One of the things I’ve discovered is that most people have no idea how theatre is made or how long it takes. ‘Why are you cancelling Christmas shows in July?’ ‘Why can’t you make an outdoor show in a week?’ Etc Etc
Seen lots of theatre jobs asking for significant experience (GMs/directors/producers) and leadership skills for pay £22-26k. How are you meant to live off that unless you houseshare? These low wages are making theatre increasingly ludicrous as a career for anyone who is over 25.
If your child has a party, don’t let them invite the whole class except one child. It’s cruel. You’re the grown up and complicit in the bullying. Friend’s kid absolutely distraught. And if your kid is invited but you find out about a left out kid - challenge it.
It happened. I got the call. Poorly actor. Ran through the show track for an hour and then did two shows script in hand. Last time I was on stage we had a Labour government. Thanks so much to lush
#hanselandgretel
team who got me through it!
Today is Mothering Sunday which has been hijacked by Mother’s Day. Mothering (verb) can be done by dads, aunts, friends & grandparents. It celebrates the action of care. Where today is difficult for so many and care so undervalued, today is about mothering not just mothers.
‘Im gonna get a bucket of fried chicken, a bottle of Chablis and a Jigsaw puzzle then see what’s next’.
Marry me.
This new form of masculinity where men run around with tweezers and micro herbs weeping is absolutely my vibe.
#masterchef
@MartinSLewis
@itvMLshow
This is great. might you do something parallel for single folk? We’re never mentioned in financial planning,pay more for everything, no tax breaks, don’t qualify for couples discounts. whole world is financially set up for couples and families but we’re approx 35% of population?
Really fed up of arts orgs and artists turning on each other rather than asking big questions about why we get so little funding from government given our wider worth to the economy, soft power, identity and wellbeing of the nation.
@madewithstring
I mean, it’s dumb. I rely on visible clocks to portion time and it’s advised for those of us who don’t ‘feel’ time so we get tasks done and stay on track. It’s such a basic access requirement. And managing time is a life skill. I can’t fathom this.
Going through old theatre tickets.
This was the show that made me decide I wanted to work in theatre professionally. I was 18. I’d never seen physical theatre before or anything political. It blew my mind.
I have never wanted a Friday night post-work-pint more than I do now.
I want a pint of Asahi in the Exchange and a packet of quavers in lieu of dinner. And chat. The kind where ideas and end-of-week relief, giggle spill into the early hours in a sort of hopeful inspirational mess
Ok. I want an ‘independent’ Christmas (gifts, food, drink - no supermarkets or Amazon types). Putting together a spreadsheet of east Mids options to share with family and friends. Which shops and businesses should I know about?
So excited to direct a lovely Christmas show for
@NottmPlayhouse
. Also cos this is my fave fairytale. There’s a HOUSE MADE OF SWEETS. Gorgeous local team to make magic happen. If you have under 8s - come along! There will be mischief and Christmas sparkle.
This year's Playhouse Prize winner Samuel Fransch
@NTUArtandDesign
is among the creatives for our Christmas show for young people, Hansel & Gretel.
The Director is the talented
@bethshouler
@LittleSeedsMus
is Composer & MD &
#Monika
Johnson is the writer.
Quite an extraordinary evening
@CurveLeicester
met over 70 artists and it was BUZZING (I was expecting about 20). To all the brilliant people I didn’t get a chance to chat to b.shouler
@curvetheatre
.co.uk drop me an email.
#midlandsartistsarewonderful
thank you! I’m SO excited x
With this and the ongoing issues with Edinburgh fringe, it is becoming harder and harder for artists to break into the industry and be ‘seen’ by programmers/critics. The lack of career paths available& reduced commissioning means there are so many issues brewing for the sector.
We have some news. This will be the last festival at The Vaults.
#VAULTFestival
’s survival is under threat, and we need your help. We've launched
#SaveVAULT
to raise £150k by 19th March, and find a new home. Read more; donate; share; help
#SaveVAULT
!
I know people meet in the pub to watch sport but I really wish you could meet with other political nerds and watch politics live in pubs over pork scratchings and craft beer. And scream at the TV with other like minded folk.
I’m absolutely thrilled to be embarking on the
@CloreLeadership
Fellowship as a 2022 Duffield Fellow. Am so grateful to have time and training to reflect on cultural leadership and learn alongside the other phenomenal fellows.
Leading with Resilience: Meet the 2022 Clore Fellows
We are delighted to share with you the twenty-five Fellows from UK and Ireland and four International Fellows who will embark on the Clore Fellowship programme this autumn in its eighteenth year
Depressing conversation with various artists and freelancers about how difficult it is to get paid on time by universities. The amount of admin time chasing is simply ridiculous.
