NewsletterNewsletter AugustAugust 20162016

In This Issue

• News from Trust P4 • News from Member Theatres P5&6 • New Plays & New Writing P7&8 • Kevin Spence Column P9

Vol.30Vol.30 No.3No.3 AugustAugust 20162016 LTG Newsletter Vol .30 No.2 May 2016

Vol. 30 No. 3 August 2016 SR2 8HT Tel: 07450 902608 Tel: 0191 567 2452 Email: [email protected] The Little Guild represents Email: [email protected] 110 member theatres that control and manage their Theatre buildings. The Cleadon Village Drama Club was Our New Patron – Our members are all amateur theatre established in 1945, and acquired its The Press Release companies with an annual audience of own premises in 1952 – by finding an old over 650,000 patrons, and a turnover shipyard office, and re-erecting it in the The 70th Anniversary Conference of of approximately £4 million. Visit us at village, and converting it into a 72 seat the Little Theatre Guild Of Great Britain www.littletheatreguild.org theatre. Three or four productions are was held at The Crescent Theatre, staged each season, playing for 6 nights. Birmingham on Saturday 9th April 2016. There is a roll-out bar in a corner of the LTG Diary of Events Chairman Andrew Lowrie announced that auditorium, as space is tight, but the stage 5, 6, 7 August 2016 itself has generous proportions. Recent Sir Kenneth Branagh has accepted NATIONAL COMMITTEE WEEKEND productions have included Snake in the an invitation to be Patron of the LTG in Great Asby, Cumbria Grass, The Exorcism, and Lettice and succession to Sir Ian McKellen. Lovage. In accepting Sir Kenneth, who is Patron 14, 15, 16 October 2016 We shall look forward to meeting of the Progress Theatre, Reading, where NORTHERN REGION AGM members at future regional and national & CONFERENCE he was a member of the Youth Theatre conferences. Theatre Royal, Dumfries before embarking on a professional career Telling us about Your New Rep said, “I have always admired the important 22 October 2016 & Submitting Articles for the work carried out by the Little Theatre CENTRAL REGION AGM & CONFERENCE Guild. I am delighted to take on the role Highbury Theatre Centre website made simple! of Patron and give the organisation my 7, 8, 9 April 2017 Here’s How: support.” NATIONAL CONFERENCE & AGM Andrew Lowrle (Chairman LTG) told Archway Theatre, Horley LTG Rep Contact Info Update Form: the conference “We are thrilled that Sir http://eepurl.com/bfuEmv Kenneth has agreed Welcome to our LTG Website/Email Article Submissions: to become our newest member http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/ Patron. As one of form/csUw6SWqeQb30bxfyh our most celebrated CLEADON LITTLE THEATRE actors, producers 5 Boldon Lane, Cleadon, New LTG Rep and directors both as Sunderland SR6 7RH a major figure in the www.littletheatrecleadon.com BRIGHTON LITTLE THEATRE Contact: Mr Frank Ditchburn Leigh Ward cinema and on the 23 Park Place West, 14a Herbert Road, British stage, he is Sunderland, Brighton, truly an inspiration to Tyne & Wear, BN1 6PB us all!”

up follower groups. Nantwich had 2,500 followers. However, it was Relationship Meetings said that it was difficult to establish whether this led to greater ticket sales. The value of QR codes was also mentioned and the Margaret Mann (Northern Region benefit of a theatre App. Secretary) explained the Guild’s thinking Marketing and Publicity always promotes lively discussion in a nutshell in a recent Newsletter for and the Issu Website was mentioned. It was, apparently, free to Southport Little Theatre. post publications on, and could, therefore, give access to a wider “Last Saturday I attended a Relationship Meeting. These are being audience. Online booking is well established in most theatres.” held throughout the country and I arranged one at Wilmslow Green Room last week and another one at Dewsbury Arts, shortly. The Do keep your antennae alert for news of a Relationship Meeting aim is to facilitate Reps, and Officers of theatres to meet together near you – designed not just for theatre Reps, but especially for in moderately sized groups and discuss what is happening in their Chairmen, Secretaries & Treasurers, these meetings are invariably theatres, share and solve any problems and learn, face to face, fruitful, especially for officers who may be out of touch with what what is happening at National level with the National Committee the Guild has to offer! members. Websites, Legislation, Performing Rights and Licences, Youth Theatres, Box Office practices , Marketing and new initiatives were some of the topics discussed and debated. Mike Rogerson Theatres Trust Small Grants Scheme made us very welcome and ensured we had tea and cakes during the session! A reminder that applications for the next round of grants must be It was interesting to hear about Facebook and which submitted by Wednesday 26th October 2016, for the Trustees to were being used by all theatres present. Some theatres had set consider in December. Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain www.littletheatreguild.org Newsletter Editor: Michael Shipley National Secretary: New Address 121 Darwen Road Caroline Chapman Bromley Cross Friar’s Oak Bolton 24 Mill Farm Road Lancashire Hamsterley Mill BL7 9BG Tyne & Wear Tel: 01204 304103 NE39 1NW Email: [email protected] Tel: 01207 545280 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 October 2016.

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I am sure that following the EU Referendum we will all be watching with interest how this may impact on the Letter from the Chairman Arts. UK Theatre are interested in hearing our views As write this letter I am listening to an interview as an organisation as to the effect of the Referendum on the radio with Rufus Norris Artistic Director of the and the National Committee will be discussing this at National Theatre. The interview is covering how, the annual Great Asby meeting to be held in August. in collaboration with his colleagues, he sets about Early days but of course we shall ensure (as with the meeting Mike the task of deciding and scheduling productions. Smith and I had with Jesse Norman MP) the interests of the L.T.G. This was interesting as the topic of play selection and community theatre as whole are championed wherever we can. was given a lot of “air time” at the Midlands Relationship Meeting I attended recently. We have The Department of Drama and Theatre, Royal Holloway University all been doing this very successfully for years but the discussion of are holding an event to encourage discussion on their at the Relationship Meeting led to some very interesting views on amateur theatre project. We have been involved with this project how we choose our respective seasons. Some are able to stage and the event, to be held on Saturday 17th September in London, new or less well known works and still attract good houses whilst is open to all. The day will include short talks, discussions and others need to ensure they present a season weighted towards there is an interesting list of speakers. More details can be found on popular plays. It appears that listening to Rufus Norris he has the the website ReaserchingAmateurTheatre.eventbrite.co.uk same dilemmas as we do with scheduling and he commented that in this his first year in the job he has had to grow a leather skin As you may have heard Mhora Samuel of the Theatres Trust has quite quickly – I am sure many arts programmers in our theatres stepped down from her role as its Director. Mhora has always been would share that view! a great friend and supporter of the L.T.G. and I would like to record our thanks for all the work she has done on our behalf and wish her Thanks to all who attended the first round of relationship every success for the future. meetings held recently. The meetings are designed to improve our communications with member theatres and provide a forum The summer approaches and many of you will have completed for discussion and debate. A wide range of topics was covered in your productions for the season. I know only too well the hard these meetings and will form part of a feedback session at Great work of theatre maintenance is done by many over the July / Asby. We plan to follow this up and circulate an action report to August period. This shows true commitment but I hope you can all theatres. As always I would encourage you to attend these also enjoy a well earned break ready for the start of a new season. meetings, particularly the office bearers of your theatre, they would definitely find them useful. Andrew Lowrie, Chairman

provision and the aspirations for improvement. We believe that the service Culture Media & Sports Committee Enquiry our theatres give to their communities would be improved significantly if relatively small amounts of aid were available to undertake projects which A small sub-committee of the Guild (Andrew Lowrie, Mike can be set in motion very quickly and completed in short time. The current Smith, Kevin Spence & Tom Williams) met in April and prepared funding stream for small London Theatres could be a template to be rolled a response to the Parliamentary Committee enquiry, the text out across the country from which our members could benefit. The result, we of which is set out below: believe, would be a greater ability to engage both with the local communities served by our theatres and also a greater ability to provide facilities for COUNTRIES OF CULTURE professional practitioners to undertake work. Response of the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain RECOMMENDATION Preamble The erosion of the barriers between the professional and amateur sectors The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain (LTG) is the umbrella should be acknowledged in a new funding model. body representing 112 amateur owned community theatres We believe greater capital funding support should be given to community in the UK. We have links with UK Theatre, The Theatres Trust and the theatres. Association of British Theatre Technicians which enable us to give up-to-date advice to our members and help them to serve their communities, while Cultural Partnerships having a professional attitude to production values and safety. We believe that there is great scope for the inclusion of LTG in national and local discussions about cultural partnerships such as NPO’S, museums and Current funding situation in the regions and sub regions professional organisations which currently draw down Government funding. LTG member theatres have never received grant aid either from National The aim would be to ensure that our buildings are available to the wider arts or local government to assist their operation costs. Most are entirely run by community for beneficial use. volunteers and, in our view, form a specific example of how the voluntary This is particularly important in Areas which are remote from NPO’S and sector is capable of organising facilities which are an essential part of the Community theatres represent the only cultural facility. community fabric in their neighbourhoods. Indeed, in many areas of the country, the amateur owned theatre is the only building available housing RECOMMENDATIONS the arts, including being host to touring professional theatres. Funding to NPO’S should require a commitment to develop partnerships with community theatres. We are concerned that the distribution of grants is too London–centric and Funding should recognise cultural “Black Spots” where Community Theatres the support given to community theatre is very small. represent the only viable cultural facility.

