Month: July 2020

WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION

WILL NOW BEGIN PERFORMANCES

ON 19 MARCH 2021

New dates and all further information at www.andrewlloydwebberscinderella.com

Producers The Really Useful Group announced today that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical Cinderella will now world premiere at The Gillian Lynne Theatre in London on Wednesday 7 April 2021, with previews from Friday 19 March 2021.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said “Whilst I continue to impress on the government that theatres can reopen safely based on The London Palladium model, it has become clear that we need to move the opening of Cinderella to next Spring.  My teams have been working throughout lockdown to prepare the show and are raring to go, but there are key elements, not least casting and the building of sets and costumes, that take months of forward planning and can only start as we get further down the road to normal.  So the show will absolutely go on, just a little later than I’d hoped.”

Ticket holders will be contacted individually to rearrange their plans and further information is available at www.andrewlloydwebberscinderella.com

Carrie Hope Fletcher will play Cinderella in the highly anticipated new productionat the Gillian Lynne Theatre.  She has starred in Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Addams Family (UK Tour), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour), Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), and most recently played Fantine in Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre.  She is also a bestselling author and social media personality.

The production, a complete reinvention of the classic fairytale, is based on an original idea by Emerald Fennell, the Emmy Award nominated lead scriptwriter of the second season of international smash hit Killing Eve, with a brand new score from the legendary composer and lyrics by David Zippel.

Cinderella will reunite Andrew Lloyd Webber with director Laurence Connor and choreographer JoAnn M Hunter, who previously worked on the Olivier Award winning international hit School of Rock and the recent, sold out production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium, which returns to the venue in Summer 21.

Fennell’s new film A Promising Young Woman, that she wrote and directed and which stars Carey Mulligan, will open this Autumn.  As an actress she played Patsy Mount on the BBC’s Call The Midwife and currently depicts Camilla Parker Bowles on the Netflix hit The Crown.

The show’s lyrics are by David Zippel, a multi-award winner for Broadway productions including City of Angels, The Goodbye Girl, The Woman in White and Liza at the Palace, as well as for work on film including Disney’s Hercules and Mulan, both of which received Oscar nominations.

Cinderella will also star Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as the Stepmother. All further creative team and cast announcements regarding Cinderella will be made at a later date.

Ahead of Cinderella’s arrival at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, LW Theatres are carrying out internal upgrade work to the building including the addition of more toilets and refurbishment to areas of the auditorium and Front of House, as well as adopting measures to welcome back audiences safely as soon as restrictions allow. These measures are currently being trialled at The London Palladium and will be rolled out across LW Theatres.  

SWAN LAKE BATH BALLET

Photo credit: Ryan Capstick

·      Swan Lake Bath Ballet film by Corey Baker to be released on BBC iPLAYER and BBC.CO.UK/ARTS  Wednesday 8th July at 9.00 am BST

·      A modern-day Swan Lake filmed entirely remotely in the filled bathtubs of 27 elite ballet dancers from around the world

Corey Baker Dance has created a new short film entitled  Swan Lake Bath Ballet which will receive its world premiere screening on BBC iPlayer and bbc.co.uk/arts on Wednesday 8th July at 9.00 am BST as part of BBC Arts Culture in Quarantine, bringing arts and culture to the homes of the nation under lockdown.

Set to Tchaikovsky’s famous swan theme, 27 elite ballet dancers from renowned dance companies perform a modern-day Swan Lake from their own home filled baths. Award-winning choreographer Corey Baker worked with dancers across the globe to choreograph and film Swan Lake Bath Ballet completely remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the film, Baker’s quirky choreography is performed in baths from New Zealand to South Africa, America to Hong Kong, Australia to the UK. Swan Lake Bath Ballet was filmed on smart phones, directed by Baker from his bathroom in the UK. Dancers found innovative solutions including a child’s scooter, piles of books and even a toilet plunger to help stabilise and enable camera angles.

Baker worked with long-time collaborator producer Anne Beresford as well as Director of Photography Nicola Daley ACS (Harlots, Paradise Lost), Editor Travis Moore, supported by Line Producer Guy Trevellyan. The team combined innovative technological solutions such as the app FiLMiC Pro and Zoom along with household makeshift tripods to make the film remotely.

Dancers filmed themselves, sometimes assisted by their housemates or partners, all directed by Baker and Daley from their separate bathrooms in the UK. Baker says about the experience, ‘It was like trying to hang a picture with your eyes closed from 5 miles away’.

