RSC Whither ?

[cirque]

Rumour around Stratford today that earliest RSC will open is February 21...........seems harsh,but came from staff member who is furloughed and told by management.

[lichtie]

Without a christmas show running it probably doesn't make sense to open before the New Year. They rely a lot on that family audience to attract the punters in the middle of winter.

[cirque]

confirmed...closure until 21.

[Jan]

A dismal lack of initiative and effort from them - entirely as expected.

[TallPaul]

Even without including furlough payments for 90% of its staff, the RSC receives just under £15 million a year from the taxpayer, via ACE.

All we have received in return this summer are two 45 minute pop-up performances, three days a week!

[Jan]

Aug 28, 2020 9:50:02 GMT TallPaul said:

Even without including furlough payments for 90% of its staff, the RSC receives just under £15 million a year from the taxpayer, via ACE.

All we have received in return this summer are two 45 minute pop-up performances, three days a week!

And yet , just as an example, Jermyn Street (no subsidy) managed to stream the complete cycle of Shakespeare sonnets (A different actor for each one) and several performances of a new production of Wind in the Willows, and archive performances of Beckett’s short plays, and some other things. Hard to avoid the conclusion that Greg Doran has run out of inspiration and enthusiasm (and he gets paid anyway so why bother).

[David J]

Aug 28, 2020 9:50:02 GMT TallPaul said:

Even without including furlough payments for 90% of its staff, the RSC receives just under £15 million a year from the taxpayer, via ACE.

All we have received in return this summer are two 45 minute pop-up performances, three days a week!

Don’t forget Dorans interviews with the rsc’s previous top performers that only subscribers and members could watch

[lichtie]

They also did the sonnets (they're on You Tube) and put six of their plays on BBC Iplayer for the duration.

[Cleo]

The RSC have continued their Education for Schools including Q&A with RSC actors, took part in the (free) on-line Midsummer Festival celebrating arts & culture across the West Midlands. Created an online resource for freelancers. Took part in Shakespeare Nation with The Grand Theatre, Blackpool and currently preparing for Coventry City of Culture in May 2021.

Copied from RSC website

“Despite our theatres being temporarily closed, our acting company continue to work on events and activity, including our programme of outdoor Shakespeare in Stratford. We will look at what other events, and online activity we can continue to provide for our audiences in the autumn and winter.

The ability to stage the productions is dependent on government advice on social distancing and whether it is financially viable to open our theatres and perform to audiences.”

[lynette]

It is frustrating that Shakespeare hasn’t been placed in a central position in the UK's cultural life at this time. He has so much to say and offer. The NT lucky ( and prescient) to have all those archived filmed performances available for the telly and the RSC ones are I believe not available free online, although some have been on including the lovely LLL and Much Ado. The education services continue and everything stated above but considering the efforts made by Whatsiname Webber and the like the RSC does appear slow off the mark. Again, I’m wondering if the best is the enemy of the good. My worry is to hijack King Lear, that “ nothing will come of nothing”.

[Cleo]

I wonder if because their core audience tends to be older, the RSC are afraid to stage a play in case unable to sell enough tickets? What play would appeal to all ages? Can people afford the theatre?

I must admit I am not sure about sitting inside for a lengthy play. A short play with no interval would appeal.

[lynette]

Christmas Carol was full of families with young children. As was The Boy in the Dress. Interestingly there is a post elsewhere on plays about the Bridge theatre being full of over 60s in the new configuration. 

[lichtie]

Those were large casts though so not something likely to be happening soon... I would have thought if the RSC wanted to do something live other than stand around in the garden in the rain, they would use the Other Place since it's far more adaptable than the main theatres. It probably matches the footfall they can expect to get for a smaller production anyway.

[Jan]

Sept 7, 2020 19:50:44 GMT lichtie said:

Those were large casts though so not something likely to be happening soon... I would have thought if the RSC wanted to do something live other than stand around in the garden in the rain, they would use the Other Place since it's far more adaptable than the main theatres. It probably matches the footfall they can expect to get for a smaller production anyway.

Just reading about their assorted lockdown activities (which I was unaware of) it seems they actually kept on the cast of Winters Tale and Comedy of Errors which should have been playing now ? Couldn't break the contracts ? If so they've had a lot of actors sitting around doing not much for a long time - you would have thought it wouldn't be financially viable NOT to use them in a few more outdoor and other events. 

[lichtie]

Well they are continuing the outdoor stuff this month, when it was originally supposed to have stopped in August. I think the main reason they've kept those casts is that those are the shows that they still plan to reopen with. But there must come a point at which the investment they've made so far in rehearsal and prep gives way to the financial black hole they will face if they do nothing. Presumably they're getting paid for putting out more of their old shows on Britbox, but it can't really be that much.

[Jan]

Sept 8, 2020 18:08:02 GMT lichtie said:

Well they are continuing the outdoor stuff this month, when it was originally supposed to have stopped in August. I think the main reason they've kept those casts is that those are the shows that they still plan to reopen with. But there must come a point at which the investment they've made so far in rehearsal and prep gives way to the financial black hole they will face if they do nothing.

