May 20152015

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NewsletterNewsletter MayMay 20152015

In This Issue • Chairman’s Letter P3 • Marketing Strategies P4 • New Writing P6&7 • Voluntary Arts Report P8 • Our Heritage P9

Vol.29Vol.29 No.2No.2 MayMay 20152015 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015

The Little Theatre Guild represents 30, 31 October & 1 November 2015 108 member theatres that control NORTHERN REGION CONFERENCE & AGM Changes of Address and manage their theatre buildings. Grove Park Theatre, Wrexham HIGHBURY THEATRE CENTRE Our members are all amateur theatre Sheila Knapman companies with an audience of over 8, 9, 10 April 2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE & AGM 45 Westminster Drive 650,000 patrons with a turnover of King Heath approximately £4 million. Visit us at Crescent Theatre, Birmingham 70th Anniversary Conference Birmingham B14 6BG www.littletheatreguild.org Tel: 017711 889347 New LTG Reps [email protected] KELVIN PLAYERS, BRISTOL CAXTON PLAYERS, GRIMSBY LTG Diary of Events Ralf Togneri Cathy Bennett-Ryan The Malt House, 41 Trym Road, 29, 30, 31 May 2015 49 Littlefield Lane NATIONAL CONFERENCE & AGM Grimsby Westbury-on-Trym, Bingley Little Theatre N E Lincolnshire DN34 4NU Bristol BS9 3ET Tel: 01472 231753 Phone: 0117 959 4064. 31 July, 1, 2 August Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] NATIONAL COMMITTEE WEEKEND Great Asby, Cumbria LINDLEY PLAYERS Ms Lucie Nash New Email Addresses (Date still to be confirmed) Flat 12 Lisa Court FORMBY LITTLE THEATRE CENTRAL REGION AGM 115 Northwood Road To contact Brenda Nicholl, use Rose Theatre, Kidderminster Whitstable [email protected] Kent 16, 17, 18 October 2015 CT5 2SD RUGBY THEATRE SOUTHERN REGION CONFERENCE & AGM Email: [email protected] Debbie Hibberd Studio Theatre, Salisbury Telephone: 07545 299952 [email protected]

and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). Working at Height LOLER applies to all lifting equipment and the CofP is of interest to any theatre that uses flown lamps, scenery etc. The Theatre Safety Committee is concerned that most The new edition brings the document up to date with regulatory accidents in the theatre are either slips and trips or falls from a and other changes and guidance clarifies which equipment is height. Everyone working in the theatre should be aware of Code subject to the provisions of the regulations and the role of the of Practice for Working at Height. competent person. To reinforce this message a downloadable poster has been The context and examples have been expanded to show that produced for you to display backstage at your theatre You can LOLER applies across every sector using lifting equipment. download this from the backstage area of the LTG Website. The CofP can be downloaded from the HSE Website hse.gov.uk/ pubns/books/l113.htm Lifting Operations and Loading An Important Notice to all Electricians! Equipment Regulations (Loler) Changes to Wiring Regulations The Third Amendment to BS7671-2006 Wiring Regulations will The Health and Safety Executive has issued an Approved Code come into force on 1 July 2015. These include revised maximum of Practice and guidance is for those that work with any equipment earth loop impedances and new requirements for supporting wiring provided at work or for the use of people at work, those who employ systems in escape routes. such people, those that represent them and those people who act A fact sheet is available at http://www.3rdamendment.co.uk/ as a competent person in the examination of lifting equipment. It downloads/Amendment%203%20Factsheet.pdf sets out what you should do to comply with the Lifting Operations (This of course will only apply to NEW work of a permanent nature)

Commons – was launched last October by 15th to 24th May 2015. Groups are Get Creative! Voluntary Arts and Arts Development UK in encouraged to showcase their work with order to collect evidence of local initiatives, events and workshops, and to reach out to Get Creative is a provide spaces for discussion, and new members, audiences and volunteers. major celebration empower local voices in debates on future Suggested ways to get involved are of the nation’s arts, cultural policies. The Guild has registered having a rehearsal open day, organizing culture and creativity. It is led by the BBC, to take part in these discussions. back-stage tours, hosting a performance Voluntary Arts, and a huge range of arts, workshop – indeed anything to increase cultural and voluntary organizations, and is Hopefully we will be able to keep all the awareness of your community in the inviting everyone to get involved. The LTG members informed of developments, and artistic work you do. is very happily supporting this initiative, also to contribute to the continuing debates and has registered as a ‘Get Creative on your behalf. (It would be helpful of course if these initiatives Champion’ on the BBC website – www.bbc. could be promoted much further in advance, so co.uk/getcreative . One such event is Voluntary Arts that they could be given greater prominence. Week which is a celebration of amateur Last minute notification in the LTG world is not Another initiative – Our Cultural creative activity across the UK from likely to have a significant effect – Ed.) Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain www.littletheatreguild.org Newsletter Editor: Michael Shipley National Secretary: 121 Darwen Road Caroline Chapman Bromley Cross Satley House Bolton Satley Lancashire Near Bishop Auckland BL7 9BG County Durham Tel: 01204 304103 DL13 4HU Email: [email protected] Tel: 01388 730042 Email: [email protected] The contents of this newsletter are not necessarily the official views of the Little Theatre Guild. Contributions are always welcome. Last date for copy for the next issue: 15th July 2015.

2 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015 Letter from the Chairman Well, here we are enjoying some when it matters. To have a Patron rather unexpectedly long spells of who has taken the trouble to visit spring sunshine, and I hope that, so many theatres and who clearly like me, you are very much looking believes in the whole notion of the forward to our 2015 National LTG has been a fantastic bonus for Conference hosted by our wonderful all of us - and those of you who friends in Bingley. I do hope to see have been lucky enough to get a lots of you of there - the programme looks inviting! visit from Ian do not need me to The conference also marks the end of tell you what a morale boost it is for my own three-year tenure of office as your members. We will, of course, your Chairman - and what a delight miss him, but quite understand that and privilege it has been! I have to he wants to spend more time on his thank all of you for your support, your companionship, and career now it appears to be just taking off - only joking! - and most of all, your obvious unbounded enthusiasm for our I know he will always follow all things LTG with great interest. lovely theatres, the people in them, and, in the case of the Anyone who pauses to reflect for a few moments on theatre LTG, the notion that over 100 theatres scattered across the in the UK over the past three years cannot fail to have noticed UK and beyond, are always stronger together than apart. that the picture has changed quite a lot. There is justifiably I would like to thank in particular those theatres who have greater emphasis on social inclusion, on theatre reaching hosted regional and national conferences - and in doing so, a much more diverse audience, and in gender- and colour- have created an awful lot of extra work for themselves! - blind casting when we make our plays. And, of course, we but also those theatres too, who have hosted our regular National Committee meetings which take us all around the now inhabit a theatre world of ‘live streaming’ and ‘relaxed country, and which, invariably, are hosted on Sundays (which performances’! are usually very busy days for theatres), with warmth and I am certain that this not only sends out important tremendous hospitality! messages about what we are and what we do, but increases In the last three years, making theatre has not got easier - the likelihood that our communities will see us as vital in but I am certain that I have detected a much more professional enriching what it means to live a happy and fulfilled life in the attitude in our theatres, not just to running our buildings, but UK today. It has certainly become more difficult, however, to to the way we make our work, and its amazing diversity. Many get people of all ages to become involved in drama - there of us have continued to build on our wonderful youth theatre are a whole range of issues connected with changes in work work - in a world where issues around safeguarding have patterns, educational provision and leisure choices of which taken a tragic and disturbing turn that few of us would have we are all aware, and which make the viability of our theatres predicted - and we now have an agreed LTG youth strategy, more hard to maintain. as part of our ongoing raft of new policies. We have updated, and checked the relevance of our Grey papers, we have a To this end, I strongly urge you to have a look at the long-awaited and fresh new website. We have forged a far 2015 Report by the University of Warwick called: “Enriching better relationship with literary agents like Samuel French Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth”. It is easy to and Nick Hern than we have had for years! Some of you I locate on the internet and to download - and it will confirm know continue to have problems getting the amateur rights your fears, surprise and inform you in equal measure. to the plays that you want to present, but this is often as a It represents the combined intellect and experience of a result of your programming policy being much more in tune number of key people and is therefore not to be ignored. The with the plays which our professional colleagues are looking chapters called “Diversity and Participation”, “Education and to produce - in other words, we become victims of our own Skills” and “Making the Local Matter” are certainly worthy of topicality and relevance! note. The stated goal of this last chapter alone would, I am In the last three years, the LTG has unfortunately lost some sure, receive instant LTG support. member theatres, but we have gained far more, as other “GOAL: A vibrant creative life at local and regional levels theatres around the UK have come to realise the benefits of being part of the LTG. Some of my original National Committee across the UK that reflects and enriches community colleagues have left the Committee in that time, and new expressions of identity, creativity and culture” ones have come on board - but they have all shown great Finally, just a word about you and your own theatre. As capacity for hard work and a firm belief in the importance of highlighted earlier, I have noticed that all LTG theatres over the LTG - and I thank them all without exception. As I hand the last decade have become so much more professional over the Chairmanship to my colleague and friend, Andrew in running their operation! The painful management issues Lowrie, I know the LTG will be in safe hands for the next which used to arise regularly at LTG Conferences are no longer few years. Like me, Andrew is keen to embrace change and mentioned with such frequency - which means they have to make the LTG even more relevant to the national theatre either gone away or been successfully dealt with thanks to debate in the 21st century. He has considerable management YOUR skill and commitment. One thing I have learned about experience both in his professional life, and in his theatre amateur theatre is that no matter what central government, base, the Crescent in Birmingham, and I know, like me, he is local authorities or statutory bodies throw at us, we are keen to get to know more of you as time progresses. Sadly, of course, Sir Ian McKellen, has decided to bow out resilient enough to handle it, move on and somehow carry as our Patron at the end of this year - and, hopefully, we will on doing what we love! I am so proud of you all, and long all get the opportunity to thank him at Bingley for the time he may it continue! has given to the LTG, visiting and encouraging our theatres, and speaking up for amateur theatre in the national context Kevin Spence

3 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015 Reviewing Your Marketing Strategy The following report comes from the Newsletter for Questors outlined the principle of Theatre, Ealing: appointing a marketing assistant to each “The Board heard from Nina Flitman on behalf of the Social show in the season, Media Team, which has been working to try and raise the profile who would coordinate of Questors and its productions on social media. Questors now has marketing activities for over 1,100 likes on Facebook and 1,044 on Twitter. These numbers that particular show have been rising steadily and Nina explained how increasing these from an early stage numbers is important in broadening the audience who see our and act as a liaison posts and this should naturally lead to a growth in audience sizes between all relevant - and we are working on better ways to quantify these effects. parties. Difficulties can She noted that some of the posts that have been most widely be avoided by better communication and agreeing a clear schedule shared have been general interest in nature rather than specific for when particular things need to occur, such as finalising poster to a show and this emphasises the importance of posting regularly images or sending out press releases. There was a discussion about and not focusing purely on show advertising. She summarised the the role of the Director in show marketing - it was clear that some particular campaigns that have been run over the year and their Directors like to take a very active leadership role, while others are costs. Nina reported that there is also now a Questors Instagram happy to provide all input that is required but do not want to take account, which can be used to post photographs and video trailers the lead. The marketing assistant scheme should be able to cope for shows. The board thanked the Social Media team for their with all scenarios. ongoing work, which clearly has a lot of exciting potential. Liz also reported that, alongside the marketing assistants There was a brief discussion concerning video trailers, which scheme, volunteers were also being lined up to take on regular are now being widely used for theatre and can be very effective. publicity roles - for instance a particular member might take on Peter Gould is going to run a training event in February for anyone responsibility for distributing flyers and posters to shops in a interested in making these. It was noted that it is important to particular area throughout the season. We have the facility to understand the implications of copyright, and therefore what can provide this publicity material provided we know that it is going to and cannot be included in a trailer, which Peter will cover in his be distributed, so this is very valuable. training event. It was confirmed that changes can be made to the Ian Briggs had attended a recent meeting to launch this member- Questors website to link to video trailers if these are going to be led marketing initiative and was very pleased by the turn-out and available regularly. the positivity of all present. The board thanked Liz and Lucy for Liz Jardine-Smith and Lucy Aley-Parker attended the meeting pushing this forward and for their commitment to constructively to report on a new member-led marketing initiative. Liz increasing member involvement in show publicity.” New Lights and Sound for the Arts Centre at Bingley contract with Northern Stage Services for which adds a new desk, new amps, and a full upgrade of the sound system and a new speaker arrays including bass drivers partial upgrade of the lighting systems. to the venue, will mean we can provide We have to go back three years to sound for all hirers up to a small band understand why this came about. We’d without having to hire in gear as we had inherited a theatre that summer that was been doing so making it an investment entirely beat up and run down. The Stage which will reap good returns! was no exception to this with a lot of tech Also delivered is a new lighting desk (with in use that the Alhambra had thrown out in touch screen monitors, fancy!) new L.E.D the 1980s (before I was born!) and more rotating lights and a new L.E.D cyk wash. still that had been soldiering on since day Again these were put to great use in The On the 18th December 2014 in the midst one in 1974. It didn’t owe Bradford Council Thrill of Love by Paul Chewins and Phil of preparation for that night’s ABBA tribute anything and it certainly didn’t owe us Holbrough and frankly moments such as concert a small often unnoticed piece of anything! the opening of Act 2 where the actresses technical equipment failed and rendered The late Jim Brooks was technical liaison entered stage right back lit ethereally by the Bingley stage without a working manager for BLT and in the absence of an the new CYK wash or the court scene where lighting rig. Sounds a little odd, right? One Arts Centre head of tech the task fell to Emma Feamley was cross lit by two beams tiny unassuming grey box that’s sat quietly him to start the search for its replacement of light from the new rotating lights would for years under the lighting desk with but it was a tough task as we didn’t have simply not have been possible without dozens of BLT members’ legs dangling in enough knowledge ourselves to know what the new equipment and I can attest from front of it and often never getting a passing we needed. Technical failures were rife at having spent three full days rigging the thought from the hundreds of technicians the time: Both follow spots in spring 2013, lights for that show it pushed the very limit and patrons who rely upon it each year, multiple wiring faults, on stage monitor of the tech we have available to us! suffered a catastrophic malfunction. Turns speakers for bands/dance schools in Still to come by the end of the season are out this particular box holds the key for our summer 2013. There wasn’t a gig or get-in new dimmer racks and new lighting bars. very modern lighting desks to be able to that went by without something breaking These upgrades replace the big green boxes control our very old electrical lighting rig and Jim’s response quickly went from “Can in stage right that make an awful racket which was fitted new to the venue in 1974! you fix it?” to “Buy a new one!” with smaller, quieter ones and tidy up the Simply put, without it there was no show. Well, that’s exactly what had to be done lighting bars which from an electrician’s I was extremely lucky that after 3 so we did. After the AGM in May Richard stance are in a shocking state! It also adds hours of phone calls James Miller of Stageman the new Head of Tech and I new side bars to front of house so we can Keighley Playhouse stepped forward with were given responsibility for getting quotes (actors and directors take note) fully utilise a replacement for which we should all be in. Richard handled Lights and I handled the apron stage! It also takes us from 40 very grateful as without it there wouldn’t Sound. available lights to a whopping 96 meaning have been any lights for Inspector Drake’s The P.A system was installed just in there won’t be a corner of the stage where Last Case. Doubly lucky was the fact time for The Thrill of Love and bar some you can hide from the limelight! that we knew that time was running out complaints about the sound being too David Pedrick for our little grey friend as merely a few loud (Whoops!) the value for money was (The cost of all this work has been in the days previously the theatre had signed a immediately evident. This sound system, region of £105,650)

