1The Lace Market Theatre • Halifax Place • Nottingham • NG1 1QN

0115 950 7201 | www.lacemarkettheatre.co.uk

THE BOARDS May / June 2015

The in-house magazine for the Lace Market Theatre Editor: Andy Nash

New Trustee - page 5 New Trustee - page 8

Long live the King!

Photo - Mark James

2

Member News 2

Costume Update 2

From the Chair 3

From the Artistic Director 4

Trustee - Gareth Morris 5

Obituary - Philip Pedley 6

Review: King John 7

Trustee - Lesley Brown 8

Review: King John 9

Review: Caucasian ChalkCircle 10

Review: Caucasian ChalkCircle 11

Season at a glance 12

Publicity update 13

LMT History 14

Who’s who 15

Audition notes 15

Diary Dates 15

Season at a glance 16

New Members

These are thenew membersthat have joined

up to the end of March. Somepeople have joined followingsuccessful auditions andsome joined at theFebruary Open Evening.

Chloe AstlefordDaniel BrimerPeter KonowalikAlice GeeRobert GollOliver LovleyCraig RussellEllie Woodhead

B AnthonyMembership Secretary

membership@lacemarkettheatre.co.uk

CONTENTS Member News

Letters to theEditor!

Please do send in your lettersand articles for publication.It makes such a differencewhen the Boards containsitems of interest from ourmembers.

Happy Jackis going to

Edinburgh - 17th -22nd August

As well as costuming all our ownshows, our CostumeDepartment, based at ourtheatre Wardrobe in StoneyStreet, earns additional incomefor the theatre by running acostume hire service for othertheatre groups and individuals.We are open to the public everyWednesday 10.00 a.m. to 2.00p.m., and at other times byappointment.

Last month Jane and Linda, withhelp from others, spent over 180hours costuming a productionof ‘Roses of Eyam’ for 70 youngactors from Nottingham’s TVWorkshop. When the costumesare returned, they have to bechecked, laundered, re-labelled and put back in stock.King John has also been time-consuming for Jane and hersmall team. With 19 actors,some requiring 4 or 5 quickcostume changes, it hasrequired close consultation withthe director, Cynthia Marsh. Wecalculate it has taken around200 hours to determine how toapproach the costuming, toselect the appropriate itemsfrom stock, fit each actor –about an hour and a half each– and then fine tune the finishedpicture. The necessary costumealterations and repairs createdplenty of work for the rest of our13 strong team, who have alsobeen dealing with other hirerequests along the way.

If you’re interested in costume,and would like to find out moreabout what we do, please feelfree to contact our WardrobeMistress Doreen Hunt or JaneHerring.

Doreen Sheard

COSTUME DEPARTMENT

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DID YOU COME to theAGM? There was agood turnout and a

summary of proceedings iselsewhere. Welcome to twonew Board members –Gareth Morris and LesleyBrown and a big thank youto those not continuing intothis year – Linda Croston andAndy Nash.

This season continues withsome pleasures to come butI hope you also like the lookof next season’s programme.Max and his PAG team haveput together an exciting mixand look out for some extraevents linked to theanniversary of Shakespeare’sdeath in 1616.

Last summer we refurbishedthe studio toilets. In someways that has only shown uphow much in need ofattention are some otherparts of our Halifax Placebuilding. This coming summerthe focus moves to thedressing rooms, but we aretaking a different approach.Our members have manydiverse skills and, I hope,enthusiasm so we are callingfor volunteers, under theleadership of Martyn Hooper,to undertake the necessarywork. There are more detailselsewhere in this edition of theBoards.

FROM THE CHAIR...

WE ARE A very busytheatre society andwe work our

buildings, fittings andequipment very hard. TheBoard of Trustees hasrecognised that we need tohave a five-year plan forinvestment in refurbishmentand re-equipping across thewhole range of our activities.We will be asking all heads ofdepartments to compile theirown 'wish list' which we willstrive to bring together into aprogramme which can beimplemented dependent oncost and urgency. We don'thave endless funds! But wedo recognise that we needto spend some of our reservesto maintain a modernfunctioning theatre. We'llkeep you informed onprogress.

