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Adult Children Access Information

Posted on: October 10th, 2022 by ettEditor

Adult Children is on tour and we want as many people to experience it as possible. Please read the information below to make sure you are fully aware of content and accessibility.

Content Warning
Adult Children contains the following themes: Reference to a Covid-19 related death

Accessibility 
The experience includes the use of on-ear headphones. For visitors who are Deaf or hard of hearing, the following options are available:

To listen to an audio described introduction to Adult Children including information about the venue please go to the Vocal Eyes Adult Children page.

The experience will be shown using virtual reality headsets. For visitors with vision impairment or low vision, the following will be available:

If you have any suggestions about these options or any suggestions about how we can improve the accessibility of Adult Children please email admin@ett.org.uk – we would be glad to answer your questions and/or hear your suggestions.

Introducing the cast of The Importance of Being Earnest

Posted on: July 29th, 2022 by ettEditor

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR OSCAR WILDE’S

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

DIRECTED BY DENZEL WESTLEY-SANDERSON

 

ETT (English Touring Theatre), Leeds Playhouse and Rose Theatre today announce the cast for Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest directed by Denzel Westley-Sanderson. The cast includes Phoebe Campbell (Cecily), Valentine Hanson (Merriman/Lane), Joanne Henry (Miss Prism), Daniel Jacob (Lady Bracknell), Adele James (Gwendolen), Abiola Owokoniran (Algernon Moncrieff), Anita Reynolds (Dr. Chasuble) and Justice Ritchie (John Worthing). The production opens at Leeds Playhouse on 8 September, with previews from 5 September, and runs until 17 September, before touring to Cambridge Arts Theatre, New Wolsey Theatre, Northern Stage and Liverpool Playhouse before culminating at Rose Theatre on 12 November.

 

 

Competition Terms and Conditions

Posted on: July 6th, 2022 by ettEditor
These Terms and Conditions prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other communications, including advertising or promotional materials. Entry/claim instructions are deemed to form part of the terms and conditions and by participating all claimants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by the terms and conditions. Please retain a copy for your information.

Eligibility: This prize promotion is open to UK residents (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) aged 18 years or over.

Promotional Period: Please see each individual promotion for its prize pool.

Entry Instructions: Please see the individual prize promotion for entry details.

Only one entry per person per prize promotion unless otherwise stated in the individual promotion.

Any entries that the Promoter considers (in our absolute discretion) to be dangerous, vulgar, offensive, indecent, illegal racist, copied, offensive, cruel or fraudulent, or infringe on the rights or copyright of others will be immediately disqualified.

No third party or bulk entries. If it becomes apparent that either a participant or household is using any means to circumvent this condition such as, and without limitation, multiple email accounts, multiple reproduced or computer-generated entries, using multiple identities, fraudulently falsifying data, acting fraudulently or dishonestly in the opinion of the promoter or otherwise acting in violation of these terms, these participants will be disqualified, and any prize entitlement will be void.

Incomplete, illegible, misdirected or late entries will not be accepted. Proof of sending will not be accepted as proof of delivery or receipt. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are incomplete, lost due to technical reasons, corrupted, delayed, wrongly delivered, or not received for whatsoever reason.

Prize Fund: Please see each individual promotion for its prize pool.

Winner Selection: Prize draw winner (s)will be randomly selected by a computerised random generator from all entries. Skills based entries shall be judged based on the judging criteria, set out in the promotion, by a panel which shall include one judge independent to the Promoter.

Winner Notification: The winners will be notified by email via the account provided at point of entry within 14 days of the closing date and will have 14 days from notification to claim their prize. If a winner does not claim their prize within this timeframe the promoter reserves the right to withdraw prize entitlement and will award the prize to a reserve drawn at the same time as the original.

It is the responsibility of the entrant to provide correct, up-to-date details when entering the prize promotion and acceptance of the prize. The Promoter cannot be held responsible for winners failing to supply accurate information which affects prize acceptance or delivery of their prize.

General: Promoter’s decision is final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into. Entry implies acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Prizes must be accepted as offered by the named winner. There is no cash or alternative prizes, in whole or part. The prizes are not transferable and cannot be resold.

The Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value should circumstances outside its control make this necessary.

The Promoter reserves the right to verify winners and ask for proof of identity, age and address and to withdraw prize entitlement where there are reasonable grounds to believe there has been a breach of these terms and conditions.

