Theatre

The National Theatre will trial early evening performances in an effort to adapt to the "post-Covid lifestyles" of its patrons.

The theatre said the move, which will involve a selected number of early-evening performances starting at 6.30 pm, follows research it conducted to understand how the habits of audiences have changed since the pandemic.

The trial will begin with performances in February and will continue until mid-June. A total of 20 performances across five different productions have been scheduled.

"The early evening performances will offer more flexibility for audiences to make the most of their evening, whether that’s more time to grab a bite to eat, to discuss the show over a glass or two, or simply not having to rush off to catch the last train," the National theatre said.

A theatre that lost its regular funding from Arts Council England (ACE) has finished a sell-out run of a musical aimed at securing its future.

The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, Berkshire, lost £464,000 of funding when ACE announced it was not part of its refreshed National Portfolio last November.

For the last twelve weeks, the venue has staged its largest scale production to date - an immersive production of Lord of the Rings, performed across a stage in the auditorium and a stage in the gardens.

The venue says it sold more than 17,000 tickets with almost half bought by first-time visitors.

Executive Director Claire Murray told the BBC the success has allowed the theatre to “look to the future with confidence”.

“As we move forward without statutory funding, it's vital that we explore how we can grow our income and reach more people.

“This is the beginning of a new chapter for The Watermill, and I'm pleased to say the success of The Lord of The Rings and the support we've had from audiences over these last few months, allows us to make exciting plans and look to the future with confidence.”

Somerset Council has put a £30m project to remodel the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on hold due to rising costs.

At an executive committee meeting on 4 October, the council acknowledged that the current business case for the theatre's regeneration could "no longer be met" and "a revised business case would be necessary".

Councillors promised to “explore all the options” for the venue's future, which has been closed since April, with £1.77m already spent on preparatory works.

Plans to turn Octagon Theatre into Somerset’s ‘flagship arts venue’ were initially expected to cost £23m, with a grant from Arts Council England providing £10m and the remainder due to come from external borrowing.

When the project went out to formal tender in January 2023, the estimated cost had risen to £30.7m. A recent report from the council, which faces a predicted overspend of £26.1m this financial year, found increasing interest rates made the redevelopment “unaffordable”, with repayments expected to reach £1m annually. 

Council officers have been instructed to undertake an options appraisal, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Arts Council England (ACE), to investigate possible plans for the future of the site and create an updated business plan. 

One of the possibilities suggested by the report, would be a cheaper renovation estimated by contractors at £9m. However, this would mean the £10m grant from ACE for the initially approved project would be pulled.

Another possibility is reopening the theatre unchanged, a move that councillors warned could have a long-term negative impact on the arts in Yeovil.

Chris Hall, the council’s Executive Director for Communities, said all the options would be put before the executive committee “as soon as is reasonably and practically possible”.

Royal & Derngate has announced a timeline for reopening its main theatre spaces.

Performances will resume in the Northampton theatre's Royal Auditorium on 16 October and the Derngate Auditorium on 24 October. Meanwhile, theatre staff returned to administration and rear-of-house areas, with community groups expected to return to the building soon.  

The venue was forced to close on 4 September after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the foyers, raising safety concerns and prompting an investigation.

The material, a lightweight form of concrete, was used in the construction of public buildings between the 1950s and the 1970s. It is described as “much weaker” than traditional concrete by the Standing Committee on Structural Safety.

The venue’s Filmhouse reopened on 18 September after access to the space was adapted, and a temporary box office was set up in a nearby pub. 

Managers had hoped that performances in the theatres would be able to resume by the end of September but deferred reopening to allow for the completion of a “final phase” of investigations into building materials found on the premises.

A statement from Royal & Derngate said that they and West Northamptonshire Council have worked “tirelessly” to allow audiences and staff to return to the building safely.

It said had modified some entry/exit routes and that there would be changes in the availability of some facilities so that audiences could be kept separate from impacted areas of the theatre foyer.

Jo Gordon, Chief Executive, said: “ We are so pleased to be able to open our doors to audiences safely again. 

“The experience may feel a little different in terms of getting to your seats, but the staff teams are working hard to ensure that everyone will receive a brilliant welcome and once again enjoy the high-quality entertainment they expect from Royal & Derngate”.
 

Theatre company Stockroom, which ceased to be an Arts Council England-funded organisation last year, has opened a new performing space in Islington through a partnership with drama school Collective Acting Studio.

The new venue, Collective Theatre, is located in a Grade II listed building primarily used for the provision of youth services for Islington Borough Council.

It will now home both the theatre company and drama school and will open to the public in mid-October with the premiere of Stockroom production Influence.

The venue features two performance spaces, as well as green room facilities, a café/bar, recording studio, rehearsal rooms, classrooms, library and office space.

“Since the loss of our NPO status we have been working hard to ensure the artists we work with will continue to have a home to express themselves and take risks,” said Stockroom Executive Producer and CEO, Martin Derbyshire.

“We have produced bold political work around the country and the world and now, having been based in Finsbury Park for 30 years, are excited to be continue that work while having a new home to present the best in the writing from underrepresented voices.”

Paul Harvard, CEO and Programme Leader at Collective Acting Studio, added: “Against the background of Arts Council cuts, and freezes in Higher Education funding, we believe that housing a drama school and a power-house new theatrical venue under the same roof is a way of creating a new collaborative, sustainable model that will allow our companies to thrive and grow in partnership”.

Royal & Derngate has been forced to delay reopening as investigations continue into the safety of concrete used in its theatre foyers.

Managers at Royal & Derngate in Northampton have announced that both of its theatres will continue to suspend performances until 8 October. They said the closure will allow for the completion of the “final phase” of investigations into building materials found on the premises.

The venue was forced to close on 4 September after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the foyers, raising safety concerns and prompting an investigation.

The material, a lightweight form of concrete, was used in the construction of public buildings between the 1950s and the 1970s. It is described as “much weaker” than traditional concrete by the Standing Committee on Structural Safety.

The venue’s Filmhouse was able to reopen on 18 September after access to the space was adapted, and a temporary box office was set up in a nearby pub.

Managers had hoped that performances in the theatres would be able to resume by the end of the month.

“We hope to be able to make further announcements very soon about our reopening schedule as we complete the final phase of necessary building investigations,” a statement on the venue’s website said.

“We are contacting ticket bookers directly about rescheduling performances, and we thank customers for their continued patience and support.”