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40 years, Jean was particularly noted as an actress, director and News from Member Theatres very successful playwright. Among her credits were Chance of a Lifetime about the kidnapping of Jackie Mann in Beirut in 1989, and For two days in January the Hampton Hill Playhouse, home a popular series of one-act plays, Deckchairs. of Teddington Theatre Club, became a TV film set, as filming At Barn Theatre, Welwyn, plans to completely re-seat the took place for Channel 4’s Man Down, for its second series. “It auditorium at a cost exceeding £90,000 are progressing. The new was fascinating to see the filming process under way, and to be seats will be re-configured to give audiences a better and more reminded just how much time and effort goes into producing scenes comfortable view of the stage. At best guess, the old ex-cinema that may be on our screens for only a couple of minutes or even seats would now be over 80 years old!! less.” The main filming took place in the auditorium, while outside At New Venture Theatre, Brighton, a completely refurbished the theatre was temporarily renamed ‘Bringley East Theatre’. heating system has been installed, replacing an old system that A planning application has been submitted by the People’s was increasingly unreliable, and failing to reach important areas. Theatre, Newcastle for alterations to the entrance, reconfiguration Over £12,000 was needed to achieve this. of the foyer and bar, and erection of a new studio theatre. If Maskers Theatre, Southampton have been very busy between approved, does this mean that improvements are imminent? 17th April and 9th May – their RSC Open Stages production of Already under the Theatres Trust Small Grants Scheme, £5,000 has Richard II has been on an extended tour of one-night stands, taking been awarded to undertake essential building services work and asbestos removal required before redevelopment can commence. in village halls at The Wallops, Broughton, Landford, Northney, as Meanwhile, Cheshire East Council is considering a planning well as Winchester Discovery Centre, Studio Theatre Salisbury, application for a two storey extension at the rear of Wilmslow’s Hangar Farm Arts Centre, and Berry Theatre, Hedge End. Green Room Theatre to provide a first floor rehearsal room with Lewes Little Theatre played host to a recording of Gardeners storage areas at ground floor. Some neighbours are not happy, we Question Time on 27th April. hear! Harborough Theatre will be ‘dark’ from 13th July to mid- At Bromley Little Theatre plans are progressing to improve late September for a big refurbishment of the Lounge, Kitchen, the theatre. The current lease has been extended by one more Entrance Lobby and Stairs. At Priory Theatre, Kenilworth the year while negotiations take place to secure a long-term future for July production has been cancelled so that work can be done the theatre. This may well entail some changes to the premises to replace the roof over the stage, and upgrade the fire alarm licence. Meanwhile refurbishment to the nearest area of town has system. The Management Committee at Seaford Little Theatre ended, and the approach to the theatre no longer resembles a has approved plans to re-rake and replace the fixed seating in the building site. “Thank you to everyone who picked their way over auditorium. “The work is planned for August when we are dark. We broken paving stones and piles of gravel to get to the theatre.” hope the new seating will be unveiled for our two Anniversary Open Dumfries Guild of Players are on tour while the Theatre Days on the 4th and 5th September. This event is to celebrate our Royal is under renovation. The Wee Juniors have joined up with 70th Anniversary, sharing our theatre with the community.” Ryan Youth Theatre, and have been performing at Stranraer, New At Progress Theatre, Reading “we have just submitted a bid Galloway and Dumfries in a play by member James Napper, Unite to the Earley Charity for continuation of the Dementia Outreach Don’t Fight. The seniors are planning for two productions for the project. If successful we will be looking to appoint a (paid) Outreach Spring and early Summer: A Scots Stromash, a revue of Scottish Coordinator, for one day a week for six months. Their job will be to songs, poems and sketches, and a play by Alan Ayckbourn. Details facilitate the development and performance of new writing based of the venues were still to be announced. Meanwhile workshops on the stories of local dementia sufferers. If we’re unsuccessful and fund raising events are continuing. then I’m confident we’ll find other ways to build on the work already At City Theatre, Durham major work is about to start on re- done – it just might take a bit longer.” configuring the public areas, including the entrance to the theatre At Oldbury Rep Chairman Doreen Bastable decided to stand and the old cobbles outside, as well as the heating, the first stage of a five year plan. down after 38 years in the post, at this year’s AGM. Doreen, a Stockport Garrick Theatre member of the Company since 1942 and now aged 87, joined organised a Christmas Truce Oldbury Repertory Players in 1942 and was elected as registrar Football Match with Chads in 1947. and as Chairman in 1977. a Theatre on Saturday, 20th total of 68 years as an elected officer December. “This was a very of ORP. In 1969 Doreen was made a popular, beautifully costumed and Life Member of the theatre. In addition moving event to commemorate to her administrative roles she has the unofficial 1914 Truce”. The appeared on stage in 54 productions. Chads team won the match 5-3. There will be few amateur thespians Members of Oast Theatre, Tonbridge are mourning the who can be proud of such length of passing of member Jean McConnell. An active member for over service. She surely deserves a medal!

Once this direction of travel has been before any conclusions are reached. The To expand or not? agreed we then need to assess the process will start in April but there will still implications with regard to a number of be plenty of time for your views to taken The choice for Ilkley Playhouse important issues that have been frequently into account before any final conclusions discussed but never completely resolved. The following piece appeared in the latest For example, do we need to spend are reached. Newsletter for Ilkley Playhouse: more money on improving the fabric of Given the wide range of views that are In order to develop a 10 year strategic the building? Should we make substantial likely to exist in an organisation with so plan for The Playhouse to try and plot investments in installing retractable many members it is not difficult to imagine where we might be in 2025, it is planned seating in The Wildman Theatre or should that later this month we will hold a joint that we will not come up with a solution meeting of the Trustees and The Executive we improve the raking in The Wharfeside that pleases everyone. Theatre Committee Theatre? The decision on the direction However, I do believe that it is in of travel will also have implications on to begin this process. everyone’s interest that we try to reach whether or not we need more or less The main issues to a consensus supported by the majority of be discussed include permanent employees, how much we whether we should invest in marketing and how we recruit and members and elected representative so continue to develop retain volunteers, since we cannot offer a that we all have visibility on where The The Playhouse as wider range of services without expanding Playhouse is going over the next 10 years a community arts our volunteer base. and how it will best serve the interests of centre or should it If you have any views on any of these its members and the wider community. remain a member’s issues then can I invite you to write to or We look forward to hearing from you. only club focusing contact any of the elected representatives entirely on producing who sit on either Board of Trustees or The Your opinion is very important to us. a series of plays each Executive Theatre Committee, so that your Thank you. season. views can be incorporated into our thinking Graham Smith, Chairman