RECOMMENDATION Skills, Management and Infrastructure The current funding model should give greater emphasis to regional theatre. One of the great advantages that LTG Theatres have is that the volunteers, Greater support should be given to Community theatre. who participate in running the theatres and presenting theatre to the public, bring with them their professional skills. In addition, LTG is able to advise on Regional impact of local authority settlement on the cultural sector management and professional practices. Our links with professional theatre The significant reduction in funding for local authorities, coupled with bodies ensure that those skills are kept up-to-date. We believe that, on a ring fencing of many streams of finance inevitably means that those regional basis, we could participate effectively in any collaboration schemes areas of expenditure, including the arts, which are not protected, suffer a across artistic disciplines to the benefit of the whole sector. disproportionate loss in funding. One effect of this is to reduce the amount of outreach that the professional theatres can undertake. There is pressure in Physical and Virtual accessibility some areas for the amateur sector to fill this gap but this is inevitably limited A measure of the physical accessibility of LTG theatres can be shown as it relies on the input of volunteers many of whom have full time jobs and through the fact that the 112 theatres that gave returns presented 950 plays use their leisure time on pursuing their main interests. In the field covered in 2014/2015 to audiences totalling more than 600,000. At a low estimated by the LTG this is often utilised by ensuring that the building itself is fit for average of £10 per seat this amounts to an income of some £6m across the purpose and that the in-house productions are fully up to standard. country, almost all of it devoted to supporting local firms when purchasing supplies. In the virtual world, all of our members use social media to publicise New funding models in the cultural sector their activities. We are increasingly using the internet for both promotional We believe the barriers between the amateur and the professional sectors and sales activities as well as for internal communication. are beginning to erode. With this trend apparent we believe new funding models should be developed which recognise the importance of both the RECOMMENDATION amateur and the professional sectors. In looking at any model for funding To increase access to culture the value of community theatres in providing it is important to distinguish between capital spending on improving and affordable facilities should be acknowledged and where appropriate funded. maintaining buildings and the operational cost of productions. So far as the buildings are concerned we find it difficult to distinguish between Value and impact of culture in the regions the professional and amateur sectors. Both require buildings that are fit It is our belief that the regions are the bedrock on which the reputation for purpose, the main difference between them tending to be the cost of of the UK as a cultural leader is built. Young people learn their skills locally,

3 LTG Newsletter Vol .30 No.2 May 2016 both in and out of school. LTG members contribute at an early stage in the local community theatre, the community would be very much poorer both artistic development of the country by running Youth Theatres, operating financially and socially. We believe that it should be possible to break down fully under child protection policies, and giving young people the opportunity the few barriers that remain between professional and amateur practitioners to participate in theatre and learn their skills. There are many examples of and build on the cultural partnerships that currently exist in some parts of highly regarded professionals beginning their careers in LTG Theatres, most the country. notably and past and present patrons, Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Kenneth Branagh. It is very likely that future stars are now working in our theatres Andrew Lowrie up and down the country. While it is difficult to estimate the value that each Chairman piece of theatre adds to the local community, it is certain that without the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain The next round of applications will be considered in December, so Latest Press Release applications have to be submitted by 26th October 2016. Theatres Trust at 40 - a new strategy Theatres Trust receives £5,200 grant from Heritage to protect theatres Lottery Fund to open up its architectural archive

• Theatres Trust celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2016 The Theatres Trust has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) • To mark the occasion we are launching an exciting new strategy Sharing Heritage grant for its Open up! Cataloguing our Regional and visual identity Theatres Architectural Archive project. The HLF grant of £5,200 will • This will strengthen our impact, protecting the nation’s theatres allow us to run a summer internship to catalogue our collection of • Help us secure the buildings for live theatre through our architectural drawings of regional theatres. Over 5,000 drawings The Theatres Trust, the national advisory public body for theatres, covering 280 different theatres will be available to search by the is pleased to announce a renewed commitment to the protection of end of the project. theatres with a new strategy and visual identity and the launch of The Sharing Heritage grant will allow us to: our Theatres Trust 40 programme of events. *Catalogue our important collection of architectural plans of As the voice for theatres we use our knowledge of policy and Regional Theatres from across the country practice to promote the value and benefits of theatres in use. We Further open up our collections to those with an interest in the want live theatre to have a place in everyone’s lives. UK’s theatrical heritage, including the passionate groups we work We are committed to delivering a more powerful campaigning with who are trying to save and reopen theatre buildings, theatre voice. Our expert advice will be more visible and more influential in managers, architects and dedicated theatregoers the planning system and within the theatre industry. We will create *Share our theatrical and historical discoveries online and new opportunities to discover more about theatres, and we will through outreach events increase the levels of capital grants and funding we provide. *Engage a team of four paid interns over a three week period, Chair of the Theatres Trust, Tim Eyles, says, who will learn the skills to help us catalogue our Archive “Our new strategy and visual identity mark the start of an exciting Open up! will run in August 2016. The project team will have the next chapter in the life of the Trust. We are passionate about great opportunity to develop skills in the areas of archive cataloguing live theatre, and I look forward to the Trust’s expertise being and heritage interpretation, and to learn about the history and channeled with renewed energy to help the nation’s theatres thrive design of theatre buildings in the UK. Anybody who is interested in into the future.” applying for the internship can find further details on the Theatres Director of the Theatres Trust, Mhora Samuel, says, Trust website: www.theatrestrust.org.uk/about/jobs “Our influence means it’s now very rare to see theatres demolished without being replaced. We’re proud that the quality of theatre In June it was announced that Mhora Samuel was stepping design is the best it’s ever been. We’ve achieved great things down as Director of the Trust after 10 years in the post. “I leave for theatres by speaking loudly in the planning system. In our the organisation in its 40th anniversary year in strong shape and anniversary year I invite everyone to join us at a Theatres Trust with a fantastic staff team and trustees to take the Trust forward.” 40 event, and online, to debate how we continue to protect and , currently the Trust’s Theatres Adviser, has agreed to take up the promote our nation’s theatres now and in the future.” role of acting Director pending the recruitment of a new Director in due course. In May, the Trust announced the names of the five recipients of The Guild has welcomed Mhora to many national conferences, the most recent round of grants under the Theatres Protection where she has made many friends. We wish her every success as Fund’s Small Grants Scheme. All five theatres received £5,000 she moves on in her career, trusting that we shall continue to enjoy towards vital repair projects following weather or flood damage. her company. audiences to less-familiar works. more challenging ones are, in my opinion, Box Office Ups & Downs However, it was back to business with the losers here.” Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women just a Marketing Director Jon Clark at Stockport few weeks ago. Although we couldn’t quite provides his members fill all the seats on the opening night, the Amateur Theatre Research with the latest details: rest of the run was a sell-out, mimicking Arts & Humanities Research Council “It’s been a topsy-turvy time for the what had happened with Orphans at the are funding research into Amateur Theatre, marketing team since January. start of the year. Unlike Orphans though, past, present and future. The team from Things started on a high with the Youth we couldn’t squeeze in the additional Royal Holloway is led by Professor Helen Theatre’s attendance for It Snows at the customers who turned up as walk-ins on Nicholson, and Jane Manning. Both have end of February. An audience of 49% may the later nights, but we still achieved a spoken about the project at LTG National not sound like much of an improvement on final attendance of 95% overall. Conferences, to encourage contributions to 47% the previous year. However, in just With a tailwind and fingers crossed, the research from LTG member theatres. two years, the Youth Theatre main stage things look set to finish well with ’Allo ’Allo They are promoting an event at Royal show has almost doubled attendance - later this month: with almost four weeks Holloway on Saturday 17th September from 154 people in 2014 to 298 this year. to go until opening night at the time of 2016, when the research undertaken The roll continued with A Midsummer writing, sales are already at 42% and by the project can be shared, through Night’s Dream a few weeks later. As you currently show no sign of abating. Full presentations, workshops, discussion and know I am always harping on about how houses are always the best way to finish reflection. This is a free event – and LTG the Garrick needs to attract a ‘second a season. people are encouraged to go along to the audience’ outside of our usual customer And speaking of seasons, may I close campus in Surrey for the day. Points of base to make our classic/serious shows this column with a reminder that the Early contact: a success – and normally that second Bird offer is still in place until July 1on RSVP: [email protected], and audience comes from local school groups. our Season Tickets for 2016-17. £48.00 Http://amateurdramaresearch.com Well, at Midsummer something very will get you into all of our main stage significant happened: the 74% attendance productions next year - that’s just £6.00 included only 10% from local schools and a show. After July 1, the price goes up to drama colleges. It was starting to look like £58.00, so make sure you don’t miss out.” the Garrick was finally generating good attendances for its ‘serious’ shows largely And a comment from the Newsletter for from our normal customer base. Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth: But we received a timely kick in the “The show (Whose Life is it, Anyway?) pants never to take things for granted sold at 28% - this was the very large fly just a month later. Despite being well up in the ointment. A healthy theatre must be to standard in all respects as a production, varied and push and challenge its actors, Lost Monsters was only able to attract an backstage members and audience. It is audience of 27% - which I think is one of vital to do shows like Whose Life? for the lowest attendances in the Garrick’s this reason. The Talisman members and 100+ year history. It’s a lesson that we still general public who only want ‘safe’ plays, need to find alternative methods to attract feel good shows, and will not support the

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flying pulleys (some are 108 years old) Festival in early June, with volunteers News from Member Theatres and the supporting steel and timber staffing a stall, and promoting the theatre, structures with a new three line system giving out literature about next season, Ambitious plans are afoot at Plaza which will meet necessary government and recruiting new members. Victorian Theatre, Romsey. The Newsletter reports: safety standards. Several months ago costume was the order of the day. The MC have been looking at the next we received a quotation from a theatrical At Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth phase of Plaza Future work. (Repaint the engineering company of over £80,000 for discussion continues on the long term auditorium, extend the pitched roof to the this work, and the committee decided that possibility of a relocation of the theatre to edges of the building and over the stage, this was outside our financial capability. It Smalley Place. This is having an effect on the and raise the lighting grid accordingly.) was decided to investigate undertaking the present state of the building. Urgent repairs This has now been agreed as taking place project ourselves and to this end, a team and renovations are needed, so before long in summer 2017. We are in a very healthy was given the task of investigating, co- financial position at present but will also a final decision will have to be taken. ordinating and managing the project, with At the Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford be applying for grants to TVBC, Viridor, a budget of around £25,000. Preparatory the Theatres Trust, the National Lottery - on Avon the local authority has made a work has been ongoing with design work grant of £26,000 to enable substantial as well as contacting Hampshire County by a structural engineer. Quotations have Council. In addition, we will be setting up work to take place over the summer to been obtained from scaffolders, steel improve the dressing rooms and toilet a crowd-funding site in May, with bronze, fabricators and a theatrical equipment facilities back stage, work much needed silver, gold and platinum packages that supplier. Suddenly everything has come to enable the theatre to pursue its individuals can buy in order to help raise together at once. Quotations are in funds. Total building costs will be around and these total £23,512 which include policy of making increasingly £200,000. Depending on the success of VAT and a contingency fund of £1,000. available to the local community. The the grant applications and crowd-funding, Scaffolding has been erected and work is United Reformed Church has agreed to we will be able to fund between 65% and well underway on the removal of the old extend the lease until 2022, enabling 100% of this before consideration of any equipment and making ready for the new the theatre to go forward and secure the loan requirements. steel work. Final accurate measurements future of Stratford’s only ‘little theatre’. , Newport IOW intend have now been made and the steel has People’s Theatre, Newcastle have to carry out a complete overhaul of the been ordered. The steel will be cut, drilled put their grant from the Theatres Trust front of the theatre which will include and welded offsite and then our stage crew Protection Fund to good use, removing complete re-placement of some of the staff will bolt it together in situ. Pulleys asbestos from their ducting so allowing windows and one of the pillars. have also been ordered along with miles of them to improve their infrastructure. rope. We would expect the steel erection Work continues on their improvement to take about 3 weeks and the pulley fixing works. The People’s Theatre, has been about the same. shortlisted in a national competition for Following this it would take some time to their Redevelopment Scheme. They are put the stage back to its normal situation appealing for votes to help them win with borders, lighting bars, wings and £150,000 towards its redevelopment curtains. If all goes well we should still from building merchants Jewson. The have plenty of time to get the stage ready People’s Theatre is the only theatre for Accrington Pals in July, if not we may shortlisted alongside 12 other schemes have to call in extra across the country. help.“ Members of the cast Vice Chairman Mike Smith visited the of Yes, Prime Minister, Theatre Royal, Workington in April for the the May production official re-opening following the £550,000 at Lewes Little refurbishment. “A substantial part of the Theatre, were invited funding came from the Big Lottery Fund. by local MP Maria Their application was turned down twice Caulfield to Downing but they persisted which probably contains Street and the Houses a message for us all. It certainly is an of Parliament for a impressive refurbishment and turns it into few publicity photos a major cultural venue for Workington. It – no need for digital incorporates facilities for Soundwave who Initial estimates suggest that to carry out manipulation! are one of the leading music participatory this work to the standard required will cost Two members of the companies in the North of England. The in the region of £25k. Nantwich Players facilities include a soundproof recording “The theatre is a grade II* listed building have put together a (the star is significant as it applies to PowerPoint presentation, ‘Nantwich Players studio, drop in centre and a new rehearsal ‘particularly important buildings of more – past, present and future’. “It consists space. The theatre will also be used by the than special interest’) and the Trust has of 70 images and the talk lasts about 50 Rumney Greaves Dance Academy and a the responsibility for preserving its fabric. minutes. Many hours of research was put newly formed Shakespeare group. Given the amount of alterations we have in at the local library, county archives and The official opening was done by Sue made to the building over the years (all speaking to founding members. The result Hayman MP (for Workington) who professed with Listed Building consent) we must is an interesting history of theatre in the a great interest in the Arts and sang in the conclude that the most important part of town, of the Quaker Meeting House that House of Commons Choir. I said a few words the theatre we must preserve at all costs the Players call home, how the Players on behalf of LTG together with Peter Inglis is the façade.” started and progressed, what we do now the Chairman of Workington Playgoers. At Todmorden Hippodrome “We and how we’d like to develop in the future. Cumbria certainly goes in for Mayors. I have been looking for some time for an We have presented this to around 25 local think there were five in total (Workington, opportunity to improve the safety and groups and raised nearly £1,000 for the Maryport, Allerdale, Cockermouth and efficiency of the flying system above the theatre so far. It also gives us a platform Keswick). You felt quite out of place without stage. This required the theatre to be for some good publicity and community a Gold Chain. The entertainment included closed for 2-3 months, and the flooding involvement.” a dramatised history of the Theatre Royal has unexpectedly made this possible! Members of Medway Little Theatre performed by the Playgoers. It was all in all The project undertaken is to replace all participated in Rochester’s Annual Dickens a very good evening.”

patrons that any personal items brought onto the premises Loaning Items - Insurance (whether for use in a production or otherwise, and including the car park/external areas) are entirely at the owner’s risk. If it’s going to “We all know that The Archway Theatre wouldn’t survive upset you should something get accidentally damaged, we would without the efforts, contributions and support of members and the local community. Everyone at the theatre appreciates it when really rather you left it at home, or make sure you have your own someone is able to lend us an item of equipment or prop for use in insurance cover in place. a production, but unfortunately we can never completely guarantee If an item is being loaned to a production and you have any to prevent little accidents happening. queries, please get in touch with the Facilities Management We would therefore like to remind our valued members and Committee beforehand.”