Philip Hogarth

Dead Ringerby Charles Ross

18 - 23 May 2015

Cast:

Jason Wrightam RandolphJohn Parker DickAndrew Haynes RayBex Mason FrancesJemma Bennett EvaCraig Russell ColonelVejay Pal Nigel

Crew:

Marcus Wakely DirectorPhilip Hogarth LightingTBC SoundTBC WardrobeTBC PropsWaltraud Sauer SMLeslie Brown DSMKeith Parkinson Set Design

Did you know...Members of the LMT canreceive a discount at thePitcher and Piano by showingtheir LMT Membership cardwhen paying the bill?

4

ALTHOUGH I ANTICIPATED abusy year as ArtisticDirector I hadn't quite

expected to take such adirect role in the productionsthis season as I have. As manyof you will be aware, I stoodin at the last minute as KingJohn after the actor who'dbeen working on the part wasunable to do the run throughill health. Although I receivedsome very nice comments,all credit for such an excitingproduction must go to theutterly dedicated director,cast and crew. Losing a leadman then having to work withsomebody on opening nightwho only started properlylooking at the script 24 hoursearlier would phase the bestof us but the teamwork anddedication I witnessed to getthe show in front of anaudience was wonderful tosee.

When I put the idea of doingKing John to the Board it metwith a lukewarm responsefrom some but I had faith thatunder a skilled director thiscould be something quitespecial. Whether it wascuriosity at seeing a rarelyperformed Shakespeare orthe fact that King John is in

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR...

the public eye because ofMagna Carta (albeit less thanRichard III) we managed ahugely pleasing audience of76% - proof perhaps thattaking a few risks can oftenbe a good thing.

It's been a busy few months- another successful YouthTheatre production in TheCaucasian Chalk Circle,another (almost) sell-out forour Three Short Classics, OneAct Play was performed atthe Swindon Festival, dateshave been secured for ourproduction of Happy Jack atthe Edinburgh Fringe Festivalin August and next stop forKing John is a showcase inJune at the RSC Swan Theatrein Stratford. Nobody candeny we're certainly goingplaces!

If you hadn't noticed,election fever is in full forceand tickets for comedy thrillerDead Ringer are selling fastwhilst Jumpy, Yerma andWhen We Are Married arecast, rehearsing and set toround of this season nicely.Make sure you don't miss outon all the fun!

Paul JohnsonArtistic Director

Jumpyby April de Angelis

15-20 June 2015

Cast:Lizy Pybus HilaryKareena Sims FrancesThomas Laing MarkHeather Pearson TillyGrainne Cockrill LyndseyJames Green JoshTBC RolandSue Lee BeaAlastair Jack Cam

Crew:Hazel Salisbury DirectorNeil Duckmanton SetPhilip Hogarth LightingSteve Parry Sound

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It's great that we're able tospread our wings so far, butit's important that werepresent ourselves in thebest way possible. In each ofthese cases I intend to lendmy experience in themarketing side of the theatreto ensure consistentbranding of thoserepresenting the LaceMarket Theatre and use thisexperience to generateknowledge in continuing thistrend.

Next season the opportunityfor the Lace Market Theatreto take a leading role in theShakespeare QuadCentenary celebrations inNottingham and a possiblegala performance with localdignitaries will give us furtheropportunities to show off ourbrand and I shall be veryproud to lend my influenceto the decisions madebehind these events. Oneday I hope that we'll be assynonymous withNottingham as Robin Hoodand be on the top ofpeople's lists as a venue forentertainment when theyvisit the region.

Gareth Morris

BEING VOTED ON to theboard is a huge honour.I've been involved with

the Lace Market Theatresince 2010 when I was cast in“As You Like It”. Since then Ihave been involved in 30shows in many roles such assound design, construction,stage management andprop making. I'm also on thebar, duty officer, front ofhouse, house manager andbox office rotas as well asbeing the Head of Publicityand Marketing for the last twoyears. So, I think myknowledge of the variousaspects of what goes on atthis theatre put me in goodstead to make gooddecisions as to how to keepit running smoothly andprofitably. And mostimportantly of all, to give ourpatrons a fantasticexperience every time theyvisit and ensure that ourreputation for qualityreasonably proceed theatrecontinues to spread.

In the coming months thereare three shows beingperformed in other parts ofthe country - One Act Play inSwindon in April, King John inStratford in June, and HappyJack in Edinburgh in August.