You agree that if you are a winner, you will take part in and co-operate fully with reasonable publicity and to the use of your name, photograph and any comments in such publicity without any fee being payable.

By entering the Promotion, each entrant grants the Promoter a world-wide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty free and sub-licensable right and licence to use reproduce, modify, adapt, publish or display (in whole or in part) any intellectual property contained in the content of their entry, without royalty, payment or other compensation. Each Entrant agrees not to assert any moral rights in relation to such use and warrants that they have full authority to grant such rights.

The Promoter reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to eliminate or disqualify any entries or entrants that it regards as being in breach of these terms and conditions or the spirit of the Promotion. Those who try to circumvent the entry process and/or entry instructions by any method, will be disqualified and any prize award will be void.

Entry into the Promotion is at the entrant’s sole risk. To the extent permitted by law, neither the Promoter nor Supplier accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury, costs, expenses or claims (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) suffered by entrants or any third parties arising out of or in connection with the Promotion and/or accepting a prize. The Promoter and Supplier further disclaim liability for any injury or damage to entrants or any other person relating to or resulting from participation with this Promotion save that nothing in these terms and conditions shall act to limit or exclude the Promoter and Supplier’s liability resulting from its negligence or fraud.

If for any reason, the Promotion is not capable of running as planned for reasons (including but not limited to tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Promotion), the Promoter reserves the right (subject to any written directions given under applicable law) to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Promotion.

If an act, omission, event or circumstance occurs which are beyond the reasonable control of the Promoter and which prevents the Promoter from complying with these terms and conditions the Promoter will not be liable for any failure to perform or delay in performing its obligation.

The Promoter accepts no responsibility for system errors or other issues that may result in disruption to, lost, delayed or not received entries, winner notifications or prizes. The Promoter, the Supplier or its agencies will not be responsible for the non-inclusion of entries as a result of technical failures or otherwise, including any such failure which is within the control of The Promoter or its agencies.

Where a prize is provided by a Supplier, the Promoter accepts no responsibility for inaccuracy of any prize description, and The Supplier is responsible for prize fulfilment.

If any of these clauses should be determined to be illegal, invalid or otherwise unenforceable then it shall be severed and deleted from these Terms and Conditions and the remaining clauses shall survive and remain in full force and effect.

The Promoter and the Supplier reserve the right to cancel, amend, withdraw, terminate or temporarily suspend this promotion in the event of any unforeseen circumstances or technical reason outside its reasonable control, with no liability to any entrants or third parties but will use all reasonable endeavours to avoid consumer disappointment.

The decisions of the Promoter are final and binding in all matters relating to the Promotion and no correspondence will be entered into.

The Promotion and these terms and conditions, and any disputes arising therefrom, shall be subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English and Welsh Courts.

Data Protection: Any personal information that entrants share with the Promoter will be kept secure and only used in line with these terms and conditions unless the entrant has opted in to future marketing from the Promoter and/or the Supplier. By entering the promotion, entrants agree that their information may be used by the Promoter to administer the promotion and winners consent to give their name and county for the winners’ list.

Just announced – Our New Season

Posted on: June 23rd, 2022 by ettEditor

This ambitious new season of work includes two original ETT commissions, radical reimaginations of three iconic texts, a brand new monologue project of new pieces for mixed race characters by mixed race writers, a VR experience inspired by lockdown and a new podcast series. ETT also announces the multi award-winning theatre company Pigfoot as an Associate Company.

Alongside two previously announced shows, ETT announces Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard adapted for the stage by Vinay Patel in a new version set in space. A co-commission from ETT and The Yard Theatre and additionally co-produced with HOME, Manchester. Directed by James Macdonald, the production opens this Autumn at The Yard, ahead of performances at HOME, Manchester.

The season begins with the previously announced tour of Oscars Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest reimagined for the stage, and packed with shade and wit, by the 2021 Sir Peter Hall Directors Award-winner Denzel Westley-Sanderson. Opening this September at Leeds Playhouse, the production then tours to Cambridge Arts Theatre, New Wolsey Theatre, Northern Stage, Liverpool Playhouse and Rose Theatre, supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust.

The season then continues, in another brand new ETT commission, with the 80th anniversary staging of Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan. In this new version adapted by Nina Segal with Anthony Lau directing, it is the first time in UK history the production will be led by a predominately East Asian cast and creative team. ETT will co-produce with Sheffield Theatres and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, with both venues hosting runs in Spring 2023 before touring nationally.

