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Towards the Provision of a National Theatre for Wales - a Federal System |
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A Paper by Michael Bogdanov with Phil Clark Draft 3 December 8 1999 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE SERVICE - A NEED FOR THE ARTS. A NEED FOR THEATRE. A Mission Statement 3. THE OPPORTUNITY 4. A FEDERAL MODEL 5. THE BENEFITS OF A PRODUCING COMPANY PHASE ONE - NOW 6. A WORKING PARTY PHASE TWO 7. BUILDING BY STAGES - A THEATRE FOR WALES The South Wales Theatre Company The National Theatre of Cardiff The National Theatre of Swansea The National Theatre of Mold The National Theatre of Bangor 8. DEVELOPING THE BASE - Projects in Non-conventional Spaces 9. EDUCATION - A MUST a) Educational Theatre b) Children's Theatre c) Youth Theatre d) The Wider Community 10. TRAINING PHASE THREE 11. COMPLETING THE PATTERN - The National Touring Grid Newport Aberystwyth Wrexham The Valleys Milford Haven The National Touring Grid 12. EDUCATION/TRAINING The National Theatre Education Wing Swansea Bangor Mold/Wrexham University of Wales, Aberystwyth University of Glamorgan/Theatr Hafren 13. CONCLUSION 14..APPENDIX. BIOGS. 1 . INTRODUCTION In 1994 we launched a paper setting out a federal vision of a National Theatre for Wales. It was an attempt to raise the profile of theatre to match that of music and opera, place the debate on theatre provision for Wales in the public and political domain, accord theatre the prominence and importance as an art form that it receives in other countries, and take advantage of a new energy building up in both languages. It was produced in the belief that a National Assembly was just around the corner. It was a vision for the new millennium. In the interim the Arts Council of Wales has produced a plan that effectively halves what provision currently exists - already too little in relation to the rest of Britain and continental Europe. This paper sets out to examine the possibility of an alternative drama strategy for Wales. We begin by accepting the status quo, provide an initial basic provision for South Wales, then broaden out to include the whole country through large, medium and small scale professional output, in tandem with an educational and training infrastructure. At this stage the paper is merely an idea for discussion. It is written in the knowledge that the National Assembly is currently formulating a cultural strategy for Wales and that no plan can hope to succeed without the intimate involvement and co-operation of that Assembly and of the Local Authorities, who shoulder much of the financial responsibility. It also recognises the not insubstantial amounts of money that will have to be found to support such a plan. A new beginning is needed. An old country is becoming a new nation, a contemporary nation. It needs a theatre that reflects that newness and contemporariness. There is a new mood a-foot, a new energy, reflected in the explosion of creativity in young people led by our popular music groups who have taken the name of Wales world-wide. We have a National Assembly, soon to be housed in a modern context. Our state-of-the-art Rugby stadium is the envy of nations. The Barrage is complete, the Millennium Centre is under way. We have a National Opera Company, a National Orchestra, a National Dance Company, a National Youth Theatre, a National Museum - why no National Theatre? There has never been a better time in our history to unite our two languages and our orally rich and multi-culturally diverse society under one banner. The starting point lies with the National Assembly and the Local Authorities. National does not mean 'nationalist', for the National Theatre of Wales should not be limited by national or linguistic boundaries. Output and training in both the Welsh and English languages will be on a basis of mutual co-operation and equal development, providing opportunities for the exploration and propagation of both cultures nationally and internationally. Such thinking is in line with the policy of the National Assembly of Wales. A diverse creative environment must be established which allows for cultural cross-fertilisation and encompasses individual voices engaged in a particular strand of work. Smaller companies should be affiliated, where desired to larger bases, Young People's theatres to existing Theatre in Education teams and parent companies. It is vital that the individual working practises of existing artists and groups be respected and maintained and that the National Theatre be seen only as a resource to enhance the output of such artists and groups where and when this is appropriate. . The process should be an organic one. Consultation should take place, and should be seen to take place, with all parties at every stage. The intention is to build on what is already there, enhancing facilities that exist, providing where they do not. Co-operation and the sharing of output and facilities within the framework of a National Theatre should be the order of the day. The vision set out below is one way of achieving these aims. It is deliberately ambitious. None of us underestimates the difficulties of achieving it, in whole or in part, but the entire artistic community, as well as a wider public, must be mobilised behind a more focused vision for theatre in Wales to make it a dynamic and relevant force in our society. This vision is not about power, but about the blossoming of Welsh talent and ensuring that the diversity of our culture is celebrated in large epic form alongside the work that currently exists. The National Theatre of Wales is not about threatening the work of the artists currently pursuing their craft, but creating an infrastructure for development and co-operation. A federal system would allow all the people of Wales to lay claim to their national theatre with pride, ownership and empowerment. 2 .THE SERVICE - A NEED FOR THE ARTS. A NEED FOR THEATRE - A MISSION STATEMENT We believe that the arts must be seen as a service and not a luxury - a basic need. A mature and civilised society recognises, through its education system and its societal provision, the inalienable right of every woman, man and child to be present at, or participate in - regardless of race, colour or creed - events and activities that enrich their lives and release the full creative and expressive potential that exists in each and everyone of us. The National Theatre of Wales will be dedicated to realising that potential. We believe that the arts are an instrument of social change, leading to a better understanding of the way we live our lives, examining the problems of the present, finding solutions for the future. We believe that the arts are concomitant with the economic and cultural health of the nation. We believe that the theatre is a natural debating platform for the community, reflecting its aspirations, angers, hopes, despairs. We believe that theatre is all-inclusive and should be accessible to everyone. We believe that theatre begins and ends with education. 