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play According to Claudia to launch their new season last September. To my surprise New Writing and delight, my work was presented at the In the professional 400-seat Dolman Theatre along with plays sector: by such illustrious writers as Noel Coward, In early February Somerset Maugham and Ira Levin. the BBC revealed Then a publisher showed an interest in some interesting my work and I have now had four plays facts about the published and available on Amazon. It growth of new writing seems as if, at last, my perseverance is in the UK Subsidised beginning to pay off. Not that I haven’t Theatre Sector. tasted success as a writer before. My one Some 62 theatres act plays Bunkered and Poor Yorick were were analysed for among the winning entries in playwriting the period 2009 to 2014, and the number competitions and were staged at the on trial for the crimes he allegedly of new plays produced in 2014 was up 26% Dolman. Poor Yorick had come within a committed.” A semi-rehearsed run through on 2009. In the 20 most highly subsidized whisker of being taken up by publisher of the new play took place in March, and companies, the percentage was 41%. Samuel French who only declined because members were advised to bring with them Another interesting statistic was the rise of they had already committed to another their copies of Shakespeare’s Richard III. women writers to 36%. spoof of Hamlet. I had also won the drama The New Playwright’s Scheme at Oast Ian Youngs, BBC News arts reporter, section of an annual writing competition Theatre, Tonbridge has rapidly produced comments: run by the University of Wales, Newport exciting results. Over the weekend of 16/17 The figures suggest that there is a – where I worked as press officer until ill May, there will be two rehearsed readings premier league of top theatre companies, health forced me to take early retirement. of new work: Return of the Ashes, a full- and the gap between those and the rest But According to Claudia is special as it length play by Rebecca Russell & Brian is growing. The top theatres have become was my first full length play to be produced Stewart, and two one acts, The Donor by more commercial and more ingenious at the Dolman Theatre. It began as one of Branko Ruzic, and Playing with Shadows by in order to expand their work - while many unfinished projects – plays, novels Yvette Walters. increasing “risky” new writing and resisting and short stories, all mainly comedies - At Abbey Theatre, St Albans member the temptation to retreat to safe shows. that I decided to take a second look at. I Stephen Tomas’s new play Fugue receives Below the top tier, small and medium- had a few scenes about a family haunted a revised airing in the form of a fully sized venues are also working hard to by secrets from the past, a storyline about rehearsed reading on 31st May. find new income. But their options are a reformed East End crook and a breakfast And a new take on an old classic at more limited. It could be argued that the scene with an elderly squabbling brother Brighton Little Theatre: The Revenger’s long-feared cuts have not fully kicked in - and sister. Feeling this would make a good Tragedy, by Thomas Middleton, has been and everyone in the theatre world is still opening I started to pull all the threads adapted and directed by Christopher petrified that the worst is yet to come. together, determined to write a play that, Dangerfield. The play is set in a future Rachel Tackley, president of trade body although it had lighter moments, had real alternate state (steampunk style). It UK Theatre and director of English Touring drama at its core. I also wanted to create follows a breakdown in civilisation following Theatre, said the industry was “working some really meaty roles for women, as I huge solar flare storms, unrelenting civil together to make what there is go further. felt these were few and far between. wars and the destabilization of key power The bigger houses are definitely becoming The result was a play about a crusty states. Society, as we know it, has broken more resourceful and doing more co- Oxford don and his relationship with his down. The corrupt, powerful and unelected productions. The easy thing would be to grown-up children – all of whom he feels House of Jacobus oppresses the society do less. The money gets less, we do less. have failed him. Fuel is thrown on the fire living in the towering citadel of Albion. Actually I think the opposite has been by his squabbling daughters who bring to “Attend me: I am past my depth in lust proven to be the case. As the money gets his 80th birthday party a bemused crime and I must swim or drown.” (see photo) tighter and we’re more squeezed, then we writer and a wealthy ex-crook who returns get more and more resourceful. My worry in secret from his business empire in Spain is to what extent you can continue that.” hoping to avoid past acquaintances keen to settle old scores. But Equity said the number of weeks Once I had written a first draft that I was actors had worked at many of the best- happy with I showed it to my fiercest critic funded theatres had dropped since 2009. – my wife, Caroline, who has been involved “We don’t think that more titles being done with the Dolman Theatre for many years by these 20 theatres can be read to be a as an actor and director. Several re-writes sign of the theatres not being impacted later, the play was ready to be directed by by funding cuts, especially when you look Caroline who assembled a great cast to at the collapse in employment in most of bring the characters to life. As assistant those theatres,” assistant general secretary director, I was able to edit and revise the Martin Brown said. script as we went, adding pace to the play and speeding up the action. The play enjoyed a successful run and A Scots Stramash with Guild of In the LTG World: the review in the South Wales Argus Players, Dumfries. Director Joyce described it as “insightful, touching, heart- Ferguson writes: A Press Release from Dolman Theatre, warming and at times hilarious”, adding ‘Wee’, ‘dreich’ and ‘blether”, ‘glaikit’, Newport that it was “compelling viewing”. The icing ‘swither,’ ‘crabbit,’ thole’ ‘thrawn... The list on the cake came when glossy lifestyle of useful and evocative Scots words can go Keep Write on to the End of the Play and entertainment magazine Voice voted on and on. Collecting our stramash has been by Phil Mansell the play Best Theatre Show 2014 in their a group effort amongst a large number of “You fail as a annual awards. Guild members - someone would vaguely writer only if you I have been writing practically non-stop remember a line or two of a poem or a few stop writing.” So since, and my one act play Bats will be bars of a song and keep repeating them said author Ray recorded for Newport City Library’s website til someone else would remember another Bradbury, and I prior to being performed in the Dolman bit and the original was tracked down. It couldn’t agree Studio Theatre. wasn’t helpful that we tended to remember more. After years Phil Mansell’s plays are available from them by different names - for instance, of plugging away as Amazon or at www.silvermoonpublishing. ‘Speed Bonny Boat’ was also ‘Over the Sea a writer I’m finally co.uk to Skye’ and ‘Charlie Will Come Again.’ beginning to enjoy We had a lovely time remembering some success. At Richmond Shakespeare Society skipping rhymes and playgrounds. It First, the Artistic member Peter Parkinson has added to his was amazing how many songs and tunes Committee of portfolio of Shakespeare inspired plays with were tucked away in our heads and with Newport Playgoers The Trial of Richard III. “It is time to put them and recollected poems and readings Society selected my one of England’s most famous monarchs we had more than enough to devise a