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hundreds of individual friends and supporters, feels confident that Unwelcome News for Theatre this pressure will ensure its continuation in the space that it has Brian Fretwell reports: As those of you who attended the AGM will occupied and maintained since 1947.” know, late on Wednesday 18 May we received some very unwelcome Then in June the British Ambassador issued a notification through news that has hit the progress of our rebuild. When the building work a Lisbon court asking for Estrela Hall to be vacated by The Lisbon was originally tendered all the prospective contractors came in above Players. This is a necessary step in an eviction process. our budget. In February the Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to increase THE LISBON PLAYERS ASSOCIATION FACES THE VERY REAL our grant, and our project team started to negotiate with William POSSIBILITY OF EVICTION FROM ITS BUILDING IN LISBON, WHICH Anelay, the specialist builders who had come closest to that budget. IT HAS OCCUPIED FOR NEARLY 70 YEARS. These negotiations have taken months following the closure of our The site on which the theatre, Estrela Hall, stands, is under building, as it was necessary to “value engineer” – in other words, to contract to be sold by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), find ways to get the cost of the rebuild down in line with the funds represented in Lisbon by the British Ambassador, to a commercial available to us. The contract was due to be signed off imminently, buyer. and William Anelay had assured all concerned that they were still The building is part of a site that was granted to foreign communities committed to the project. However, following an internal commercial in Lisbon by the Portuguese Crown at the end of the 18th century. review, on Wednesday 18 May they pulled out of the project. We are The Estrela Site, with its other “stakeholders” includes the building of devastated by this news and have to take action quickly. There are the British Hospital, unused since 2009, a large building constructed a number of options we could follow but the most practical looks to by the Royal British Club and currently occupied by the Portuguese be approaching two of the other building companies who tendered Ordem dos Economistas and the British-Portuguese Chamber for the work but were originally rejected on the basis of budget. If of Commerce, a small and historic Jewish cemetery, and an 18th we’re successful in securing the services of another builder, what century parsonage owned by the Anglican Church. Initially, the it does mean is that there will be a shortfall in funding. Our own option was raised by Ambassador Sir John Holmes in 2000, that localised efforts will barely make a dent, so we need to undertake the theatre be detached from the sale and transferred to the Lisbon a concerted fundraising push by approaching every suitable body or Players, and this was again presented by H.M.Ambassador John Buck benefactor to secure contributions to the shortfall. This would take in 2006. More recently, the British Embassy and FCO continue to months for one or two people – but if as a members’ community insist on selling the site of five properties as a single entity, while the we each take one or two bodies to approach by phone, letter or deactivated British Hospital and the parsonage remain abandoned email, then we can do this much more quickly. We appreciate that and deteriorating. timing is often everything in applying for such awards, but we have There is a moral issue involved here. The land was originally given no time to waste in doing so. (Perhaps the new mayor of London, to foreign communities resident in Lisbon by the Portuguese crown. Sadiq Khan will be able to help – his election manifesto contained The Lisbon Players Association is still fulfilling the mandate of the policies relating to arts and culture, especially relating to protection original gift of land for the benefit of foreign communities in Lisbon. for suburban arts venues) In Lisbon the Assembleia Municipal has unanimously voted (in February 2016) for a motion to seek ways to keep The Lisbon Players in Estrela Hall. The Lisbon Players has also been recognized as an And for Lisbon Players entity of ‘Elevado interesse cultural’ by the Câmara Municipal de Lisbon Players in May announced a full season ahead – the usual Lisboa. combination of classics and contemporary plays, possibly with a “We request that all who can influence the future of the Estrela musical show and some new writing thrown in. “Although the British Site, whether in Lisbon or closer to the FCO in London take interest in Government is in the throes of selling the Estrela site, the Lisbon the unfolding of this matter. Don’t let Estrela Hall be turned into Players, with all the support it has both from official entities and its another luxury condominium!” Persistence pays off! After several weeks of uncertainty the Miller Centre Theatre, Caterham obtained a licence to perform the latest West End HIT Nell Gwynn in Caterham and at the Minack Festival in 2017. Chairman Mike Millstead reported in the Miller Centre Newsletter, On Stage: I am delighted to confirm that we have now secured the performance rights forNell Gwynn for the Miller Centre and for Minack. It’s been a bit of a struggle but we got there in the end. When I was looking around for a suitable show for Minack in 2017, one show that kept coming up on the radar was Nell Gwynn. It had been performed only 12 times at the Globe Theatre with Gugu M’batha Raw in the lead role but had received rave reviews and really seemed like a good show for Minack. The cast size and age blend was about right, it mixed comedy with drama, the staging would work well and, whilst it’s most definitely NOT a musical, it does have some songs in. When I was discussing various options with Nick Hern Books I was informed that, although a West End transfer was about to run with Gemma Arterton in the lead, the rights were about to be released to amateurs on a case by case basis. Even though the announcement had not officially been made I immediately applied, thus ensuring we were at the front of the queue. Unfortunately, owing to the success of the London run it was possible that a tour might be planned and so everything was put on hold for a while. To cut a long story short, after many phone calls and emails and various petitions to agents and producers we finally got the good news and we can now proceed with plans for next year. It’s a lovely play, by one of Britain’s up and coming playwrights, Jessica Swale, and is in turns funny, moving, bawdy, lively and colourful.

they are watching the performance! The ‘Selfie’ Society - do they really ‘get’ theatre? Sam Walters asked this question – can people still sit, listen, watch Another interesting article from the Newsletter for Theatre 62, and receive what is being presented? I ask it too, for if the audience West Wickham and the pen of Nikki Packham: cannot give its full attention to what is happening onstage, what is Whilst he-who-must-be-obeyed and I were sorting out our the point of the director, actors and all who have given their time and bookcase, I came across some old programmes from the lovely little energy, for love in the case of amateur drama, working their socks in Richmond and started reading the notes from off to present a really good production which, in my opinion, is then the then Artistic Director Sam Walters. In one programme Mr Walters treated with disrespect? was musing on this subject because, whilst he was watching England I hope Mr Walters will not mind me repeating the questions he play Wales at Rugby, he’d noticed that the crowds seemed more interested in appearing for the camera when it panned round the asked as a result of the changes in audience behaviour - namely: ground, and watching the screens in case they might appear, than • If things are changing and new technology is appearing, do we actually watching the game. embrace it? Many of you may have heard about taking to • If we do embrace new technology, how far do we go? social media to implore his fans to stop audience members videoing, • What might be the consequences? texting and taking photos whilst he was trying to lose himself in the • What is the essence of theatre? role of one of Shakespeare’s greatest characters, Hamlet. Now Mr • What makes theatre different from film and television? Cumberbatch apparently does not go in for social media himself, and • If theatre is different from film and television, how do we preserve I pause here to wonder if we should actually call it ‘social’ media at and nurture the difference? all? After all, no-one on Facebook is interacting physically or indeed • And do we want to? emotionally with anyone else, so all our ‘friends’ on such sites are • And if the older generation might be in favour of that, will the anonymous. younger one feel the same? As Sam Walters went on to say, everyone wants to perform these As a footnote to the above, after the preview performances of the days and interaction during TV programmes, such as pressing the Benedict Cumberbatch Hamlet, a lighting technician who had worked red button to hear what other people are saying, whilst still trying in the West End for 30 years, tweeted “The Cumberbatch Hamlet to watch the actual programme, is the name of the game. We’re madness – not my cup of tea – I don’t think the ‘fans’ understand the all used to pausing a programme, even one that we are watching concept of Theatre.....and many will think Sherlock wrote Hamlet..... in real time, in order to ‘spend a penny’ or put the kettle on and or Doctor Who.” This incensed Cumberbatch fans and apparently this behaviour, perfectly acceptable in one’s own home, seems to drove The , for whom this technician worked, to be spreading to public places, including theatres. I’ve noticed there threaten him with disciplinary action, at which point said technician are increasing numbers of people who have to leave the auditorium walked away from his job. during a professional performance and then disturb their neighbours Hopefully this would never happen in the amateur theatre world, again when they return. Are they suffering from some condition the but I do think we have to be aware of the changes taking place in NHS should know about? Apparently some professional theatres may audience behaviour, so watch this space in case yours truly attempts be contemplating having “tweet zones” so that those Twitter addicts to answer some, or all, of the above questions! can convey their immediate reactions to their twitter followers as Nikki Packham