3. THE OPPORTUNITY Theatre in Wales is a relatively new phenomenon. English Language theatre, with rare exceptions, is less than fifty years old. Although Wales has a long history of great actors their reputations have been forged mainly outside of Wales, lacking historically the large scale spaces on which to develop their craft. (When the Arts Council of Great Britain provided funds to establish a repertory theatre movement post war, Wales was bypassed due to the lack of an identifiable town or city of a sufficient size - an arbitrary decision from which it has never recovered.) Over the last twenty five years a number of small performance spaces have been built and groups have sprung up, criss- crossing the length and breadth of the country. This movement has lead principally to the creation of a dynamic Theatre- in-Education provision but has failed to meet the larger needs of the population particularly of the urban areas in the South. The development has been sporadic and unfocused and, lacking larger, more comprehensive spaces, facilities and challenges, many artists have been either forced to leave the country to further develop their talent or opt for a career in television. Gaps in the producing structures and in the provision of larger scale facilities have also meant that, with some notable exceptions, we have consistently failed to bring a theatre of contemporary relevance to large audiences right across Wales. We have failed to build audiences in the way that orchestral music and opera have managed over recent decades. If this is so, a National Theatre must address the problem of building new audiences, providing access for the entire population. A system is needed that facilitates that access. A theatre without an audience is no theatre. A National Theatre would give the people of Wales a chance to celebrate their own talents on home ground in a sometimes epic form, involving them in large scale theatre events that give a sense of occasion. Large gatherings - the Eisteddfod, Llangollen, WNO seasons, visiting musicals plus the trips leaving Wales on a weekly basis to theatres in Stratford and London - are proof, indeed, that our audiences do not just need but demand a series of larger theatrical and cultural events. The arts and theatre are about empowerment, enrichment and involvement. In a rapidly changing, global, mechanised, economy where material values overtake and outweigh spiritual and cultural, where leisure time is on the increase and life expectancy is growing, theatre has a vital role to play in helping the population affirm its right to citizenship. This will be particularly true of Wales with its emerging international identity in the 21st century. A National Theatre would help the people of Wales affirm and reaffirm their cultural roots and future. Finally, if we are to trade in the world theatre market, then Wales must be able to produce such events to sit happily alongside the large scale work that exists very successfully in Europe and the rest of the world. Theatre could and should be a cultural ambassador for the nation, a celebration of our heritage and a means of inventing our future. This plan sets out to - Establish a working party to carry out a feasibility study into a federal system for a National Theatre for Wales Establish as a first step a Touring Theatre Company , initially to provide for South Wales, based at the Grand Theatre Swansea. Develop a new theatre building for a company in Cardiff as part of the bid to be Cultural Capital of Europe 2008. Develop permanent companies in Swansea, Cardiff, Bangor and Mold as four centres of the National Theatre for Wales. Redistribute the Theatre-in-Education, Children's Theatre, Community and Youth Theatre provision throughout the 22 Local Authorities to ensure that every child and young person receives a service. Provide a career and training infrastructure for artists and technicians. Link towns across Wales to large, medium and small scale theatre output by developing existing resources and creating new ones. Achieve a federal system for a National Theatre for Wales within 10years. 4. A FEDERAL MODEL We believe that the model that best meets the criteria is a federal one, loosely based on the German system. There would not be one specific centre but a series of affiliated buildings and groups, co-producing projects, operating in partnership with and co-ordinated by the twenty-two Welsh Local Authorities in conjunction with a ministerial body.(A Ministry for Culture) It would provide an educational and theatrical service for all, being mindful of the regional and linguistic differences that make Wales unique in the British Isles. It is predicated on an educational and training infrastructure, establishing a career base for practitioners in both the Welsh and English languages. The aim would be to provide a chain of resources available to individuals and groups alike - a series of educational, linguistic and geographical bases from which to operate. Productions would be branded National Theatre productions irrespective of the centre of origin. Shared output and facilities ensuring the best possible use is made of resources and funding would be a hallmark of the federal system. Co-productions , combining the organisation of projects from a number of venues, will ensure the quality, value and individuality of the National Theatre of Wales. Buildings are necessary, but the National Theatre is not simply buildings. It is an idea and a movement. A vision. We believe that a National Theatre of Wales should be about recognising the cultural diversity of Wales creating a new and larger audience for theatre in Wales uniting the dual language cultures of Wales providing a greater educational and training infrastructure enhancing the working lives of individual artists and groups enhancing the existing structures through professional activity increasing employment in the arts establishing large scale theatre spaces to celebrate the culture of Wales placing the artists of Wales on the world stage and the culture of Wales in a world context initiating co-productions with theatres and groups throughout Britain, Europe and the world professionalising the profession