6 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015 programme. In the end we decided to From a poignant snapshot of life They consider the whole audience base the show loosely on the journey from with mental illness, to the quirky and experience, despite their small space and childhood to old age using a wide variety absurd picture of new fathers with sleep financial parameters. The short plays in of songs, poems and prose with traditional deprivation, there is a short play for and modern (it is not a Burns fest as he everyone. They are more than just skits or WriteFest, for example, are entertainingly gets a shot at other times of the year), a scenes, they are proper short stories, and compered, there is a local artist’s work sort of ceilidh in fact. each one has been crafted with care. displayed in the foyer, and you are greeted Various titles were put forward until Two pieces really stood out for me in their by a friendly face. This is community someone had the brilliant idea of ‘A Scots cohesiveness and creativity. One, ‘Yawn’ theatre, made for and by the community, Stramash’, which we all agreed summed written by Paul Houghton, reminded me, in up the programme as it means a ‘melee’ style, of a Pixar short and because of its genuine engagement or ‘collision’ and we have included songs, film. A witty almost cartoonish portrayal with its audience it delivers something poems and readings of all types, from of exhausted new dads, with lots of really worth seeing. The theatre shouldn’t present day to the old author ‘Anon’. physicality and comic movement, not have to work on a shoestring, especially The evening will be rounded out in relying on text to carry it, but trusting in as some theatre companies consistently traditional theatrical manner with an the representation and twisting of such an award-winning 10-minute comedy by Alan ordinary situation receive huge funding and produce mediocre Ritson called The Morning After. The other, quite the opposite in tone, work, but it does, and it does it very well. We had great fun hunting for material was Mike Linstead’s brilliantly and Questors Theatre presented 4D, and working out what to choose and how sparsely written ‘Number 11’, a strange the new directors’ showcase for 2015. to present it. We are really looking forward and disturbing homage to Kafka’s to performing in this new way. ‘Metamorphosis’, and deftly performed An evening of four short plays by And a report on Writefest at Progress by the very competent Owen Goode (see internationally acclaimed playwrights Joe Theatre, Reading: photo). Orton, Tennessee Williams and Howard Tonight is first night of the 9th annual As with any showcase of new work from Brenton, and a new work by The Questors’ WriteFest, a collection of 7 new short plays community participants, there are some very own Liz Jardine-Smith. Carer explores from local authors, directed and performed hits and some misses, but it has been by local amateur actors, under the banner carefully curated as a showcase. Like a issues around dependency, vulnerability of Progress Theatre. museum, there might be some exhibits and helplessness. (see Photo) you love and others you skip past, but these little snippets of theatre are short and sweet enough to enjoy each one as welcome parts of a whole. Progress Theatre works only with the passion and enthusiasm of amateur performers and with no funding beyond ticket sales and membership, and yet it generates good theatre. It is clear that everyone involved is aiming for excellence which is ambitious considering the context, but it is what makes Progress Theatre stand out from other amateur theatre groups.

and the actors can effectively carry candles in one hand while The LTG visit to the performing a scene, as long as they don’t move too swiftly so blowing the candles out! The back-drop is reminiscent of screens in Oxbridge college halls, undoubtedly authentic, providing central Sam Wanamaker Playhouse double doors onto the stage area, with two side doors. The actors also access the stage through the audience. The audience is on On Saturday 18th April we three sides, with a ‘pit’ area and two balcony levels. visited the Globe Theatre on Sitting (tightly) on the ground floor, perhaps even on the first the Southbank, especially to tier, the audience gets an intimate view of the action. I was seated see the new Sam Wanamaker on the second tier, which was disastrous. My view of the action Playhouse, for the last night was consistently impeded by the chandeliers; the lighting was so of the winter season. It was dim that faces rarely came into focus; in this production most of great to meet up with over 40 the costumes were black, so that distinguishing which characters LTG members from all over were which was often extremely difficult, and made following the the country who had made the convoluted plot nearly impossible. Perhaps if I had brought a stool pilgrimage, and to be part of an and been allowed to sit on the stage itself, like a Jacobean gallant, audience of ‘last nighters’ from I would have fared better! the theatrical community who had arrived with flowers to throw on Which brings me back to the production itself. The actors the stage at the end of the show. We were privileged in the afternoon to be given two excellent worked hard, admittedly, but very few had that touch of charisma lectures about the nature of indoor theatre in the Jacobean and to overcome the dullness of the text and the restrictions of the Caroline periods, and how the Globe team had researched and stage and lighting. The Broken Heart was definitely not a neglected created the present space; followed by an exploration of how the masterpiece awaiting a revelation in the new playhouse. It will nature of the plays written in the years from 1600 to 1642 had probably be another 50 years before it is revived again. changed with the move to indoor performing spaces. (Perhaps in I have to come to the conclusion that the new playhouse is a years to come people will take the same interest in the ways our noble failure; academics and specialists will learn from it, and keen own theatre has been changing over the past 50 years with the playgoers will want to try the experience once, but will find visiting decline of the proscenium arch and the growth of ‘open spaces’.) the Swan at Stratford infinitely more rewarding in this repertoire. The performance in the evening was of The Broken Heart by There is an upside to this criticism however. Having seen the Globe John Ford, written shortly before the Civil War. An ambitious on Screen production of Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi, I would choice! I remember seeing it in 1963 at Chichester in the opening not hesitate to recommend it wholeheartedly. The cameras roved season there, with Olivier leading a stellar cast. It struck me then around the dimly lit space imaginatively, and closed in frequently with a dull thud! And sadly fared no better in this new playhouse. on the candle-lit faces. Costumes and props all looked beautiful in It really is a consistently boring play with very little content to detail. So, if you are a purist, get yourself to the Southbank; but if grip the emotions, and a text that never begins to reach the you want the best seat in the house for a great experience, get to poetic splendours of Webster and Middleton. So the actors have a your nearest cinema! You will surely be impressed and delighted. mammoth task in front of them. Even The Broken Heart might succeed with this treatment! But before further words on that, what about the space itself? Michael Shipley The new theatre is tiny. It is lit entirely by candles, six chandeliers and six wall sconces. The chandeliers can be raised and lowered, (The trip to the Playhouse was organised by Sandra Simpson, to the candles extinguished and relit according to directorial need, whom many thanks are due.)

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positives; Report on VAN (Voluntary * The focus by government on sport, which is not the whole answer, as although the para-lympic sport has Arts Network) AGM been fantastic, generally speaking only and third meeting in a series with National Umbrella Bodies the young and fit participate in sport, on Thursday 30 October 2014 at St Bride Foundation, Bride Lane, but voluntary arts offers opportunities Fleet Street, London. for all. We have a huge amount to offer people with restricted mobility; National Committee member Jo Matthews reports: * For small organisations, the question There was representation from nine organisations; very diverse of whether to employ staff and the and disparate, for example the Origami Society with a few members, challenge of them being managed by to the Crafts Council, and Arts & Science Festivals Association with volunteers; thousands of members and budgets over £1million. Most of the * The current interest in volunteers bigger ones are ACE or similar funded. LTG and Theatres Trust generally and the way they are were the two organisations representing theatre. ‘treated’, with especial interest in Robin Simpson, Company Secretary, and Peter Stark, Chairman, young people, who are eventually seeking work. started by re-instating their aims: to promote participation in This last point has led to Robin & Peter saying they would organise creative arts because of the benefits to the individual and to society. They continue to lobby for us and expect to be heeded due to the a meeting devoted to the subject of volunteers. Considering the large numbers of us participating in arts on a voluntary basis. They, bullet points above, I found it an interesting meeting as many of VAN, are also aware that if they are to lobby effectively they need to them apply to Little Theatres. listen to us, and the ACE way of working does not encourage that. I have one further comment to make regarding registering Consequently VAN has changed its meeting formula to give time to theatres as an asset of community interest, which I agree is listening to our views, which will contribute to their Strategic Plan. very important. I have previously been a Town Councillor, so I am We went round the table speaking for a few minutes each on our interested in this initiative, which I think is a very clever scheme current aims and challenges. which can give a win-win result for Councils and theatres, Several topics came up repeatedly, viz: with a loss to developers. I feel that this is designed to * The lack of young people coming forward and increasing need to ‘get the protests in, in advance’. A register of all interested get young people involved; locals will mean that the Council knows now what kind of * The lack of respect for the arts from the government, leading opposition they are going to get to development. If support to less young people taking artistic GSSEs and less adults for a building is large, they may be in a position to put the participating as mature learners. Statistics show this has led to developers off at the very beginning, rather than the current less people following-through from voluntary or amateur work into modus operandi of waiting for locals to get angry and then professional work; having to preside over a fight. I would recommend theatres * The threat to buildings with fibrous ceilings that will have to be to get registered. demolished; The final message from Robin Simpson and Peter was that the * The great lack of understanding about Rights – for example the recession having bitten deeply, we do need to keep lobbying, large number of ‘have a go’ choirs started up since Gareth Malone but we should focus on the positive and what we can achieve on made it popular, who have got into trouble. Coupled with this our own, as more funding is patently not going to come forward the need for Rights, Permissions, licences etc. to be awarded to anytime soon. voluntary groups; They have produced, jointly with Arts Development UK, a short * The importance of registering buildings as an asset of community document entitled Our Cultural Commons. The word ‘theatres’ was value; unfortunately left out of the draft (!). The AGM itself was very short * The importance of the www and social media as both an and uncontroversial. opportunity and sometimes a threat and the need to harness the Jo Matthews, November 2014