New LMT Trustee: Gareth Morris

CASTING ADVISORS

Max Bromley, Artistic Directorfor 2015/16, has asked me toarrange casting advisors for hisseason. If anyone is interestedin being a Casting Advisor,would you please contact meon 0115 9392137 ordv.sheard@ntlworld.comAnyone can audition for a partin a play without being amember, but if a non memberis offered a part then theyshould pay the subscription feebefore or at the first rehearsal.At a recent GRM, it was agreedthat commencing in the2015/16 season, it will be theresponsibility of one of thecasting advisors to check thata non member offered a parthas paid the membership feeprior to first rehearsal or to bepresent at the first rehearsal tocollect the subscriptionpayment. If said person has notpaid by/at the first rehearsal,they will not be allowed toremain and can only startrehearsing for the play whenthe membership fee is paid.

Doreen Sheard

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Obituary - Philip Pedleycomprised about sixmembers, never interferedwith such trivia as playchoosing and productionand simply got on with thewider ambition of improvingour theatre.

As I drove back yesterdayfrom his well attendedfuneral in Farnsfield, I thoughtof the land, our land, by theside of the theatre, of ourneed for disabled access, ofthe multifariousimprovements to the buildingwe could be making andwondered, quite simply,whether we would ever lookupon Philip's like again.

Gordon Parsons

attended AGM ever that weought to sell our club to thenew Board for £1 therebyallowing a Trust to be formedwhich would then set aboutraising the money.

A year later at the next AGMPhilip opened an envelop infront of us all. It was a chequefor £66, 000.

We had done it!

Philip and the Board knewwhere the money was. Wehosted Gala Evenings withguests such as the Mayorand Sheriff of Nottingham,the Director of Education,The Director of SocialServices, the ChiefConstable, the Manager ofthe Theatre Royal, theDirector of the NottinghamPlayhouse and a grandassortment of councillors andlocal dignitaries.

He was not afraid to askpeople directly forcontributions, an awful lot ofmembers took out four yearcovenants and he was neverafraid to remind me asChairman that I wanted thisextension so, in his words, "I'dhave to put some elbow in."I'd be rung up at school onthe Thursday and told thatthe backyard would needclearing by Monday assurveyors were coming in.These were the days beforeGill Scott, so skip +"volunteers" had to be hastilyassembled.

Yes, they were heady days.For twenty years Philip wasSecretary to a Board which

I DON'T SUPPOSE THE latestname to appear onDeath's door will have

meant very much to most oftoday's members.

This is probably inevitable butsad, because it's noexaggeration to say thatwithout Philip Pedley wewould not have the buildingas it is today.

Way back in the heady daysof the late 1970s we'd beenin the building for a few yearswhen we decided that weought to make use of theland/dumping ground at theback of the building. Thiscould create a

larger auditorium, a scenedock beneath the stage anda studio on the first floor.

Simple.

One problem: it would costmoney, probably around£60,000, a lot of money inthose days.

How to get it? It was actuallyPeggy, Philip's wife, who firstmentioned the possibility ofcovenants and suggestedwe approach her husband,Philip, for further advice.

It must be one of the bestthings we ever did.

Philip was a mover, a doerand within a very short timehe had rounded up aformidable team of businessand legal experts who wereprepared to form a Boardrunning the LMT Trust. Philipexplained to the best

Keeley Hawes

Our Patron, Keeley Haweshas been active recentlystarring as SamanthaMollison in A CasualVacancy by JK Rowling.

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NOT THE MOST well knownof WilliamShakespeare's plays

but a fascinating piece oftheatre it is. I can take orleave Shakespeare when it ismodernised but this wasdone really well, and a tick inthe director box for CynthiaMarsh.

This production starts inThatcher's reign, and it wasuncanny how much MandyWilson looked like the IronLady. It then travels back toElizabethan England andthen to medieval times.Covering the reign of KingJohn from him receiving thecrown to his death with plentyof action, fighting andfeuding in between.

It has plenty of comedy butalso quite a bit of dark, sinisterovertones with beheading,attempted blinding with hotpokers and suicide throwninto the mix. With this beinga modern version of the scriptyou will have no troublefollowing the text which in away is good but it also takesa lot of the romance andpoetry from Shakespeare'susual rhythm of words.

Paul Johnson stepped in atthe very last minute to playKing John but, even thoughhe was reading the lines froma script, he still managed to"act" the script with feeling.There were many stand outperformances in this play, butas an entirety there were noweak links, so I will justmention a few of the actorsthat made this play a successfor me. Loved the totalcommitment to the part of

Review : King Johnto watch and understand theCharacter.

And then there was RichardHill who was just marvellouslyentertaining with that drysense of humour he broughtout of his character, PhillipFalconbridge. Another actorwho really sits well withShakespeare. Some wouldfind some of Shakespeare'scharacters aloof andFalconbridge is definitely thatand Richard knows just howto portray this aloofness withcomedy, but when there areserious speeches to be made,you can tell by his face thathe believes every word hesays in character, very muchlike Rob Goll.

What also made this showexciting was the lighting andeffects, designed by HughPhillip with a whole team oflighting engineers with thesound design by PeterHodgkinson and Echo Zheng.The set looked simple enoughbut looking closer you couldsee that quite a bit of hardwork had gone into thedesign of the set which wasthe brainchild of Mark Jameswho also created thebackdrop projection.

If you've either never reallybeen a Shakespeare fan thenmaybe this just might be theone to sway your opinion.many do not "get" thecomedy in Shakespeare'swork but believe me there isa lot of fun on his plays,especially in the hands of agood director and cast, andthat is what you have here.

Kev Castle

Queen Elinor by Janice Whiteand Imogen Lea's passionatespeech about Arthur, her son.

Speaking of which, Arthur, theone under the wing of Hubert,was played wonderfully bySophie Owen. I loved theinnocence Sophie depictedin Arthur and the tragedy ofhis pleading not to have hiseyes removed by Hubert andthen throwing himself of offthe battlements to his death.

Hubert was played by NeilDuckmanton and this is thebest I have seen him act.Hubert, a follower of King Johnwas portrayed like a little lapdog who would agree towhatever was asked butshowing heart by not harmingArthur.

Shakespeare's works andscript seem to bring out thetrue actor in an actor and Ifound this with Ciaran Stones.I have seen Ciaran in manyproductions over the yearsbut his role as PhillipFalconbridge's "half brother",Robert Falconbridge reallybrought out a top classperformance from Ciaran.Shakespeare, or at least thismodern Shakespeare suits himdown to the ground.

Two actors really held myattention though. They havesuch stage presence that youhave to watch them when onstage and with this drama,they truly excelled and weremagnetic. Rob Goll, who is atrue Shakespeare buff, playedKing Phillip of France andknows how to projectShakespeare the way it shouldbe done. He made it so easy

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I FIRST BECAME INVOLVED intheatre at the age of 14 whenI appeared in Orpheus in the

Underworld at school. I thenplayed Aranka in The GipsyPrincess, chorus member in TheGrand Duchess of Gerolsteinand Nancy in The Boyfriend.

More recently I joined DerbyGilbert and Sullivan Society,initially helping with props forThe Gondoliers and TheMikado at Chatsworth Houseand Derby Live. The followingyear I performed in HMSPinafore and Fiddler on theRoof at the same venues andthen in Fiddler at HarrogateTheatre.

My first involvement at TheLace Market was props andcast member in Women ofTroy. Then stagemanager/props:- ReginaMonologues, Black Comedyand Jerusalem, props forRutherford and Son and TheLion in Winter plus minor rolesin Firebird and The Lion inWinter. I'm currentlyASM/props for Dead Ringerand help FOH and behindthe bar.

I was pleasantly surprisedwhen asked to considerbeing a trustee and aftersome persuasion agreed tomy name being put forward.

I have previous experienceof serving on boardsincluding PTA Chair at myson's school, Chair of thecharity SHE and vice Chair ofDouble Impact.

I have a wealth ofexperience of fundraisingand have my own trainingand styling businesses whichI started after taking earlyretirement from my SocialServices Senior Managementrole.

I have great admiration forthe commitment of past andpresent members andbelieve that our challenge isto ensure that there is atheatre to be proud of toleave as a legacy for futuregenerations.

Recent shows have been sellouts which is veryencouraging but to sustainthis we must maximise theopportunities available to usby having a long term visionand modernisation plan. Bysetting realistic targets I thinkthere is an exciting timeahead. I look forward tobeing part of it.

Finally, I would like to thankthose who voted for me andto those who don't know meplease come and introduceyourselves.

Lesley Brown

New Trustee - Lesley Brown

Yermaby Federico Garcia Lorca

30-4 June 2015

Cast:Rosina Reading YermaDamian Frendo JuanTeya Simone MariaDani Wain Pagan WomanAndrés Vallellano VictorKerry Newcombe DeloresSally Nix Juan’s SisterSarah Crutwell Washer womanAlice Gee Juan’s Sister

Crew:Michael Darmola DirectorSimon Carter LightingGareth Morris SoundBex Mason SM

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SHAKESPEARE'S KING JOHN israrely performed. But onthe evidence of this

Lace Market Theatreproduction, directed byCynthia Marsh, it ought to bedone more often. It comesover as a clear andcompelling story aboutshifting alliances, peopledwith strong, well-differentiated characters.And there's plenty of action,some of it nicely violent, andnot a little humour.

Perhaps it's a matter of theoriginal text, which we're toldhas been significantly cut.And here and there modernidiom seems to have beeninserted. The result is vigorous,clear and beautiful, albeitwithout any long stretches ofpoetry. As for the plot, therearen't any sub-plots tocompare and contrast withthe main action, or any ofthose sometimes annoyinglow-life scenes to get in theway.

The actors are good, oftenmuch better than good.Practically all of themarticulate and project thetext admirably – it's one ofthe strengths of theproduction – as if it's beingspoken for the first time. Johnhimself is played on the book,by an excellent Paul

Book now for “Dead Ringer”

Either online or telephoning the box office

www.lacemarkettheatre.co.uk or 0115 950 7201

Review: King John

Johnson, stepping in atextremely short notice toreplace a sadly indisposedIan Bennett.

Janice White's beautifulperformance as Queen Elinormight be the best of theevening. Outstanding too isRichard Hill as the wilyFalconbridge. And ImogenLea, as Constance, strickenwith anxiety and grief, issplendid.

Rob Goll, as Philip of France,Neil Duckmanton, highlyenjoyable as Hubert, andDaniel Bryant, well cast asthe Cardinal, also deliver fineperformances.

The sillouetted battle scenesare effective.

Problems? The gratuitousintrusion of MargaretThatcher and Elizabeth Ibehind picture framesdoesn't work. And muchworse is the jokeypresentation to the newly-crowned John of a portraitof Shakespeare and a modelof the Eiffel Tower.

But this bold production isdefinitely worth a look.

Alan Geary

Nottingham Post - 22 April2015

When We AreMarried

by J. B. Priestly20 - 25 July 2015

Cast:Stephen Herring Rev. MercerAlison Hope Mrs NorthrupAnne McCarroll RubyFraser Wanless AlbertGill Cooke LottieJackie Dunn MariaJohn Anthony JoeLinda Croston ClaraMatt Thomason GeraldRoger Watson HerbertRuth Page NancyTom Orton DysonJanice White Annie

Crew:Dan Maddison DirectorMax Bromley Set DesignPhilip Anthony LightingLesley Brown SMChris Griffiths Properties

10

THE CAUCASIAN CHALK Circleis a play by Germanmodernist playwright

Bertolt Brecht. The play, in anutshell, is about a peasantgirl who rescues a baby andbecomes a better motherthan its wealthy naturalparents. She goes to court towin the baby from the birthmother as well as managingto release herself from amarriage which she hadbeen tricked into and returnsto the arms of her formerbeau, and they live happilyever after.

This strikes me as being a fairlynew translation and is a verymodern adaptation. I'veseen this play before and itwas, or so it seemed at thetime, a very traditional andfaithful version of Brecht'sscript. Not that this was notfaithful, it's just very updated,in my eyes to introduce ayounger audience to Brecht'shumour. And there is a lot ofhumour in this play.

Typical of Brecht's "play withina play" we start off with thePrologue to make sure thatwe are made aware thatwhat we are watching is astory that is being told by the

actors who in the play areputting on a play.

You could not, by any stretchof the imagination call this amusical but there is music inthe play, and I'm not sure ifthe music is traditional to theplay or it's been composedby Joel Walker who providedthe guitar accompanimentto the songs.

Either way the music is a goodcompliment to the play,which by the way was writtenin 1944, and if the songs wereoriginal, a nice showcase ofJoel's talents as a musicianand songwriter.

Brecht's prolific writing has avery anarchic edge and thisis brought out with greataffect, and with beinganarchic, provides somegreat over the top comedymoments. One of the youngactors that springs to mindwho delivered this style togreat affect was Nick Ford,along with his sidekick JakeBooth as the two ladies whotook to Grusha, the peasantgirl, played with greatconsistency by Tilly Poynter-Symonds.