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Finally, for anyone who knows the Report on a New Play film, the finale swimming pool scene is one of the greatest challenges of the production, for which we made use of a hidden tank set into a raised rostrum. The actor who played Oskar showed immense courage and trust by agreeing to hold his breath underwater for what seemed to audiences like an inordinately long time! The technical ‘fit up’ rehearsal lasted a legendary 14 hours, and with over 190 cues, the stage manager certainly had his work cut out. Overall, this was a play that stretched the acting and technical parts of the company in equal measure and everyone really rose to the challenge of this innovative and exciting project. And the production turned out to be a tremendous success. Despite the play being in the views of some, a little leftfield, it went down extremely well with our core audience, as the 99% Let the Right One In box office figures demonstrate. It also attracted many new people , from a novel & film by J A Lindqvist to the Criterion, particularly those aged under 40 years. We had some amazing reviews in the local press and a sense of pride that The in Coventry started the New Year in style we had pulled off something truly unusual that will be remembered with a production never before seen on an LTG theatre stage. Let for some time. the Right One In is a dark and enchanting, brutal vampire myth This was a wonderful play to direct, a real challenge for actors and coming of age love story, based on the acclaimed Swedish and a production where the technical team and crew were as novel and film by John Ajvide Lindqvist and adapted for the stage centrally important as the cast. It was extremely hard work, by Jack Thorne of This is England and Shameless fame. Anne- but we all had immense fun and there was always a real buzz of Marie Greene, the Director of the production reflects on what excitement around . All I kept thinking was, this is what made the play so wonderful, and so challenging. being involved in theatre is really all about.” “There are some plays that you read and you immediately start building up pictures of how the production could look… Let the Right One In literally grabbed me by the throat (excuse the vampire pun!) and I just could not get it out of my head. I had not seen the And two more now in print: original Swedish film, but swiftly going on to do so, I found myself Two new plays have recently been published by Peter Parkinson even more interested - I passionately wanted to direct this play of Richmond Shakespeare Society. They are: for a whole variety of reasons. It is brand new – it was written in 2013, it only finished its professional run in 2015, and we were With Garibaldi in Rome, 1849: one of the first amateur theatres to be given rights to stage it. It is This play is set in Rome in 1849 after the pope fled the Holy See, cinematic in its style – the play is constructed of 40 short scenes, and a revolutionary triumvirate, headed by Giuseppe Mazzini (the each one needing to transition into the next seamlessly so that the soul of the Risorgimento) has formed a Roman Republic. The life storyline remains coherent and flowing. The dialogue is brief in the of the Republic was short-lived, snuffed out by a besieging French extreme – beautifully written, sparse discourse, where every word Army, which seems to have forgotten its own republican heritage. is important and meaningful – the emphasis is all about careful, The drama focuses on a series of fictional events played out before precise, nuanced acting. this tumultuous background. Eleanor Chadwick, daughter of a Then there is the fabulous story. The thriller genre is universally Lancashire mill-owner, is in Italy to try and resolve the mysterious popular, and within that vampires have always fascinated people. death of her husband who died on business in Genoa. She has However, this play is so much more than that - it is a story of found her way to Rome where she is caught up in the events. heartbreak and loneliness, how it feels to be an outsider, the way She comes into contact with real historical characters: Arthur that people hurt each other, and what someone is prepared to do Clough (poet), Margaret Fuller (American feminist), and Giuseppe in the name of love. The relationships between the characters are Mazzini, whom she had met in London where he once lived in exile. what makes this story so powerful. But her principal involvement is with an Italian officer who has The play is set in winter in a fictitious new town and revolves abandoned his regiment, in the north, to come and fight for Rome. around the relationship between Oskar, a bullied and lonely It is Eleanor’s affair with Emilio (the officer), that becomes the teenager, and Eli, the girl who has just moved in next door. As centrepiece of the drama. a spate of sinister killings rocks the neighbourhood, sensing in each other a kindred spirit, the two become devoted friends. What Master Shakeshafte: Oskar doesn’t know is that Eli has been a teenager for a very long This play picks up on the story that a young Shakespeare time. Providing the backdrop for their burgeoning relationship is a spent part of his “missing years” in Lancashire, as a tutor in the myriad of other characters including alcoholic mother, estranged Lancashire household of Alexander Hoghton. Will, as the son of an father, a sympathetic gym teacher, dour police detective, enigmatic alleged recusant, is said to have fled Stratford to escape Protestant sweetshop owner, a terrifying gang of bullies, and the curious man persecution. The evidence of his having stayed at Hoghton is slim: who arrives with Eli. a will and testament discovered in the 1930’s (in which a William But how to bring a story that is so cinematic in style alive on Shakeshafte is named); and circumstantial evidence such as, for stage? We decided to make the set very sparse and stylised, against example, the late 17th century assertion that Shakespeare had the backdrop of a forest in winter, created by hanging painted once been a tutor “in the country”; also that Shakespeare’s early fabric strips. There was little on the stage except a climbing frame acting career was in the company of Lord Strange, son of the Earl and a window, with actors moving simple wooden blocks to create of Derby, a near neighbour of Hoghton’s. furniture. An inventive lighting design, supplemented by the hiring The principal characters are Shakespeare, Fulk Gillam (a genuine in of some whizzy colour changers with moving heads, conveyed historical character), and a (fictional) priest, hiding out in the intense mood and emotion. In order to gain continuity between the Catholic stronghold of Hoghton. This priest befriends the young scenes, the production was underscored for its entire duration by Will, to whom he professes a passion for the theatre. He is a central an original soundtrack composed by a Company member. character in the play and, as we discover, profoundly influences Much relied on the physicality of the actors with lots of the eventual playwright. The romantic interest is provided by the choreographed movement and a military dance sequence, and to (fictional) niece of Alexander Hoghton, a girl of spirit, and another this end, our usual six-week rehearsal schedule was supplemented character to challenge the young Will. by numerous character and movement workshops with the 13 The two plays are published by Lazy Bee Scripts, on whose strong cast. While use of blood effects was reduced to a minimum website information is to be found, including how to access the for maximum impact, getting these right was a major difficulty scripts online as well as the performing rights procedures. Peter for the props team, who became very adept at cooking up vast is happy to furnish other information via his e mail address – quantities of blood at different consistencies, making knives with [email protected]. built-in blood dispensers, and working out a way to make the (Peter’s latest (one act) play, Shakespeare in Verona in April character Eli ‘bleed from every pore’ as was specified in the script! won the Arts Richmond Festival of Plays and was performed at