Also announced today is Mixed, a monologue project of new pieces for mixed race characters by mixed race writers. Mixed aims to kickstart the artistic interrogation of mixed race identity in contemporary Britain. Curated by Ben Quashie, writers in the series include Javaad Alipoor, Jade Anouka, Lydia Ayame Hiraide, Mei Mei Macleod, Sabrina Mahfouz, Grace Savage, Testament and Jamael Westman, with more to be announced and set to be published in 2023.

Finally included in the season is the second series of F**ked Up Bedtime Stories (for Adults), a new writing podcast commissioned and produced by ETT; writers include Chris Bush, Kwame Owusu and Yasmin Joseph; and Adult Children, a virtual reality dramatic experience co-created by Ella Hickson, Sacha Wares and ScanLAB Projects that will run at the Oxford Playhouse in September.

ETT Announces UK tour of Mugabe, My Dad & Me

Posted on: December 6th, 2021 by ettEditor

Following a successful run at York Theatre Royal earlier this year, ETT (English Touring Theatre) today announce the UK tour of Tonderai Munyevu’s Mugabe, My Dad & Me, co-produced with Brixton House and York Theatre Royal in association with Alison Holder. Directed by John R. Wilkinson and performed by Munyevu and Millicent Chapanda. The autobiographical play about growing up in 1980’s Zimbabwe following independence opens at Brixton House on 17 February, with previews from 15 February, and runs until 6 March. It then tours to Scarborough, Oundle and Oxford before concluding in Edinburgh, 23 – 26 March 2022.

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director, and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer of ETT, said today,

“Following a run in 2021 with our partners York Theatre Royal and Alison Holder, we are delighted that in 2022 Mugabe, My Dad & Me will open with our new partners Brixton House before touring. Tonderai has written a deeply personal and engaging story, and spearheads an exceptional group of artists alongside John and Millicent. We’re so pleased that audiences in Brixton and across the UK will be able to see this profoundly moving show.”

Find the full production page here

ETT announces five new Trustees

Posted on: November 2nd, 2021 by ettEditor

Pictured above, Dr Saphié Ashtiany, Olivier Brémont, Rubi Gubara-Sannie, Sanj Surati, Rosie Stanbury.

Today, during Trustees’ Week, ETT (English Touring Theatre) announce the appointment of five new trustees joining its Board – Dr Saphié Ashtiany, Olivier Brémont, Rubi Gubara-Sannie, Sanj Surati and Rosie Stanbury. They join current trustees Dame Jenny Abramsky DBE, Dan Bates, Robert Delamere (Chair), Floriana Dezou, Paapa Essiedu, Olivia Highland, Renuka Venkatraman, Tara Wilkinson and Igor. With these new appointments ETT bolsters an exceptional group which continues to offer strategic guidance and support at a crucial moment for the company and the sector.

Robert Delamere, Chair of the Board, said today, “The past year has seen ETT produce celebrated and innovative work across theatre, film, podcasts and audio drama, whilst also working to ensure our trustees are truly representative of the nation we create for. With our newly announced trustees – Dr Saphié Ashtiany, Olivier Brémont, Rubi Gubara-Sannie, Sanj Surati and Rosie Stanbury – we further broaden and deepen the quality and experience of our trustees. We’re thrilled to have such a formidable group join the company as we look to the future.”

 

Dr Saphié Ashtiany, said, “ETT rightly has a preeminent reputation for the best in creative, imaginative productions both in the theatre and, increasingly, in the digital space. This is coupled with a real commitment to exploring the diversity of our communities and an inclusive idea of what we mean by being “English”.  As someone who came to England from a completely different culture, and having made my home and my social investment in our society, I am really excited at the opportunity of working with ETT to develop and deliver a strong vision for the future of our creative spaces.”

Olivier Brémont, commented, “ETT occupies a unique space within contemporary arts and culture, enabling audiences nationally and internationally to experience and engage with new and classic works. I am proud to contribute my experience in the sports and entertainment sectors to support ETT in growing both its brand and audience reach. Both “live” and through new, innovative products to expand interest in theatre and demonstrate that ETT can be a positive force in the areas of societal change, diversity and inclusion.”

Rubi Gubara-Sannie, said, “My combined experience and expertise in performing arts, learning and organisational development as well as my commitment to championing inclusion will support ETT in connecting with our most diverse communities and creating inclusive, innovative ways to represent the many voices within our society through the power of storytelling.”

Sanj Surati, added, “I am truly moved to be approached by ETT to be part of their fantastic company as a trustee. It’s been a dream for me to work in a creative institution to nurture new perspectives and ideas from the inside. I hope to offer a new and exciting approach to how we as humans make creativity an inclusive and important part of how we grow into new realms of theatre.”

Rosie Stanbury, also commented, “It’s such a vital moment to consider the role of theatre in national conversations, I’m looking forward to supporting ETT to think about approaches to audience engagement in the post-Covid environment.”

 Iranian by background, Saphié Ashtiany has mostly lived and been educated in the UK.  She is a recognised expert in equality and employment law with a deep passion for the arts and a strong belief in their importance in our society.  She splits her time between arts organisations and those committed to social justice, working with a wide variety of organisations, ranging from the UN High Commission for Refugees to a major city law firm where she was the Head of the Employment and Equalities group. She has been an Equal Opportunities Commissioner, a director of Channel 4 Corporation, a director of the Oxford Playhouse and director and chair of the Equal Rights Trust.

She is currently a director and trustee of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and on the advisory council of the Welsh National Opera. She is also a trustee and chair of the Nationwide Foundation, which works for decent affordable secure homes, and a director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which works to eliminate destitution and economic precarity.

Olivier Brémont is a senior entertainment and sports marketing executive with over 20 years’ global experience, working for high-profile international rights-holders, brands and agencies.  He brings to ETT a combination of experiences in strategic commercial leadership, partnership sales and business development, partnership management and global event delivery. His career has spanned roles with brands including Red Bull and adidas, sports rights holders including Formula E and Volvo Ocean Race Chief Commercial Officer; World Wrestling Entertainment VP Commercial Operations Europe; Women’s Tennis Association VP, Business Development and Strategy; UEFA Account Director and agencies including Infront VP, Business Development and Associate Director, Asia. He also has a track record building commercial propositions in partnership with sponsors, teams, venues and media platforms.

Rubi Gubara-Sannie has over 12 years’ experience in organisational development and learning and has a passion to drive the creation of safe spaces for people to thrive, lead and grow at work. In her current role she provides strategic, inspirational and leadership expertise in relation to culture, values, leadership development, talent management as well as equality, diversity and inclusion. She has a degree in performing arts and uses her creative skills to engage with local communities and her colleagues by developing holistic, interactive interventions that increase engagement and Organisational performance. She is passionate about supporting people to grow in their leadership journey and unlocking their potential by helping them to achieve their career goals. In addition, she is dedicated to bringing about positive changes and creating an environment where all staff have a voice, feel listened to and can bring their authentic self to work. She believes everyone should be valued for who they are and what they can bring, and that difference should be celebrated and valued.

Sanj Surati is an award-winning multi-disciplined Digital Atelier with over twenty years of experience within the music, fashion and luxury industries. He has been working within digital and technology since 1998. He has seen the cultural shift in human habit and behaviour with the evolution of digital consumers. He started work in the music business as a musician, from there he started to help digital start-ups target music industry professionals during the shift of consumer habits from physical products to digital. He has worked with multiple luxury brands including Burberry, Gucci, Charlotte Tilbury, Christian Louboutin and BMW. He was also part of the team that delivered the 2Pac hologram at Coachella back in 2012 – this initiative won Titanium at the Cannes Lions and broke Digital PR Records faster than anything previously. As a creative, Surati is a stand-up comic, actor and musician.

Rosie Stanbury is Head of Public Programmes at Wellcome Collection, a free museum and library exploring health and human experience. In this role, she oversees the team delivering exhibitions, publications, public events, youth engagement and national arts partnerships. As part of the charity’s Leadership team she also acts as internal sponsor for its Social Justice Curriculum, a professional and personal learning journey for all staff to develop anti-racist and anti-ableist thinking and practice. She originally joined Wellcome in 2006 as an events producer, working on the opening engagement programme for Wellcome Collection’s launch in 2007. Subsequently she has worked in various roles across the organisation including holding oversite of its Arts Awards grants scheme. Throughout her career she has championed diverse perspectives, creative approaches to engagement and the role of audiences in the creation of programmes

SECOND YEAR OF NATIONWIDE VOICES ANNOUNCED

Posted on: October 26th, 2021 by ettEditor

We are delighted to announce the second year of our flagship playwriting programme Nationwide Voices in collaboration with five new partner theatres and companies. The year-long development programme aims to nurture and amplify a cadre of five exciting new voices, helping to bring their work onto mid-scale stages across Britain.  

Year two of Nationwide Voices is led by ETT in collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, Graeae, Nottingham Playhouse, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Theatre Royal Plymouth, with venues and companies offering an attachment for their chosen playwright, who each have a meaningful connection to the local area. This year the playwrights are Amy Bethan Evans (Bristol Old Vic), Lettie Precious (Graeae), Naomi Obeng (Nottingham Playhouse), Hannah Wilkin (Octagon Theatre Bolton) and Mich Sanderson (Theatre Royal Plymouth).  

Nationwide Voices exists to connect writers with mid-scale theatres and companies to help them break through onto main stages, while also facilitating theatres and companies nationwide in platforming fresh and imaginative voices. These five talented writers will develop their craft and expand their practice to the mid-scale through regular workshop sessions led by award-winning playwright and Artistic Director of tiata fahodzi, Chinonyerem Odimba. Throughout the course of the programme, each writer will develop a play of imaginative ambition and scale, with opportunities to develop their pieces with and for local communities. These plays will then be shared spring 2022 in a festival of rehearsed readings, with ETT and partners working towards further commissioning, co-producing, and touring the plays in the future.  

Nationwide Voices is made possible by funding from the John Ellerman Foundation with additional support from the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust. 

Artistic Director and Executive Producer of ETT, Richard Twyman and Sophie Scull today said: “Nationwide Voices sits at the heart of ETT’s mission and our efforts to foster exciting new talent nationwide; to reflect the diversity of our nation in the work we develop and the artists we collaborate with; to make work that resonates with a wide range of audiences, that  is both creatively empowering and financially accessible; and to work with playwrights who are pushing the boundaries of form and content to platform their voices on mid-scale stages.  

We are excited to be working with five excellent partners who are cultural leaders making fantastic work across England – Bristol Old Vic, Graeae, Nottingham Playhouse, Octagon Theatre Bolton, and Theatre Royal Plymouth. The five playwrights, Amy, Lettie, Naomi, Hannah and Mich are all outstanding, deeply imaginative talents, and we are lucky to work with them – and with the brilliant Chinonyerem Odimba, whose guidance and insight will be a vital part of the programme. We look forward to supporting them to make work that resonates nationwide. We are grateful to the John Ellerman Foundation for making this programme possible, and for the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust for their additional support.” 

Lead facilitator and Artistic Director of tiata fahodzi Chinonyerem Odimba added, “I’m truly thrilled to be working with ETT and partner theatres to support this group of writers over the next few months. This kind of space and workshop time is invaluable to me as a writer, and I hope I can give some of that back. Excited to get started!” 

 

THE PLAYWRIGHTS 

Amy Bethan Evans (she/her) is a playwright, dramaturg and disability activist. Her work includes Libby’s Eyes (Bunker Theatre, 2018), Tinted (Bloomsbury Theatre 2018 and Vaults 2020), Pink Statements (Arcola Theatre, Wardrobe Theatre and Salisbury Arts Centre 2019), Neurodiverge-Aunt (Royal Court’s Living Newspaper), To Be My Eyes (Theatre 503) Normal Day (Theatre Clywd), and Lesser Spotted (Graeae). Amy is on commission to the Royal Court and on attachment with Bristol Old Vic and the National Theatre Studio, having completed an attachment with the Bush.  

Naomi Obeng (she/her) is a British playwright and arts critic from France. Her theatre work includes A Distance Between (Paines Plough), Jack and the Beanstalk, Where It Lands (Nottingham Playhouse), and A Town Cry For Today (New Perspectives), I’ll Show You The Oranges (Young Court at the Royal Court). She was a writer in residence at Leicester Curve, and has new work in development with 45North. Her first full-length play We’ll Be Who We Are was shortlisted for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting in 2020. 

Lettie Precious (they/them) is a British playwright, poet, author and artist. Their theatre credits include The Grey Area, My White Best Friend (Royal Court Theatre), 15 Heroines: Oenone (Jermyn Street Theatre), This Is Us (Bush Theatre), Backpacks and School Books (Soho Theatre), My Girl Pauletta (Oval Playhouse), The Wine That Sweeps Away The Dust (Arcola Lab), and Dance With Me (Theatre Royal Stratford East). For radio, their work includes ORLANDO and REFLECTION. They won the 2019/2020 Royal Court and Kudos Fellowship and recently completed the 2019/2020 BBC Writers’ Room. Their first full length play, THIS IS US, is in development with Graeae.  

Mich Sanderson (they/them) is a playwright, theatre practitioner and director. Their theatre credits include Girl(ing) (Theatre Royal Plymouth/UK Tour), and Realness (Plymouth Fringe Festival). They are a Theatre Royal Plymouth associate artist, currently on commission to the theatre with their play exploring rural trans identities, Airy-Fairy, and, with a close collaborator, Mich is the recipient of this year’s SHIFT Development Fund from Wiltshire Creative, for a new verbatim project exploring the lived experience of the South West’s LGBTQ+ youth.  

Hannah Wilkin (she/her) is a playwright. Her theatre work includes This Tree is for the Chop (Octagon Theatre), which was shortlisted for the Royal Court’s Lynne Gagliano Award in 2019. Hannah is in her second year of her PhD in Creative Writing at Newcastle University. She is writing two plays for her PhD, influenced by her time working with an over 65’s dance group and as a Sales Assistant in a Charity Shop. 

Chinonyerem Odimba is a Nigerian British playwright, screenwriter, and poet. Her recent work includes Medea (Bristol Old Vic), We Too, Are Giants, The Seven Ages of Patience (Kiln Theatre), Unknown Rivers (Hampstead Theatre), Prince and the Pauper (Watermill Theatre), Princess & The Hustler (Eclipse Theatre/Bristol Old Vic/Hull Truck), The Bird Woman of Lewisham (Arcola Theatre), Rainy Season, and His Name is Ishmael (Bristol Old Vic) Joanne (Clean Break), Amongst the Reeds (Clean Break/The Yard Theatre), Twist (Theatre Centre) and Sweetness of a Sting (NT Connections). In 2018 she was awarded the Sonia Friedman Productions Award in recognition of her play How To Walk On The Moon, written in association with Talawa Theatre under the Channel 4 Playwrights’ Scheme. Her play Wild is De Wind was shortlisted for the 2015 Bruntwood Prize, and she has previously been shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award and the Adrienne Benham Award. For television, her credits include Scotch Bonnet, A Blues for Nia, Adulting and My Best Friend Married a Warrior. For radio, her credits include The Last Flag, and Eve. 

Museum of Austerity Access Information

Posted on: October 7th, 2021 by ettEditor

Museum of Austerity Access Information

Access:

Museum of Austerity is wheelchair accessible and can also be experienced:

The following options and equipment are also available:

Content Warning

Museum of Austerity contains material that some people may find distressing or find challenging to engage with.

This includes:

If there is something in the content warning you may find especially challenging, please let your host know as we do have the ability to filter some specific content on request.

Keeping Safe: HoloLens 2

The HoloLens 2 Safety Warnings and Instructions are available online. Printed versions of this can be provided by your host. We recommend you read the full guidance before making a choice whether to participate using the Hololens2 or the audio only version:

Some people may experience discomfort such as nausea, motion sickness, dizziness, disorientation, headache, fatigue, eye strain, or dry eyes when using mixed reality. If you experience discomfort, alert your host and rest until you feel better. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

What to expect before the experience

During the experience

After the experience

 

 

RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2021

Posted on: August 31st, 2021 by ettEditor

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) and ETT (English Touring Theatre) were delighted to announce that the 2021 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme was open for another year in October 2021.

In its fifth year, the award – which honours the memory of RTST co-founder, Sir Peter Hall – offers the winner their first-time opportunity to direct a full-scale, fully funded, mid-scale regional touring production of a classic or modern play, which may be an existing play or a new adaptation of a novel or film. The production will open in 2022 at Leeds Playhouse, as a co-production between ETT and Leeds Playhouse, then tour across the UK. The RTST will make a grant of £50,000 to be applied towards the costs of the winner’s production.

The scheme promotes the RTST’s charitable objectives by supporting up-and-coming theatre practitioners and British regional theatres. It is also intended to appeal to a wide range of candidates and to play a part in promoting diversity in the theatre, onstage, offstage and among audiences.