Making a Virtue out of Necessity An Amateur Show Reaches the West End At Southport Little Theatre earlier this year, the all important The Dreamers lift failed just before the opening of the panto. A major component At the St. James Theatre, London from 30 June to 11 July of the control system had failed, and was found to be obsolete and (evenings at 7.30pm/matinees at 2.30pm on Thursday & Saturday beyond repair. It was probably at least 15 years old. An immediate of each week) replacement of the lift control system, cab panel, call points and Prices: £35 (Premium Seats), £29.50 & £24.50 (£3 off for Senior Citizens/ wiring was ordered, but would take over 5 weeks to install to get Children/Students, except for Premium Seats) the lift back into service – all this in the middle of a very busy Seats can be booked on the theatre website: http://www.stjamestheatre. winter season. Urgent action was required. co.uk/theatre/the-dreamers/ or by calling the Box Office: 0844 264 2140 “Are you outgoing and enthusiastic? Do you enjoy talking to This is a link to a trailer of the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- people? Do you have approximately an hour free (7.00 to 8.00 pm) rhnShcymTc to greet, welcome and help our audiences when the performances This is a link to a video of the lead track, The Dreamers Anthem: are on? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6-Cbv2u9Ro Unfortunately the Lift is going to be out of order during the run of The Constant Wife and possibly during Disposing of the Body. In In the years that commemorate the 100th anniversary of the order to keep our audiences moving away from the Box Office Area, Great War two young musicians, James Beeny and Gina Georgio, the Executive Committee seeks volunteers to greet our Patrons as have written a contemporary and inspiring musical called The they enter the Building. In addition to our Front of House Stewards, Dreamers. Based on the true and moving story of little-known these “Greeters” will welcome our Audiences, guide them to the Bar, Programme Sellers, Foyer or Auditorium and politely enquire if WWI hero David ‘Reggie’ Salomons, the brand new production will they will require any help to walk up the stairs. be making its London debut at the St. James Theatre this June. During the Pantomime, the Club was grateful to have a number The show is performed by a cast of 20 young men and women of members and backstage crew available to help get wheelchairs who are joined on stage by six-piece band Virgin Soldiers, led by and their occupants into the Auditorium. There will only be a couple 28-year-old James and 24-year-old Gina. As young writers, it was of people working backstage for the next two plays, so if you can understandably hard to get their show off the ground, so James help to move these patrons for an hour before the show, and half and Gina started out by recruiting non-professional singers who an hour after the show, please volunteer, any assistance would be had aspirations of working in theatre. The entire team, including greatly appreciated. the producer and director, gave their time voluntarily with the The Southport Dramatic Club’s members are very busy people, dream of taking the show into the West End. but please volunteer if you can - perhaps you are coming down to a The Dreamers premiered last October at the Assembly Hall rehearsal or meeting anyway and could just come earlier one night. Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, where each performance received a First impressions are long remembered, so if we can welcome our standing ovation. Robert Mackintosh, brother of producer Cameron, Audiences and minimise their inconvenience, they will hopefully attended one of the performances and subsequently invited the enjoy their time at our beautiful Theatre and want to return again.” team to put The Dreamers on in his theatre.

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News of Research into Amateur Drama - the latest from Helen Nicholson: A Researcher’s Toolkit Someone’s story of recruitment/first You can help us with our research involvement. Why you? Someone who has directed or performed in Because you are an expert already. Through your participation a lot of shows. in amateur dramatics, whatever it may be: performing, making, Someone who met their husband/wife/ socializing, directing, singing, dancing, acting, creating, building, boyfriend/girlfriend/partner through amateur focusing, selling tickets, answering phones, fundraising, tweeting, dramatics. emailing, handing out programmes, or just being there – you Someone who never performs – a technician, already know a great deal. Your expertise is valuable. Can you help wardrobe mistress, the props guru. by sharing it? This toolkit gives some suggestions about ways to begin, but you don’t have to stop there. We’re keen to hear any Record it. (yourself) other stories you might want to share with us too. Send your Take an audio recorder (or a mobile phone or a video camera), experiences to find a quiet space. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Press record. Speak [email protected] about one of the prompts below. Press stop. Save it. Send it. Tell us about…. Snap it. The show you most remember. Take a photo of one of the following: The time someone saved the day. A costume that tells a story. An unexpected thing you overheard backstage A prop that tells a story. A set piece that tells a story. Draw it. Tell us the story – who made it, how it was used, who wore it? How Draw a map which shows connections between people in your did you learn to make it? amateur dramatics group. How can you show the links between people? Where are the friendships, family ties, co-workers? Scan Write it. it and send it to us. A mini-history. Can you capture the history of your amateur society on a single side of A4 paper? Calling historians and archivists. Create a postcard. Describe ‘a day in the life’ of your amateur If you have documented the history of your company, we would company in under 100 words. love to read it. If you have a copy or DVD to spare, please send it to Helen Nicholson, Department of Drama and Theatre, Royal Record it. (with someone else) Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX Interview someone. Take an audio recorder, or a mobile phone, or a laptop. Sit down together somewhere quiet. Press record. Try a (Those who attended the Annual Conference at Oast Theatre, few different interviews! Tonbridge last May will remember meeting Helen Nicholson and The person who has been involved with your society the longest. Jane Milling, and hearing them outline the large scope of their The newest or youngest person in your society. research.)

We are also hoping that you will be able to bring along one or two Attention All LTG Theatre Reps youngsters to take part in a separate workshop lead by a youth leader (age 13 to 18 years old).