So many actors involved inthis large cast but I can onlymention a few that reallycaught my attention. Ournarrator who made sure wedid not lose the thread wasplayed by Finn Doherty,Gareth Ellis as Lavrenti, HarrisAllen as the foul mouthedand mucky minded Sergeant,and Robert Ryan as thedrunken judge, Azdak, who

Review: THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE

did the right thing in the end.

A very male and macho playbut there were plenty offemale actors in subservientroles, sixteen in all to thetwelve male parts with someof the cast doubling up inlesser roles.

A simple but effective setguaranteed that there wereno distractions from the witty,bold and bawdy script.

Although modern, thecostumes remained faithfulto the era of the play, andyou could feel that MaxBromley who directed thepiece must have had a balldirecting this energetic andyoung group in a play whichworked so well for that agegroup.

It may not be to every one'sliking but it is worth going tosee and supporting thistalented bunch of youngactors.

Kev Castle

Nottingham Hospitals Radio -Thu 19 Mar 2015

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DURING A CIVILinsurrection in aremote peasant

country a baby boy isabandoned by its selfishupper-crust mother andlooked after by a peasant girl.After two years the motherreturns to reclaim the boy buther claim is contested in courtby his adoptive mother.

One of the most renownedplays of the last century,Bertholt Brecht’s TheCaucasian Chalk Circlerepresents a challenge forany company. The LaceMarket Youth Theatre, underthe direction of Max Bromley,rise to the challenge. That is,in all respects but one.

The problem is that, up untilthe final act, projection andarticulation from a lot, not all,of the otherwise splendid castof twenty-eight areinadequate. This applies notonly to the spoken text: thesongs, which are important inthis play, are not deliveredwith sufficient confidenceand attack.

In the final act, the trial scene– where we get the chalkcircle of the title – theproblem seems to solve itself.

Review: THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE

PUB GRUBAre you one of our regularSaturday lunch participants? Ormaybe you just enjoy comingoccasionally to take advantageof this service.

Doreen Sheard has organisedthe Pub Grub Rota for 5 yearsand would now like to hand thejob over to someone else. It isnot too onerous, it entailsphoning the ladies andgentlemen on the list once aterm to agree a date when theyare available to provide PubGrub for the following term. Itdoesn’t necessarily have to besomeone on the Pub Grub list.A computer is an advantage asonce the list for the term istyped, it is sent via e-mail to allthose on the list so thateveryone has a copy, postageis expensive! There are currently18 names on the list of Pub Grubproviders. Please contactDoreen Sheard on 0115 9392137or dv.sheard@ntlworld.com ifyou think you can help.The theatre has offered PubGrub for over 25 years, pleasedon’t let this service disappear!

Two ladies are retiring from thePub Grub Rota as from nextseason. They are Barbara Fisherand Lorna McCullough. Theyare now hanging up their‘chef’s hats’. I would like tothank them for supporting me(Doreen Sheard) over the last 5years and also for many yearsbefore that in providing us withSaturday lunch food. I’m sureall the folk who have ‘muncheda lunch’ made by these ladiesat the theatre, will also wish meto pass on grateful thanks fortheir years of dedication –buttering rolls and spreadingfilling for us to enjoy.Thanks to you both

The actors demonstrate howvery good they really are. It’sthis scene, for instance,where Harris Allen, as theSergeant, makes hiswonderfully oily speech onbehalf of his nasty clientNatelli.

The play’s protagonist,Grusha, is an excellent TillyPoynter-Symonds, who iseffective throughout, butespecially in the encounterby the river with her true love,Simon (James Green). AndRuth Page, as the imperiousand greedy Natelli, gives astand-out performance.

Woven into the deep politicalintention of the play is a lotof comedy. It’s funny whenJussop (George Collier),supposedly dead, leaps tolife; and when he’s beingbathed by the unwillingGrusha. And the graspingavarice in the play, peasantas well as aristocratic, is alsoblackly amusing.

Even those already familiarwith the work might gain newinsights from this production.

Alan Geary

Nottingham Post - Fri 20 Mar2015

12

2014-15 Season so far - at a glance

All photos courtesy of the Lacemarket Theatre website

13

TWO THIRDS INTO the season,I thought it was time foran update from the

Publicity team.

