There are two barriers stopping low-income audiences from becoming regular theatregoers: price and perception. The first is relatively simple to overcome, but the second is altogether trickier, writes Trefor Clwyd.
Affordable theatre tickets are readily available if you know what you want and where to look. However, these cheap tickets are normally for the worst seats in the house or for the shows that aren?t selling well, either of which can easily lead to an unsatisfactory experience. Once bitten, twice shy. Non-qualitative discounts are available from subsidised theatres - with the Royal Court?s Bloomberg Mondays (all tickets £7.50), the West Yorkshire Playhouse?s £3 tickets for under-26s (?It?s not too far, it?s not too posh, and it?s definitely not too expensive?), or the National Theatre?s recent Barclays Firsts campaign (£5 tickets for first-time attenders) - but, while these successfully lower the price barrier, a more integrated strategy is often needed to address the perception that the theatre is inaccessible, intellectual and elitist.
The National Theatre clearly recognises its responsibility to be accessible to everybody, not just hardened theatregoers. However, a good social inclusion strategy won?t generate publicity for itself outside of its target group for risk of either alienating, or being abused by the opportunistic core audience. Which is why you?re probably unaware of the Hamlyn Nights, responsible for bringing around 6,000 newcomers into the National Theatre each year.
Supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation the NT holds an entire auditorium off-sale, six times a year, with tickets sold, by invitation only, for £1-£5. Target groups of first-time attenders are sourced through youth, family and community groups, employers and charities. The NT is proactive in contacting these groups directly, and personally, so they know that they?re welcome from the outset (although the extra front of house staff on the night add further support) and, being in a group, they won?t be easily intimidated. Moreover, the NT aims to encourage theatregoing as a habit, not a one-off, so, after the first visit, Hamlyn audience members are invited to join the Hamlyn Club. They receive regular £10 ticket offers and notification of booking dates for the NT?s £10 nights, when half the auditorium is reserved exclusively for Hamlyn Club bookers.
The Young Vic addresses the perception barrier with its Two Boroughs project, supported by Ingenious Media, offering a free ticket to every resident in Lambeth and Southwark. While not exclusively for low-income audiences, information about this offer (including a reassuring leaflet to dispel ?theatre myths?) has been successfully targeted to areas of social and economic need using door to door drops, market stalls, borough and housing councils, takeaways, and local and underground radio. The Young Vic tackles preconceptions and hidden costs by offering pre-show introductory workshops, crèche nights, ice cream vouchers, synopses and feedback cards, and by welcoming all newcomers at the front door. Like the NT?s Hamlyn Club, this first experience is then extended with special offer mailings (with prices as low as £1), and volunteer opportunities to work within the project.
The Mousetrap Foundation also works very hard to reduce barriers, mainly in the commercial sector. They run a multitude of programmes, including Student Matinees (offering pupils at state schools 4 or 5 West End plays each term, at a cost of £5 or less) and Family First Nights (bringing families with limited resources to a musical during the summer holidays). These programmes are closely targeted to those who need them most by working with schools and social services, and are followed up with information, offers and opportunities within the Mousetrap Foundation?s other projects.
Trefor Clwyd is a Freelance Arts Administrator e: treforclwyd@hotmail.com