The winning director will demonstrate exceptional directing skills and a passion for regional theatre, and will be chosen by a panel comprising of Chair, Richard Twyman; Artistic Director of ETT; James Brining, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse; Dominic Cooke, Director; Paapa Essiedu, Actor; Haydn Gwynne, Actor; Shelley Maxwell, Movement Director; and Davina Shah, Literary and Creative Agent.

The 2019 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award winner Anthony Almeida opens his production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Curve, Leicester on 8 September, with previews from 3 September, before touring to Liverpool, Canterbury, Ipswich, Theatr Clwyd, and concludes in Southampton on 30 October. Other previous award winners and official runners-up of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award include Nancy Medina and Josh Seymour (2018); Chelsea Walker and Tinuke Craig (2017); and Kate Hewitt and Rebecca Frecknall (2016).

Sir Geoffrey Cass, Chairman, and Mark Hawes, Director of the RTST said today, “After a year’s hiatus, we’re overjoyed to be running our RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award scheme once more —this year with ETT, which is set to co-produce the winner’s production with Leeds Playhouse. This will be the fourth regional mid-scale touring co-production (and the fifth regional production in total) to be catalysed by our RTST Award and production grant — again providing a career-transformative experience for the winning director, work for multiple theatre practitioners, and high-quality drama for audiences around the country. In a regional industry recovering from the desolating effects of the pandemic, this RTST Award stands for opportunity, excellence and hope.”

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director, and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer of ETT, also commented, “This is ETT’s fourth year partnering with the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award and it represents one of the most important things we do as company; opening up the stages of cities and towns throughout the UK to artists that haven’t had the chance to work on them before. The opportunity to make work on a larger scale that tours to audiences nationwide, in a fully resourced and supported production, can be a watershed moment in a director’s career and feels all the more significant after the last 18 months.

We’re ever grateful to the RTST for their continued commitment to raising significant funding for new talent and delighted, this year, to be partnering with Leeds Playhouse to co-produce the production. We look forward to introducing the work of a visionary director to audiences across the UK in Autumn 2022.”

James Brining, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse, added, “We’re delighted to be working with RTST and English Touring Theatre to support up-and-coming theatre practitioners to develop the scale and ambition of their work. Supporting theatre practitioners at all stages of their career is a key part of the Leeds Playhouse mission. As part of our pioneering Furnace artistic development programme, we work year-round to develop audacious creative voices and vital new theatre for the stage.

The step from small to middle scale presents particular challenges. This award has a terrific reputation for enabling visionary directors to make that step with confidence, knowing they have the support of an established producing theatre. We can’t wait to meet the selected candidates and to work on realising the production in the autumn of 2022.”

For further details of the award, please visit the RTST’s website: www.rtst.org.uk.

The closing date for entries has now passed.

Our Trailer Story

Posted on: August 5th, 2021 by ettEditor

To celebrate the arrival of Trailer Story, Theatre by the Lake and English Touring Theatre have been taking a deep dive back into their shared history: Century Theatre and the Blue Box.

Let’s start from the beginning.

In 1948 John Ridley caught Wilfred Harrison after he finished a performance at Hinckley Working Men’s Club and shared with him his sketches for a mobile theatre. As an actor in a small company, playing one-nighters in eclectic halls across the country, Wilfred was captivated by the concept, and boldly took up the challenge to raise funds for it.

Taking a huge leap of faith in those dark days after the war, they set about creating the unique steel and aluminium structure, in which four huge trailers fold together to form a complete 225 seat proscenium theatre. John was joined by coach builder Dick Bull and electrical engineer Norman Robinson, and after four years of hard work (and many pots of blue paint) Century Theatre was finally ready to hit the road.

Century toured the country with a convoy of trailers, all towed by three enormous ex-service trucks (often driven by actors, no HGV licence being required then). Packed into the trailers was the performance space, a box office, dressing rooms, and accommodation for a company of sixteen – kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, and individual bedrooms, some 25 trailers in all.

Imagine deconstructing a theatre, an office, and a B&B and you’ll have some idea of what they managed to pack together!

In 1975, during one of Century Theatre’s many summers in Keswick, the braking systems on the main trailers couldn’t meet the new road traffic regulations, which meant that what had now been dubbed the ‘Blue Box’, ended up staying put, remaining in Keswick until 1996.

