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The New Theatre has had its busiest season ever in its thirty-eight year history. For the first time in living memory we put on a proper Freshers' Play, giving people new to the Theatre an opportunity to get on and back-stage with no auditions required. We have also started the New Theatre Postgrad Project; this was set up to give busy postgrads a more flexible way to get involved in the theatre. The New Theatre Committee also gave a helping hand to the foundation of a new society, S.I.N. (Student Improv Nottingham) which operates independently of New Theatre, but with New Theatre members and a New Theatre performance slot.
On top of these innovative projects, the New Theatre programmed our most ambitious season ever. We had two double bills: individually these involved two production teams, two budgets, two directors, two casts and double the potential for disaster! As it was, both Double Bills went extremely smoothly, and formed a precedent that will be copied in the future. It meant that in two weeks we sent up four plays, giving twice the number of members an opportunity to take part. One of the double bills was a New Writing Double Bill, in which we showcased the writing of two very talented Nottingham students.
We also programmed eleven days of theatre. This involved doing an external production in Lincoln Hall Library, from a Sunday to a Tuesday. It was sandwiched between two productions in New Theatre running Wednesday through Saturday. To do this, we strengthened our old link with Tech, bringing the two SRSs together again.
At the beginning of the season we hosted The Slippery Soapbox: Spotbanded Skat, an Edinburgh Fringe sell-out show comprised of New Theatre members and alums. It went down very well and was a great way of showing new members what New Theatre is capable of. It went up in the dead weeks at the beginning of term between the casting meeting and the first play.
We have also instigated a Hall Rep System whereby the Hall Rep is responsible for publicising New Theatre within their hall. They are rewarded with free season tickets.
Another innovation is the weekly Production Meeting directly after the Committee Meeting. All directors and producers are required to attend and it acts as a forum in which people can air any problems they have and exchange tips etc. It also means that there can be no breakdown of communication between the Committee and the Production Teams, which has been a problem in the past.
Working with Dr Svenja Adolphs, the warden of Ancaster Hall, we are looking to set up a Community Theatre project with Ancaster students and children from the Lenton Abbey Estate.
Overall, the New Theatre has sent up twelve in house productions (compared to four five years ago) this semester. This makes us the most prolific student production company in the country. It means that many more people have become involved, and the New Theatre has lost any image it might have had for being cliquey. At times, we have struggled to find new people to tech the shows, for example.
There is no doubt in my mind that this season has been the best ever in New Theatre's history, and there's nothing to stop us from making next season even better.
No. You've all been great.
Our website (which is not award-winning but could be - are there any SU awards we may be eligible for?) provides our members with up-to-date news and info about what's going on in New Theatre. The sidebar is updated every week with an advert for that week's show(s). There is also a weekly e-mail that goes out to our mailing list, and extra e-mails go out if they are needed. These e-mails include details of the plays, socials and also external events that might interest our membership. Each production allocates around £200 of their budget to publicity. They will print posters and flyers, and distribute these around the University's campuses. We book stalls in Portland for extra promotion. We also have a dedicated Publicity Officer on the Committee, who assists the production teams and also works on her own to publicise New Theatre. She produced a set of generic New Theatre posters, and has also been in touch with the press to get our shows reviewed.
We have a page on the website where people can vote unofficially on issues. The Committee will always implement the most popular option. We also have the contact details of all of the Committee on the website, and a contact form that sends an e-mail directly to the Secretary. There is also a Reviews Section where anyone can publish (anonymously or not) reviews of New Theatre shows. The members of this year's Committee are friendly and approachable.
I have advised all New Theatre Production Teams and the Committee to stop using the SU Printshop. This is because the Printshop is unable to produce an A3 poster without thick white borders. As far as I'm concerned, this is aesthetically very displeasing. Instaprint on Heathcote Street in Nottingham is cheaper and can print to the edge of a sheet. I feel that the Printshop should address these issues, as it seems silly to me that the New Theatre, a major producer of SU print, should not be using the SU Printshop.
Ali Blackwell
President
New Theatre
Fact of the Day: Click to show/hide
4th - 7th June
The pilgrimage tradition is turned on its head in this spectacular production as two jaded American women take a trip to India. Plagued by their pasts, Katherine Brynne and Margaret Civil travel the length and breath of the country looking to 'heal' their souls. In their adventures, they are accompanied by none other than the elephant-headed God, Ganesh! Fluid in his guises, he appears before them in different forms-from a Japanese tourist to a leper-until a breathtaking release arrives for both women at his hands.
Doors 7.15pm
For tickets please text/call 07871359841
The New Theatre: a Student Run Service (SRS). Bigger and better than a society.
The New Theatre loves Firefox. Please support the Free Software movement:
Lenton Boulevard is Nottingham's own URN Student Radio Comedy drama AND PODCAST SHOW - set in Derby Hall and on Lenton Boulevard! This year promises to be the best yet with plots that will intrigue you and one liners that will have you doubled over in stitches. All delivered by a cast picked from over 70 auditions, and comprised of lots of New Theatre Members.
To download the weekly podcast, click the image below:
