Press: Conference 09
Download press and published articles for Experiencing Theatres.
Spring 2009 Theatres Magazine
Conference 09: Experiencing Theatres by Jonathan Meth, Conference Reporter who offers his thoughts on the themes for the day. Download PDF
18 June 2009 – The Stage
Culture minister Follett joins queue of complaints about theatre facilities
Addressing The Theatres Trust’s conference, Experiencing Theatres, Culture minister Barbara Follett joined the long-running argument about the lack of women’s toilets in old theatres, after warning that poor facilities and long queues are marring audiences’ theatre-going experiences.
18 June 2009 – The Stage
Culture minister Follett joins calls for backstage improvements
Addressing delegates at the Theatres Trust annual conference, Experiencing Theatres, Follett warned that the country’s older performance venues offered poor facilities to performers and audiences, and welcomed the benefits of “state of the art, purpose-built, head-turning buildings”.
18 June 2009 – The Stage
Why Black Box Theatres Matter
At the Theatres Trust’s conference ‘Experiencing Theatres’ Jason Barnes said that featureless Black Box Theatres offered nothing to theatre makers. Jake Orr ‘A Younger Theatre’ disagreed. Writing in his ‘A Younger Theatre’ Blog he said ‘I deplore to Jason Barnes that the black box theatres offer far more than nothing, they offer the magic of theatre, the canvas for designers to completely transform the space, after all… isn’t theatre about magic and transformation?”
18 June 2009 – The Stage
Uncomfortable theatres blamed for deterring West End audiences
At Experiencing Theatres, The Theatres Trust’s Annual Conference, Adam Kenwright, managing director of leading marketing and promotions agency AKA, criticised West End venue owners for using the historic status of buildings as an excuse for not improving the theatregoing experience for audiences.
19 June 2009 – Building Design
Architecture minister lays into unacceptable condition of West End theatres
Architecture minister Barbara Follett has attacked the state of London’s historic theatres. Follett said world-class productions in the capital were being let down by unacceptable conditions endured by audiences. “London theatres put on the best shows in the world: marvelous plays, actors, directors and staging,” Follett told the Theatres Trust annual conference last week.
19 June 2009 – The Independent
Theatre owners angered by Barbara Follett attack on their ‘shameful’ facilities
London’s theatre managers responded angrily to culture minister Barbara Follett’s condemnation of the state of West End venues. They accused the Government of betrayal over plans to improve crumbling theatres, as Mrs Follett’s department refused funding to tackle the massive backlog of work that needs to be done. Mrs Follett sparked the row at a conference organised by the Theatres Trust, attacking facilities as “truly shameful”. Read more from Louise Jury, The Independent’s Chief Arts Correspondent.
22 June 2009 – The Stage Letters
A warning to act now
Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre, Richard Pulford, writes in a letter to The Stage, “It is deeply disappointing to read reports of The Theatres Trust’s recent conference in which adverse comments on the physical condition of London’s commercial theatres was allowed to go unchecked. . . It is not only Barbara Follett who would like to see backstage conditions improved. So would theatre owners. If only Mrs Follett would do something positive towards willing the means of improvement, not merely the ends, we might together get somewhere rather more quickly.”
22 June 2009 – The Stage Letters
Adam Kenwright’s comments in context
I am writing following the article by Lalayn Baluch in your newspaper (June 18, page 4), reporting on the Theatres Trust conference. I want to make it clear that my comments have been taken out of context. I spoke about the need, in my opinion, for us to stop spending money on new theatres and arts centres, whilst continuing to develop creative ways to invest in the renovation of our many wonderful historic theatres. Read more in Adam Kenwright, Managing Director of aka’s, letter to The Stage.
25 June 2009 – The Stage
The Stage on Experiencing Theatres
A K Bennett-Hunter picks some moments from the recent Theatres Trust conference, Experiencing Theatres. In the past, the Theatres Trust has set the bar high for what looks like becoming its annual conference. This year it once again cleared that bar with apparent ease with a full and interesting day at the Unicorn Theatre. Contributors came from a refreshing wide range of backgrounds.
26 June 2009 – The Guardian Theatre Blog Matt Trueman
Theatre is about more than comfy seats
If a play is good enough, then the incidental details don’t matter. Who cares if the G&Ts are over-priced? Given the number of gripes and groans about the theatre-going experience, it’s a wonder audiences bother showing up at all. Our ancient theatres attract such emphatic damnation for their spartan comforts that you’d think a night spent in the stalls was a hardship, Matt Trueman from The Guardian Theatreblog blogs
27 June 2009 – The Independent Columnist David Lister
Theatres should give women a break
What was the biggest event in theatre this week? The National Theatre’s artistic director Hytner’s beaming of Phedre has been upstaged by the arts minister, Barbara Follett. She has brought centre stage the issue of women and theatre, not the plight of actresses over 40 or the lack of plays by female playwrights, but the apparently more pressing issue of the lack of ladies’ lavatories.
29 June 2009 – Evening Standard
On Barbara Follett’s expenses, death threats and theatres comments
David Cohen from the Evening Standard comments on Barbara Follett MP’s expenses, death threats and resounding comments at the Theatres Trust Conference 09 as she lashed out at the woeful facilities of many West End theatres, both front of house and backstage, especially bemoaning the ludicrously inadequate supply of women’s loos.
