Bruce Wall Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 (edited) This FIVE STEP ROAD MAP TO RE-OPENING THEATRES has JUST been released by the Culture Secretary .... That as the Curve Theatre in Leicester has just cancelled its 2020 Xmas Show ... That will hurt ... mightily ... and the Theatres Trust announces that half of the Charity run venues - which includes most of your small and mid-scale venues - could go bust inside three months ... Internationally, the Broadway League has instructed producers with productions on the schedule to open on the 'Great White Way' (will have to do something now about that idiom surely) in 2020 to push them into next year - that is if they dare - (i.e., potentially losing their theatre) ... The much touted (and virtually sold out) revival of The Music Man with Hugh Jackman has now moved it's opening from November 2020 to previews in April of 2021 with an opening in early May. Sure a flood more will follow in the coming days ... but won't mention this again here ... I only mention it as the West End/British commercial sector has a habit of picking up on the League's lead. The plan includes allowing outdoor performances later this year, with a view to piloting indoor performances afterwards. The steps are: Stage One – Rehearsal and training, with no audiences and adhering to social distancing guidelines Stage Two – Performances for broadcast and recording purposes, adhering to social distancing guidelines Stage Three – Performances outdoors with an audience plus pilots for indoor performances with a limited distance audience Stage Four – Performances allowed indoors and outdoors, but with a limited distanced audience indoors Stage Five – Performances allowed indoors and outdoors, with a fuller audience indoors No dates have been provided for the implementation of each stage of the road-map, although the first two stages are possible now. .... Entering each stage will depend on the situation regarding the pandemic and scientific evidence at that point. Edited June 25, 2020 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi M Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 11 hours ago, alison said: That sounds even more depressing than the UK situation It is. I think it is now a common knowledge that work conditions for ballet dancers in Japan is very low and that is the reason that many Japanese dancers seek opportunities overseas. Only a few companies offer regular salary (as far as I know only National Ballet of Japan and soloists of K-Ballet) and most dancers are only paid for performing, which means if you get injured you get nothing. Many dancers have to have other jobs which are mainly teaching at local schools and open classes, or at restaurants. And of course because of the Corona virus situation, they have no performing opportunity, the schools and classes closed, restaurants closed so they have no source of income. There are some compensation rescue packages for freelancers, but even if you apply for them the payment is slow and very few have received that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 (edited) Seems a musical - Sleepless: A Musical Romance - intends to open and perform for live (distanced) audiences in London near the end of August ... https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/sleepless-musical-to-begin-socially-distanced-perf_51852.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=26june2020 They do note at the end of the article: "While live performances are not currently permitted inside theatres, it is hoped Sleepless will be able to open on 25 August with Government permission." Good luck to them. Edited June 26, 2020 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Apart from all the obvious issues that are being addressed as more is understood about the virus, it's medical resolution and the specific impact here would it not be a good idea for those in the sector currently supported by state subsidy earning in excess of say £2,500 per month to take a cut to this level until full normal performances are restored. This would at least be a grand gesture of support for the industry. The current shouting at the government on social media is not the way to win friends and influence people. Carefully considered arguments are the way to go. Some give and take is always useful in reaching agreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Welcome to the forum, Robin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Very worrying article in the Herald Scotland: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18545514.coronavirus-bring-curtain-forever-scottish-theatres/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 23 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Very worrying article in the Herald Scotland: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18545514.coronavirus-bring-curtain-forever-scottish-theatres/ This quote fromt the above article says it all: Oscar Wilde wrote: “Theatre is the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” At this moment in time, Scotland is crying out for that shared experience. We have never needed theatre more, say those in our arts world. To escape with others. To marvel. To be provoked. To laugh, to cry. To sit in wonder at a performance. . . . . . . . . . . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 Tabloid article from Winnipeg about the drive-in experience: https://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/shall-we-dance-rwb-wso-put-on-live-show-for-first-time-since-covid-struck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 (edited) Interesting ... https://playbill.com/article/broadway-will-officially-remain-closed-through-2020 As performing arts organizations across the country [i.e., USA] announce plans to forgo their fall programming, Broadway is following suit. The Broadway League has announced that all productions will remain closed through at least January 3, 2021. .... Once that is able to happen [i.e., safely open both for audiences and the performing production personnel], audiences can expect shows to return on a rolling basis, rather than on one specific date. Details concerning this scheduling and ticketing will be announced in the coming weeks. Edited June 29, 2020 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Received from ROH yesterday: Friends' Newsletter: An Update on Performances Kevin O’Hare shared some exciting news during this weekend's Live from Covent Garden. Dancers of The Royal Ballet will be invited to return to the building on a voluntary basis from 14 July to train and rehearse in a socially distanced capacity. However, due to the ongoing closure of theatres across the UK, we are not able to perform our originally planned programme. We will make announcements in due course about our exciting artistic plans for the Autumn in the context of Government advice on social distancing for performers and audiences. All artists have been contacted. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Oh yes, I forgot to post the bit about July 14th on Saturday. The poor people with responsibility for trying to organise something while goalposts are constantly shifting. At least the ballet company, being so much more "self-contained" than the opera, can probably be a bit more flexible, availability of conductors etc. permitting, but I suspect they'll have to be in order to fit in around the scheduled opera dates. It must be a nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 (edited) ENB has just sent out an email with a very good survey regarding opportunities for the short term performing future. It clearly focuses on (a) social distancing, (b) online preferences and (c) outdoor venues. I really thought it a quality product in terms of its construct. Certainly is was wisely considerate. It was created in association with a company called Indigo. I would encourage anyone who receives it to fill it out. I would put a link here but fear it may not be entirely correct to do so. "Your responses are completely anonymous, and will be used to inform our own planning, as well as being added to responses from all over the UK to help produce a national picture. Indigo will only have access to your responses for analysis purposes, and will not be able to see any of your personal information." Edited June 30, 2020 by Bruce Wall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 I see that the National Gallery re-opens on 8th July and the Wallace Collection on the 15th, both requiring pre-booked tickets (free), so it is good news that our cultural landscape is starting to re-open, albeit slowly. With the news regarding RB dancers returning next month there is some (small) positivity there as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 3 hours ago, Bruce Wall said: ENB has just sent out an email with a very good survey regarding opportunities for the short term performing future. It clearly focuses on (a) social distancing, (b) online preferences and (c) outdoor venues. I really thought it a quality product in terms of its construct. Just in case ENB supporters who, like me, have not received a request to participate are wondering why not............. The survey was sent out to a random selection from ENB's e-list and is part of a national one that many art organisations are taking part in in order to understand what people are thinking in terms of attending live events in the coming months. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Ah. Good job I didn't share the link, then! It's not my idea of a "short" survey, I must say, but I found it very comprehensive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but La Scala are starting concerts again this month with 600 people in the audience. Some details here: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/la-scala-plans-4-july-concerts-in-post-lockdown-reopening/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Know some people really want to help ... and we talk so much about dancers - but not so much about key production and front of house staff. This seems a good offer to be able to help Production staff for people 'in the performing arts' - especially given McKellen's generosity .... Ian McKellen will match donations from the public of up to £40,000 as part of a new fundraising campaign to help backstage and front-of-house workers in need during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Theatrical Guild, a charity which supports offstage workers, has launched the campaign on the Good Exchange online platform. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Here in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, we entered “phase 3” of reopening today - the first phase to mention theatres & other entertainment venues! Theatres here are allowed to reopen “at 50% capacity or 1000 persons (whichever is less).” Mind you that this is just Virginia - not DC proper - so the Kennedy Center is not in this guidance. Neither does it include the Maryland suburbs of DC. Hey, at least it’s progress! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) Some news ... germane to this thread's topic ... Five items from five different articles all from The Stage (won't give links because of the Paywall - as capybara kindly noted) ... Item One - One Article The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has announced it could have to make up to 65% of its permanent staff redundant, claiming it has been left with no other choice but to scale back the organisation. The theatre said the "monumental" impact of Covid-19 on its business means it has now entered into redundancy consultations with its workforce in order to survive the crisis. Item Two - A different Article A series of peaceful protests are being planned around the UK to highlight the lack of government support for the arts industry during the pandemic. The events are being organised by Creative Performance Protest, an initiative to put pressure on the government for support, with the protests planned for July 11. Organisers are calling on performers, theatre workers and supporters to stand outside their local venues, which will have small performance areas outside them. Item Three - Yet another article ... Arts Council England is reopening its National Lottery Project Grants funding programme, which is currently suspended due to Covid-19. The programme will reopen on July 22 with a budget of £59.8 million available until April 2021. [In terms of general need this is actually a very small amount of money. This won't stop venues closing - or cutting staff certainly.] National Lottery Project Grants can be used directly for creating or delivering cultural activity, as well as for research and development. Item Four - And a further - separate - article ... [SheilaC made reference to this in another strand ... but I copy this here to give the PM's exact quotation.] .... Responding to Conservative MP Jason McCarthy, who called for more support for the UK’s performers and for Arts Council England’s funds to be replenished by the government, Johnson said: “The house is speaking with pretty much one voice this morning, and I totally share people’s sense of urgency about wanting to get our wonderful creative, cultural and theatrical sectors open as fast as we can, but the house will also remember that what we’re trying to do now involves striking a balance, and it is very very important as we open up the economy that we do not go too far and risk a second spike and further outbreaks. As we open the theatre, which we will, we want to make sure that we do it in a Covid-compliant and Covid-secure way.” Meanwhile later ... in answer to another MP .... Johnson replied: “Yes, Mr speaker, the show must go on. I know the power of the theatres, of London’s West End, the entire cultural industries in London, not just as a magnet for our country but the sheer revenues they deliver. We want you going as fast as we possibly can, and we want to get life for theatres and theatregoers to get back to normal as fast as we possibly can, but to do that we have to defeat this disease and that is what this government is engaged in." .... Item Five - A final article of interest to quote from Research is being carried out to help small and mid-sized theatre companies monetise online work and ensure actors get paid. The research, conducted by the University of Exeter, will investigate whether audiences are willing to pay for remote performances, and how work can be taken online and paid for ... The research, by Pascale Aebischer and Rachael Nicholas from the University of Exeter, is being carried out in partnership with Creation Theatre in Oxford, and is funded by UK Research and Innovation. Will stop here ... There is more Edited July 1, 2020 by Bruce Wall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 A few more notes from The Stage .. 1. Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture has pushed its start date until May 2021, with organisers pledging to reimagine the programme in response to the challenges of the coronavirus crisis. The city had been due to begin its tenure as UK City of Culture at the start of 2021, but will now kick off its programme from May. Events will then take place over the following 12 months. 2. Nuffield Southampton Theatres is to close permanently - making 86 staff redundant - after failing to secure a potential buyer to meet conditions set by stakeholders. The theatre company went into administration in May, after falling into financial difficulty due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 3. Staff working for the Pavilion and Connaught theatres in Worthing are facing redundancy, as the trust behind them warns its venues may never reopen without action now. Worthing Theatres and Museum said it was looking at having to make 19 of its 150 staff redundant, with a further 29 employees facing a temporary reduction in salary and working hours. It said the roles affected spanned all departments, but were largely public facing ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 (edited) Stage feature ... 1. Venues across the UK from the National Theatre to Manchester’s Royal Exchange will be wrapped in pink tape reading “missing live theatre” as part of a campaign to “bring joy and colour” to the buildings ... Beginning on July 3, the campaign will start with the National Theatre being wrapped in pink tape, followed by Manchester Royal Exchange, Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre, Lyric Belfast and Sherman Theatre in Cardiff through the day. The campaign will continue through the West End on Saturday. I should note that the Wells is included in this endeavour ... 