In defining a model for a National Theatre of Wales we have been anxious to ensure that it should · maximise existing potential · be an inclusive rather than exclusive concept · embrace, North, South, East and West · embrace both languages · acknowledges the richness and diversity of existing work · be a flexible, not a centralised concept Cost alarum. We realise that what we are proposing is more than ambitious - it is idealistic. The sums required are enormous and outside current budgets and thinking. It must be made clear that the creation of a National Theatre should not be at the expense of the present provision. New monies have to be identified for the vision to succeed. It is clear, therefore, that a sound business plan must be presented in order to negotiate a financially sound future. It is vital that the private sector, the business community, economists, media houses and politicians are involved from the beginning in the development of the proposals. A thorough investigation should take place into European Funding policy, the current funding policy of the ACW and the " Better Wales" financial funding in terms of central allocation. Unless we shoot for the moon we will not get further than the bottom of the garden. 5. THE BENEFITS OF A PRODUCING COMPANY What is gained by increasing activity? Per capita, Cardiff must have the greatest music provision in the whole of Great Britain. This is due in large measure to the BBC designating Cardiff a ' centre of excellence ' for music. And audiences for music are there. This level of interest , which has come about through a long period of growth in facilities, education and access, is mirrored throughout Wales,. More activity creates more interest. We believe that the creation of more theatre provision will have the same effect. New companies are needed throughout Wales, above all in the urban South. A producing company is a maker and an employer, an exporter and a contributor to the economic infrastructure of a nation. It's back-bone is the home created programme that reflects the cultural traditions of it's region and communities as well as drawing upon a range of the best of world theatre. It works with children, young people, disenfranchised groups, the elderly and reflects a multi-cultural cross-fertilisation of ideas and attitudes, It stimulates, challenges and entertains the broad base of it's communities and is at one and the same time specific and encompassing. It's outputs are created productions in the region's theatres and venues development work with writers and artists education and schools activities community projects training and apprenticeship programmes Such a company enriches and deepens it's communities understanding of their world and it's values. It is both a catalyst and a nucleus for the broader role the arts can play in a society - acting as a cohesive and educational force. All of which is central to this Government's agenda. The performing arts will be a vital component in the Government's strategy for life-long learning and in its proposals for wider educational attainment and higher standards. It is this role of creator , provider, catalyst and focus within the performing arts that characterises a producing company from the one that just provides product. This plan seeks to redefine the ambition of theatre in Wales to define a model for the National Theatre of Wales to stop the haemorrhaging of talent from Wales to encourage those artists currently working outside Wales to identify professionally with their native culture to reflect the multi-cultural nature of large sections of the population to empower children and young people through their engagement with theatre to maximise the existing audience to create a new audience for theatre throughout Wales PHASE 1. 6. A WORKING PARTY A working party , funded to provide an administration from local and national sources (see Appendix, Budget)should be set up immediately to undertake a feasibility study and to establish the following: · confirm the current spend from all sources on theatre buildings and performance in Wales · appoint a researcher/archivist/dramaturg to research and produce a comprehensive catalogue of existing drama from Wales, in both Welsh and English and collate the history and working practices, both professional and amateur, of Welsh theatre, to provide a background for future development · explore partnerships with all relevant bodies including existing companies, WDA, WTB, IWA, GALW, ACW, local authorities, BBC, S4C, HTV, educational establishments, individual artists, etc. · complete a more detailed assessment of each element of the strategy, in terms of production, training and buildings · prepare a detailed implementation plan with costings for the various Phases, identifying any necessary National Lottery, Objective One, European , Local Authority, Millennium residue applications · mobilise opinion and public support through a comprehensive marketing strategy. · finalise a strategy and its phasing. · begin work on a Theatre Company for South Wales. At the end of the phase, a new document should be drawn up that takes into account all the research, opinion and consultation of the first 12 months. This document should set out the vision that would take a National Theatre of Wales into the next century with pride and status. PHASE 2. 7. BUILDING BY STAGES - A THEATRE FOR WALES The strategy of the ACW has been to place heavy emphasis on two companies in the North, one for each of the Welsh and English languages. Clwyd Theatr Cymru has received an enhanced budget for a period of three years alongside the edict that it be a company with a 'national' status. Similarly, Theatre Gwynedd has been asked to join forces with Bara Caws to form a Welsh language stronghold in Bangor. It is right that Clwyd Theatr Cymru should have its finances based on a more secure footing. For many years it has been the sole flagship that Wales has possessed and its achievements and contribution are acknowledged. With one part of the jigsaw in place - at least in part - we must turn the spotlight on other areas. It seems paradoxical to have the two major producing companies of Wales in an area that is sparsely populated when the majority of the population lives in the South. No provision has been made in the ACW plan for either the urban coastal strip or the Valleys , and where TIE and New Writing are concerned the only plan is for contraction. We believe there is a need for two major companies in the south based in Cardiff and Swansea providing a service for close on 2 million people. The companies would be interactive, often sharing