Why student theatre will lead the way forward for the rest of us

a girl standing on stage in a spotlight
20 May 2020

The energy, invention and will to survive shown by young companies will replenish and rekindle our industry says James Phillips, but unless the industry finds a way of nurturing them, a career in theatre will only be available to the children of the wealthy.

Fears grow that ‘risk aversion’ will undermine new work

open book with a pencil on top plus a mug and a laptop all displayed on a desk
14 May 2020

New guidelines have been drawn up to protect playwrights whose future work is under threat, existing work is being streamed free, and who are under pressure to accept digital work for low rates.

Artists with learning disabilities deserve critical review: we can all help make that happen

Spectra performance company
30 Apr 2020

Theatre critics don’t engage with the work of artists with learning disabilities, but it’s time to change that and we can all play our part. Bella Todd puts forward 8 ways for bringing about that change.

When the audiences go, what happens to the buildings left behind?

Pigeons walking around the South Bank
01 Apr 2020

While our concert halls, theatres, galleries and museums sit empty, dedicated teams take centre stage to make sure venues are ready for our return. Kieron Lillis explains the challenge facing the National Theatre.

My Gurus: Putting the business in showbusiness

16 Mar 2020

Theatre producer Hannah Elsy reflects on the people who taught her to focus on the details without forgetting the big picture. 

When your audience is also part of the crew

A photo of a village hall with tables of people sitting down
12 Mar 2020

Working with rural communities to stage small-scale performances is good for the arts, the environment and local people, writes Sophie Motley.

Shaking things up with Shakespeare

A photo of a man and a woman holding each other
12 Mar 2020

Community productions across England are transforming attitudes to theatre among audiences with little experience of the artform, finds Jonathan Knott.

Where are all the women? Gender parity ‘has still not been reached’

27 Feb 2020

Researchers and representatives of women in theatre say Arts Council England ‘doesn’t push’ on gender as much as other protected characteristics.

Theatre company resists venue's ‘licence to change’ clause 

21 Feb 2020

If enacted it would allow the host theatre to refund ‘offended’ ticket buyers at the touring company’s expense.

From chip shop to theatre lab

A diverse group of people gathering for a show at the Shop Front Theatre
13 Feb 2020

Creating a theatre inside an empty shop challenges top down hierarchical systems and provides a safe space for conversations, says Julia Negus.

Exit interview: 'Theatre is diverse by its very nature'

16 Jan 2020

Outgoing Tara Arts Artistic Director Jatinder Verma looks back on 40 years of championing diversity on and off stage. Is the fight finally over?

My Gurus: ‘it is always about the work’

09 Jan 2020

Jimmy Fairhurst, Artistic Director of Not Too Tame, talks about the eclectic mix of people who have inspired his career as a working-class artist. 

A truly national theatre? Exploring new ways to collaborate

A photo of a young man on a stage leaning against another actor
05 Dec 2019

National Theatre partnerships with theatres around the country are creating an opportunity for them to share and compare experiences and ideas across a mix of scales, locations and financial models. Lisa Burger explains what’s going on.

Job Ladder: 'I’ve always followed what felt right'

Photo of Jake Orr
05 Dec 2019

From freelance marketing to running his own production company, Jake Orr has always been willing to take a leap into the unknown.

Bonding with the Bard: how Shakespeare brought East Londoners closer together

28 Nov 2019

Can theatres really forge deep and meaningful connections with their local communities across age, class and ethnicity? Douglas Rintoul explains how Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has done just that.

My Gurus: 'the route less travelled'

28 Nov 2019

Mahogany Opera Artistic Director Frederic Wake-Walker looks back at the people who taught him to make art like you're making history.

Diversifying the talent pipeline

Photo of performance
07 Nov 2019

Victoria Edwards details a plan to attract students with previously low arts engagement to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - and by extension, the creative industries.

Disability front and centre stage

Production still from Dishoom!
31 Oct 2019

Creating a production that allowed a young and inexperienced disabled British Asian actor to play an authentic character was a rewarding challenge that led to a rich experience for everyone involved. Pravesh Kumar tells the story.

Theatres urged to ‘lose control’ to audiences

Photo of Battersea Arts Centre
17 Oct 2019

Consulting communities is not the same as allowing them to make decisions, attendees at the recent Theatres Trust conference heard.

‘I want to take the emotional risk’: getting men to open up about mental health

Photo of MAN UP performance
23 Sep 2019

Restoke anticipated difficulties getting local men to talk about their mental wellbeing – then 170 of them responded to its first casting call. Clare Reynolds explains how co-creation helped create lasting change

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