2. Almost 3,000 theatre jobs are at risk under current redundancy plans in the sector, which has been described by BECTU as "cultural vandalism beyond repair". The entertainment union told The Stage the figure is based on official notifications it has received from employers currently carrying out redundancy consultations with staff. Edited July 3, 2020 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 The Teatro Real in Madrid has started live performances of La Traviata. Interesting photo of the stage and pit arrangements: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b1c94984-bc9f-11ea-84a6-a03a9956ea0a?shareToken=dd9637b7a4dfa0a732c1215522dfe8bf Edited to add: Further to Bruce's quotations from The Stage, I see that it is in trouble itself: https://twitter.com/TheStage/status/1278977276646916096?s=20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Mousetrap to return to West End in October with audience in every other row https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/mousetrap-socially-distanced-performance-west-end_51900.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=3july2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 45 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said: Edited to add: Further to Bruce's quotations from The Stage, I see that it is in trouble itself: Not surprised .... The theatrical support industry will I think be hit even harder!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Whilst ailing itself The Stage reports:- 1. All front-of-house casual workers at the National Theatre have been made redundant, resulting in the loss of 250 jobs. The move comes after union BECTU warned today that the number of jobs lost in the sector is currently 3,000 and rising. 2, Outdoor theatres have called on the government to allow them to reopen, labelling it “ludicrous” that they cannot operate when pub gardens are due to reopen tomorrow. Venues including the Minack Theatre in Cornwall and Brighton Open Air Theatre have said they are ready to safely welcome back audiences, and have called on the government to give them the green light to do so. 3. The Scottish government has announced a £10 million dedicated fund for performing arts venues, staff and freelancers, as it calls for more support on a UK level. Called the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund, it will be administered by Creative Scotland and made available to both its regularly funded organisations [RFOs] and to non-RFOs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Quite agree that outdoor theatres might need to be an exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 It was reported on the BBC News this evening that Sadler's Wells may not last beyond the autumn. SHOCKING And still no sign of the Government mobilising to do anything to help the creative arts sector. While they are fiddling, Rome (aka theatres and other venues) is burning 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 The lack of government support for the arts is a national disgrace. They need to urgently get it back to normal. Not the new normal, but normal. Theatres can’t work with half-capacity audiences. Give us the option. Let those of us who are happy to go to the theatre go. Having said this, I will not be paying to go and watch sterile performances (although I am always happy to donate in other ways) with no passion and no humanity, as illustrated in the photo above. I couldn’t bear it. So it looks like I will be waiting for a very long time. 😤😢 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Just to make things worse I see that Opera North have now cancelled both their Autumn and Winter Seasons which took them up to March 27th 2021. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 In Friday's No. 10 Press Conference David from Milton Keynes asked if the Govt. would offer further assistance to the events and arts industry to ensure it survives the next few months. The PM promised a timetable will be set out next week to get these industries preparing to get underway with Covid secure measures, and promised David that the Govt. would be doing everything they reasonably can to support the arts theatre and events world in the interim. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 30 minutes ago, Richard LH said: . The PM promised a timetable will be set out next week to get these industries preparing to get underway with Covid secure measures, and promised David that the Govt. would be doing everything they reasonably can to support the arts theatre and events world in the interim. A ‘road map’ and a ‘timetable’ don’t have any validity without the detail of financial support - to state the obvious! Meanwhile, the NHS is understandably pressing for more resources to prepare against a return of the pandemic......... And sporting events can resume........ Theatre, and perhaps ballet in particular, simply don’t play as well with the general public, so....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 12 minutes ago, capybara said: A ‘road map’ and a ‘timetable’ don’t have any validity without the detail of financial support - to state the obvious! Meanwhile, the NHS is understandably pressing for more resources to prepare against a return of the pandemic......... And sporting events can resume........ Theatre, and perhaps ballet in particular, simply don’t play as well with the general public, so....... Yes - lots of competing priorities. I just hope that the financial package for the arts is as generous as possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaC Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 There's going to be an interview with the CEO of Birmingham Hippodrome on the Sophy Ridge show on Sky News (on now, ends 9.30) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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