Joanna Reid, Executive Director of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, tells us who has inspired her most.
Ensembles
I have to start with ensembles because it’s due to some particularly powerful ensemble work that I decided I had to work in theatre. I had the good fortune of growing up in London in a family with a great interest in culture, and the financial means to experience a lot of it. I went to the theatre frequently and benefited from seeing the great RSC ensembles in the 70s and 80s. It was during Nicholas Nickleby that I had my damascene moment and then the National Theatre’s Mysteries Cycle by Tony Harrison cemented the intention: I became passionate about being part of the theatrical world. More recently, as luck and opportunity would have it, I worked with Hamish Glen to create Scotland’s permanent ensemble Company at Dundee Rep Theatre so I experienced first-hand the intensity of making theatre this way. We also housed Scotland’s principal contemporary dance company, Scottish Dance Theatre – also an ensemble. At times it felt like being in a space ship, everyone in the building working together on these projects making excellent theatre and dance, with little distraction from outside. Perhaps a bit of geographical isolation is needed to help create the necessary crucible. Perhaps this sense of team work and clear focus on the same goal is always felt by the actors and creative team behind a production, but the joy for us behind the scenes was to feel part of that very same team.
Barbara Matthews
After my history degree I did a post graduate diploma in Arts Administration at City University which involved a lengthy placement. I worked with Barbara, who was then the sole person working administratively to support Cheek by Jowl, who were on the cusp of going stratospheric. Her talent, determination, multi-tasking abilities, grit, stamina and absolute belief in the work was a huge influence to me; and her generous encouragement of me was extremely helpful in giving me the confidence to apply for similar jobs. Back then there were no assistant jobs. We either ran the show as General Manager, or we weren’t employed. My first job was as General Manager of Actors Touring Company which I got within months of graduation.
Hamish Glen
I moved from Actors Touring Company to Dundee Rep to be its Executive Director and started a great working partnership with Hamish who was then Artistic Director. This continues to this day as we work together at the Belgrade Theatre. Hamish is a talented and generous artist, ready to welcome and enable other artists’ work, and able to articulate his vision and galvanise support for it. He is much admired and respected by all levels of staff – from the cleaners to the Boards of Directors. And he is a great Artistic Director to work with. We make a very good team, with complementary skills, and the glue is mutual trust and respect. And we enjoy each other’s company.
David Burbidge
As Chairman of the Board at the Belgrade Theatre, David appointed both Hamish and me and served the theatre and city with great commitment, enthusiasm and personal generosity. The Belgrade is not the only local institution to have benefited from his service yet the time he put into the theatre was enormous. He was a great leader for the organisation, arriving at a time of change that also involved a major capital project. He was enthusiastic and clear about Hamish’s vision for the theatre, providing support where necessary and giving the executive the room to get on with the work. He was a great advocate and was enormously generous – being one of those rare people who can not only give money but will ask others to give as well. His support of the Belgrade continues to this day.
Briga & Peter Reid
My parents set me on this happy road and absolutely have to be on this list. Looking back now I see they were rather different to the privileged London circle they inhabited, where the daughters of their friends were not expected to go to University because they would then be too educated to marry. It was a given that not only would their daughters as well as their sons go to University, but also that we would follow careers. I also learnt management at their knee – my mother brought up six children and was a master of people management while my father has always been fascinated by management and finding creative solutions to problems – he was a chemical engineer before moving into consultancy. So business training and passion for the theatre started young. Lucky me!
This year marks Joanna Reid’s tenth year as Executive Director of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre.