seeing theatre in a new light
The (sadly Tory-tainted) V&A are offering a free nine-day season of musical-related events, from 22 to 30 April.
Performances, workshops, talks and screenings are all promised. You can also visit their exhibition Re:Imagining Musicals which runs until June 4th, and then reopens from August for some time.
Find more information at the V&A website by searching on musicals, although the information is very scattered.
This Tuesday, 25 October, to celebrate European Historic Theatres Day, there is an illustrated talk at the V&A.
EUROPE’S NATIONAL THEATRES will be presented by Mike Sell (aided and abetted by Mark Fox).
As has now become custom, The Frank Matcham Society, in association with The Victoria and Albert Museum celebrate PERSPECTIV’s European Historic Theatres Day with an illustrated talk.Mike Sell, Vice-President of The Frank Matcham Society draws on his extensive travels and knowledge of European theatres to investigate the development of, and need for, National Theatres across an often troubled and divided continent.
Mike Sell is a historian and author specialising in theatre architecture who co-edited Curtains – a new life for old theatres and The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950; contributed to books Frank Matcham Theatre Architect and Frank Matcham and Co; authored Theatres and Concert Halls of Fellner and Helmer and in 2020 marked the centenary of Frank Matcham’s death publishing the Society’s Matcham Directory.
You could add to your day by visiting the new displays in the museum’s Theatre and Performance Galleries including the newly opened Re:Imagining Musicals. Entrance is free and the museum opens at 10am.
25 October 2.30pm
Hochhauser Auditorium, Victoria and Albert Museum,
The Sackler Courtyard Entrance,
Exhibition Road, South Kensington London SW7 2RL
Tickets only available from Ticketsource at www.ticketsource.co.uk (search for Frank Matcham Society)
(Tickets will not be available on the door or from the V&A)
If you are aged 16-30 (or know others who are), and have an interest in the theatre as a potential future career, then you simply cannot afford to miss the invaluable, totally FREE, once-a-year event that is TheatreCraft 2022.
This year, on Tuesday 25th October, the doors of the Royal Opera House will open to the main event, with a wide range of events featuring top industry names, all ready to share their thoughts and insight with you. And with dozens of bookable workshops happening both online and at three nearby theatres, there is a huge range of things to do, see and participate in.
Responding to the shift to hybrid events, this year you can watch several key panel discussions LiveStreamed online on the Official London Theatre YouTube channel, which you can find here , including from 11.00am to 12 noon MAKING THEATRE AFFORDABLE, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm MAKING THEATRE SUSTAINABLE, from 2.30pm to 3.30pm MAKING THEATRE WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES, and from 4.00pm to 5.00pm FREELANCERS MAKE THEATRE HAPPEN. Watch te live throughout the day on the YouTube link above!
TheatreCraft is the only major event focused on offstage careers, in other words anything but acting. Lighting, Directing, Choreography, Writing, Sound, Music, Costume, Props, Stage Combat, Stage Management, Venue Management and more are all represented. Workshops allow a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from experts about what they do and how they do it. In most events there is also time for questions from the audience, so you can get more involved.
Having been a small part of the management of this event for three years, I can tell you firsthand that there is no better place to go to boost your knowledge and meet thousands of like-minded people. It’s a great day which you should not miss!
The day itself is run by a fantastic team of fun, hard-working volunteers and the industry participants all give their time free to be involved.
TheatreCraft is organised by a group of committed partners from across the creative and cultural industries: the Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust, the Royal Opera House, the Society of London Theatre and Mousetrap Theatre Projects.
For more information and all the latest news about TheatreCraft visit www.theatrecraft.org or find them on Twitter @TheatreCraft.
The National Theatre has for many years presented Platform events featuring actors, directors, writers,musicians and others involved in the production of the NT’s works, but until recently these events were not available unless you attended in person.
Now the National are sharing over 50 of their recent events, usually averaging around 40 minutes long, on their YouTube channel.
Dip into a fascinating roster of some of the theatre’s most significant contributors, including Stephen Sondheim, Judi Dench, Neil Gaiman, Sam Mendes, Imelda Staunton, Olivia Coleman, Nathan Lane, Ruth Wilson, Alan Bennett, Tom Stoppard, Nicholas Hytner, Helen McCrory, Rae Smith, Simon Stephens, Adrian Lester, David Byrne, Michael Palin, Derek Jacobi, Simon Russell Beale, Peter Hall, Simon McBurney, Michael Frayn, Danny Boyle and many others.
And then of course if your interest has been piqued to see a particular production, then chances are you can watch it in the National’s online offering, where many of their shows can be purchased for home viewing.
You can find the link to the list by clicking the Theatre Recordings option on this page, where you’ll also find podcast and other resources to bring you closer to the work of the National – and all for free! Enjoy!
If you’re involved in theatre, The Society of London Theatre and UKTheatre are asking for your help this 14 July to celebrate our current theatre workforce and inspire the theatre workforce of tomorrow: join us nationwide with the ‘Inspiring Future Theatre’ campaign.
There are two ways to support this campaign:
Today (14th July) – celebrate all the people that make theatre happen, and tell their stories – use #InspiringFutureTheatre on your social media channels (please see this document for more info: https://lnkd.in/edg_rBWs).
All throughout the year – volunteer one hour of your time to visit local schools, talk about your job, and highlight the breadth of offstage theatre roles (in partnership with Education and Employers – see the document link for details of how to sign up: https://lnkd.in/edg_rBWs).
Whether you can help today, or later in the year, please take part, using the hashtag #InspiringFutureTheatre to help us get the 14 July campaign trending on Twitter, and volunteer to give a schools talk to help spread the word.
Thank You!