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Practicalities of re-opening in late Spring 2021 (previously Autumn 2020) - or thereafter?


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21 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

But more information should have been provided. As with the first such 'digital event' a few weeks ago, some essential information, which would have emphasised the plight of casual staff  and some permanent employees as well as the overall seriousness of the situation for the ROH, was, in my view, skirted round.


I don’t know what information was shared and not shared, but there are quite a lot of constraints, sometimes self-imposed, on what can be said about jobs under threat, very often for the protection of those affected.

 

One example: when I bought my home I took out mortgage payment protection insurance and had to declare that I knew of no plans for redundancies where I worked. Had my management been talking openly about such a thing my declaration and consequently my insurance would probably have been invalidated.

 

Edited to add: I don’t think this example holds for the ROH situation, but it’s an illustration of the kind of consideration people making the decisions have to navigate around.

Edited by Lizbie1
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2 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:


I don’t know what information was shared and not shared, but there are quite a lot of constraints, sometimes self-imposed, on what can be said about jobs under threat, very often for the protection of those affected.

 

 I think that I was struck by the fact that the ROH had shared more with The Stage than it did at a special meeting for its "most valued supporters" where it was pleading for donations. That seemed to me to be an error of judgement.

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On 12/07/2020 at 14:26, Richard LH said:

I was wondering if anyone has heard anything more about Artists preparing to return to the RB for training from Tuesday (July 14th )?

 

This was mentioned in the digital meeting. Six classes are being run each day and around 50 dancers are coming in each day.

The dancers not attending were said  either to be still abroad or in the UK with adequate access to suitable studio space.

The 1st September remains the date for a return to work for all RB dancers after a week of official holiday at the end of August.

Edited by capybara
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Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said on Twitter: "From August 1 socially distanced audiences can return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. This builds on pilots with @LondonSymphony and others. So pleased to make progress to Stage 4 of our road map for culture."

 

.....

 

The live events company Fane - now called Fane Online - has announced it is going entirely online for the foreseeable future, and launched a series of discussions featuring actors and authors.  Partner theatre organisations include include the Lowry in Salford, Brighton Dome, Home in Manchester, Norwich Theatre Royal, Leeds Town Hall, The PAA Yarm, Today Tix, AHL Venues Singapore and the Apex in Bury St Edmunds.

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18 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said on Twitter: "From August 1 socially distanced audiences can return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. This builds on pilots with @LondonSymphony and others. So pleased to make progress to Stage 4 of our road map for culture."

 

Just broadly confirmed by PM in today's No. 10 press conference. 

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17 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

A very interesting read (link tweeted by Jonathan Lo, Music Director of Northern Ballet):

 

https://bachtrack.com/interview-the-science-of-restarting-live-performance-declan-costello-july-2020

That’s very interesting, Jan. I look forward to hearing the results.  Clearly we don’t have the same issues with dancers on stage;  it’s those in the pit who are affected.  Companies that use recorded music might find it easier to start performing again.  

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Counterculture - Do the Woke/Left-Leaning Arts deserve a £1.5 billion bailout?  Who gets it?

 

This fascinating discussion (34 minutes) by four right-wing commentators has just appeared on you tube.  They address the question of how the £1.5 billion bailout fund should be distributed.  The conversation is not directed specifically at ballet, but is a wide-ranging discussion about the museums and the performing arts.

 

The Government is not being altruistic, but is merely supporting a major part of the UK economy to recover and continue contributing to the future wealth of the nation.  The Government is not very interested in how the funds are distributed.  The funds are distributed by the Arts Council, who no longer refer to "the arts", but to "creative people and places".

 

Should the funds be targeted at the freelance workers in the arts, who have derived little support over the last six months, in order to sustain the fabric of the arts industry, rather than being targeted exclusively at institutions?

 

In the current world of equality and diversity, should funds be targeted at the high arts, or at encouraging and rewarding community participation in the creative world?

