Create a sustainable local ecology of training, education, performance and audience development.
- Convenor:
- Andrew Cowie
- Attendees:
- Tracey Briggs, Jane George, Orit
- Description:
Introduction: we have good resources In the West Midlands in the form of drama schools, TIE companies, venues and producing companies but they seem to operate in silos so drama students come into the region and then leave, TIE companies are isolated from the Rep main stage and audiences may enjoy one show at The Rep or the mac but because the directors and actors are on short-term contracts there is no continuity from one show to the next. Simon Rattle seemed to make a good job of developing a local music identity with the CBSO by developing performers, audiences and educational outreach, South Wales has a theatre identity based on the local drama schools and people like Tom Morris did something similar at the BAC in London so could we, or would we want to, do it here?
The debate identifies our strengths, the barriers to improved coordination and what we would like to see as enablers.
Resources.
• Drama schools (BSA, BTS, Oxford School of Drama and good university theatre studies departments at Birmingham University and Worcester)
• Local Equity branch, Mid*point, Script (writer development) and producers’ forum.
• Small scale theatre companies (Stan’s Café, Women And Theatre, Midlands Actors)
• Venues: The Rep, mac, Custard Factory, Library Theatre, Stoke New Vic.Barriers.
• Funded theatre companies don’t attend or cast from local drama school showcases; Bristol Old Vic’s relationship with Bristol Theatre School is an example of best practice.
• The Rep doesn’t audition locally.
• Liverpool used to have a local theatre identity based on local writers but we don’t seem to have anything equivalent – do we need more/better writers or better integration between theatre companies and writers? Writers’ development doesn’t always result in shows; The National Theatre puts writers in touch with other theatres like The Royal Court – is The Rep helping to match writers with performance companies in the same way?Enablers.
• Audition locally
• The Rep outreach and education departments do good work but there is a glass ceiling separating them from the main stage productions so there should be improved integration between performance, education and outreach work.
• There is a similar barrier between education companies like The Play House and Women And Theatre and the main performance spaces so actors, writers and producers are stuck in their individual ghettos.
• Script is an independent writer development group – it would benefit from a closer working relationship with producing companies to encourage writers to work with theatre makers.
• Large, funded companies like The Rep and The New Vic could have more co-productions with small-scale touring companies and help match writers to actors’ companies.
• The Rep could do more to celebrate local talent and make a point of mentioning people who work, trained or live locally.
• Funding should be more dispersed and acknowledge that pub theatre is part of the local theatre ecology; Maverick couldn’t get funding at The Billesley, The Old Joint Stock can’t get funding and the Birmingham Stage Company eventually gave up on the Midlands and relocated to London due to lack of local support. It is damaging to theatre makers and denies audiences access to a wider range of performances if the city council and WMA only support 100% subsidized companies in 100% subsidized venues.