Theatre Royal Dreamland

I mentioned this a while back, but its worth reminding you particularly if you watched the apprentice, which presented our town in fairly stark detail since you may well feel Margate has nothing to offer which isn’t strictly true.

A theatre production company will be performing at that remaining Margate gem the Theatre Royal, three plays which connect to the Dreamland theme and Margate itself.

The best news is that tickets are free and at the end of the evening the audience will be asked to give their view as to which of the short plays is worthy of further development.

The performance is Sunday 24 May @ 7:30pm and tickets are FREE ! 0845 130 1786

Net Curtains Website

Net Curtains for Dreamland

No not a makeover for Margate’s icon, just a mention that the Theatre Royal will be hosting theatre company Net Curtains who’ve been developing three new plays around the theme of Dreamland and perhaps more specifically Margate town.

Having received an email from Claire Farringdon artistic director of Net Curtains, I did what I normally do with my emails, overlook it, for a week or so, until about half hour before I started blogging on the subject. Anyway I’ll tell you what I know which is er not a lot.

The Net Curtains Theatre company specialise in working with writers, to develop new work, anyway enough of that malarkey, it seems that they’ve taken some effort to cook up, three short plays on the theme of Margate, the shows entitled Dreamland and will be performed on the 24th of May.

Depending on how these are received, one of the plays will I understand be further developed into a full length production.

Whilst I think about it, I’ve rarely visited the Theatre Royal, and strangely I’ve been more often to the West End and further as I suspect is the case with most of us, but this looks like not a bad evenings entertainment.

Anyway it’ll be interesting to see what three, one hopes talented writers, can find to write about that connects with my home town, myself I’ve found the last few hundred thousand words, on this blog a bit of a struggle any how, Sue Liener gives us the ,”The Bed and Breakfast Burglar”, Tim Stimpson “First Impressions”, and James Woolf “Soul'd” are they any good, hopefully but you’ll only find out if you go see.

For more info click here for the Net Curtains site and here for the Theatre Royal.

Theatre Royal continues to baffle

Does the situation concerning Margates Theatre Royal confuse and baffle you. I have listened to several, explanations over Margates Theatre Royal status. I've read and listened to people telling me, that the Theatre Royal, continues as an independent entity separate from Thanet District Council. But then I read in the local paper, how Heather Sawney, Thanet councils very own arts development officer, has stepped into the breach caused by the departure of interim manager Robert Sanderson.

I realise I'm stupid, but just what the hell is Thanet council doing, providing staff to the Independent Theatre Royal.

Still maybe things are about to become clearer, because someone has appointed Will Wollen as the new artistic director of the Theatre Royal, included in the list of things in Mr Wollens C V are his appearances in plays by the author Kafka.

To many the explanations given by all and sundry at Thanet District Council, are as incredible, as they are incomprehensible but maybe this new guy before he gets his teeth into artistic matters, could himself be seconded to the council, and maybe able to explain the Kafkaesque machinations behind the councils interference in the Theatre Royal.

In all honesty, I'm not quite sure I understood that last paragraph myself, I ask that young children now look away, here's what I meant to say, could someone please explain all this bullshit we've had from Thanet District Council, how they're not actually running the Theatre Royal when clearly they are the de facto management.

Creationists and Evolutionists can't both be right, can they?

It's not often that I delve into the theological or even philosophical debate, but whilst this post is not really to do with religion, it might have some of those mystical qualities. Currently I believe we are experiencing an interesting period in our local political universe, where if we look deep enough, we maybe able to see how life itself comes about in some of our stranger political entities.

What I actually intend to discuss is how quangos, come about, now for those who don't know what a quango is, it's not a four-legged hopping marsupial, although that would be as useful, no a quango is actually a government financed organisation that acts autonomously . There are big quangos like the Foods standards Agency, and then there are little local ones, like 'East Kent partnership' and 'locate in Kent', and 'Turner contemporary' one thing these organisations have in common, is that the people who run them are appointed and not elected. Before I lose your interest entirely, you're paying for these organisations, but unlike your local council you have no control in the governance of them. So how do these organisations come about ?

An example creationism, right now we see Kent council creating Kent TV, having appointed a company to operate it, belatedly a governing board is being created by mysterious forces within Kent council to oversee it. As with most of these organisations it appears those running it, will be coming from the public sector.