productions and facilities in order to make them cost-effective within the federal system. We propose therefore that concurrently the following large scale adult producing centres should be established and developed: Cardiff, Mold, Swansea, Bangor - twin Northern and twin Southern peaks. Of these only Clwyd Theatr Cymru is currently a full time large scale producing house, though hampered in terms of audience size. Swansea is possibly the only feasible large scale adult producing theatre in the South, currently a receiving venue with occasional co-productions. Bangor is the only Welsh language producing theatre, small scale and its productions extremely sporadic. In the Interim - The South Wales Theatre Company In order to kick-start the plan for a National Theatre, it is proposed to concentrate in the first instance on forming a theatre company in the South, to be launched from the Grand Theatre, Swansea. This company - working title The South Wales Theatre Company (SWTC)- would tour to each of ten LA's in the south before embarking on a larger tour of Wales and the rest of Britain . The SWTC would be funded in part from contributions from the LA's, in part from box office revenue , private sponsorship, European sources (Objective One, ERDF, Kaleidascope), trusts, ACW, etc. Comprising of twenty actors, it is hoped to invite back some of the self-exiled, high profile Welsh performers to take part, ensuring a further life for each project, e.g., a season in London and International Festivals. Initially, the SWTC would produce two pieces of touring work annually, funded partially by weekly touring outside of Wales, until such time as the further stages of the NTW were in place. The starting date is projected to be Spring 2001. The future development of this company would lead to the establishing of the first branch of the National Theatre for Wales, permanently operating out of the Grand Theatre, Swansea. Action. 1. Convene a meeting of Local Authorities and all interested parties immediately to establish a way of funding and kick-starting the SWTC. The National Theatre in Cardiff Cardiff - a centre of excellence for music, But theatre? Cardiff is a European capital city. It has a thriving receiving and presenting venue in the New Theatre, an unique producing YPT with the Sherman. It is in the process of acquiring a major receiving and performance venue as a home for WNO. It has a couple of small performance spaces. However. Cardiff is the only European capital city , possibly the only capital city in the world , that does not possess a single major adult producing theatre or company. What output there is is confined to small groups and the medium scale Sherman Theatre which occasionally attempts to fulfil a certain need alongside it's Young People's brief. The New Theatre, home for so long to WNO unfortunately has no wing or backstage space, no production facilities, and its stage lacks depth and width. When the WNO relocates to The Millennium Centre the New Theatre will still play an important role in the cultural life of Cardiff, being the only venue able to receive the enormous amount of touring product available . The Millennium Centre, capable of receiving and staging large lyrical theatre presentations, will be too big to house the majority of touring productions. An existing building should be found and converted to provide a flexible performance space and auditorium seating between 900 - 1,100. Attached should be a smaller studio space, seating 250 - 400, for experimental work, rehearsal rooms and workshops. This theatre would both generate production work - being the home of a resident company of actors - and be a receiving venue for large scale national and international groups that need a non-traditional performance space. (As opposed to the New, the Sherman Theatre or the proposed Millennium Centre, which present work on a middle scale or traditional proscenium arch basis.). The building should link with the Sherman Theatre in devising a policy for young people and be a part of a North-South, East-West touring axis. It is important that this space be informal, carefully sited and encourage access for the whole community. Note also that two cities in the British Isles, Glasgow and Birmingham, have been revitalised by the injection of capital for culture. This has had the effect of providing a quality of life that has encouraged business and industry to undertake new inner-city developments, raising the level of education and discouraging the emigration of jobs and people. This process is already occurring in Cardiff but would be accelerated by the addition of such a building. Cardiff is probably the most problematic of the venues proposed. A start would have to be made from scratch in order to provide a custom built arena. It is unfortunate that such a proposal was not taken into consideration during the planning process of the new Millennium Centre. The Millennium Centre could indeed house certain large-scale projects, but at approx.1800 seats the auditorium is almost twice the size needed. No smaller space is planned , Moreover the building is independent and not subject to Local Authority jurisdiction. Cardiff is proposing a bid to be Cultural Capital of Europe in 2008.The bids must be in before 2003, but according to informed opinion this date is likely to be advanced. It is our belief that Cardiff cannot hope to succeed without possessing it's own building based major producing theatre company, it's work an acknowledged benchmark of national excellence, already up and running by 2008. We recognise that the fulfilment of this plan may take time but with a proposal on the table such a building could be up and running between three to five years Action: 1. A Working Party to be set up to identify sites/existing buildings for conversion. 