The performers were drawn from a long list of distinguished companies including American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, National Ballet of Canada, Dutch National Ballet, Birmingahm Royal Ballet (with whom Baker has a long relationship) and The Royal New Zealand Ballet, where Baker is Choreographer in Residence.

Baker says: ‘I am hugely indebted to the amazing 27 dancers and all the companies who really pulled the stops (plugs?) out to make this film happen. Dancers became camera operators, stage managers, as well as costume and prop department not to mention performing tricky choreography at the same time, all from their bath tubs’.

Corey Baker Dance has an international reputation for creating a diverse array of work across film, TV and theatre, using unusual locations and reaching non-traditional theatre audiences. Antarctica: The First Dance (Channel 4/The Space) was filmed on the icy continent celebrating Antarctica while we still have it. This was the first of three dance films with a ‘green’ focus, the other two being Spaghetti Junction with dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet and Hong Kong Ballet filmed beneath Birmingham’s (in)famous motorway intersection and Lying Together with Hong Kong Ballet, filmed on location in rural and urban green spaces across Hong Kong. Both Spaghetti Junction and Lying Together were shown on BBC Culture in Quarantine in May/June 2020 for World Earth Day and World Environment Day respectively.

Swan Lake Bath Ballet was commissioned by Arts Council England and BBC Arts as part of Culture in Quarantine. With thanks to Royal Albert Hall.

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

 NEW VIC THEATRE RESCHEDULE OPENING OF MARVELLOUS TO SPRING 2021

Marvellous, a brand-new play based on the life of local hero, Neil ‘Nello’ Baldwin, was due to take to the stage in the theatre’s newly refurbished auditorium in September. However, due to the uncertainty around when theatres will be able to safely start rehearsals for shows and also reopen to the public for performances, the New Vic has taken the decision to reschedule the production to a later date and now hopes to stage this inspiring show in April 2021.

Theresa Heskins, New Vic Artistic Director said: “A New Vic production like Marvellous takes months of planning, and many people are involved in its creation. From our in-house team to freelance actors and creatives, and of course Neil himself, it is a huge endeavour – and much of the work happens before we even start rehearsals. Without having certainty as to when we will be able to reopen the New Vic for performances, we have taken the decision to reschedule the production so that we can ensure that when we bring Neil Baldwin’s fantastic story to life on stage, we can do it with confidence, and for the audiences we promised it to. We will just have to wait a little bit longer to be able to share this show with them.”

The theatre still plans to reopen to the public when government guidelines allow and hopes to welcome audiences back for a range of concerts and other shows later in the year.

The New Vic Box Office team are in the process of contacting all customers who had booked for the production to talk through their options. Customers do not need to call the theatre. For further updates on the New Vic’s forthcoming programme, visit newvictheatre.org.uk

NEW ADVENTURES

ANNOUNCE THEIR

2020/2021

‘OVERTURE’ DANCE ARTISTS

New Adventures is delighted to announce their Overture dance artist cohort for 2020/2021. Established in 2016, Overture is the annual New Adventures professional development programme for dance artists and dance teachers from a variety of genres who have been working in community or education settings for less than five years. Each year, the group of artists are chosen for their work that spans both urban and rural settings, representing the diversity of contemporary England.

New Adventures is passionate about creating pathways through the company and this year’s cohort include Felipe Pacheco who was part of the young ensemble in Matthew Bourne’s production of Lord of the Flies in 2014, and Roisin Whelan who performed in Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet in its world premiere last year. 

Found through an open call and through our dance networks, this year’s 16 talented community dance artists are:

• Callum Anderson, 28, Hove, East Sussex
• Phoebe Chung, 26, Ipswich, Suffolk
• Stephanie Donohoe, 25, Leeds, West Yorkshire
• Ellen Hathaway Spence, 25, Gateshead
• Sally Hendry, 22, Manchester
• Kirsty Holmes, 25, Tonbridge, Kent
• Stephanie Jenner, 28, Newton Abbot, Devon
• Rebecca Mulvihill, 25, Canterbury, Kent
• Felipe Pacheco, 23, Heswall, Merseyside
• Hannah Raynor, 30, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
• Lewis Sharp, 24, Barking, Essex
• Michael Sookhan, 22, Croydon, London
• Kashmira Sunni, 38, Northolt, London
• Jessica Truslove, 24, Rowley Regis, West Midlands
• Patrick Webster, 27, Croydon, London
• Roisin Whelan, 24, Woking, Surrey

Facilitated by Resident Artist Kerry Biggin and Community Dance Practice Educator Tom Hobden, the cohort of dance artists participate in three residential weekends at the Company’s base in Farnham Maltings, Surrey over a six-month period, as well as digital sessions during this current period of lockdown. Each residential comprises of practical workshops, class and skills-sharing as well as inspirational guest teachers from a variety of dance backgrounds sharing their practice. With workshops in areas such as personal development and networking, New Adventures aim to provide the cohort with a range of skills to support them in reaching the next level of their careers as community dance artists.