I've heard the phrase "WhiteChristmas effect" a few times,the idea that a very popularshow generates new patrons forthe following shows. Perhapsthere is some truth to it. InJanuary “One Act Play” sold99%, “The Lion in Winter” sold88%, “Bedroom Farce” sold 100%(including an open dressrehearsal added to theschedule in the final week) inFebruary, and “Three ShortClassics” sold 97% in March.

This chart shows a very

encouraging "WhiteChristmas effect", butappears to drop away with“The Caucasian Chalk Circle”and “King John”. We mustconsider how the LaceMarket Theatre programmeworks though - we are veryprivileged in the fact we areable to put on lesser-known

revenue for a run.

So, how are we looking forthe rest of the season? Up toand including “King John”,the season averageattendance is up to 82.3%.The best ever season was83.0% so our fingers arecrossed that we can beat it.

Financially speaking we aimto generate £715 perauditorium performance and£240 per studio performance.At this stage of the season weshould be at £41,505 - ourrevenue for the completedshows is actually at £50,669.Including pre-sales andgroup reservations for the restof the season, the total figureis £56,563, just £1397 shy ofthe season target! With fourshows to go we should smashthis target quite comfortably.

How are the final four showsselling? As the chart shows“Dead Ringer” is up next andall ready edging towards 50%sold, so book early for that!We've also had some groupbookings for “When We AreMarried”, which should helpthat towards being a sell-outtoo. “Jumpy” and “Yerma”have what I'd call typicalsales figures this far awayfrom opening and with all oursupport should also do well.

Gareth Morris

shows that we suspect will notsell as well as thecommercially popular showslike “White Christmas” and“Bedroom Farce” for a morebalanced season. While weintend to make a profit acrossthe whole programme, wecan afford a few risks in orderto offer patrons variety thatmost theatres cannot.

To really analyse the successof “The Caucasian ChalkCircle” we must look at similarshows, or more specifically,other Lace Market YouthTheatre shows. “TheCaucasian Chalk Circle”actually took £3275, while theaverage for the LMYT overthe past 8 years is £3602.

Pretty good, huh?

Similarly, comparing “KingJohn” to other Shakespeareproductions, only oneShakespeare (As You Like Itin 2010) has made moremoney - £5676 and £4744respectively. Both far inexcess of the £3980 average,which in its self is not bad

Publicity and Marketing update

14

THE LACE MARKET Theatre Trustdeveloped from twoamateur dramatic societies

founded in Nottingham in the1920s; the Nottingham PlaygoersClub (1922) and the NottinghamPhilodramatic Society (1926).

These two amalgamated in 1946to become the NottinghamTheatre Club. Their base from1946 to 1951 was the BluecoatSchool. In 1951 the Club movedto premises in Hutchinson Street,much closer to the city centre,and stayed there until 1970when they were ousted as partof the major slum clearance andredevelopment of the city ofthat decade. It was at this pointthat the then members took acourageous and decisive step:they raised the money to buyan old dilapidated paint store.This old build had once been asectarian Chapel, built in 1760,and later became a school,where William Booth, founder ofthe Salvation Army, was a pupil.

At the time they moved in ,1972,the Lace Market was a ratherrun down area of Victorianfactories, monuments to theonce great industries that madeNottingham a by-word for lace,hosiery and pretty girls. Tightfunds meant that most of theconversion had to be carried

Lace Market Theatre History

out by the members themselvesin their spare time. Whatemerged one year later was a118 seat auditorium and spacein the upstairs bar for studioperformances. The aim was,and has remained, to put onplays that were challenging foractors and the technical crewsand ones which otherwisepeople would have to go toLondon to see.

Training by doing was always apart of the club and theconcept of small scaleproductions in the bar areawhere first time directors couldcut their teeth was introduced.These productions were knownas "Fents" - a name taken fromthe off-cuts of lace sold atbargain prices and paidhomage to the area in whichthe theatre was situated. It soonbecame clear that more spacewas needed both for the stageand for equipment andrehearsals.

The opportunity came topurchase more land and it wasdecided that, to facilitate fundraising, the Lace Market TheatreTrust Ltd should be formed in1977. £40,000 was raised for athree storey extension at therear and a further £40,000 wasraised for its completion in 1984.The building was owned by theTrust and the Club rented it fromthem. While the Club continuedthe policy of challengingdrama, the Trust beganfurthering the educationalresponsibilities of a charity bygiving grants to students who

were going on to drama schoolas at that time drama studentswere only able to apply fordiscretionary grants from theLocal Education Authority andthese were in short supply.