2. Identify funding sources. Aim: To have plans in place by 2002 for a building. To have that building operational from 2005. The National Theatre in Swansea Swansea possesses in The Grand Theatre the best conversion of an existing theatre in the British Isles . The addition of superb front of house facilities, a studio theatre, rehearsal room and restaurant make it the ideal venue in which to base and from which to launch a company. The Grand should be developed to provide workshops and house the SWTC as a forerunner to the first branch of the WNT. Though becoming a producing house the Grand Theatre should continue to fulfil it's brief as a major receiving venue for the best of touring product. A link should be established with the Taliesin Theatre to provide quality work for the middle scale and to develop a YPT policy . Swansea will be the first of the four National Theatre centres to house a permanent large scale company, and in partnership with its sister theatre in Cardiff would co-produce on a south/south basis. However, there is nothing to preclude co-productions with theatres in other parts of Wales or indeed Britain and Europe. Indeed within the federal system this is to be encouraged. The National Theatre in Mold In the past ten years the reputation of Cymru Theatr Clwyd has travelled beyond the confines of Wales and the work has propelled the Company to the very forefront of the British repertory movement. Its achievements have been prodigious and the future of Theatr Clwyd is assured (see ACW Policy Document). However, the reliance on areas outside of Wales for a large part of its audience, and the distinctly rural and inaccessible nature of the site, through an accident of geography, means that it cannot meet the full needs of a national theatre on its own. Theatr Clwyd should continue to develop its education and new writing policies , provide a major link with reciprocal large scale product from the South, and initiate co-productions in the Welsh language with Bangor and Aberystwyth. The National Theatre in Bangor Bangor possesses the only Welsh language producing theatre. By combining it with Bara Caws it is the ACW's intention to put Welsh language theatre on a firmer footing. However, the plan does not go far enough. We believe that, as with S4C, Welsh language theatre in Bangor should have a period of positive discrimination. At this point value for money does not equate. To stimulate interest and audiences over a period of ten years substantial amounts will have to be found. Theatr Gwynedd should be developed to provide a second, larger and more flexible performance space and auditorium. The two spaces would provide the opportunity to mount large scale work in the Welsh language, to be a receiving house, and, simultaneously to develop experiment and new writing in the smaller house. The profile of touring, nationally and internationally, would be raised. It is vital that Welsh language theatre has an equal opportunity to develop at the same pace and be afforded the same facilities as English language theatre. This means that it, too, must have a large performance space available to it. Although it might appear that it would be difficult to sustain such a space in Bangor, a concerted attempt to find a solution must be made. The sharing of production facilities and output with Aberystwyth and Mold will ensure that Bangor is not isolated in the National Theatre system through its emphasis on the Welsh language. 8. DEVELOPING THE BASE - Projects in Non-conventional Spaces A series of 'Heritage' projects is proposed (alongside contemporary themes) over a period of four years into the millennium. To be performed in unconventional spaces, these would celebrate various aspects of Welsh history and culture and involve artists at all levels of the creation. (The model here is the Glasgow Ship play, performed in a Glasgow ship-yard). Possible subjects would be the Iron or Coal Projects, to be housed in the Rhondda and Merthyr Tydfil; the Steel Project to take place in Port Talbot; The Drovers Project to be performed in and around Carmarthen Market Place; Slate, the Rebecca Riots, Owain Glyndwr, the Welsh Language, the Llanelli railway massacre, etc., alongside projects that reflect the Wales of now and the future. eg. The explosion of energy released by the new music groups of Wales. The advantage of such one-off projects is that they could attract local, national and international sponsorship, lottery and millennium funding, involve local communities and local authorities in the planning and execution and would provide a focus nationally and internationally for Wales and Welsh culture through the medium of theatre. Touring to international festivals would be a distinct possibility and educationally the productions would provide opportunities for research projects in schools and colleges and lead to the production of a series of CD Roms. The planning of the first of these, part of the remit of the SWTC, could begin immediately, leading to a performance in 2001 helping launch the National Theatre initiative. 9 . EDUCATION - A MUST a) Educational Theatre If Wales has made any contribution at all to the contemporary theatre debate over the last twenty years, it has been through her Theatre-in-Education teams (TIE). These are now under threat with a proposal to halve the number from eight to five and distribute franchises on an ad hoc basis to companies that will not necessarily have an affiliation with the communities they are to represent. Currently the plan for distribution is on a wholly unequal basis. Eg. Theatr Powys representing the largest rural area in Wales has lost its grant completely ; Theatre Gwent has had its territory ceded to a Cardiff based company , Theatr Iolo; Spectacle Theatre, based in the Rhondda, is the only operating company in the Valleys - the highest population density in the country : Arad Goch must cover twice it's original area with less money . Provision must be made for the whole of Wales on a properly planned and co-ordinated basis, serving the educational needs of young and old alike, in rural and urban areas, by teams rooted in the culture of their respective communities. At the same time a policy of Theatre for Young People, at present almost exclusively the province of the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, should be developed in the network of buildings proposed. The current reach of TIE groups is estimated at 110,000 children. Under the new ACW proposals the target is 57,000 - a halving of the present service, and a mere 12% of the total. Under our proposals we would aim to reach each and every one of the 440,000 children annually in full time education in Wales between the ages of 5 and 16. As it is the Local Authorities who primarily invest in this work, it is not only the children who would reap the benefit. Action: 1.The working party to convene a meeting of all Local Authorities and educationalists to determine the level of provision needed in each area. Formulate plans for companies, single or combined, to service those needs. Aim: To provide each child with a minimum of 1 visit per term from a Theatre Company and a minimum of one visit per term to a Theatre, thus giving each child a minimum of 60 Theatre experiences in a 10 year cycle of school life. To be in existence by autumn 2002. Immediate Action:Improving the status quo Of the 8 groups presently in existence, a number operate independently of