Kerry Biggin said today.‘ It is wonderful to be part of the journey and development of the dance artists and teachers that we work with each year on Overture.  It is continually inspiring to see how each cohort grow and build their network, confidence and aspiration. It is always inspiring to see alumni continue to strive for their goals and ambitions & stay connected to their Overture network well after the programme has finished.

Tom Hobden said today ‘It has been my absolute pleasure to co-lead OVERTURE with New Adventures for 5 years and it has been a wonderful journey for myself and the 70+ young dance artists we have worked with. To know we are sending out charged and inspiring artists into the sector gives real hope for the future of dance and in our uncertain times when the need will be greatest to move, we will thankfully have the OVERTURE artists ready to help.’

Barn Theatre | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Website

WEST END STARS ANNOUNCED FOR ANNABEL MUTALE REED VIRTUAL CONCERT THIS SATURDAY

• ALI EWOLDT, DANIELLE FIAMANYA, SHARON ROSE AND ANTON STEPHANS FORM PART OF THE LINE UP FOR A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION OF THE MUSICAL THEATRE WRITER ANNABEL MUTALE REED

• THE CONCERT IS THE FIFTH OF THE BARN PRESENTS: SERIES, WHICH CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF BRITISH MUSICAL THEATRE WRITERS.

• PREVIOUS CONCERTS CELEBRATING DANIEL & LAURA CURTIS, FINN ANDERSON, ELLIOT DAVIS AND AMIES & CLEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE BARN THEATRE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The Barn Theatre has announced an all-star West End line up for their fifth virtual concert, The Barn Theatre Presents: The Music of Annabel Mutale Reed, which will celebrate the work of musical theatre playwright, lyricist and director Annabel Mutale Reed.

The concert, which will be hosted by Barn Theatre producer Jamie Chapman Dixon, is the fifth edition of the Barn Theatre in Cirencester’s virtual concert series, The Barn Presents:, which celebrates the work of British musical theatre writers.

Annabel Mutale Reed, who is mentored by legendary Tony award-winning composer, librettist and record producer Claude-Michel Schönberg, is known for her musicals such as the critically-acclaimed STOP(with Leo Munby) as well as her collaborations with composer Jack Trzcinski. Annabel is also known for her directorial work, which includes the recent concert production of Zorro! The Musical at London’s Cadogan Hall.

Alongside Annabel Mutale Reed, the concert lineupincludes: Natalia Brown (Motown), Ali Ewoldt (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables), Jemal Felix (Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon), Danielle Fiamanya (& Juliet, The Color Purple), Connor Going (The Choir of Men), Gabrielle Lewis Dodson (The Boy Friend, 42^nd Street), Sam Oladeinde (The Prince of Egypt, Hamilton), Kathy Peacock (Les Misérables), Jack Remmington (The X Factor), Sharon Rose (Hamilton, Caroline, or Change), Robin Simões da Silva (Spring Awakening), Anton Stephans (The X Factor), Leah St Luce (Mamma Mia!, Beautiful), 2020 musical theatre graduate Meesha Turner and Amelia Walker (SIX).

The concert will be made available on the following link on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-J_fZmCq4eM

The Barn Presents: The Music of Annabel Mutale Reed will debut on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook and YouTube channels on 11 July 2020 at 7:30pm BST. The concert will be released on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook and YouTube channels and will see Annabel Mutale Reed chat with Barn Theatre producer Jamie Chapman Dixon about her career so far, the creation process behind her  songs and special appearances from some of the performers, to discuss their experience rehearsing and recording from home. Annabel will also be joined by Leo Munby and Jack Trzcinski to discuss their collaboration processes and the concert will also feature a special guest who will be announced at a later date.

This concert will bring the total to six British musical theatre writers that have been celebrated as part of the series, with previous virtual concerts celebrating the music of Welsh married award-winning song-writing team Daniel and Laura Curtis, Scottish award-winning composer Finn Anderson, who was recently announced as The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer from April 2020, the award-winning musical theatre composer and book writer Elliot Davis, and Amies & Clements, the award-winning composing team behind the musical Tomorrow, Maybe.