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Richmond’s Orange Tree theatre by members of RSS) State Management Scheme, it demonstrates just how dangerous it was to live in Carlisle. There was murder, theft, prostitution Brighton Little Theatre produced a new one-act play for its and worst of all, drinking! Author Matt Hilton has provided the contribution to the Brighton Fringe Festival: Still Lives, written stories and these have been adapted for the stage by member Pat and directed by Ella Turk-Thompson. She writes in the May Harkness. Newsletter: “Cast Required: (The men may be required to play more than one There is deep pleasure and satisfaction to be gained by working part) - Constable Stamper 25-30; 3 Irish Navvies Patrick, Mick and with a small, but stunning, cast, in a small but perfectly formed Sean any age; Bob any age; Barman any age; Molly and Jinny of theatre, on a small but hefty play. Still Lives hinges on a chance indeterminate age! Two boys 11-16.” meeting between wheelchair-bound Harriet and lost boy, Fred and the dinner she invites him to so he can meet her icy, fragile mother. It is a raw and tender story of mothers and daughters, boys and girls. Of stasis, motion and sexuality. The actors have And a new work from Canada not only embraced the emotional and physical challenges of their ‘The Selkie Wife’ will be the second play next season (at Apollo characters, but also the beautiful and surprising ideas of Masha Theatre, Newport IOW), with production dates of 21-29 October. Gurina, our choreographer. We have coped with some of the more You may well not have heard of it, so in summary here’s what it’s demanding moves by giving them relatable names: The Seal. The about. Penguin. The Mermaid. The Banana. The Pear. The Cardigan. The The ancient Celtic myth of the ‘selkies’ underpins the play, which Just Go Completely Mental. is written by the Canadian author Kelly-Jo Burke. Selkies are What has also impressed me is how, in such a short time, the seals who have the power to shed their skin to mate with a human actors are conveying the hilarity, subtlety, sadness and sometimes male, then return to the water with their offspring; they can revert downright brutality of the script and finding moments I did not to their seal shape but only if they keep their seal skin, without even realise were there, did not even realise were funny. In fact, which they are doomed to live out their lives as humans and leave the only thing really causing problems is the reversed storytelling. their watery lives behind forever. The order of the scenes we’re rehearsing is currently a mystery In Kelly-Jo’s beautifully-written play, Mary Hew, a selkie, made and the words ‘first’ and ‘last’ and ‘before’ and ‘after’ have lost all the choice to come ashore for love of her husband, Cal. They have meaning. With luck, we shall sort all this out before opening night a happy family life with their daughter, Bridget, but when Mary’s and provide you with something that moves consecutively, only old friend Gen and her companion Dylan arrive unexpectedly Mary backwards. is forced once again to consider the decisions she made. The play is Ella Turk-Thompson a dramatic meditation on love and sex, on freedom and oppression, on making concessions and making choices. At Carlisle Green Room Theatre there was a Theatre Downstairs I had the good fortune to see this play in a tiny theatre in the production from July 27th to 29th of What a State!, a new play middle of the Canadian prairie and I was absolutely blown away by about the State Management Scheme in Carlisle, being shown as its power. I went on to meet the author, who is delighted that we part of the celebrations to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of are going to put it on. its introduction to the city. Set during WW1 before and after the The play has a cast of five. Book Review A YEAR OF LEARS PERFORMING KING LEAR - GIELGUD TO RUSSELL BEALE by JONATHON CROALL - PUBLISHED by BLOOMSBURY - 250 pages introduction he argues that the role of Lear the relationships between Lear and the 2016 will be a year of Lears. We have is seen today as the ultimate challenge for Fool and between Regan and Goneril. And already seen Don Warrington for Talawa the classical actor, the one that provides in every way Croall’s book is to be very in Manchester and Birmingham and the supreme test of his abilities in the highly recommended. Michael Pennington in Northampton. theatre. But equally he reminds us that, I should end by declaring an interest. Before the end of the year there will also unlike other Shakespearean tragedies From the age of 9 or 10 I was so introduced be Timothy West in Bristol, Anthony Sher “King Lear” is not only about a star actor to the works of Shakespeare that they at Stratford and Glenda Jackson at the filling the title role - more than the others have become a lifelong obsession. My Old Vic. In preparing his book Jonathon it requires an extensive and high quality school performances ranged from an 11 Croall managed to interview 20 of the 40 ensemble to play the other ten major parts. year old Olivia to an 18 year old Prospero. living actors who have played the title role These observations provide the context Living as I did only 30 miles from Stratford, professionally and no less than 25 of their for a fascinating book in which so many as a teenager I was regularly taken to see directors. As his title tells us he covers the great actors discuss their reasons for the great actors of the forties and fifties stage history from Gielgud in 1931 at the accepting the part, how they prepared for at the Memorial Theatre. Over the years Old Vic to in 2014 at it, the problems they came up against, the I have managed to see every play in the the National. He includes Wolfit in 1942, nature of the rehearsals, the key question canon - including even the recently added Olivier in 1946, Redgrave in 1953, Gielgud of their working relationship with their “Edward III”. Now rarely a month passes again in 1940, 1950 and 1955, Schofield - director and - not least - their view of their without seeing at least one of them. In the the greatest of them all in 1962 - Donald own performance. last 20 years I have seen 19 Lears. And Sinden in 1976, Gambon in 1982, John Their directors provided a different Wood in 1990, Robert Stephens in 1992, perspective shedding light on many different there will be at least two more this year. Nigel Hawthorne directed by the late Yukio aspects of staging the play. They shared This afternoon it’s Trevor Nunn’s “King Ninagawa in 1999, McKellen in 2007, their ideas about the nature and meaning John” at Kingston, and tomorrow evening Jacobi in 2010 and Jonathan Pryce in 2012. of the play, their reasons for casting the it’s the RSC’s “Dream” at the Barbican. In his opening chapter Croall points out lead actor, how he responded to their ideas And there’s so much more to look forward that “King Lear” has been performed more in rehearsal, their reasons for deciding on to including an RSC “Cymbeline” - also at often in the last 50 years than in the whole the production’s sets, costumes and period the Barbican, “Much Ado About Nothing” of its 400 year stage history, and that while and whether their chosen Lear and the and “Love’s Labours Lost” at Chichester, “Hamlet” was considered Shakespeare’s production lived up to their expectations. Ralph Fiennes at the Almeida as “Richard supreme achievement during the first half Inevitably in their contributions actors, III” with Vanessa Redgrave as his Queen of the twentieth century “King Lear” is now directors - and critics - all focus mainly on Margaret, and “Romeo and Juliet” in the seen as his pre-eminent work and is played the title role. But in many ways the most Branagh season at the Garrick! more often than the earlier tragedy. In his interesting debates are concentrated on 19th May 2016 Martin Bowley

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the audience and in Lucy’s hands proving one of the most popular The Kevin Spence Column characters. e) The children are the sort you might find playing on the bomb sites PAST THE WIT OF MAN many still visible right through the 50s. There is also suggestions that these latest recruits may have been child victims of the blitz. I wonder how many LTG members have The late 1940’s early 1950’s was also key time for amateur caught up with this year’s special RSC theatre makers both a high point - with the foundation of the Little ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’. It is a Theatre Guild and a challenge with the beginning of the formal wonderful project. For those of you, who separation of amateurs and professionals with the formation the have somehow missed out on this, all the Arts Council and their ultimate decision to exclude amateurs from parts are played by professional actors apart their plans. This moment is crystallised in the play as Philostrate, from the ‘mechanicals’ who are played by 14 in charge of post wedding festivities, seeks to set the Duke against different groups of amateur companies from the Mechanicals amateur production. around the UK. I caught up with it at the Alhambra in Bradford The diverse casting of Black and Asian actors is both colour blind where a fine group from Leeds Arts Centre were indistinguishable and specific. People of all races have always lived, worked and from the professionals – in fact, the highlight of this production visited the UK, and the 1940’s was no different with people from is the uniformly excellent acting. This was echoed by friends who all over the Empire contributing to the war effort and the long saw it at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham with amateurs from recovery, although they are often whitewashed from history.’ the Lovelace Theatre Group. I also enjoyed the regional BBC programme celebrating the show – “THE BEST BOTTOMS IN THE So here is my question to those of you who have been lucky LAND’. I particularly liked the edition featuring our colleagues enough to see the show – DID YOU GET ALL THAT WHEN YOU from the Nonentities in Kidderminster, who clearly acquitted WERE WATCHING? I think it is what is referred to these days as themselves splendidly. Both the RSC and the amateurs have gained a ‘mash up’. In summary, post-war, the coming of Jazz (wasn’t immeasurably from the experience and learned a lot from each that earlier?), an Edwardian Puck (she looked to me more like an other. So the whole thing is an unqualified success, isn’t it? Well, Expressionist Puck I saw at the Berliner Ensemble a few years ago), er, not quite – and its imperfections highlight the creative dangers children plucked from that fine postwar movie ‘Hue and Cry’, the of such a complex undertaking and the lack of artistic clarity I see relaunch of amateur theatre after the war, and a very commendable all too often in professional companies currently making theatre. It reference to the massive and often unrecognized impact of people worries me when I see examples of it at the RSC, who have given from across the Empire to the war effort. I think we might all agree me so many shows to enjoy. I revere their work and their well- that there is quite a lot going on here – and I fear that is at the earned status at the top of UK and world theatre. heart of the problem – too many heterogeneous ideas and without So, what’s the problem? In my humble opinion, the show was the clear vision – and dare I mention, magic? – which Emma Rice saved by its actors. The design concept and direction were so at the Globe and Russell T Davies on TV seem to have understood overstuffed with conflicting notions that I just became totally are key characteristics of good productions of this play. confused. The designer, Tom Piper, (he of the famous poppies at And then just when I was thinking that this might be me being a bit the Tower of London) even referred me to an article he had penned curmudgeonly and I should lighten up a bit, Clare Brennan’s review about the show. Thanks, Tom - you are clearly an immensely of the RSC’s current production of CYMBELINE popped up in the talented and very nice guy, but it didn’t help all that much. I sought Observer. Clare, a critic for whom I have the utmost respect, seems further clarification from the RSC and had an immediate detailed to echo my worries. As always with the RSC, I had high hopes, response. I am very flattered that they took so much trouble to particularly as this play only gets infrequent airings these days. try to help – this speaks volumes for their honourable intentions. But, according to Clare, the acting included ‘words…… rattled out So here is a section from this response – please forgive the poor by actors hithering and thithering pointlessly but energetically’ and grammar in places – but I am quoting directly: ‘(for the most part) poorly spoken blank verse’. On the production as a whole, she writes:’ Most of the first half felt like an Edinburgh ‘The setting was broadly the late 1940’s where we could see the festival fringe production by a group of late-1970s students bursting start of influences which would shape the early 50’s. with ideas’ and ‘There’s a thrown-together enthusiasm about this; The setting comes from a number of influences: a cluttered, chaotic two-dimensionality that would be promising a) Shakespeare set the play after a major war. in students – but….’ I cannot think of a single LTG theatre which b) We wanted a fairly modern period in living memory of some but would allow a Shakespeare or any other production near the stage one where the issuesof an arranged marriage was still credible. with such apparent lack of quality control and judicious editing. So c) Oberon reflects the new coming era of Jazz already finding root perhaps the RSC is unwiitingly and ironically exploring the worst in the late forties after the influence of American troops stationed kind of amateurism, which no LTG theatre would ever embrace. I’ll here in the run up to D Day. Titania the still influential British leave the last word to Clare: ‘the RSC has the time, money, and empire including India. expertise to think through ideas more thoroughly and hone them d) The fairies are eternal and some reflect a more distant past more sharply for performance’. with Puck in almost Edwardian dress her role an MC connecting Kevin Spence

