Where to begin, eh?
It's been quite a time, these past few months.
I'm not sure that anybody could have predicted just how bleak things were going to get on that fateful day in March, when Theatreland just... stopped. And then, a week later, the rest of the world followed.
The night itself was a bit weird - or, as my boss described it 'strangely exciting'. We had very little information (how common that theme was gonna be - but more on that later), but we knew that theatres across the country were closed 'for the foreseeable'. So we set about cancelling the next month's worth of shows. Naively, I thought that might be it, and we'd be back early May. But as the days and weeks rolled on, the enormity of the situation unfolded, and we find ourselves where we are.
The essence of this, is to try to put into context for people that are not in our industry just how this has been for us. It took me about 12 weeks to finally be able to pinpoint a way of describing just what I feel like I've been through, and the only thing I can really describe it as is grief.
When you are lucky enough that your hobby and passion is also the way you make your living, it is doubly painful when it is taken away from you. Before this, I got to wake up every morning and say I did what I love for a living. The arts, and more specifically theatre, is my life - anyone who even slightly knows me knows that. And for this stretch of time absolutely everything has gone.
One of the arguments that got made very early on, and brilliantly articulates just how vital the Arts are is this: imagine going through lockdown, but having no TV, no books, no music, no films, no radio and so much besides. How much more difficult would your time have been if you didn't have all of this at your fingertips? Just think of that and then tell me the Arts aren't vital...
When you are lucky enough that your hobby and passion is also the way you make your living, it is doubly painful when it is taken away from you. Before this, I got to wake up every morning and say I did what I love for a living. The arts, and more specifically theatre, is my life - anyone who even slightly knows me knows that. And for this stretch of time absolutely everything has gone.
One of the arguments that got made very early on, and brilliantly articulates just how vital the Arts are is this: imagine going through lockdown, but having no TV, no books, no music, no films, no radio and so much besides. How much more difficult would your time have been if you didn't have all of this at your fingertips? Just think of that and then tell me the Arts aren't vital...
1. It isn't going to fix everything, save everyone or actually scratch more than the surface. This money is likely to save buildings, but not an awful lot more than that.
Major organisations are in serious trouble - the Royal Albert Hall say they will be closed by March with no help, the Globe is in dire needs, the National Theatre too...
These are just three of our biggest places whom we absolutely should be saving, as they are the flag of our identity as a nation in the Arts. But the money that they are going to need to survive will mean that what is left to go around for the rest of us isn't going to be a lot.
Major organisations are in serious trouble - the Royal Albert Hall say they will be closed by March with no help, the Globe is in dire needs, the National Theatre too...
These are just three of our biggest places whom we absolutely should be saving, as they are the flag of our identity as a nation in the Arts. But the money that they are going to need to survive will mean that what is left to go around for the rest of us isn't going to be a lot.
A billion pounds for England sounds like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not going to do an awful lot...
2. It took too long for the Conservatives to come up with any details.
We were absolutely left until the end of the 11th hour, when we were on the brink of collapse and thinking help wasn't coming. We waited 15 weeks to get even the smallest piece of information, despite months of campaigning. And I'm sorry, that just isn't good enough. The money that the industry brings in to the economy is roughly on a 1:4 ratio (every £1 invested, we put £4 back into the economy through hotels, restaurants, flights). Wonderful people fought our corner from the very beginning and begged for the industry to be heard - I'm petitioning for James Graham to get a knighthood for what he did (and also for making Quiz...) - but it just all took too long.
3. People seem to think we can just make a show overnight. When the Culture Secretary announced that outdoor shows could now take place with social distancing, he gave us 48 hours notice. 48 hours to cast, build, rehearse, tech, dress rehearse, and sell tickets for a show.
I cannot even begin to explain how angry it makes me that the person making the decisions of the future of the Arts doesn't seem to possess even the smallest idea of how it... actually works?
And I know some people have managed to make outdoor theatre happen in very short spaces of time, and that's really great - I'm so here for the fact there is theatre that's going to happen this summer. What I'm not here for is the then bitchy "see, it's possible to put a show together in a week" posts that follow. Not calling anyone out, but can we stop trying to snipe at each other? We're all really tired and trying to work out how to make it work.
4. There also appears to be a complete lack of understanding from people outside our industry that theatre cannot operate within social distancing measure. The majority of shows need at least 70% of seats to be sold to just cover their costs (everyone's wages, running costs and so much more.) Let me just spell it out a little clearer - today I bought a ticket for Regents Park Theatre in September. They have had to reduce their capacity from 1200 seats, to just under 400, to comply with social distancing measures. This takes them to 30%, and as such they are doing a concert, rather than a full musical to reduce their costs. Even with such smaller production costs, it's going to be so difficult for them to turn that into a profit.