The Barn Presents: The Music of Daniel and Laura Curtis, featuring performances by Jon Jon Briones, Alice Fearn, Nadim Naaman, Oliver Savile and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/kJZVqGeazEg

The Barn Presents: The Music of Finn Anderson, featuring performances by Christina Bianco, Joanne Clifton, Matt Henry, Danielle Hope and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/1sVYFEyJ7Vs

The Barn Presents: The Music of Elliot Davis, featuring performances by Lucie Jones, Aimie Atkinson, Aaron Lee Lambert, James Bourne and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/ESQfFkZUf1I

The Barn Presents: The Music of Amies & Clements, featuring performances by Jodie Steele, Hiba Elchikhe, Marcus Ayton, Cameron Bernard Jones and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/bwLppT_J5h4

The series forms part of the Barn Theatre’s Behind The Barn Door live streaming service. Set up in March, when the theatre had to temporarily close following government guidance, the service includes a full recording of the Barn Theatre’s critically-acclaimed 2019 Built by Barn production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by Hal Chambers and starring Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders, Wicked) and Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like Beckham, We Will Rock You).

The Barn Theatre (registered charity no. 1174253) have launched their SAVE OUR BARN campaign, via their website and social media platforms, to ensure the Barn Theatre’s survival.

Fuelling new opportunities for Black women
writers through Burn Bright

Following the success of Burn Bright’s digitally commissioned pilot, Better In Person, the empowering not-for-profit led by Tori Allen-Martin and Sarah Henley, is continuing the series with the next instalment which will amplify Black women’s voices and stories, alongside launching a new initiative, Connect. In response to the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and the struggles of the Black community, the company are keen to provide a platform in keeping with their ethos of equality and diversity in the arts. The new plays will be showcased on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August at 8pm.

Better In Person will once again be directed by Abigail Sewell (I AM [NOT] KANYE WEST, Bunker Theatre), and hosted by Tori Allen-Martin, inviting audiences to be an online fly-on-the-wall witnessing these intimate, hilarious, and always very human conversations. Burn Bright are looking to commission five talented Black writers, to have their work shared via Zoom. Short extracts of existing works will be welcomed for submission until the closing date, Tuesday 14th July. A recording of the pilot event, which aired live on Monday 25th May, will also be made available for pay per view via the Burn Bright website

Abigail comments, These uncertain times have been a challenge for so many of us; we are social beings that desire connection. I think that’s what makes Better In Person so special. Theatre and live performance connect us in a really unique way – those who are present get to share a once in a lifetime experience. Amidst this period of isolation, over 200 households came together to experience the pilot; a timely series of conversations that so many of us can relate to right now. Heart-warming exchanges that reassure us that we are connected because of our shared isolation. We’re so excited to be sharing five more brilliant stories with you all.

Building on their portfolio of initiatives for writers who identify as women, Burn Bright are also launching Connect, a series of online panel discussions over the summer, including a peer-topeer networking event for writers co-hosted by playwrights Dawn King (Foxfinder, West End) and Matilda Ibini (Little Miss Burden, The Bunker), a session on understanding your rights run by the Writers Guild, and an exclusive Q&A with three amazing industry professionals, including casting director Annelie Powell. Seeking to continually provide opportunities for women writers, these events are designed to be an invaluable tool for personal development.

Burn Bright’s original networking initiative, Time Bank, has also seen huge success since their launch, with 35 industry advisors offering up over 150 sessions (more than 100 hours of free advice to writers who identify as women). However, this is only the beginning and to pave the way for a fairer industry the company want to see more high-level experts donating their time – in particular, male gatekeepers. In an industry dominated by (White) men in leadership positions, to enact change and challenge gender inequality, Burn Bright are actively calling out for men to step up and offer their services and mentorship

Sarah and Tori comment, We are super excited to announce our newest initiative Connect,
providing new ways for writers to engage with each other and industry experts, and we are
beyond thrilled by the success of our first networking scheme, the Time Bank. We’re so grateful
to those who have offered their time to help so many writers – and we’re delighted that a
number of people reached out in response to Black Lives Matter and have used our platform for their own activism. Our whole raison d’etre is to fight for equal opportunities for women in
theatre, and we commit to amplifying and supporting the voices of those within that community
that are further marginalised due to their race, sexual orientation, socio-economic background
or any other reason. We are thrilled to commission and platform the work of five Black women for our next Better In Person event and can’t wait to read the submissions.