Health and Safety Update The following timely story comes from the Newsletter for Questors Theatre, Ealing:

“I am sorry to report that at the start of May one of our members took a fall from a ladder during the get-in period for Don’t Dress for Dinner in the Playhouse. This resulted in some head injuries and a couple of nights in hospital. We are pleased that the injuries have not turned out to be too serious and that the member was able to rejoin the production within a few days. But we are also conscious that the outcome of an accident like this could all too easily be much worse. In accordance with the rules on reporting accidents on work premises we have reported the incident to the Health and Safety Executive and Ealing Council, who will investigate. We are also conducting our own internal review and will keep you updated on the outcome. This incident is a reminder to everyone who works in our theatres or workshop of the importance of following the proper health and safety procedures. If you are not certain about the safe way to do something then wait and ask - don’t take chances. We are continually working to improve the information and training available to members to help us all work safely, and get in touch if you are able to offer time or expertise to this important project. Please remember that nothing you do at The Questors is “at your own risk”. The Questors has a duty of care to everyone working on our site - so in addition to any injuries to you or those working with you, an accident could have consequences for the future of the whole organisation. Richard Mead, Chairman, Board of Trustees”

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Delegates then had a couple of hours break to return to their Report on the 2016 Conference hotels to dress to impress for the private performance of Noel Coward’s Hay Fever followed by the conference Gala Dinner Dance. Returning to the theatre for the 5:45pm performance one at Crescent Theatre was greeted by a red carpet across the foyer transformed into an In the April issue of the Newsletter for Lewes Little Theatre, Oscar winning venue. A photographer snapped the ‘celebrities’ as LTG Rep Cathryn Parker gave her members this full account of they arrived in their finery and the atmosphere was electric as we the memorable conference: awaited the start of the evening’s entertainment. Then the first “The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham played impeccable host to (and only) hiccup of the conference, the actress playing Judith Bliss over 135 LTG delegates from all over the country attending the had been rushed into hospital and was unable to take part. The role was filled by a substitute, who had had about four hours notice 70th anniversary National Conference & AGM from 8 – 10 April. and who went on, bravely, with a script. She and the rest of the From the moment the record number of delegates began to arrive cast did a fabulous job on the fabulous set, and she, quite rightly, it was evident that hospitality and style was going to be at the received tumultuous applause at the end of the evening, with many heart of this celebratory conference. The attention to detail was delegates on their feet. superb, warm and attentive throughout the 3 days. The busy day drew to a close with a formal sit down dinner, a The conference committee had put together a truly memorable birthday cake, and a jazz band providing music for those with the programme to mark the 70th birthday of the LTG entitled “Thinking energy left to trip the light fantastic. Back – Looking Forward” and the weekend proved to be a perfect Sunday morning provided the opportunity for four theatres to balance of these equally important themes. provide 20 minute extracts from longer works. All the regions The theatre looks magnificent, decked out in green, yellow, purple were represented with extracts from very different plays. There and red (the LTG colours) helium balloons and welcome banners was new writing (from Macclesfield ADS); reminiscence theatre declaring the 70th birthday of our organization. After registration which is derived from oral memories and woven into a drama by a and a chance to network with fellow delegates over a convivial commissioned writer (from Questors Theatre); comedy (from Lace glass we were royally entertained by comedienne Barbara (as in Market Theatre, Nottingham) and drama (from Sunderland Royalty Streisand) Nice (as in biscuit) with a comedy set that really got Theatre & Durham City Theatre). Each of the four companies had the party started. Watching some of the Guild Top Brass avidly a fifteen minute technical rehearsal on the Sunday morning before playing a game of ‘Dead Celebrity Musical Statues’ for a share in a performances started at 10:30 and it was incredible how effectively packet of maltesers is a memory I will cherish and find difficult to the plays could be staged with only the props and furniture the cast erase. A hearty and delicious supper set us up for the long day of themselves could handle. Hats off to the visiting companies and to reminiscences, workshops, discussion and AGM on the Saturday. the skill of the Crescent Theatre technicians. Those who wanted to see behind the scenes of this purpose-built Grateful thanks were expressed formally on behalf of all the 300+ seater theatre had ample opportunity to join an informative attending delegates to Andrew Lowrie and Jackie Blackwood who backstage tour before delegates were formally welcomed to the organized the event and kept it running to schedule, but a huge conference by Andrew Lowrie, the current Chairman of the Guild vote of thanks is due to all the members of Crescent Theatre and the Crescent Theatre. After that delegates split up into five who were on duty all weekend to ensure our visit was happy and workshop groups to look at various topics on interest: voice and memorable and who worked tirelessly to ensure it was so. movement (led by the inspirational Michael Corbridge, Senior The event drew to a close with the official handing over of the Voice and Text Associate from the RSC); digital and social media Conference baton to Paul Tester, chairman of Archway Theatre, marketing (with Jo Phillips, specialist media marketing consultant); Horley who will be hosting the next national conference in Surrey in fundraising (with Martin Shaw, fundraising consultant); managing 2017. I hope some new delegates from Lewes might be encouraged human resources (with Helen Dykes, employment law associate to attend – conferences are informative and fun.” lawyer, Irwin Mitchell, Solicitors, Birmingham) and a gender change make up demonstration (with Kerry Woods, Sue Bedford And a happy postscript from Jane Buckland, Chair at Bromley and students from University College, Birmingham). Little Theatre in the May issue of the Newsletter Spotlights: We were able to attend two of these informative and stimulating I am writing this while attending the Little Theatre Guild’s 70th seminars before enjoying an abundant buffet lunch. Sandwiched Anniversary National Conference and Annual General Meeting in between these workshops was one of the absolute gems of the Birmingham. The slogan for the weekend is Thinking Back, Looking conference: Margaret Mann (Northern Region Secretary) chaired Forward. It is really heartening to see how many ‘Little Theatres’ a reminiscence discussion between two long-standing and high- are flourishing all over the country and to meet so many people who serving members of the Guild: Michael Shipley (who has held most share our love and enthusiasm for what we do. Within the group, of the high offices within the Guild and is currently newsletter however, there is huge variety: our hosts, the Crescent Theatre, editor and an Honorary Associate of the Guild) and Patricia Clough have a modern, purpose-built professional theatre in the centre (former Guild Chairman, Bingley LTG Rep and Guild Hon Associate), of the city with a main house that seats 300 and has every facility both enormously gifted raconteurs. Once they got started on the one could ask for, including a laundry, armoury, sewing room and funny stories about previous conferences we could have listened beautifully organized wardrobe spaces for a collection of costumes for hours. Thankfully many of the best anecdotes have found their insured for £1.3 million. And yes, I did have serious theatre envy way into Michael’s ‘Brief History’ of the Guild – published to mark as I was taken on the premises tour. Some of the LTG members, the 70th anniversary and available on a notice board near you. however, operate in old cramped buildings, such as our infuriating The AGM was held immediately after lunch. The mandatory but much loved BLT and with a smaller seating capacity. Talk to business of receiving and approving minutes, the annual report anybody, however, and you’ll find that they all look back with pride and the accounts, the appointment and election of officers was on their achievements over many years and have a tremendous dispatched with breathtaking efficiency and speed. optimism about the future. Community theatre is thriving. As the This enabled delegates to hear a variety of reports from around comedienne who entertained us last night before supper put it: the country in relation to activities undertaken on member “You lot make your money elsewhere and then support the theatre. theatres’ behalf; ask questions on a variety of topics; celebrate Keep it up!”. the appointment of two new Honorary Associates, and indulge in a But whether in a purpose-built theatre or a converted bakery, the hugely audible and over-excited intake of collective breath, when it Little Theatres are keeping drama alive around the country, thanks was announced that our retiring patron Sir Ian McKellen was to be to the hard working hundreds of volunteers, at a time of cuts in succeeded by Sir Kenneth Branagh who wanted to be as engaged funding for the arts and reduced opportunities for drama and music with LTG theatres as his predecessor had been. in schools.” Expose Young People to the Thrill of Live Theatre At a press conference in June, actor Jonathan Pryce warned that Playhouses, schools and the Government were failing to invest properly in future generations of theatregoers. Younger people needed to be shown the thrill of live theatre. There should be cheaper tickets and more school visits, rather than children being offered filmed productions that can never recreate the excitement of the real thing. Research showed that people aged between 65 and 74 made up the largest group for theatre audiences. GCSE drama syllabuses by exam boards no longer require pupils to watch a live performance. “There seem to be fewer school trips to the theatre. We’re being told it’s enough for a young person to experience digital theatre….I’d be happier if money was put in to get those young people into live theatre…It’s an eye-opener when people are exposed to it for the first time. The audience in a live performance is the extra cast member. The make-up of that audience and how they respond to the play shapes the performance.” our flagship youth theatre festival. Since then the NT has Youth Theatre Matters commissioned more than 150 plays for Connections, giving young Did National Theatre help change your life? people aged 13 to 19 access to the best new writing for theatre. We want you to join us to celebrate Connections in our anniversary Rufus Norris wrote recently to the National Press: year. Twenty-one years ago teachers and directors began telling the We hope to hear from people who have taken part in Connections National Theatre that they wanted relevant and challenging new plays. Whether you’re Kevey Bow, from UROCK who performed in plays for young actors. We responded by launching Connections, Remote at last year’s festival, or Roy Weise, now a trainee theatre