When we are back to working without social distancing, it's probably going to take people a long time to be confident that they can go back into the theatre safely
If you want to see more of exactly what I think on this specifically, check out my Twitter - I'm spending most of my furlough (and exceedingly looking like I'll be spending some of my possible upcoming unemployment...) yelling at the incompetence of the upper-middle class, middle aged MEN who are running our country into the ground (and also the vile Patel woman who I seem incapable of shouting anything but expletives at...)
It's been beyond infuriating watching a group of adults get it so wrong, but refuse to admit that they're getting it wrong. That's what's been so hard for all of us - one rule for them and one rule for us. We spent weeks and months going out of our minds, going round and round in circles, watching these people blatantly lie to us.
And it hurts.
We were absolutely left until the end of the 11th hour, when we were on the brink of collapse and thinking help wasn't coming. We waited 15 weeks to get even the smallest piece of information, despite months of campaigning. And I'm sorry, that just isn't good enough. The money that the industry brings in to the economy is roughly on a 1:4 ratio (every £1 invested, we put £4 back into the economy through hotels, restaurants, flights). Wonderful people fought our corner from the very beginning and begged for the industry to be heard - I'm petitioning for James Graham to get a knighthood for what he did (and also for making Quiz...) - but it just all took too long.
3. People seem to think we can just make a show overnight. When the Culture Secretary announced that outdoor shows could now take place with social distancing, he gave us 48 hours notice. 48 hours to cast, build, rehearse, tech, dress rehearse, and sell tickets for a show.
I cannot even begin to explain how angry it makes me that the person making the decisions of the future of the Arts doesn't seem to possess even the smallest idea of how it... actually works?
And I know some people have managed to make outdoor theatre happen in very short spaces of time, and that's really great - I'm so here for the fact there is theatre that's going to happen this summer. What I'm not here for is the then bitchy "see, it's possible to put a show together in a week" posts that follow. Not calling anyone out, but can we stop trying to snipe at each other? We're all really tired and trying to work out how to make it work.
4. There also appears to be a complete lack of understanding from people outside our industry that theatre cannot operate within social distancing measure. The majority of shows need at least 70% of seats to be sold to just cover their costs (everyone's wages, running costs and so much more.) Let me just spell it out a little clearer - today I bought a ticket for Regents Park Theatre in September. They have had to reduce their capacity from 1200 seats, to just under 400, to comply with social distancing measures. This takes them to 30%, and as such they are doing a concert, rather than a full musical to reduce their costs. Even with such smaller production costs, it's going to be so difficult for them to turn that into a profit.
When we are back to working without social distancing, it's probably going to take people a long time to be confident that they can go back into the theatre safely
If you want to see more of exactly what I think on this specifically, check out my Twitter - I'm spending most of my furlough (and exceedingly looking like I'll be spending some of my possible upcoming unemployment...) yelling at the incompetence of the upper-middle class, middle aged MEN who are running our country into the ground (and also the vile Patel woman who I seem incapable of shouting anything but expletives at...)
It's been beyond infuriating watching a group of adults get it so wrong, but refuse to admit that they're getting it wrong. That's what's been so hard for all of us - one rule for them and one rule for us. We spent weeks and months going out of our minds, going round and round in circles, watching these people blatantly lie to us.
And it hurts.
I've set this up, because I need something to do, and somewhere to go. I've spent 17 weeks at home, and only started seeing people again within the last 5 or 6. This time has been rough for everyone, but when you have mental health problems on a day today basis anyway, it's just been amplified to the extreme and there have been some really hideous days and nights...
But for now, I hope you can get a bit more of an understanding of why I've been a stark raving lunatic on social media for the last few months, and why I am so passionate about saving our beloved theatre industry.
But for now, I hope you can get a bit more of an understanding of why I've been a stark raving lunatic on social media for the last few months, and why I am so passionate about saving our beloved theatre industry.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we are only just beginning to see the tiniest bit.
My brilliant friend, Dr Emily Garside, put it in a really concise way shortly before we heard about the rescue package, and I felt that I should end with that. Because she perfectly summed up the nightmare that we have been through, and are continuing to go through:
"If your theatre friends seem a bit 'over-sensitive' right now it's because after a lifetime of our identities tied up with our job, and what we love...our world has disappeared. And nobody outside our bubble seems to care, because there's football and pubs now. That's why we are shouting a lot. Because we can't do much else."
"If your theatre friends seem a bit 'over-sensitive' right now it's because after a lifetime of our identities tied up with our job, and what we love...our world has disappeared. And nobody outside our bubble seems to care, because there's football and pubs now. That's why we are shouting a lot. Because we can't do much else."
Holding to the ground as the ground keeps shifting
Trying to keep sane as the rules keep changing
Keeping up my head as my heart falls out of sight
Everything will be alright...
(William Finn, Falsettos)
Trying to keep sane as the rules keep changing
Keeping up my head as my heart falls out of sight
Everything will be alright...
(William Finn, Falsettos)