the theatres in their area ,thus incurring additional overheads that could be profitably ploughed back into the service. Eg. Theatr Iolo could be based at the Sherman Theatre , Cardiff; Arad Goch at Theatr y Werin, Aberystwyth; Theatr Powys at Theatr Brycheiniog, Theatre West Glamorgan, at the Grand or the Taliesin, Swansea. This move would have the additional advantage of occasionally allowing the groups to produce larger in- house work in which children could participate. b) Children's Theatre Children's Theatre is not children making theatre. It is high quality professional theatre that invests in the cultural and social needs of children. One ¼ of the population is under the age of 12. In no way is this proportion reflected in the theatre provision. Children are not an audience of tomorrow, they are patently an audience of today and theatrically represent a massive disenfranchised proportion of the population. They require, and should receive, a service on a par with the adult population - the best of writing, acting, directing, design etc. Action: 1 . The Working Party to identify the level of professional Children's Theatre needed in the different geographical areas. 2. Convene meeting of theatres in existence to formulate plans for a year round provision of Children's Theatre output, servicing those areas not within immediate reach of a building with touring product. 3. Identify a programme of existing work for children of an appropriate level and content. 4.Commission a raft of new work, adaptations, devised and collaborative projects from top class writers in the English and Welsh languages. Policy to be in place by Autumn 2003 c) Youth Theatre Youth Theatre is theatre made by young people and should be created in partnership with the professional theatre community. All the existing Youth Theatres in Wales should be affiliated to the National Youth Theatre and where no organisation exists, one should be founded. Specialised courses of training should be provided by the Local Authorities for Youth Theatre leaders and teachers on a year round basis involving a policy of national status. Action: 1. Working Party to provide up to date information on existing Youth Theatres. 2. Convene a meeting of the Local Authorities, the WJEC, educationalists and Youth Leaders to assess provision. 3. Found a network of groups, based , where applicable , in local theatres, where not, in a prominent public building. Affiliate groups in schools, community halls, leisure centres and colleges throughout the area.(cf. The English Shakespeare network of Youth Theatres on Tyneside and in the North East of England.) 4. Draw up plans for full time training of Youth Leaders/Teachers. d) The Wider Community No sector of the population must be excluded - young, old, ethnic, Disadvantaged ,Special needs, etc. Working with the relevant authorities and experts in the particular fields, specialist groups should be set up to initiate projects in ,for example, Institutions Young Offenders, Prisons, Hospitals Retirement Homes, and to work with the homeless, the unemployed, those suffering from ,alcoholic and drug abuse , those with learning difficulties etc. This work may in part be met by existing TIE companies , enhanced by the placement of specialists. This work, by it's very nature, is not necessarily dependant on an arts budget, being at one and the same time remedial, educational and therapeutic. often vital for the rehabilitation of individuals back into society, or helping people come to terms with a particular situation or environment. It is concerned with Citizenship. Action : 1. Working party to set up a series of meetings with specialists in the differing fields to assess the level of provision needed throughout Wales. 2. Funding strategy to be devised targeting the different sources available for these specialised areas of work. 3. Develop a plan for professional community teams to be attached to existing theatre institutions, the social services, hospitals, prisons etc. The Community play Community plays are large scale professionally resourced projects involving professional artists working with and involving local communities in the creative process. There have been several successful such projects in Wales in recent years.(eg. The Rhyader Community Play). These projects should be able to take advantage of facilities and expertise centered in a local theatre organisation as part of the federal remit of the NTW. This is a way for a local community to understand and come to terms with it's past, analyse it's present and investigate it's future. The status accorded such projects allows the individual to understand the role the arts can play in the social, political, cultural and aesthetic development of society. Action: 1. Working party to establish an interest throughout Wales in community devised projects through local advertising. 2. Convene a meeting of all participating communities . 3. Local committees to set up a working structure in order to initiate a series of projects throughout Wales 4. Funding sources to be identified and targeted.(Local business, trusts, European partnerships etc.) These projects to begin in 2002 and be on an ongoing basis. 10. TRAINING It is essential that both education and training in the disciplines involved become part of the infrastructure of the National Theatre. Lost courses must be restored, new ones instigated and facilities for training provided at schools, universities and colleges. New centres of training for actors, directors, designers and technicians should be established to provide a career structure in the arts. Outlets need to be created for new writing through funding, scholarships, apprentice schemes, etc. There are precedents in Liverpool and Glasgow for Objective One funds being available to train actors and technicians by attaching them to a producing company ( eg. Michael Bonsall , £3 million for 20 actor/technicians to be attached to the Liverpool Playhouse) It would be possible to put such attachments alongside already existing companies , and the first projects of the SWTC , as part of a nationally co-ordinated strategy to be implemented at a later date. The status of existing facilities should be enhanced to provide more opportunities. The media industry should be asked to contribute to the training of actors, writers, directors, technicians through an annual contribution. BBC, S4C, HTV rely heavily on the theatre profession to provide resources for drama, serial and documentary output. It is significant that the problems TV drama in Wales experiences with script writing of a sufficient calibre can be traced directly back to a lack of theatre spaces for writers to hone their craft. TV has produced few top class indigenous writers. In England, Film/TV writers/directors such as Willy Russell, Alan Bleasdale, Mike Leigh, John Madden, Roland Joffe, Mike Figgis, Anthony Minghella, Antonia Bird are all from a theatre background. TV writing in Wales will not improve until we are able to provide the same level of theatre opportunity. The talent is there , it is the opportunity that is lacking, Action: 1. The Working Party to convene a meeting of all parties concerned with training and courses - Universities/Technical Colleges/ Theatres etc. - to discuss provision.. 