So many actors and stage management / tech teams learning roles in a day to cover Christmas covid casualties so shows can continue. I cannot begin to tell you the level of skill required. The government could learn quite a lot from them about ACTION, TEAMWORK & LEADERSHIP
If news commentators, anchors or politicians refer to Nottinghamshire or Leicestershire tomorrow as ‘Northern cities’ or ‘the North’ it might tip me over the edge.
Looking for producers. So many projects I’m supporting in need of a brilliant producer. Also looking for artists based in or originally from East Mids. DM me
#OVConnect
My mum is a vicar. Pandemic has been a wild ride. Her congregation secretly found out all her and my dads favourite things and left THREE hampers and lots of handwritten notes on their driveway to say thank you for their work.
The thing that’s really pisses me off is all the food waste. Announcement made just as family member had done the Christmas shop. Literally if they’d done this even a week ago it would have been easier for all. Just so fed up. Solidarity to anyone else living alone at the mo x
This is happening. Ridiculously excited. Keep hearing about so many incredible projects and ideas from midlands creatives. Can’t wait to see who applies.
.
@CurveLeicester
has launched a series of initiatives designed to support artists and companies in the Midlands, including a residency scheme and a free-to-join regional network
If you’re someone who recently left a state school and would like an hour to chat about theatre careers/how to get into theatre/your first professional theatre project/your ideas - I can offer ten 1to1 slots via zoom/phone. Drop me a DM. I went to a comp. It was really hard.
Can’t quite believe the article doesn’t point out the obvious - the cost of living in London and that most theatres audition in London once you’ve graduated.
Love to everyone frantically ‘unproducing’ shows and events this weekend. I know we’re all weary. I’ve embraced the sliced white again. It’s solace in these testing times.
Have had the most incredible year setting up artist development (Amplify)
@NottmPlayhouse
. It’s been a real treat to work with
@AdamPenford
and
@stephsirr
. The staff team are world class.Going to really miss them. East Mids is where it’s at though. This region is proper exciting!
JOB VACANCY: Nottingham Playhouse is looking to appoint an Artist Development Producer to curate and administrate our Artist Development programme, Amplify. Apply by Monday 18 March
You really notice media bias when they endlessly discuss midlands areas being part of the North or northern. There’s this massive area called the midlands. It includes the country’s second city. Can I introduce you all to these magical things called maps?
If you want to be creative and productive. Brilliant. Go for it. I’m excited! If you can’t handle it. You’re regrouping. Taking stock. Thinking. Brilliant. Go for it. I’m excited. Be you. Be kind. It’s not a competition. There isn’t a right way. Delight in whatever delights you.
Massive shout out to the theatre industry getting shows online so quickly with skeleton staff. The permissions and rights are seriously complicated and lots of creatives, agents and producers are saying yes and working hard to make it happen quickly to honour audiences!
It’s not a bailout, it’s an investment. Both for financial, cultural and sociological benefit.
@mrJamesGraham
saying it how it is. And no one on the panel disagreed.
#bbcqt
Eloquently, respectfully and firmly articulated. Smashed it.
In the last 2 weeks I’ve been to and from London x 4, Leicester nearly every day, Manchester and Nottingham. I spend hours & hours working out cheapest routes and times and being on said transport. I can conclude that our public transport is extortionate & never runs on time
I find theatre awards hard-going. I love that people are nominated and win and it can change their career. Honestly pleased. struggle with the politics around them and that all seem so London centric. so much talent and shows outside of London never get recognised (or reviewed).
Dear ALL take aways. 40% of the adult population are single. I BEG you. Do some decent meal deals
@Deliveroo
for 1 person. WHY r mixed starters ALWAYS for 2? I want to eat deliciousness by myself. Roll with contemporary culture.
@mrdavebyrne
Some guaranteed slots for regional artists. Help with finding / subsidising accommodation. Portal for pitching to producers / sharing resources or staffing given shortages in stage management & tech. A quiet space somewhere with no music for us neuro spicy types to regroup.
Midlands artists - those I know and those I don’t - come along and tell us about your practice, what you’re making or wanting to make and meet the programming and some of the artistic team and me. Can’t wait to meet you
#soexcitedforthemidlands
#midlandsartists
📣 Calling all
#Midlands
Artists!
We’d like to invite you to Curve on Mon 10 Jun (6.30pm - 8.30pm) to tell us more about the exciting projects you’re currently involved with.
Learn more & register your interest 👉
@ace_midlands
#ACESupported
@campbellclaret
Farage has no concept of the gospel, Jesus or the 2000+ biblical verses which directly tell us to look after the sick, vulnerable, refugee, stranger, widow, orphan etc. Jesus specifically says how you treat those is how you treat me. So dunno what Christianity he’s spouting.
We're delighted to announce the winner of the 2022 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award is Stephen Bailey
@directorsajb
, with
@BethShouler
as runner-up. As winner, Stephen will now get the opportunity to direct a production as part of the 2023 main season at
@NottmPlayhouse
.