The full line up of events are as follows:

‘It’s Lonely Out There…’ hosted by Dawn King and Matilda Ibini
Tuesday 21st July, 8pm
Being a writer can be a lonely job – join us for an evening of peer-to-peer networking to meet other writers to hear about and discuss routes into the industry and hot topics.

‘Squad Goals’ hosted by Tori Allen-Martin
Tuesday 4th August, 8pm
Get to know some of the wider team involved in making a production and understanding how their work relates to you and your script. This first event features Casting Director Annelie Powell, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Theatres James Dacre and Movement Director Kane Husbands.

‘Know Your Rights with The Writers Guild’ hosted by Lesley Gannon
Tuesday 18th August, 8pm
The Assistant General Secretary of WGGB looks at how to avoid the common pitfalls when getting your work produced and explains how the Writers’ Guild are there to support you at every stage of your career.

Better In Person
Monday 31st August, 8pm
Five new plays inspired by conversations that would be ‘better in person’ but are happening online due to the lockdown. The audience are invited to be an online fly on the wall witnessing these intimate, beautiful, sad, uncomfortable, hilarious and always very human conversations, as they take place in real time

After tremendous success with ‘The Show Must Go On’ t-shirt, The Theatre Support Fund + have designed a face mask of the same design which is now available to purchase from their website.

The Theatre Support Fund & ‘The Show Must Go On’ t-shirt was created in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. All profits from the project are split between Acting for Others and the Fleabag Support Fund who are providing financial aid to people working in the theatre industry who are experiencing hardship as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic. As well as the NHS COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. The team have now created a re-useable face covering to add to their list of merchandise which also includes a notebook, mug, badge and tote bag.

The design is an amalgamation of the world-famous branding of 16 of the biggest musicals in the West End. Shows included on the design are & Juliet, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Everyone’s Talking about Jamie, Hamilton, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, Six The Musical, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Egypt, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

All ‘The Show Must Go On’ merchandise can be found on the website including face masks which cost £9.50 –https://theatresupportfund.co.uk/

BIRMINGHAM STAGE COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW DATES FOR

UK CAR PARK TOUR OF HORRIBLE HISTORIES: BARMY BRITAIN

Birmingham Stage Company today announces new tour dates for Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain in association with Car Park Party, Troubadour and Live Nation. The production opens at Henley on Saturday 11 July and will now also visit Bolton, Birmingham, Newmarket, Darlington, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, Lincoln and Cheltenham throughout July and August. Please note that productions scheduled in Dudley on 24 July and Manchester on 26 July can regretfully no longer go ahead and ticket holders will be refunded.

Audiences will drive in and enjoy the show from the comfort of their own car, with sound transmitted through each car’s radio. This very special production of Barmy Britain live on stage will then tour to the previously announced Northampton, Newbury, Chelmsford, Exeter and Edmonton, concluding the run at Cheltenham on 31August.

Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain features Queen Boudicca, King Henry VIII, Guy Fawkes, Dick Turpin, Queen Victoria and a special guest appearance by King Richard III, who in 1485 famously bought a long-stay ticket for a car park in Leicester.

Horrible Histories Live on Stage isbased on the bestselling books written by Terry Deary, illustrated by Martin Brown and published by Scholastic. It first launched in 2005 with the world premieres of Terrible Tudors & Vile Victorians. Since then the Birmingham Stage Company has produced eighteen different Horrible shows, performing to over three million people in the UK, including the longest running children’s show in West End history, with its record-breaking series Barmy Britain. Horrible Histories Live on Stage has also become a worldwide phenomenon, performing in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, New Zealand and Australia, where it performed in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

Terry Deary is the author of Horrible Histories which is the world’s bestselling children’s history book series. The series is illustrated by Martin Brown. There are over 80 Horrible Histories titles with sales over 30 million in 40 countries. Deary is also the author of over 300 fiction and non-fiction books for young people. ‘A cultural phenomenon. The Horrible Histories series of books have been formative experiences for anyone born since the late 1980s’ Daily Telegraph

Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain Listings

Henley Festival – Henley on Thames RG9 2LY

Saturday 11 July 2020 at 11.30am & 2.30pm

Northampton Saints Rugby – Northampton NN5 5JT

Saturday 18 July at 11.30am & 2.30pm

Newbury Racecourse – Newbury RG14 7PN

Saturday 25 July at 2.30pm

University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton BL6 6JW

Sunday 26 July 2020 at 2pm

Chelmsford City Racecourse – Chelmsford CM3 1QP

Saturday 1 August at 2.30pm

Teesside International Airport – Teesside DL2 1LU

Saturday 8 August at 2pm

Resorts World Arena – Birmingham B40 1NT

Sunday 9 August at 2pm                                                                                       

Newmarket Racecourse – Newmarket CB8 0TF

Monday 10 August at 2pm

East Airport – Leeds LS24 9SE

Thursday 13 August at 2pm

Filton Airfield – Bristol BS34 7ST

Friday 14 August at 2pm

Powderham Castle – Exeter EX6 8JQ

Saturday 15 August at 11.30am & 2.30pm

Troubadour Meridian Water – North London N18 3QQ

Wednesday 19 August – Sunday 23 August at 11am & 2pm

Liverpool Central Docks – Liverpool L3 0BH

Saturday 29 August at 2pm

Lincolnshire Showground – Lincoln LN2 2NA

Sunday 30 August at 2pm

Cheltenham Racecourse – Cheltenham GL50 4SH

Monday 31 August at 2pm

Tickets: £30 + £2.50 booking fee per car

Running Time: 70 minutes

Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain is suitable for anyone aged 5 to 105 years. Please note 106-year olds may not like it!

www.birminghamstage.com/

Twitter @birminghamstage

Birmingham Repertory Theatre wholeheartedly welcomes this vital pledge of support from Government for the UK’s world-leading arts sector. This vote of confidence recognises our industry’s huge role in the economic, educational, and social wellbeing of the UK.

As the Second City’s major producing theatre, The REP can now look forward to making our contribution to recovery. Working with other organisations, freelancers, ACE and DCMS, we hope that funds can be distributed in a representative and inclusive way that embraces the challenges and creative opportunities of working in a new cultural landscape. 

The recently announced Theatre Artists Fund, which has been set up to provide emergency support for theatre workers and freelancers across the UK, is also a welcome development in ensuring the future of the UK’s cultural landscape, and support a large part of the industry’s workforce. 

Whilst we have been continuing with our wider civic mission during these unprecedented times – proceeding with our vital education and outreach work, and engaging with our communities – we can now also look forward to creating new shows, and welcoming audiences back to our building once it is safe to do so. 

At a time where Birmingham’s vibrant cultural renaissance will be coming to the forefront of international attention in Commonwealth Games ’22, it is reassuring to know that this investment will enable The REP to grow our international reputation as a leading producing theatre, and to contribute to the life of the nation with playful, popular and pioneering theatre for all.

Bristol Old Vic responds to government’s cultural investment announcement

In the wake of the government’s cultural investment announcement on Sun 5 Jul, pledging £1.5bn to keep the UK Arts Sector afloat, Bristol Old Vic’s Artistic Director Tom Morris said today:

We are delighted by the scale and range of last night’s announcement. Artists, economists, producers and audience members have powerfully argued that the national theatre infrastructure would be impossible to rebuild if we were to let it collapse. Government has heard that call and invested.

There’s much to find out about how the funds will be applied but this investment feels like a decisive vote of confidence by Rishi Sunak and Oliver Dowden in the enormous contribution that the arts and culture can make to our social, educational, creative and economic recovery from the COVID19 disaster. It can’t save every organisation or support every artist, but we unreservedly welcome and applaud it. 

Like others across the sector, we look forward to working closely with ACE and DCMS to ensure that the funds can be released quickly enough to minimise the damage of cuts being made to many organisations, and be used speedily to employ the freelance artists who have been so badly hit by the pandemic.

We need to make sure that money reaches freelance artists fast, not only through the hardship funds announced from Netflix and others, but through meaningful employment too.

In Bristol, we fervently hope these funds will allow us renew our work with our communities in the immediate term, and to rebuild our programmes through experimental performances until we can play safely to full houses again.

It is also hugely encouraging to see that some in government are thinking ahead towards the next five years of cultural investment. The economic impact and global reputation of British creativity has been tested, proven and newly understood through the many debates in parliament and the media over the last few months. Today’s announcement creates a brilliant platform for a cross-party conversation to ensure that we have the strongest possible cultural infrastructure to deliver the inclusive and equalising vision of the Arts Council’s ten year strategy, Let’s Create.

Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have both referenced Roosevelt’s New Deal in relation to the infrastructure investment to be announced this Wednesday. Art and culture were also a crucial part of that visionary economic intervention, and Britain’s artists in every art form are now ready to play a central role in the transformation of our country to make it fairer, greener, more representative and more confident in the transformative value of creativity for all.