 

Should the arts reflect the current movements in society, or should they lead the way with social engineering?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nef88x0gUzs

 

 

 

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From the stuggling STAGE ...

 

An alliance has been formed to ensure the voices of backstage workers and creatives are heard in discussions about the post Covid-19 recovery of the theatre industry.

 

The Alliance of Associations and Professionals for Theatre and Live Events was formed following a meeting on June 23 between organisations including the Association of Lighting Designers, the Association of Sound Designers, Costume in Theatre Association, The Society of British Theatre Designers, Stage Directors UK, the Stage Management Association, campaign groups Scene/Change, Freelancers Make Theatre Work and the Production Managers Forum.

 

.... Other organisations that have since joined include the Association of British Theatre Technicians, Parents and Carers in Performing Arts, Stage Sight and representatives from the Freelancer Task Force, as well as individuals representing backstage

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Must admit I’m not really keeping up with things these days but did I see that theatres can re-open soon (in England)? I was quite surprised although I appreciate it’s not that simple with social distancing etc

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From the stuggling STAGE - 

 

Offstage workers are being asked to sign contracts requiring them to repay employer furlough contributions from their wages once shows resume, according to industry bodies.

....

The Stage Management Association said that as well as conversations about furlough money repayments, it is also aware of discussions about contract clauses under which which workers would be required to cease work without pay or benefits with immediate effect if they test positive for Covid-19.

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Also from the Stage - The online Theatre Super Auction is open until July 26, with all proceeds going towards Acting for Others, the Theatre Artists Fund and the Theatres Trust, which are supporting theatre workers and organizations affected by Covid-19.

 

Including a VIP package from the ENB  https://portal.bid-ingroup.com/WebBidInApp/5CB9EA58-EB1A-4DC7-B5A3-95D75D29DBB5/auction/bidPrizeDetails/22809?myBids=false

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51 minutes ago, alison said:

I still can't see the point of that - it seems pretty random as to whether it would have any intended effect.

They’ll spray you on admission and then you mustn’t breath again until you leave the venue 😉 

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Dreadfully sad news from Sheffield that the Lyceum and studio theatres will not be reopening until Spring 2021.  The Crucible will be reopened in a C-19-safe way in the Autumn.  Redundancy talks have started.

 

This effectively means that only the Leeds Playhouse week and a half of NB's Gatsby is currently left of the Autumn tour.  As that is near the beginning of September I am doubtful that will go ahead.

 

https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/a-message-from-dan-our-chief-executive?fbclid=IwAR3M-qDwlX9tHUnyaUnaFJi2FUO6tsxelE75gWsvV-5uwZtl3D7P8ZqZlhU

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13 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

I think Andrew Lloyd Webber spoke very convincingly on Breakfast News and demonstrated the system in the Palladium.  It is based on the model used in Korea where the theatres are still open.

 

There is a performance at the Palladium tomorrow to test the systems; tickets are free to members of the public (available up to noon today).

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Getting a little off-topic, but as far as I can see one of the local churches is attempting to get around the ban on singing in church services by holding the singing part outdoors before the service proper :) 

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Just saw this in The Telegraph's short-form listing ... Scared the living daylights out of me I can tell you.  Can't of course speak for anyone else.  May a vaccine come as soon as is safely possible.  It now appears [at least to me] that it might well be the ONLY realistic light at the end of arts' seemingly ever deepening tunnel - no matter how many sprays you might find lodged in any particular doorway.  

 

A new mutation of Covid-19 is now the most dominant strand of the virus globally and forming clusters quicker in the UK than the original virus from Wuhan, an expert has warned. Professor Nick Loman of the University of Birmingham, who is part of the Covid-19 Genomics Consortium, said the mutation, known as D614G, has an observable impact on cases in humans.

 

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1 minute ago, Jeannette said:

So autumn might be “The D624G Season” in place of “The COVID Season”? 😥

 

Until the next mutation.....

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