& Youth Leaders: URGENT This event is open to all LTG member theatres. Are you and LTG Youth Leader? Please let me know if you wish to attend, also if you will be bringing Are you an LTG Theatre who wants to start a youth group? any youngsters age 13 to 18 years old. Closing date Friday 29th May. Please advise if your theatre currently has a youth group. Do you want to share knowledge and help deliver great theatre experiences for our young members of our youth groups? Respond to [email protected] AND Pat Lyne at Brighton New Venture Theatre [email protected] In that case come along to an LTG Youth Leaders one day conference to be held at The New Venture Theatre Brighton Eddie Redfern on Sunday 7th June 2015 from 10:30 to 15:00. Youth Coordinator LTG

arts would ensure equitable distribution of funding across art forms The Inequality of Arts Funding and regions.” (A letter from Chris Hodgkins to The Guardian) A new report has warned that more needs to be done to fix “Having your cake and eating it is what the rich do - because the “mismatch” between publicly funded arts and the taste of the the rich always have more cake anyway, and a valet or lady’s general public, in order to avoid “cultural apartheid”. maid to brush away the crumbs. One thing, surely, is undeniable The publication reveals that 8% of people who are the wealthiest, in 2015 - and this is despite Brechtian innovations; despite best educated and least ethnically diverse made up at least 28% of outreach prog¬rammes and community endeavours; despite live live theatre attendees in the last three years. cinema transmissions and webcasts; despite education, education, One presumes that the figures come from the professional sector education and many attempts at popularisation; despite charitable rather than the amateur! Especially when so much money is given status; despite lottery funding (a tax on stupidity to pay for culture) to opera and a handful of favoured companies. - opera remains resolutely, one might even say defiantly, the preserve of the rich, if by “the rich” is understood “you”, “me”, AKA “The problem is there is no policy for the arts in England. Arts “the bourgeoisie”. It may be this fact alone that leads successive funding is now run like a fifth rate hedge fund that every three producers of Mahagonny, the plot of which involves three criminals years selects a national portfolio of arts organizations and then on the run who find they can go no further and found a city: three years later unbundles them. In an age of austerity, the Royal Mahagonny, city of gold, to which the disenchanted and destitute Opera House and ENO exist cheek by jowl and in 2015 will receive then flock - to descant on its continued relevance.” (from an article public funding of circa £37m. If two A&E existed side by side, one by Will Self in The Guardian, on the new production of Rise and Fall would be closed or relocated immediately. A national policy for the of the City of Mahagonny at the Royal Opera House)

9 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015 Coping with the Election Has the campaign been stimulating and things and asks us to reflect on these flatness. It is politics, exciting? Or has it bored the pants off you? actions: the word for ‘doing’ in Greek is not theatre that can Cameron was only prepared to take part in ‘drama’. Theatre, however faintly, still sometimes seem to one TV debate before the election – with retains the lingering and ineradicable sense exist in a parallel, seven other party leaders, and before the that it is the civic artform par excellence. unreal universe. end of the parliamentary session some No art that is made can avoid reflecting Meanwhile since 6 weeks before the election. He was so its time and the particular political, social, the rise of Twitter, busy of course! For me this would be and economic circumstances of its making. the stakes for public an eminently missable event! It is bad Theatre is the artform that does this most discourse have become enough with five participants on Question easily and consciously. Tragedy, Aristotle higher. Perhaps the Time. Is it only the Press that thinks these wrote, arouses pity – meaning the ability most politically debates are a good idea? One suspects to feel from another’s perspective. Politics, radical thing theatre that the electorate is largely bored stiff and at its best and most powerful, is also about is doing, this Spring unconcerned, while those that really are empathy and pity, asking us to think about of 2015, is not airing interested don’t need to watch a pointless not just what is right for me, but what is the issues of the ‘debate’ setting out rehearsed platitudes. right for the community – for the polis.” day, but insisting It has been a wonderful escape to get If you believe that the theatre is a place its audience sit out to the theatre and cinema. I have seen to ask questions about the world we’re in Globe Theatre and NT Live screenings, not – and potentially make changes – the work in a place, with our fellow humans, to mention Opera. There have been 15 is always political. But something else is watching other humans doing and screenings at my local cinema since the going on. “Public discourse at the moment speaking, being moved to pity and beginning of March up to the election to seems especially fraught and especially fear. And insisting its audience do take my mind and body away from the narrow. The broadcast political interview so, furthermore, without recourse to relentless bombardment of insults and seems caught in an ever decreasing circle email, Twitter or Facebook, without, pointless statistics. of aggression in delivery and timidity of for a span of time, contributing to Charlotte Higgins in The Guardian wrote content. It is often said that individual the algorithmic churn of Google. a long article about the political origins of politicians are intelligent and penetrating That, maybe, is the small, true act the theatre in ancient Greece. “Theatre is conversationalists in private, but switch on of resistance that all theatergoers the artform that shows us people doing a microphone and all this is ironed out to undertake.”

of King John. It was my introduction to those awful cotton tights Michael Green talks to The Stage coarse actors wore in those days. They sagged dreadfully at the fork. One of the cast asked if we could have surgical supports but One of the surprise West End hits of the past year, The Play That the wardrobe mistress replied firmly, ‘Jock straps will be issued Goes Wrong, still rolling them in the aisles at the Duchess, was only to those with large parts’, so I failed to qualify on two counts.” inspired by The Art of Coarse Acting, Michael Green’s prototype So who or what is a coarse actor precisely? Green’s catch-all guide to bad theatrical practice, first published in 1964. The definition is “one who can remember the lines but not the order success of Green’s book led to a whole spate of coarse acting plays, in which they come”, although his wonderfully entertaining book mostly premiered at the Questors Theatre, Ealing, where he has contains any number of defining traits, from “bringing down the been an active member for more than 60 years. While there were scenery by forcing a door that won’t open” to nabbing the early exit fellow performers at Questors who took themselves too seriously to parts in order to spend more time in the pub, to his own personal find Green’s irreverent take on amdram amusing, its founder and experience of falling off the stage at a dress rehearsal and being guiding spirit, the late Alfred Emmet, was always a fan. rushed to accident and emergency with a dislocated shoulder, “Alfred was the person who introduced the Coarse Acting dressed as an 18th-century pirate with a wooden leg and a fake Championships in the late 1960s to raise funds for their new dagger wound in the chest. theatre,” explains the convivial Green, 88 now and sharp as a “The nurse started to deal with the stage wounds while ignoring tack. “We had teams from the National and the Royal Shakespeare the real ones,” he writes in The Art of Coarse Acting. “When the Company. Roger Rees and Tony Pedley did the assassination scene doctor arrived he looked down at my wooden leg and said, I’ll make from Julius Caesar as performed by the Hanwell Amateur Dramatic an appointment for you to have a new one fitted tomorrow’.” Society in which Caesar started fighting back.” So successful were As with all the best comedy writing, you feel Green’s memory the Coarse Acting Championships that Green put together a ‘best is creatively enhanced by his imagination, but he insists the vast of’ compilation and took it up to the Edinburgh Fringe where the majority of his anecdotes are rooted in reality. A particular favourite two-week run sold out on the first night. is that early appearance in a non-speaking role in King John, where In 1979, Green and company took a second show to Edinburgh, he was cast as Second Citizen of Harfleur. “First Citizen was a real which was picked up by Brian Rix and the Theatre of Comedy, old trouper called Harry who had a box labelled Scabs, Warts and running for three months, with two other Edinburgh hits, at the Boils. He invited me to borrow one of his scabs. It took him three- Shaftesbury Theatre. He recalls: “If we hadn’t been amateurs the quarters of an hour to make up and he had one line, ‘Hear us, great run would have been longer, because Brian Rix really liked our kings!’ As I didn’t have any lines, he invited me to repeat his line, show, but you can’t ask a deputy headmaster to give up his day job so I said, ‘Yes, great kings, hear us!’ It was a lesson I never forgot. in order to fool around in the theatre.” There is no such thing as a non-speaking role in coarse acting.” Green himself started fooling around in the theatre at the age Henry Lewis and Mischief Theatre, the producers of The Play That of 14, when he was chosen to play a schoolboy in a production of Goes Wrong, have never made any secret of their debt to Michael Goodbye Mr Chips as the Leicester Rep. “It was my first coarse Green. Indeed Lewis attended the youth theatre at Questors and acting experience. I went to open a door that was painted on to enlisted Green’s help in conceiving the prototype for The Play That the scenery.” Goes Wrong. Given its massive and enduring success, I wondered In the 1940s when he was working as a cub reporter in if Green felt any resentment towards Mischief. “I was a bit miffed Northampton, one of his newspaper colleagues was involved with at first, I suppose. I’d love to have done what they’ve done, but the Northampton Drama Club and roped it wasn’t possible to achieve that with amateurs when I had the him in to do open-air Shakespeare. He moved to London in the chance; they all had day jobs. But no, I don’t sit around snarling early 1950s to work on the Evening Star, and joined the Questors and cursing. I’ve been very lucky in my life.” Nick Smurthwaite Theatre, then working out of a corrugated iron church in Ealing. The Art of Coarse Acting and other related titles are available from “I remember I had a small part in Alfred Emmet’s production Samuel French Ltd, www.samueljrench-london.co.uk

