Post by rashbre on Jan 17, 2009 12:25:20 GMT
I saw Jenifer had created a bumblebee thread - it good to cross link some of the ideas in the various discussions.
There was plenty of discussion of economics of theatre, ways to get started and ways to network, the challenges to put on original pieces and the difficulty of access to central London venues that bypass the oligopoly.
So my two-pennarth is across:
90 Now
76 Is London fringe dull?
72 Markets and new ways
62 New Models
61 Exciting Theatre now
54 Unlicenced venues
Its a bit of a mashup, but thats part of the point.
I'm more 'audience' that 'production' in this debate, but it does appear there have been some good efforts, sometimes from other sectors or in ways that create interesting overlaps and parallels.
- At one level, the creative use of a cinema instead of a theatre for Brief Encounter managed to get a show into the West End around some of the erstwhile restrictions.
- There's the 18 months or so of Secret Cinema which has been operating, not just in London, and has created a following of enthusiasts seeing screenings in warehouses, railway arches as well as more conventional venues. Since they started, the process has become more theatrical and mixed media, with the recent shows including a wrap-around to the central screening og the show.
- Some processes, like night club venues or the Secret Cinema creates a brand and loyalty (from an initial idea) such that people will go now because they expect to be entertained, rather than for a specific screening or situation. Thats a power to bring people in.
- On the point of pub venues for acting, there's a debate about lighting and technology in the lesser known venues and whether it all works. I suppose the point with some new and more experimental pieces should be to work to a low threshold for these things, so that the production is more or less portable and adaptable.
- On the 'nowness' of these points, its about people with an idea and the energy for execution. Making stuff different is more effort. Progress is made by the unreasonable person (to deliberately mis-quote). Some actions need to find a slanted way to look at a familiar problem.
Look sideways, invent and re-mix.
There was plenty of discussion of economics of theatre, ways to get started and ways to network, the challenges to put on original pieces and the difficulty of access to central London venues that bypass the oligopoly.
So my two-pennarth is across:
90 Now
76 Is London fringe dull?
72 Markets and new ways
62 New Models
61 Exciting Theatre now
54 Unlicenced venues
Its a bit of a mashup, but thats part of the point.
I'm more 'audience' that 'production' in this debate, but it does appear there have been some good efforts, sometimes from other sectors or in ways that create interesting overlaps and parallels.
- At one level, the creative use of a cinema instead of a theatre for Brief Encounter managed to get a show into the West End around some of the erstwhile restrictions.
- There's the 18 months or so of Secret Cinema which has been operating, not just in London, and has created a following of enthusiasts seeing screenings in warehouses, railway arches as well as more conventional venues. Since they started, the process has become more theatrical and mixed media, with the recent shows including a wrap-around to the central screening og the show.
- Some processes, like night club venues or the Secret Cinema creates a brand and loyalty (from an initial idea) such that people will go now because they expect to be entertained, rather than for a specific screening or situation. Thats a power to bring people in.
- On the point of pub venues for acting, there's a debate about lighting and technology in the lesser known venues and whether it all works. I suppose the point with some new and more experimental pieces should be to work to a low threshold for these things, so that the production is more or less portable and adaptable.
- On the 'nowness' of these points, its about people with an idea and the energy for execution. Making stuff different is more effort. Progress is made by the unreasonable person (to deliberately mis-quote). Some actions need to find a slanted way to look at a familiar problem.
Look sideways, invent and re-mix.