Eventually there was a successful campaign for a permanent replacement to be built in Keswick: Theatre by the Lake was founded, and Century Theatre moved on to Coalville where you can still visit it today.

As well as their space in Coalville, Century Theatre continued to have a touring arm to its work. In 1992 Stephen Unwin took over the touring arm and re-launched it as English Touring Theatre.

So three companies evolved from those trailers and trucks!

It’s been 60 years since the Century Theatre’s first summer in Keswick. To celebrate, we got back in touch with some of those who worked there.

Photographer Chris Arthur recalled the journey to Keswick for that first season 1961:

The move from Preston to prepare its first Keswick season in 1961 was going to be the longest one ever attempted for the Century Theatre. Whilst this took place our acting company were sent ‘on tour’ to the Everyman Theatre at Cheltenham.

 I was introduced to a number of the Century’s essential driver ‘Volunteers’ who’d been recruited to help with this epic move, among them was Bob Pratt, and it was my first meeting with Hilary Young who, it being a Sunday, had a day off from his summer season job in stage management Blackpool Opera House

 In preparation for the big move John Ridley took some of the drivers on an advance recce to plan the route in his car. I was ‘mating’ for Hilary, but he had been working elsewhere and consequently had been unable to participate in that exercise.

 As a mate, and on the narrower, hazard strewn and more convoluted roads one would spend a fair amount of time hanging out standing on the running board on the nearside of the drivers cab in order to be able to see what was happening with the last of our two trailers which were often hidden from the driver’s sight by the sheer bulk of a main theatre trailer.

 Large, very long and slow moving we’d inevitably be accompanied by a long tail of frustrated motorists who found themselves trapped behind us.

On reaching Kendal Hilary wasn’t able to remember exactly which turn we were meant to take and as it wasn’t somewhere we could easily hang around when we came to a sign showing a turn off to the left which said ‘To The Lakes’, we took it.

This road went up and up and getting ever narrower and narrower, with dry stone walls closing in on either side. Eventually we arrived at a place where 50 feet ahead it reached a horizon line with just blue sky above. We stopped, I got out and walked ahead of our truck which rapidly disappeared from my view as the road plunged downwards toward a valley. We had no option but to go for it, which we did successfully. However, as I hung off the near side of the tractor I rather damaged the seat of my jeans as my bottom repeatedly skidded against the dry stone walls.

One of the last challenges for our drivers on this run was the very tight 90 degree right turn beside Keswick Post Office, which on the date we arrived was being controlled by Paddy, a particularly animated and slightly eccentric policeman, who almost had a heart attack when he saw the size of our wagon trains. As Hilary has subsequently reminded me “Turning right by Keswick Post Office we knocked the T off a shop sign thereby re-naming it the ‘rustee Savings Bank’.

Hilary Young, Former Manager of Century Theatre, reminisced about those long summers in Keswick:

I like to think that one of the high points in the life of Century was the 2nd summer season in Keswick in 1962.  I had come back into the fold as manager and the hugely energetic Ian Curteis directed a season of plays that we would drool over these days. The first line of Ben Johnson’s THE ALCHEMIST set the season going “I fart at thee”. It was followed by PEER GYNT, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, THE ENTERTAINER, PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, Moliere’s THE MISANTHROPE and a new American play.  

That summer we were welcomed back into Keswick by Lindsay Temple whose enthusiastic support was to become so important in later years when he kept Century afloat in difficult times.  

The Council too welcomed us back and instead of the old tip [now Crow Park] we were sited in the middle of town on what is now part of the Central Car park. They also allowed us to put up a small ticket booth at the bottom of the market square. Rushing to open it one morning armed with the new posters, a brush and pan of paste and with a patient queue of customers waiting, I realised that I hadn’t brought the key so I nipped into Temple’s haberdashery shop and surprised Lindsay with a request for a carving knife – to slip the Yale lock.

He also touched on some of the less glamourous parts of managing the mobile company

 The Theatre had a trailer with Ladies and Gents chemical loos for the public which I found that fastidious actors used to avoid defiling their own living van closet.   And the one chore that the company never shared in my days as Manager was emptying them.   It always fell to me.

There’d be an Emergency call – THE LOOS ARE FULL – just before audience arrived and I’d be emptying them dressed in my dinner jacket – down the nearest sewer cover.