January 2009 Archives

In a bid to reach new audiences, Sadler’s Wells is spicing things up with the announcement of its first full off-site season.

The 12-performance line-up will include cross-medium ventures, the young and the avant garde, in seven venues across London.

Hofesh Shechter will present his show Choreographer’s Cut at Camden’s Roundhouse in February - a massive production featuring 16 dancers and 20 musicians that he promises will be more like a music gig - while the works of William Forsythe will feature in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, South London Gallery, Midland Goods Shed in St Pancras and even clubbing hotspot Fabric

Meanwhile, the Young Vic is to join forces with Sadler’s Wells to create Pictures from an Exhibition, the Clod Ensemble will take over Victorian warehouse the Village Underground in Shoreditch to present Under Glass, and a series of performances will be held at the London Coliseum.

Given the economic climate, it’s a gutsy plan. Even Sadler’s Wells chief executive and artistic director Alistair Spalding admitted just this week that the venture would be an expensive one. But, he also added that now was the best time to expand and diversify, and attract new audiences.

And he’s right - the off-site season is bound to reel in those who might not otherwise consider coming to Sadler’s Wells, whether it is because they think dance is not for them, or because a lot of people still find such buildings intimidating.

The season is pretty exciting and unconventional in terms of its line up, with its pendulums, helium balloons and multi-media installations. The venues - decidedly much hipper than the average dance venue - are likely to attract a young and trendy crowd, while the collaborative projects with some of the capital’s leading arts organisations will entice those interested in the visual arts, music and theatre.

But there is a question of sustainability here. What will the venue do to bring the audiences back?

Yes the season might be about introducing people to dance and Sadler’s Wells, but surely with a recession looming, you want to build an expanded audience who will return to spend their pennies (..ahem). Let’s not beat around the bush - this is a commercial venture after all.

Is this a flash in the pan, or an idea that will continue to grow both in frequency and geography (let’s not forgot about the regions here)? Or, will the trendy, young things of London be immediately wowed by Forsythe? Time will tell.

You could be forgiven for thinking that going to the theatre and going to the cinema are almost the same experience: in both audiences sit in a darkened room, silent, and watch people perform.

But this is not the case. Cinematic pleasure derives from close-ups, camera work, special effects. The theatre offers its liveness - you may not be able to see the tear falling from Romeo’s eye but if he coughs, laughs or forgets his lines, the audience will know about it. Perhaps it is true to say that the magic of cinema relies on its perfected form, whereas the magic of theatre is its vulnerability, the tense backstage reality that something could go hideously wrong at any moment.

With this in mind, the National Theatre’s announcement that it will broadcast four shows live to cinemas across the country begs the question will this theatrical-cinematic mongrel work and, even if it does, who will go to see it?

Last night marked the first night of the first big opening of 2009 - Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of his 1994 Palladium production has already got a (reported) £15 million advance at the box office, so to a great extent it is pretty critic-proof, but what did they think of it, in any case?

This year, we have asked a number of people not involved with The Stage 100 - our annual list of the most influential figures in UK theatre - for their views on our rankings. Here are the views of The Stage’s backstage co-editor and former TMA president AK Bennett-Hunter. Please add your own views below.

If you need to remind yourself of the full list, you can find it here.

This year, we have asked a number of people not involved with The Stage 100 - our annual list of the most influential figures in UK theatre - for their views on our rankings. First up is regular columnist and theatre producer Richard Jordan. Please add your own views below.

If you need to remind yourself of the full list, you can find it here.