Shortly after the completion ofthe extension, Prunella Scalesand Timothy West were invitedto become patrons of thetheatre and this they agreedto do so. By the year 2000 theClub were beginning to feelcramped. The extensivewardrobe had moved intorented premises, first in St.Mary's Gate and then in StoneyStreet in the heart of the LaceMarket District. The area wasby this time no longer the poorrelation of the city but at thecentre of plans forregeneration. In the process ofthe development the LaceMarket Theatre Trust hadacquired some land at the sideof the theatre and it wasdecided that this was themoment for redevelopment. Itwas also the opportunemoment to merge theNottingham Theatre Club withthe Trust and this was done in2003.

The Lace Market Theatrecontinues to present non-professional drama to a highstandard for its audiences whilstproviding opportunities forthose with ambitions to work inthe professional theatre as wellas those who want a creativeoutlet.

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DIARY DATES2015

May13 LMT Open Evening

18-23 “Dead Ringer”by Charles Ross

June7 Ways With Words

15-20 “Jumpy” by April de Angelis

30 “Yerma” byFederico Garcia

Lorca

July

1-4 “Yerma” byFederico Garcia

Lorca

20-25 “When We Are Married” by J B Priestley

Who’s Who at theLacemarket

Theatre

Board of Directors:

Phil Hogarth ChairpersonJohn Anthony Hon TreasuryNevil Croston Company SecMark JamesGill ScottNick GaleMarcus WakelyE A StewartRoger WatsonMichelle SmithGareth MorrisLesley Brown

Other Responsibilities:

Paul Johnson Artistic DirectorMax Bromley PAG ChairPat Richards FOH RotaDavid Nightingale Bar ManagerGareth Morris Head PublicitySimon Carter Head LightingMartin Curtis Head SoundJayne McCormack Head GRMLinda Croston Costume HireMax Bromley Youth GroupGill Scott Theatre HireDoreen Hunt Exhibition spacePeter Hillier Exhibition spaceJanice White “Ways With Words” organiserGill Scott Stage DirectorHugh Philip Construction ConsultantRose Dudley Head PropsDoreen Hunt Head CostumeB Anthony Membership SecB Anthony Child ProtectionBex Mason Head Social

Last date for copy

Items for publication shouldbe submitted to the Editorno later than the 24th June.

We aim to publish the nextissue by the 1st of the month.

Editor@Lacemarkettheatre.co.uk

The AuditionProcess...

To take part in a production,including the rehearsalprocess, you must be amember.

Every director will hold theiraudition differently but youwill usually be invited to readthrough the script or aphotocopy of the auditionpieces before the auditionnight. These will be availablefrom the bar at the theatre.

Audition notices for the restof the season can be foundon our web site.

http://lacemarkettheatre.co.uk

SEASON 2014/15Damages by Steve Thompson (16 – 20 September 2014)

For Services Rendered by W. Somerset Maugham (6 – 11 October 2014)

The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh (3 – 8 November 2014)

Happy Jack by John Godber (18 – 22 November 2014)

White Christmas by Irving Berlin (12 – 20 December 2014)

One Act Play by Matt Fox (9 – 10 January 2015)

The Lion in Winter by James Goldman (19 – 24 January 2015)

Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn (16 – 21 February 2015)

Three Short Classics: (3 - 7 March 2015)

The Stronger by August Strindberg Overruled by George Bernard Shaw Swansong by Anton Chekhov

The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht (18 – 21 March 2015)

King John (RSC Open Stages) by William Shakespeare (20 – 25 April 2015)

Dead Ringer by Charles Ross (18 – 23 May 2015)

Jumpy by April de Angelis (15 – 20 June 2015)

Yerma by Federico Garcia Lorca (30 June – 4 July 2015)

When We Are Married by J. B. Priestley (20 – 25 July 2015)

NANDA

16

NEW! Discount Food Offer

The Lace Market Theatre is proud to announce it's new relationship withEdin.

Any sandwich with a small glass of wine for £7 (at Edin's Kitchen); or a piece of cake and a largehot drink for £5 (at Edin's Deli Cafe and Edin's Kitchen).