Swings and understudies are doing an amazing job at the moment. It’s carnage in the theatre industry. But also very aware that they’re covering lots of devastated actors & dancers who aren’t well and hold the strain of feeling they let the company down.
Here’s to the real heroes of theatre. Several of our incredible production and technical team cleaning the stage
@CurveLeicester
late at night. They are the loveliest and phenomenally supportive.
I’m setting up a sausage and soup stall for my mum (vicar)‘S church fair. I am sooooo fleabag right now. I am feeling the absence of a hot priest and gin.
Independent Producing is about 10% excitement about a show, 27% trying to get people to reply to emails, 42% fighting with google docs/gmail, 6% sleeplessness, 1% TBC and 14% sheer bloody mindedness lubricated with wine/caffeine. So over google docs today.
The ecology for developing your craft as a theatre maker and finding new audiences is so often left to entrepreneurs with no core funding to develop incredible spaces and communities. Been running auditions here this week and it’s sooooo friendly. Gutted. Such a loss to notts
After almost 5 amazing years at our Lennox Street home in Hockley, today we’re announcing that we’ll be shutting our big red doors at the end of December 2023 to refocus our activities on our Community, Creative and Producing programmes.
There were never going to be easy decisions for ACE. But it does seem that orgs which develop new work, new writing and artist dev have been particularly affected. Which may well create longer term issues about the health of the sector.
2 days in Edinburgh. 13 shows down. Another 20 to go. Seen some total beauts. I’ve done ALL the feelings today. Joy, sadness, rage, laughter, shock, frustration, peace, discomfort, excitement. So yeah. Think artists are incredible. And can’t wait to programme/support companies.
Today I became a fully fledged grown up and bought a washing machine from John Lewis (and not in a sale). It is worrying how excited I am with anticipation of it arriving. On a level with Alton Towers in 1998.
We run this on Mondays during school holidays from St Helens church in Selston Nottinghamshire. Free hot lunches for parents and children. We don’t ask questions. You’re just really welcome. (Ashfield constituency).
#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY
@MarcusRashford
A year ago today I was interviewing For Curve Resident Creatives. I would come out of the room to changing news every 2 hours. We finished about 8. The building was in darkness. I cleared essentials into a bag and left. It’s been a rollercoaster. The building is still closed.
East Midlands (Notts, Derbys, Lincs, Leics, Northants, Rutland plus the odd extra) independent businesses where you can buy food, drink, gifts and experiences for Christmas this year. Let's support local! (Send me a link if you want to be added.)
The entire artistic team at the Theatre Royal Plymouth are being made redundant in 3 days. That’s one of the largest, most well attended theatres outside London. A theatre that now has no artists, and they won’t be coming back. Our world-beating cultural landscape is in collapse
Auditioned so many talented and brilliant actors today. Tough decisions ahead. So much respect. It’s incredible the way actors breathe life into a script you know backwards in ways you didn’t expect.
#lovemyjob
#hatesayingno
Also want to recognise there are some very real challenges for orgs/buildings/companies & many want to pay more. But for comparison this is equivalent of a band 4 nurse. Bottom of payscale for entry level teacher. Yet these jobs require skill, leadership & specialist knowledge
A huge thank you
@BBCNottingham
for talking to me about supporting local independent shops and businesses over Christmas. I will be updating the spreadsheet tomorrow (lots to add!) with more fabulous ideas for food, drink and gifts. It’s in my pinned tweet. Do send me others!
Yesterday I gave an actor a riding lesson on an imaginary horse. It got quite technical - there were 3 different sized horses. However I was committed to imaginary horses as a kid (I blame national velvet) so was weirdly prepared. One of the more surreal moments of my job so far.
Lots of things I admire about James: values both sides of an argument and political spectrum. He isn’t from London or a city and speaks for many with integrity, knowledge & experience. He does his research. And he understands arts and culture ECOLOGY which is nuanced. Good luck
For better or worse I’m grateful to have been invited onto the Question Time panel tomorrow, largely to begin talking about the unique threat to what was our country’s fastest growing industry - culture, theatre, film - & what we might need to save it. Please forgive my hair.
This is hilarious. Mine contains a reference from yr 10 work experience, a certificate for taking part in the school play and my year 9 ‘German Award’ (got because ‘your actual German isn’t terribly good but you really got the accent’). 90s comp education.
Who remembers these? We were told they would be essential for every job we ever applied for, and that if we didn't take them seriously we would basically end up on the dole for life.
Mine has been in a cupboard at my parents' house for 19 years.
2020. The year I loved people for who they are not for what they do. Still love artists. Still love my colleagues. Adore my very funny family. Have some fabulous friends. Have achieved very little except a profound appreciation for all the people in my life. And that’s enough.
@sarajcox
Having COVID and asking mum if she could drop off some paracetamol and she came back with these goodies. FYI twisters are phenomenal. Like a little soothing icy hug.
Fun fact. Approximately 40% of the adult population are single. I am fed that our life experiences and contributions are ignored to focus on ‘family’ households. My taxes contribute to education, healthcare (and tax breaks or benefits for married couples and kids).
Have loved the generosity of women theatre creatives on twitter in the last few days. offers of free tickets, championing each other’s work, babysitting offers, spare room exchanges. Maybe it’s about pushing each other up to smash through some of the glass ceilings collectively
I got jealous of everyone’s Christmas dinner photos with Yorkshire puddings. I made some. I’ve eaten 8. Am now having a lie down. I have achieved absolutely nothing this year except I can make phenomenal batter without scales.
Still think we all just need to be wearing masks. This is the biggest barrier for so many people with any kind of health risk being able to do very normal things like go to a supermarket or on a train.
Ridiculously excited to be working with this innovative cohort and welcoming them to Curve. Different career stages, artistic practice and vision. All united by incredible talent, originality, commitment to Leicester communities, the midlands audiences and passionate big ideas
Introducing our Curve Resident Creatives!
These 16 artists and theatre-makers will play a key role in shaping the future of Curve and will be supported to create new work and develop artistic practice in Leicester.
#ACESupported
#YourLeicester
#HereForCulture
(1/19)
I’ve tried yoga and mindfulness and I either end up panicky or asleep. But cooking is relaxing. Made chicken stock from scratch. Then made curry, Thai curry, chilli, bolognaise and a cheese toastie. Got a bit carried away but no Tesco meal deals for me this week.
Had a couple of chats with artists today who are not only trying to make their own work but really listening to some of the challenges of the industry and are looking at what they can leverage for others. Love this generosity and sense of pulling others up not pushing them down
End of our first
#AmpFest18
so proud of all the brilliant artists. Will deal with this on Monday... what an incredible week. Thanks to everyone especially
@AMoxon
(legend)
I'm thrilled to announce our 2022-23 Bridge the Gap Producers! Really excited to welcome them to Stage One & see how they will develop over the next year! JS
@GeorgeMonbiot
But also read any book on boarding school trauma. We’re ruled by those who use their political position to address childhood trauma and needs that weren’t met. They can’t explain decisions because many are made by an inner traumatised 9 year old not grown men.
Professional acting masterclass
@NottmPlayhouse
with
@AdamPenford
. Actors are just fabulous beings. They’ve met for all of 2 mins. Such a tough job and so skilled. I’ve laughed and welled up....
Today is the deadline for applications to be a Curve Resident Creative or Company
@CurveLeicester
. Applications close at 11pm tonight (Sunday). if you’re a creative from the midlands we want to
@hear
from you!
@CJStafford01
@NikolaiFoster
@nedglasier
It’s performance art. Very expensive performance art. The policing costs etc. I’m finding it the most hilarious British thing ever. But also with wildly problematic undertones and they’ve not thought through access.
Love cooking. It’s my non-work happy place. Majority of cooking shows are all about ‘cooking for the family’. I really love that
@Nigella_Lawson
cooks for herself and her friends. Far more representative of many adult households. Now. Buttermilk pancakes and a good book ☺️
@saramegan
@sargent65
My neighbour has an autistic son who will only eat 4 things: chip shop chips, chips, McDonald’s chips and Heinz baked beans. In 1st lockdown take aways shut and everyone stockpiled Heinz. Our street bonded over our Heinz mission to find beans - leaving them on the doorstep!
@jamieeastlake
Midlands: ‘what about the midlands?’ British Theatre: ‘whatnow?’ Midlands: ‘Midlands’. British Theatre: ‘that’s the North’. North: ‘that’s the south’. Midlands: no, no we’re definitely a separate geographical and cultural area.’ British Theatre and the North look puzzled.
3 press nights within a week. ALL excellent shows. Really pleased that both
@CurveLeicester
and
@NottmPlayhouse
have 5⭐️ Christmas shows. Apparently you all need to come to the East Mids to celebrate Christmas!
@churlishmeg
Yup. And also I wish we were sharing photos of the things we are involved eith making. Feel that would be far more useful getting the public to support us. I want to post a zillion pictures of youth theatre shows and community concerts and all of that stuff
It’s been quite the 2 days for team
@CurveLeicester
. With illness affecting several of the jets the show became a concert. Remaining cast smashed multi-roling! While at one point pretty much all of us including the artistic director were on the phones to audiences.
Eh up theatre folk. Has anyone got an example or template for an access rider they’d been willing to share? Also looking specifically for examples of access riders for ADHD. Thinking about my role as a producer/director but also as someone with access needs. Thank you x