10 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015

our season to do a lot more than just earn The Audience. Where were you? Only 12 Bits and pieces from money -- but this huge boost to our bank members saw the show and the overall balance at Christmas helps to support all attendance was the lowest on record. our activities throughout the year. Surely you can spare two hours a year to Your Newsletters So a massive “Well Done!” to everyone support our younger actors and technical who worked on these shows over Christmas staff. Unless you were out of the country -- onstage, backstage, front-of-house, Box or seriously incapacitated I don’t think you Office, Grapevine, Qafe, and everything have an excuse, so hang your heads in else, as well as everyone who bought shame and promise to do better next time.” tickets and brought family and friends!” (Keith Morris writing in the Newsletter (from Qnews, the email newsletter for for Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, on the Questors Theatre, Ealing) Youth production of The Wonderful World of Dissocia.) “Casting was a bit of a nightmare as I naively thought men would be lining up for And in the press: two of the best parts in the play. Perhaps “An arts sponsorship of £224,000 a year the lines and the complicated script put is anything but an “embarrassingly small” them off. I then took to social media in a amount of money as claimed by activist “Without scene changes there would be big way, joined professional and amateur group Platform (After three-year fight, no Panto, so I want to say thank you to the acting groups. Contacted every good actor Tate tells how much it is sponsored by 25 members who volunteered as crew and I have known over the 30 plus years I BP, 27 January). It would keep a 300-400 flymen forDick Whittington.” have been in the area. Made 45 personal seat provincial theatre or theatre company And “I get a real kick out of seeing people contacts. No Luck! Almost at the 11th hour going for a year. The tragedy is that large from different departments – lighting, Alan said he would have a go if I hadn’t corporations, ignoring for the moment set building, acting, FOH etc. all working cast it. He was spot on, and I started to any ethical or environmental concerns, together in a theatre. The more we share relax.” (Director Anita Dalton, writing choose to sponsor high-profile and already ideas, advice and skills, the more we learn in the Newsletter for Priory Theatre, excessively subsidised London-based arts and appreciate what a talented team we Kenilworth) organisations when they could use their have.” (from the Newsletter for Southport largesse far more effectively by making Little Theatre) “After his official visit to Pat Harkness’ an enormous dif¬ference to a smaller Theatre Downstairs production in October, arts organisation. For the Tate, BP’s cash “The Stepmother has sold out! Great Mayor Steven Bowditch invited the is just an oil slick in an ocean of funding. news for the cast and the society to know Executive Committee to visit the Mayor’s Imagine what a differ¬ence that money that there has been such great support for Parlour on March 9th. He wanted his fellow would make to a theatre for whom getting this play. As usual, if you have any tickets councillors to be aware that, in fact, Carlisle some free paint from a local supplier is a that you can’t use, please place them in an has had a theatre for over 60 years.” (from sponsorship triumph.” envelope in the letterbox with your name the Newsletter for Carlisle Green Room Graham Bennett, Friends of Alexandra and phone number and we will do our best Theatre) Palace Theatre to re-sell. If you are still without tickets, the best option is to arrive at the theatre “Please note: This play will be referred before 7.15pm and see if there are any to as ‘Tis Pity in emails as unfortunately And a provocative quote: ‘no shows’.” (from the email Newsletter for the full title falls foul of some spam filters.” Nantwich Players) (from the Newsletter for CoPS Hertford “At the edge of the old deer park is the Little Theatre, referring to the planned Richmond Swimming Pool. In that ugly “The numbers are in, and we’ve had a production of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore) edifice there is a big dance studio where record-breaking Christmas. Jack and the four times a week a ballet class takes place. Beanstalk took over £63,000 in ticket “Our recent survey showed that a You could not come up with a more diverse sales, which was highest ever in the entire number of people do not always read crowd. The participants’ ages range from history of The Questors! And when you Rumour or our show flyers when they are teenagers to ladies in their mid-eighties. add together the ticket sales for both Jack sent by email. As with other theatres, we We have a male teacher. He says: ‘Quiet and the Beanstalk and Rope, we took over found that subsequent to changing to this please, this class is not an extension £70,000, which is also the highest ever in system we had a significant reduction in of your social life’. But it is! We all love it the entire history of The Questors! the size of our audience: this may indeed and the general consensus is that while we To put these numbers in perspective, be a genuine coincidence, but if not are in the studio we forget everything else, these two Christmas shows between them then the saving on postage was a false our daily problems are suspended and will probably bring in almost as much ticket economy.” (from Rumour, the Newsletter we concentrate on the exercises.” (from revenue as all the rest of our season’s for Richmond Shakespeare Society) an article in The Oldie - Reminds you of shows combined. Obviously we choose “There was only one thing missing! rehearsals at your theatre?)

memory and the power of the past. Preparation for the part enabled Sir Ian Muses About Ageing Sir Ian to reflect on his own age. “I do relate to the ease with which Sherlock talks about death. That ease is something that has come Did you catch the piece in to me and a lot of my friends. Death is suddenly ever present. For The Observer in which Sir Sherlock, in this story, it is a race against time, and it is not quite Ian was musing about his like that for me. I don’t intend to retire. I will go on working on and role in his most recent film, off. I am happily going on with my life.” Mr Holmes, which was premiering at the Berlin Sadly, the next day it was announced that Sir Michael Gambon Film Festival? The film offers had decided to stop working in the theatre, after struggling to a vision of Conan Doyle’s detective living quietly in remember his lines. “It’s horrible to admit but I can’t do it. It retirement in Sussex, keeping breaks my heart. It’s when the script is in front of me and it takes bees. It is about a forever to learn. It’s frightening.” Sir Michael (74) said that he crime, of course, would continue to work in film and television. but also about age, In the amateur sector, there must be many actors who fully share unreliable these feelings.

11 LTG Newsletter Vol .29 No.2 May 2015 Some Recent Production Photos A Christmas Carol - Chads Theatre Anne Boleyn - Harborough Theatre

The Secret Rapture - Leicester Little Theatre Crooked Wood - Bromley Little Theatre

Damages - Bolton Little Theatre

Humble Boy - Seaford Little Theatre Hamlet - New Venture Theatre