Evolution appears to be an unlikely origin for such organisations, but if we look into the controversy surrounding, Margates Theatre Royal, despite the council suggesting this will remain independent, the council is appointing two new directors, paid for from public funds to the Margate Theatre Royal Trust, also controlling the funds to the trust and might well be involved, in further appointments to the trust. Surely Margate Theatre Royal Trust is evolving into a publically funded quango rather than a charitable trust. The local council maybe not in the driving seat, but it is providing the crew.

How quangos come about either being created or evolving is to some extent irrelevant as it is mysterious, the fact that they exist outside democratic control, and appear to be the playthings of government and local government is a scandal.

Margates Theatre Royal update
News that the Theatre Royal is recruiting a couple of directors for the theatre (artistic and executive), @ 30-35K per annum, will no doubt be greeted with much excitement here in Thanet.

How and why the Theatre Royal, got into its current situation is sadly history, the fact is the local council are now in the driving seat, and will run the establishment as they see fit.

This Theatre has struggled ever since 1988 when Mr Jolyon Jackley purchased the theatre and refurbished the building with Margate Theatre Royal Trust taking over in the early nineties. Given the lack of support from local government, Margate Theatre Royal Trust have done a remarkable job operating the theatre for so long.

Now I spoke with Heather Sawney, the council's Arts and Development Officer, since we rarely hear the other side. Now as you know, I'm just an occasional blogger, so I won't give you a verbatim report of our conversation, since my memory is crap, however although as I understand Heather has been in her post for only a few months, she does have strong connections with this area and is every bit as passionate about the future of the theatre as any of the past management. Since it's a done deal, as far as Thanet councils ownership of Theatre is concerned,maybe it's now time to give a little space. Apart from the Theatre Royal I understand that Heather, has also been responsible in part with breathing life into the Tudor House in Margate, with open days and last year's Christmas opening, the house being keep decorated in traditional Tudor's style, incidentally I understand there will be some event at the Tudor House in June.


Obviously the recent events concerning the Theatre Royal Margate, have been traumatic, not least for those, who worked so hard over the years, and had the Theatre Royal Margate been given funding on a similar scale to that of the Marlowe in Canterbury then Margate Theatre Royal Trust would probably still be in control.


Maybe the community model will work out, assuming that those of us who like professional entertainment, will also be catered for, so like the Turner centre, we just have to hope its successful.

THEATRE ROYAL DEAL COMPLETED

SHOWS OVER

The sale has now apparently gone through on the Theatre Royal yesterday, and many years of hard work are about to be wasted by that same dead hand of municipal inactivity that spent millions on the Marks & Spencer building last year and despite vague mumbles about some indeterminate purpose for the building a year on nothing; just like the Tories who came back to rule Thanet council with the big ideas, what they never told us was the big ideas, would be coming from consultants’ and we would be footing the bill.

So what do we know of the future, well first things first, we know by experience that the councils, top priority is to appoint a consultant because just like there counterparts at Kent council in Maidstone they seem clueless, second now that they are in the driving seat they need to apply the handbrake, switch the engine off, lock up and walk away to return in six months.

Now in plain language, this is for the hard of thinking, in the ruling Tory group, what would a business man normally do, with an enterprise they have just purchased do they A/ build on the goodwill of the business by keeping it running as they seek to capitalise on the investment or do they B/ close the business immediately and cease trading for 6 months thus not only eroding the customer base but also kissing goodbye to revenue, that will never be recovered.

This is yet another example of what is often thought as the Tory party the party of business and enterprise, showing how in practice the couldn’t sell water in a desert, during a heat wave, least not without a consultant.

We read how much the council are putting into this enterprise but just how much is going to the consultants and how much revenue is being lost to the Theatre by closing now rather than continue opening.

Theatre should be subsidised, I understand that the Marlowe in Canterbury gets somewhere in the region £600,000. This the second oldest theatre in the country and to date has had the best part of damn all. The council can always find money for security cameras to protect business premises and waste money on complete nonsense like Manston Virginia (£40,000 down the toilet).

Please whoever gets to run the council in May, spend money on people who live here, not on consultants. Its tragic that people are losing their jobs and Thanet is losing an asset which through hard work and dedication has steadily improved these last few years despite miserly support from the council.

Theatre Royal

Just noticed a web site where you can register your opinion re the councils takeover.