10 LTG Newsletter Vol .30 No.2 May 2016 director at the (Chatroom by Enda Walsh, recently went to the Warwick Arts Centre to perform in the 2004) or Hollywood actor John Boyega (Six Parties by William Connections Festival. “Our youngsters did us proud once again. Boyd, 2009), we’d love to hear your experience. Performing and They made me realize that this was not just about a performance working backstage can be a trans¬formative and we want you to tell us how it changed you. for them: it was about a whole intelligent and incredibly mature Get in touch at http://yourconnections.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ journey.” At Oast Theatre, Tonbridge the Youth Theatre took and share your memories with us to help celebrate 21 years of the their piece for Connections to several festival venues, but did not biggest youth theatre festival in the world. make it to the final. Chesil Theatre, Winchester Youth Theatre Rufus Norris Director, National Theatre of Great Britain also took their Connections piece to various venues around their The Youth Theatre group at Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth area. All found the experience most stimulating.

broad and excited democratic base have be. For those with smartphones, we’re Quotes from encouraged us towards boldness and all recommended to download the ‘First innovation.” (Dominic Dromgoole) Aid by British Red Cross’ free app - which your Newsletters “We need to improve our H&S policies as provides guidance. The First Aid Kit and (and other sources!) regards back-stage areas as the next step Incident Book is located in the kitchen.” on our H&S journey. This will mean a little (from the Newsletter for Theatre 62, more paper work for the stage managers West Wickham) to complete – nothing too onerous, but we “During March the Club went through must comply with legislation, and it is in one of its largest marketing campaigns in everyone’s best interests after all.” (from its history where we mail dropped 36,000 the Chairman’s comments in the Newsletter homes within the Carlisle area. The leaflet for Priory Theatre, Kenilworth) was used to promote our remaining season “It was a shame that hardly any members of shows, our open day and becoming a of the Apollo came to support the children, member of the Club. On the whole it was as I always nag them to support the ‘adult’ a great success and already we can see an shows. These kids are the next generation increase in our exposure. There has been of performers and very worthy of your an issue for a long time where people in support. They pay to be part of our theatre Carlisle still don’t know that our Theatre “Every director of a theatre has an and as much time and effort goes into their exists. We feel we have to do everything emollient eye on the box-office. It is now show as anyone else’s.” (from Apollonius, possible to increase our exposure and assumed that what is good is that which the Newsletter for Apollo Theatre, since the mail drop we do seem to be succeeds. When I was young, British Newport IOW) getting an unusually high number of new theatre was like a tree in which “Please note that no hamsters are harmed people visiting us.” (from the Newsletter during the staging of this production”, many different birds could nest. But for Carlisle Green Room Theatre) (from the pre-publicity for God of Carnage now it’s just for the hawks. It’s not “We discovered recently that a St Albans at Barn Theatre, Welwyn) for the birds of plumage, who are not theatre had been reviewed on Trip Advisor “Members really can’t continue just so welcome any more, mainly because – needless to say, it wasn’t our theatre. We appearing for auditions and showing no they don’t fill the commercial imperative have now got ourselves registered and we other commitment to the club if they are of selling every seat. That, I’m afraid, is want to encourage our audience to review not involved with a production. Those who how artistic directors are judged.” (David us. So, if you know anyone who has visited are going over and above what is asked Hare) us and been impressed, please ask them are going to eventually begin to think ‘why “I feel that (modern) art is already to go online to review and recommend us.” should I care, when the majority appears serious enough; there is no point in making not to?’ (from the Newsletter for Medway (from the Newsletter for Abbey Theatre, it seem even more serious by taking it too Little Theatre) St Albans) seriously”. (Frank O’Hara) “What is the archive? Some of you will “The countdown has begun…we have “Since 1997, the majority of Shakespeare have seen a silver box in the box office, less than a year left! On the 7th, 8th productions at the Globe have been labeled Archive Folder. The idea is to keep and 9th April 2017 we are hosting the simple, direct and accessible, but what a record of what we do for posterity and a National Conference and AGM of the LTG, feels obvious to us has often seemed sample of our material is kept at Berkshire and this will mean that we will welcome anathema to the rest of British theatre. Record Office on Castle Hill. Please could representatives from most little theatres in We have found ourselves occupying a we all ensure that for every production the country to our theatre. I would like to curious position - the radical mainstream. an A4 poster, a flyer, a programme and a think that we can all start now and do what We are happily alone, while everyone else few photos are put in the folder and I will is needed, throw out rubbish, de-clutter, clambers over each other in a bid to be collect them. If in doubt, put it in and I paint areas, tidy up and generally smarten the most revolutionary. It has sometimes can always throw away the surplus!” (from up all areas.” (from the Chairman’s felt like sailing down an empty motorway the Newsletter for Progress Theatre, comments in the Newsletter for Archway unimpeded, while at every junction the Reading) Theatre, Horley) slip roads are clogged with the traffic “We now have a defibrillator installed [At Chicago] “What’s it about?” “I don’t of theatre makers chasing tangential in the foyer by the hall doors, thanks to know but I think it’s set in New York” concepts. We have been continually at war some generous donations. It is a device [At Jesus Christ Superstar] “Well, I didn’t with the conservatism of the avant-garde, that gives the heart an electric shock when expect it to end like that” and have been repeatedly surprised by the someone’s heart has stopped and they [At Waiting for Godot] “He won’t radicalism of our mainstream audience. are not breathing. It is self-explanatory come, you know - his name’s not in the As they did in Shakespeare’s day, this to use, although we hope it never has to programme”

* Did you know that we have brought back led discussions of the play? After Play Discussion Sessions * This is your opportunity to listen to the comments of the directors and cast, and to share in the ‘lessons learnt’. It has been some little time since your Newsletters * It’s fair minded, open and fun. contained notices of After Play Discussion Sessions; * And there are doughnuts! And there might be chocolate cake!! once quite common, they have in recent years seem to have gone out of fashion! Were they unpopular? Did Come and see! attendances decline? Were the actors and others being * We’ve also reintroduced the giving out of salient figures, so you cruelly criticized? Were they basically unhelpful? can see how the production raised the money we need to keep going. Anyway, Archway Theatre, Horley are bravely trying again, * The club night is open to all members, not just those in the on the Wednesday evening after every production, cheerfully previous production. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with promoting them as follows: friends and also to see what the committee has been up to.

11 LTG Newsletter Vol .30 No.2 May 2016 Some Recent Production Photos Lost Monsters - Stockport Garrick Salad Days - Studio Theatre Salisbury The Wind in the Willows - Oast Theatre

Leading Ladies - Attfield Theatre

The Lieutenant of Inishmore -

Let The Right One In - Criterion Theatre

Waiting for Godot - Chads Theatre London Assurance - Miller Centre Theatre A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Nantwich Players

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