My assumption is they’ve kept them on because they were on contracts they couldn’t break. It’s pretty unlikely they’ll keep them all on until next Spring or whenever it is they open again and then for the run of the plays - they’d have been on contract for 2 years just like in the good old days of the RSC.

Based on the new Bath season they could open first with 2 and 3 hander plays to lower the risk of Covid In the cast stopping the whole production. But what ? Ignoring plays written after about 1950 are there any classical plays with such a small cast ? You could just about do some of the Greeks if you had a one-person Chorus. Anything else ?

[Deleted]

Sept 8, 2020 19:32:13 GMT Jan said:

Based on the new Bath season they could open first with 2 and 3 hander plays to lower the risk of Covid In the cast stopping the whole production. But what ? Ignoring plays written after about 1950 are there any classical plays with such a small cast ? You could just about do some of the Greeks if you had a one-person Chorus. Anything else ?

Of course if you did the Greeks traditionally, everyone would be wearing masks. There's some of the Strindbergs (Miss Julie, Dance of Death I and II). Plus of course you can do Shakespeare with a much smaller cast than the RSC normally do (eg the 2-person Two Gentlemen of Verona that did the rounds a few years ago). I get the impression that because the RSC can't do what they'd normally do, they are choosing to do nothing.

[David J]

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)?

[lynette]

Sept 8, 2020 19:50:12 GMT @xanderl said:

Sept 8, 2020 19:32:13 GMT Jan said:

Based on the new Bath season they could open first with 2 and 3 hander plays to lower the risk of Covid In the cast stopping the whole production. But what ? Ignoring plays written after about 1950 are there any classical plays with such a small cast ? You could just about do some of the Greeks if you had a one-person Chorus. Anything else ?

Of course if you did the Greeks traditionally, everyone would be wearing masks. There's some of the Strindbergs (Miss Julie, Dance of Death I and II). Plus of course you can do Shakespeare with a much smaller cast than the RSC normally do (eg the 2-person Two Gentlemen of Verona that did the rounds a few years ago). I get the impression that because the RSC can't do what they'd normally do, they are choosing to do nothing.

Xanderl, the same thought came to me. The best is the enemy of the good. Funny how the little theatres know this but both the RSC and the NT do not. 

[Jan]

Sept 9, 2020 23:37:17 GMT lynette said:

Sept 8, 2020 19:50:12 GMT @xanderl said:

Of course if you did the Greeks traditionally, everyone would be wearing masks. There's some of the Strindbergs (Miss Julie, Dance of Death I and II). Plus of course you can do Shakespeare with a much smaller cast than the RSC normally do (eg the 2-person Two Gentlemen of Verona that did the rounds a few years ago). I get the impression that because the RSC can't do what they'd normally do, they are choosing to do nothing.

Xanderl, the same thought came to me. The best is the enemy of the good. Funny how the little theatres know this but both the RSC and the NT do not. 

The little theatres (Jermyn Street, White Bear, Finborough etc.) are used to operating with no cash and (sad to say) small audiences on occasion. They make up for it with innovative programming and imaginative direction. 

[cirque]

There was a piece in The Times on Friday that revealed RSC will become a hybrid company in future with less emphasis on live building shows.The plan seems to be to become a digital house for VR work and streaming. The feature was based on Sarah Ells speech last week.If this s sonthen it explains why they are simply doing nothing right now. Surprised that such a huge change in RSC future was not made public by board and Artistic Director. When I read the piece ‘exit stage left’ I felt bitterly disappointed for audiences who love live theatre so hope it’s not true.

[Cleo]

At a Patron’s talk we were informed that more productions like The Tempest were in the pipeline but no mention of “hybrid”. However, I can see that some of their Swan productions failed to appeal and must have run at a loss. I would hope given that the town of Stratford relies on the theatre for revenue live theatre will remain albeit with a scaled down programme.

[Jon]

I wonder if they'll try and get The Mirror and the Light up and running for next December? Ben Miles mentioned in an interview, he's working on the adaptation with Hilary Mantel and coupled with a revival of Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies would be a much needed banker.

[Cleo]

Stratford Herald today’s article headline “No exit for theatres, RSC insist”

In summary RSC in response to The Times article Greg Doran & Sarah Ellis categorically denied the claims. No intention of scaling back its works in Stratford. Recognised the significant role the RST has on the Stratford -upon-Avon visitor economy.

Ends with “exploring what other forms of activity we may be able to schedule in our buildings this Winter”.

[Jan]

Sept 13, 2020 14:55:43 GMT cirque said:

There was a piece in The Times on Friday that revealed RSC will become a hybrid company in future with less emphasis on live building shows.The plan seems to be to become a digital house for VR work and streaming. The feature was based on Sarah Ells speech last week.If this s sonthen it explains why they are simply doing nothing right now. Surprised that such a huge change in RSC future was not made public by board and Artistic Director. When I read the piece ‘exit stage left’ I felt bitterly disappointed for audiences who love live theatre so hope it’s not true.

They can do that if they want, ACE can then remove their entire grant and distribute it to other regional theatre companies.