Click here http://www.savethetheatreroyal.co.uk/index.php

Thanet Council’s Big Plan for Theatre

Thanet Council have moved quickly after their acquisition of the Theatre Royal, now its been saved for the nation, the council have shown there commitment and determination to succeed.


If proof were needed, the council have announced their programme, first things first, a consultant has been appointed, second its been announced that it will close as soon as possible (April 10), so if you were looking forward to being entertained then think again.

In future strict controls will be in place, entertainment will be allowed to take place in September and the first two weeks in October.

After that nothing! Hurray for Mr Ezekiel well done!!!!!

When are those local elections, not a moment to soon.

THANET COUNCIL TAKE CENTRE STAGE

and whole Theatre Royal

For some reason the council are purchasing the Theatre Royal, in yet another secret deal. I’m just curious as to why, they have not felt it necessary to gauge public opinion before purchase or at least publicise the reasons.

Seems a bit of a surprise, last week they didn’t seem to have any money, now after setting the inflation busting increase in council tax it looks like they can’t give it away fast enough.

What will they do with the Winter Gardens; maybe they could convert that into the much-awaited Turner gallery for a couple of million quid or more likely sell it off to some developer as part of the Hotel and Conference centre that I seem to remember being mentioned by Paul Carter of KCC.

The Gazettes report informs us that the council intend to undertake a major refurbishment, so don’t expect it to re-open under new management soon. Before a lick of paint is applied, you can be certain nothing will happen until a few consultant reports have been commission and forgotten.

Boost for the performing arts in Margate

The stage, news source for the entertainment industry carries on its website , an announcement that the Theatre Royal Margate is to launch a company called the East Kent Professional Players, aims of which are to bring quality drama as well as offering worked to unemployed professional actors in the area.

The hope is in addition to producing drama with a wide appeal, they will also be able to run workshops for aspiring or out of work performers. (this may well be of interest to Eastcliff Richard, newspaper proprietor, media mogul, celebrity and if truth be told, it, has been, a long time since he's flashed his golf clubs in front of Parky, Tarby and Brucie * ). Well let's hope this is, further evidence of our increasing cultural health.

Click here for the real story the stage

* For legal reasons we can go no further!

Good news for Thanet

In today's Gazette, news of a new budget airline, deals apparently been done on the Turner centre, what can you say, nothing you were not asked.

On Monday there will be a chance to hear Paul Carter consult with, us at the Theatre Royal.
Nationally Blairs flown off to consult with the great chimp, I don't think Michael Jackson ever took orders from his.

Understand that Blair will be staying the weekend with Rupert Murdoch possibly to discuss media business such as Sky Television, I just wonder if anyone has noticed how similar Sky TV is to a monopoly particularly in Thanet where we have no cable service.
Presumed Israel will continue its attacks against Lebanon, still with no criticism of any consequence.

I have no problem with Israel defending itself, but when dealing with terrorists you cannot bomb indiscriminately and against innocent civilians and peacekeeping forces. For anyone who disagrees with me, to give you some perspective, look at our recent history in Northern Ireland at no time did any sane person suggest we bomb the homes of members of IRA or UDA or any of the other terrorists gangster mobs.

Theatre Royal may close this summer

How ironic is it, that the Theatre Royal in Margate is apparently in dire financial straits, when for all other art projects etc there appears to be pickings for all. Two or three weeks ago KCC announced a fresh attempt to build a Turner contemporary centre and indeed I believe that they are to choose new architects to run this project in the next few days. The budget for this new gallery is at a reasonable £12 million with I believe a further £3 million going towards an upgraded Winter Gardens.

I just wonder how much the Theatre Royal actually needs to remain open and functioning as it does now, I would imagine perhaps a couple of hundred thousand a year would probably allow this the theatre to thrive and may be put on more popular attractions. Given that KCC, lost nearly £8 million on the last Turner centre project this would be a drop in the Ocean obviously it would be a tough decision for the council to assist one of the popular art mediums, it is always easier naturally for organisations such as our county council to give money to the more obscure art's as represented by the Turner contemporary.

I think that KCC and the other organisations involved in the Turner centre probably burnt around a million a quarter pounds every year resulting in not a lot, just imagine the artists performers that we could have seemed at the Theatre Royal if the money had gone to them instead of architect's etc.

I feel that the needs of the Theatre Royal give some perspective to the money that is being spent on so-called regeneration projects. I would love to know for instance how much Thanet council have just spent on the Marks and Spencer building when they have yet to give any reason for its purchase.