a major of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. transformation of its It was also a year that saw the The Annual Report this year draws theatres. I’m proud launch of The Complete Works on four themes – collaboration, that the RSC has that festival. This is not only the biggest ambition, inquiry and engagement courage. festival in the Company’s history, but – which are at the heart of our a unique insight into Shakespeare’s plans for the future. global appeal and the chance for This is a year when the a dialogue with the world that The year ahead will see the seeds of our ambition, will continue. Company complete its Shakespeare planted over the last marathon and start work on the couple of years, are This year we unveiled plans to transformation of its home. These statement Chairman’s beginning to grow. transform our home in Stratford, major landmarks in the history of Whether in the opening up the 1932 Royal the RSC are also signs of a deeper Shakespeare Theatre, bringing the renewal. The Complete Works is development of our audience and actors closer together more than a one-off festival; it acting ensembles or in a more engaging auditorium, is the start of a conversation with in the progress we’ve and improving the theatre’s other companies and different made transforming relationship with the town. Our traditions that will continue to our Stratford home, the architects, Bennetts Associates, have inform and inspire us. Our physical new confidence in our demonstrated that it is possible to transformation is only in part ambitions is palpable. transform the existing Royal about redevelopment of our Shakespeare Theatre in a way that buildings. It also is a vehicle for us marries the best of the past with to support the ensemble, develop This has been a great year on stage. our ambition to create the finest our staff, and offer our work to A successful Comedies season modern playhouse in the world new and diverse audiences. reinforced our commitment to for Shakespeare. I’m confident ensemble, while the timely that we have a scheme that reflects I hope you enjoy this celebration Gunpowder season proved yet the RSC’s ambition to make of our achievements this year. again that exploring the repertoire of Shakespeare fresh and relevant We look forward to you joining Shakespeare’s contemporaries can to a new generation. us on the journey ahead. The RSC has already secured Sir Christopher Bland 85 per cent of the funding required for the £100 million transformation project. This includes £50 million from Arts Council England and £20 million from Advantage West Midlands, reflecting the RSC’s role as a flagship for cultural tourism and a significant economic force in the region. The RSC’s Deputy Chair, Susie Sainsbury, and RSC Honorary Associate Artist, Dame Judi Dench, will lead the international fundraising campaign to reach the £100 million target, 2005/2006 04/05 photo: Ellie Kurttz Members of the Histories ensemble in rehearsal This year we’ve embarked Curiosity about and engagement ensemble of actors. One of the on the biggest project in with best practice from other exciting developments to emerge our history, The Complete cultures and disciplines is a critical from our new partnership with part of the ensemble jigsaw. We the University of Warwick is the Works. With visiting cannot produce theatre in a appointment of Adriano Shaplin, companies from almost vacuum – that is why we want to writer and director of New York’s every continent, the learn and share with other theatre Riot Group Theatre Company, as festival is a real makers. The festival is a celebration our first joint International Writer opportunity to extend of our house playwright but also a in Residence. As well as teaching our relationships with moment for the RSC to re-engage at Warwick, Adriano is our first audiences and artists with the world. The exposure of commissioned writer, umbilically our audiences and artists to new, linked to a specific group of actors from around the world. diverse and different styles of – and already at home with the theatre is not only an aspiration Histories company. Writing halfway through the year, for the festival; it is a necessity already The Complete Works has for the Company. Next year we say goodbye to thrown up some fascinating insights Dominic Cooke, who leaves the into Shakespeare’s canon. Visiting The RSC’s exploration of ensemble RSC to lead the English Stage productions have included a theatre making, which is Company at The Royal Court report Director’s Artistic visceral, contemporary take on generously supported by the Theatre. Dominic has been Othello from Germany; a South Garfield Weston Foundation, started instrumental in developing a new African Hamlet; Yukio Ninagawa’s with The Tragedies in 2004/5, then dramaturgy at the RSC, inspired epic Titus Andronicus; and followed with The Comedies in by Shakespeare’s heightened a luminous and illuminating 2005/6, and now steps up a gear. language and metaphor rather A Midsummer Night’s Dream The production of Shakespeare’s than the more recent tradition of performed in seven languages by Henry VI trilogy is the beginning theatrical realism.