2. A further Working Party to be set up from these areas to examine the detail and develop a Training Strategy that is aligned to the national remit of the Assembly in partnership with the Regional Objectives of the Local Authorities, 3. Examine Objective One procedures and draw up appropriate applications. 4. Draw up a strategy for placing actors, directors, writers, technicians etc. with existing theatres and groups. 5. Draw up a further long term strategy based on the development of Centres predicated in the National Theatre plan. 6. The Working Party to meet with the relevant Media organisations to diiscuss funding and placement of trainees. PHASE 3. 11. COMPLETING THE PATTERN - The National Touring Grid/ Medium/ Small Scale Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Wrexham, Aberystwyth, Milford Haven, Brecon, Builth Wells, Llandudno, Rhyl, Carmarthen, Treorchy, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil. Although there are numerous medium houses with good on- and off- stage facilities there is a significant lack of quality product to service them. The basis of a federal system of theatre consists of a series of networks and collaborations alongside existing structures. At any point the output/facilities of a particular theatre or group may be enhanced to launch a project of national status, even if that theatre hitherto has not been primarily a producing house. The National Theatre is where a project takes place. Newport Newport is building a new theatre. Though the audience capacity will be limited, Newport forms a vital link in the South Wales urban coastal chain. There is currently no venue capable of taking large scale touring product A space large enough to take major projects should be found ( a cinema? A leisure centre?) and its facilities enhanced to provide a touring venue for the National Theatre of Wales and other product. The smaller theatre should, in conjunction with similar venues, initiate medium and small scale projects while continuing to host productions. Aberystwyth It is important that Mid Wales should be provided with a space large enough for developments in either language and which can act as a focus for an urban and rural population that would otherwise be deprived of large scale productions. The development of a major performance space in Aberystwyth for producing and receiving,( as with Newport possibly by adapting an existing building or enhancing existing facilities in a cinema or hall), would allow the existing theatre on the university campus to develop , alongside a producing and receiving brief, a Young People's Theatre policy linking with the Sherman and Theatr Clwyd. A producing link for Welsh language theatre should be developed with Bangor and Mold.. Any development of future facilities in Aberystwyth should take place in consultation with the University Drama Department. Wrexham Wrexham, the largest urban centre in North Wales, mirrors Newport in that there is a need for enhanced large- scale facilities. The fact that Clywd Theatr Cymru is a near neighbour should not deprive Wrexham of participation in the National Theatre of Wales. It is after all a working town in contrast to the rural nature of Mold. It has recently acquired a new medium scale theatre in which it will be important to develop medium and small scale work. However, it is vital that this space should have a relationship with Theatr Clwyd and that it be integrated into the total planned provision for North Wales within the overall National Theatre vision. The Valleys The Valleys pose a particular geographical problem in terms of audience mobility. With such a large population spread it is important that existing facilities be enhanced and others be found to enable visits from the National Theatre to take place and to act as a starting point for new projects. The Coliseum in Aberdare could with some investment provide a co-producing house for the National Theatre of Wales, initiating projects in the manner of Swansea, Cardiff and Clwyd. There already exists a dynamic flourishing arts scene, particularly in Rhondda Cynon Taff, sparked off by the enormous amount of amateur activity. The Borough has just launched an enlightened Arts in Education Policy Document. The energy should also be used to provide a contemporary theatre output leading eventually to the establishing of a fifth large scale National Theatre of Wales. Milford Haven The Torch is one of only four full-time producing houses in Wales, alongside Theatr Clwyd, The Sherman and the intermittently producing Theatr Gwynedd. It should, in conjunction with the Sherman, be a launching point in Phase One for the National Theatre of Wales medium and small scale projects. These two would be joined at a later stage by other similar venues (eg. Aberystwyth, Brecon, Newport, Newtown, Wrexham). National Touring Grid The plan should aim to complete a National touring grid - large, medium and small scale, commercial and subsidised, providing quality product at all levels The current system is of an ad hoc nature, on a first-come-first-served basis, at the discretion of venue managers. The output of the National Theatre of Wales should be nationally co-ordinated through the setting up of a touring data -base at a centre dedicated to scheduling productions at venues throughout Wales. It would also act as a booking centre for tours of NTW product to the rest of Britain, Europe and world-wide. The network development of large-scale productions listed above would create a grid of provision for the four corners of Wales and Mid Wales. There would, however, continue to be much medium and small scale work that could tour to many other venues if flying facilities were added to several smaller auditoria that already exist. In some instances new medium and small scale venues would have to be established to complete the national provision. 