SHEFFIELD CITY COUCIL

DATE

REPORT TO

CULTURE ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLITY SCRUTINY AND POLICY March 2 2010 DEVELOPMENT BOARD

ITEM 6

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF CULTURE

SUBJECT: SHEFFIELD THEATRES

SUMMARY

The report summarises the recent redevelopment of the Crucible and looks ahead to the new programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Board is recommended to note the contents of the report.

PARAGRAPHS FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS NO CLEARED BY

BACKGROUND PAPERS None

TEL NO. CONTACT POINT FOR ACCESS Paul Billington 0114 2735071

AREA(S) AFFECTED City wide

Open CATEGORY OF REPORT OPEN CLOSED Paragraph(s)

CULTURE, ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY SCRUTINY AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

MARCH 2 2010

SHEFFIELD THEATRES

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 To provide the Board with an overview of Sheffield Theatres. This report will complement the facility tour and the presentation by Sheffield Theatres at the Board meeting.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Sheffield Theatres Trust (STT) is an independent Charitable Trust that has existed in its current form since 1995. It is responsible for managing the activities of the , Lyceum Theatre, the Crucible Studio and an extensive education programme. The theatres complex is the largest in the UK outside London. 2.2 The Crucible Theatre has recently undergone a £15.3M refurbishment over a two year period. The theatre re-opened in February although during the refurbishment, the venue temporarily re-opened to accommodate the annual World Snooker Championships. The Lyceum Theatre continued to operate as normal throughout the Crucible’s closure. 2.3 The refurbishment has been funded jointly by Sheffield City Council, Arts Council England, Yorkshire Forward and ERDF. The work has been completed on time and within budget. 2.4 During the last year, Sheffield Theatres has also appointed a new Chief Executive and Artistic Director. The Board includes two councillor representatives from the City Council and the Director of Culture attends in an Observer role. 2.5 During the theatres redevelopment, STT has also worked in partnership with SCC on delivering the new Tudor Square project. This will provide a world class setting for the theatres. The Crucible itself was recently awarded Grade II listed status. 2.6 STT recently completed the purchase of a restaurant and bar business in Tudor Square (previously Ruskins). This acquisition now allows the organisation to provide additional and enhanced amenities to all its visitors and audiences. The purchase also boosts Sheffield Theatres' physical presence in Tudor Square to three buildings.

Renamed the ‘Crucible Corner’, the venue now trades throughout the day and also provides a catering option for pre theatre diners

3. STT POLICY

3.1 The has a new Artistic Policy, Mission and Vision, a new set of values, and a completely restructured staff team to enable the delivery of the new objectives. Below are key statements recently agreed by STT.

Sheffield Theatres’ Mission: We believe that the experience of live art transforms people’s lives. Through our rich, varied and life-enhancing programme, we will engage and provoke all the people of Sheffield and beyond to laughter, tears and thought.

Sheffield Theatres’ Vision: By July 2010 we will have built a vibrant and sustainable organisation that delivers a programme that engages and thrills, develops lasting relationships with our audiences, and positions Sheffield on the world stage.

Sheffield Theatres’ Core Values: At the heart of everything the company does, there lie a number of core values that are seen to be reflected in the decisions that we make and in the way that we behave. The ways that we present ourselves to our audiences, staff and other stakeholders will now be determined and led by these core values: • bold • passionate • enriching

4. REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CRUCIBLE

4.1 The redevelopment work was carried out in two phases starting in November 2007. 4.2 Central to the first phase was replacement of the Crucible's octagonal stage with a new thrust stage in time for the World Snooker 2008. The

auditorium has been fitted with new seats (with higher backs for more comfort) and new low energy ‘twinkle’ lights, completing the ‘starry sky’ in the ceiling. Other works included the redevelopment of the front of house areas, new outside cladding and glazing, fitting a new roof and reinforcing building foundations. Access improvements include more wheelchair spaces in the auditoria (Crucible and Studio), handrails, a new lift serving all levels and a new ramp into the bar area. The Box Office has relocated to the front of the building, with a wider, brighter space providing a more welcoming experience for audiences. Visual changes include the new entrance, a more central and remodelled bar area, a new function room, The Adelphi Room, located above the new entrance (offering an additional space for events) and a brand new Crucible carpet. 4.3 Phase 2 has concentrated on the redevelopment of the backstage spaces in the Crucible, the props and scenic workshops have been modernised and the wardrobe department and Green Room refurbished and modernised. The Crucible’s rehearsal room is equipped with a new lighting rig and other technical equipment; not only to improve facilities for rehearsals but also to give the potential for using the space for public events such as play readings. The main wall in this area is the location for the poem Laughter , which was commissioned by Sheffield’s Off the Shelf Festival. There are also several pieces of public art delivered by local artists Sarah Staton and Madani Younis.

The most significant activity of Phase 2 has been the redevelopment of the Studio space. The structure of the space has remained the same with its two tiers of balconies on four sides and removable bleacher seating, allowing audience capacity to range from 100 to 400 depending on the production. New and better lighting is among technical improvements to the space and, for the first time, performers in the Studio will have adjacent dressing rooms. The Crucible Stage dressing rooms have been upgraded with four en-suite rooms, seven singles and a multi-occupancy room.

5. NEW PROGRAMME

5.1 In September 2009, , the newly appointed Artistic Director announced his inaugural season for the company commencing in February 2010.

The season opens with a new revival of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People directed by Daniel Evans, followed by the world première of Stephanie Street’s Sisters – a verbatim play examining the lives of Muslim women in modern Britain; Roy Williams’ There’s Only One Wayne Matthews ; a revival of Sam Shepard’s True West ; Alice – a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale by playwright Laura Wade and the English regional première of Polly Stenham’s award-winning play, That Face .

As Artistic Director, Daniel Evans recently appointed three Associate Directors to work alongside him - Paul Miller, Lyndsey Turner and Richard Wilson – each of whom will direct a production in the opening season.

The Lyceum will continue to offer an exciting variety of entertainment, music, comedy, drama and dance. Highlights include Calendar Girls , Oscar Wilde’s Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime , the Northern Ballet production of Wuthering Heights and of course the ever-popular Christmas pantomime. 5.2 The new Crucible season opened on February 17 th with the production of Ibsen’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ starring Sir Antony Sher. The production received excellent reviews from both the national and local media.

6. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

6.1 SCC is working with STT to agree a new range of performance indicators that reflect the city’s goals but also fit with STT’s priorities. The details of these are being finalised but the areas to be covered will include:- a) participation b) artistic excellence c) out-of-city impact via tourists visits and city image/reputation d) customer satisfaction

7. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1 SCC pays an annual grant to STT of around £700K. This will reduce by up to 10% over the years to 2012/13 as part of SCC’s wider budget strategy. In addition, SCC pays an annual grant of around £40K for specific educational work by STT with schools. 7.2 Alongside the SCC grant, Arts Council England pays an annual grant of around £1.3M.

8 CONCLUSIONS

8.1 STT plays a critical role in the cultural and artistic life of Sheffield. The redeveloped Crucible Theatre, alongside the superb Lyceum Theatre and the world class Tudor Square provide an unrivalled critical mass of performance spaces and public realm. Added to this is the energy and passion offered by the new management and artistic leadership of STT. The combination of these factors presents Sheffield with the most exciting and momentous opportunities in theatre and performing arts since the opening of the Crucible in 1971.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS

9.1 The Board is recommended to: -

(a) note the contents of the report.

Paul Billington Director of Culture