12. EDUCATION / TRAINING We have earlier outlined proposals for a national provision of TIE, YPT, Children's Theatre and Community work in each of the twenty two LA's. Alongside this work would be the following: The National Theatre Educational Wing Each National Theatre of Wales project should carry with it a series of educational programmes, workshops, teacher briefing sessions and educational backup packs etc. that would precede any visit or residency in an area. The aim of the National Theatre should be to establish an ongoing relationship with an area providing pre- and post- production work in conjunction with teachers. It should be capable of providing small and larger in-class work over a morning, a day, a whole week or a term and be able to provide a wider educational experience in the form of programmes specially devised to be presented in the local theatre. This work should be in co-operation with the Local Authorities and work alongside but be independent of the National Theatre projects. Swansea Establish a training school for actors, directors, writers, designers, technicians in both the Welsh and English languages. The school should be planned in conjunction with the University of Swansea and the Taliesin Theatre with the Welsh College of Music and Drama holding the supervisory brief and providing the umbrella for all such new developments in actor and director training throughout the country. Bangor Establish a training school for writers, actors, directors, designers, working in the Welsh language. This to be planned in conjunction with the University and the Welsh College of Music and Drama. Theatr Clwyd/Wrexham Establish a training school that has close links, and is in association with, the North East Wales Institute in Wrexham. Through the shared use of facilities, there exists the potential for a genuine conservatoire, with both diploma and degree courses. The University of Wales. Aberystwyth In close consultation with the Theatre Department of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and other educational establishments, a plan should be drawn up to initiate new courses in schools and colleges throughout Wales, in both the Welsh and English languages. Lost courses should be reinstated and developed. University of Glamorgan/Theatr Hafren These existing courses to continue to be developed and co-ordinated with the others above to provide a career infrastructure linked to the National Theatre of Wales. 13. CONCLUSION This is a preliminary discussion document only. It is of necessity skeletal and none of the plans is predicated to be achieved at the expense of existing funding. New pockets of finance must be found, from both traditional sources and from hitherto untested areas. (It should be noted that there is currently a vast underspend of Lottery Funding of approximately £4 billion). Culturally, there has never been a more propitious time for the unification of the two languages under one banner. Politically, there has never been a better moment to instigate a long term plan of rejuvenation and regeneration, nor is there any country or area in the British Isles better placed to take advantage of it. With the growth of a new national confidence, of a pride in being Welsh and of Welshness, with the advent of a National Assembly and the possibility at last of leap-frogging over the old enemy into Europe, the moment is ripe for a cultural, artist led revolution which will bring back those countless self-exiled Welsh artists who, hitherto, have lacked a coherent focus. The theatre must play a vital role in forging together the disparate elements of our boundless rich oral traditions. It is important that no-one is excluded from the debate and that, whatever form a National Theatre takes, it is a theatre for the people of Wales provided by the people of Wales. Let us begin with provision for the South. Michael Bogdanov December 1999 14. APPENDIX. - BUDGET A budget for a six month Feasabilty study. Co-ordinator/Consultant - full time 25,000 Office rent/equipment etc. 7,500 Secretary/P.A - full time 7,500 Admin costs 2,500 Travel(local/national/international) 2,500 Expenses(hosting meetings/facilitating partnerships) 2,500 General/consultants fees/etc. 2,500 TOTAL 50,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Bogdanov Born in Neath, educated England , Ireland, France and Germany. He has been Associate Director of The Newcastle Playhouse , The Haymarket Theatre , Leicester , and Artistic Director of The Phoenix Theatre , Leicester and The Young Vic . From 1980-88 he was Associate Director of The Royal National Theatre and has worked extensively at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is the founder and Artistic Director of The English Shakespeare Company and from 1989-1992 was the Chief Executive of the Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg , Germany's largest National Theatre, the first non-German to hold such a post. He has been eleven times Director of the Year in variously Great Britain, Germany , America, Japan, Canada, Australia, and winner of BAFTA, RTS and Banff Film Festival awards. He has directed at the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden and La Scala , Milan. He is an Honorary Fellow of Dublin University, Trinity College, of the University of Wales, Cardiff, of Sunderland University, of De Montfort University , Leicester and a Fellow of the Welsh College of Music and Drama. He is a board member of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Theatr Brycheiniog, The Theatre Royal , Bath, and a Vice-Chairman and founder member of The Directors Guild of Great Britain. He was Chair of the BBC Welsh Arts Awards and Artistic Director of the two and a half hours live BBC Voices of a Nation Concert to mark the opening of the Welsh Assembly. Free-lance, he lives in Cardiff and is completing the second in a trilogy of films about Wales in the twentieth century for the BBC. Phil Clark. Phil Clark was brought up in Brecon , Powys , and trained at the Rose Bruford College of Music and Drama and at Durham University. He is a founder member of Bruvvers Theatre Company , a TIE and Community company in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, He has been Director of the Tyne and Wear Youth Theatre Festival and Artistic Director of the TIE and Community Company at the Crucible Theatre , Sheffield. He is currently Artistic Director and Chief Executive of The Sherman Theatre , Cardiff , a member of the BBC Broadcasting Council for Wales, Chair of Theatr y Byd, a board member of Llanover Hall and Theatr Iolo , Cardiff , and founder member of GALW. |
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Wednesday, December 8, 1999 |
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