Annual Review, 2019-20 & 2020-21 | Capital Theatres

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Annual Review 2OI9-2O/2O2O-21

Foreword from the Chair It’s a marker of just what an extraordinary 18 months it has been that, along with so many other aspects of our activity, the annual review simply didn’t happen last year, so this year we offer you a bumper edition incorporating 2019/20 and 2020/21. The former was a year of business as usual before grinding to a halt on 16 March, while the latter has been a year unlike any other.

In 2019/20 we welcomed 432,241 people through the doors of our three venues; celebrated 25 years of the Festival Theatre, said goodbye to Chief Executive Duncan Hendry after 8 years of sound financial and artistic leadership, setting our organisation on a robust financial path and transforming Capital Theatres into a strong and influential artistic entity, well regarded not only in Edinburgh, but throughout Scotland and beyond.

After significant lobbying we saw a new understanding of our organisation ripple through our funders which unlocked new emergency funds, at a level appropriate to protecting the scale of our charity and our impact. Although no one would have ever chosen this crisis, it has provided an opportunity for us to reframe perceptions of Capital Theatres well beyond a premiere receiving house, but also a cultural support network across so many communities, ravaged by this challenging period of the pandemic.

In the autumn the generosity of so many, both the well-known figures who donated prizes to our Crowdfunder, and the many, many members of our audiences who shared what they could, not only helped to financially sustain us but also created an outpouring of memories and affection for the theatres which truly touched and inspired us.

In April 2020 our new CEO Fiona Gibson picked up where Duncan had left off but in an almost unrecognisable landscape thanks to COVID. As our income stream disappeared overnight and our buildings went dark, we fought hard and fought together throughout the year to look after our staff, our loyal audiences, our regular artists and our communities and in turn their generosity and commitment gave us huge strength.

Through this whole period we have been under the remarkable new leadership of Fiona Gibson. The connections she’s managed to make with staff, audiences, supporters and stakeholders through her computer screen from her lockdown residence in Bolton is truly remarkable and a testimony to her charisma and grit. We’re delighted that she’s now been able to move to Edinburgh and can make more of those connections in person.

From the get go we pulled together as a team to work our way through the crisis. Supporting each other to be as creative and resilient as possible and stay connected to the many communities for whom we play a vital role in their lives. Despite our best efforts to save money and reduce costs, we watched in despair as the money we had built up for the King’s renovation become an important part of sustaining us through the early months of the crisis.

That she not only led us through this crisis, but now sets us on a new exciting creative course, is an incredible feat and we are all delighted to have her stewardship through recovery and into a bright new future.

As we prepare for the future, I look forward to working with my Board colleagues and the rest of the Capital Theatres team to progress the charity’s vision of inspiring a life-long love of theatre and to increase and broaden cultural engagement for all.

Trustees Karen Cairney, Lesley Drummond, Gordon Jack, Helen Mackie, Cllr Melanie Main, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, Tony Mills, Cllr Max Mitchell, Andrew Neilson, Alasdair Peacock, Karyn Watt, Cllr Donald Wilson.

Professor Dame Joan Stringer, Chair of the Trustees of Capital Theatres Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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Foreword from the CEO What a time to begin my role as Chief Executive at Capital Theatres! I took over from Duncan Hendry in April 2020, whose reign as Chief Executive is best exemplified in the many great things glimpsed in the 2019/20 portion of this Annual Review.

Prior to joining Capital Theatres, I shared an early vision of an organisation with a new artistic identity, audience-led and community driven. With three landmark buildings in the City of Edinburgh, we have an opportunity to establish our brand as Scotland’s largest theatre charity, and truly make a difference with the communities we serve. Poised for an exciting new chapter, we had the King’s redevelopment in our sights and the opportunity with it to develop a clear identity and purpose for each of our venues. My vision was to centre the Festival Theatre on artistic excellence and largescale spectacle, as well as offer a creative hub, a home for the freelance community to congregate, share and create; the King’s after its transformational redevelopment will continue to offer all genres of quality drama and contemporary dance as well as becoming an ‘open house’ community asset – somewhere where all are welcome to come and engage, to be that source of creative health and wellbeing for the city; and the Studio, a place for creative talent to evolve and flourish. Capital Theatres would take its true place in Scotland as a source of inspiration, joy, and growth.

In March 2020 the world changed and with it the fate of all performing arts venues, perhaps forever in some cases. Never has that oft overused term ‘we live in unprecedented times’ been more apt than now. With our own theatres closed to audiences since 16 March, and reopening slated for the following September, unthinkably it turned out to be over 15 months that we were closed with no trading income. There are very few businesses that have the resilience to weather that storm but Capital Theatres is one of a small minority in our sector that had already rebuilt its business model over many years prior, to allow us to survive this moment in history.

It is not without its consequences though – a trading deficit of £2m. We fought for survival on all fronts, relying on unrestricted

reserves; tireless lobbying of government, and fundraising with our Patrons and the public to achieve some level of emergency funding. We pursued a collaborative approach with producers in the constant postponement or cancellation of shows without insurance cover; and used short-term borrowing from our Theatres Development Fund (TDF) designated for the King’s redevelopment just to remain solvent.

Our press campaign explored this harsh dichotomy of the King’s or jobs. We had a ticking timebomb with our lead-up to the lease renewal in July 23, and a backlog of 9 months’ work to get the construction back on the road, all prefaced with the need to underpin £10m of a £25m cost plan by Q1 2021. Even with the decision to put off the King’s redevelopment for a year while we dealt with the effects of the pandemic, this was a pivotal time for our organisation, now very fragile with the majority of core staff having been on furlough since April 2020. Our resources were severely depleted, our lifeblood of national producers facing real challenges in remounting tours to put on our stages in 2021 and 2022.

Writing today I can say that far from lose momentum on the project, 15 months of closure has made us all the more determined to ensure the King’s Theatre, through the planned £25million redevelopment, can honour its illustrious past with a thriving future at the heart of Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural life. Not only a wonderful venue for joy and inspiration, the future King’s will also offer a thriving hub by day for the many communities situated in and around Tollcross.

The pandemic has left us with some very large mountains to climb, but out of adversity comes real innovation and opportunity for those who choose to seize the day. Capital Theatres has sustained as Scotland’s largest theatre charity for decades, and there’s a reason for that. We are a family, and families hold tight in times of adversity. We work hard to find lasting solutions and we will do again. It’s time to refresh our strategy, dig deep into our core values, and evolve in this changing world for audiences, creatives and the performing arts.

Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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Staff List for 2019/20 and 2020/21 We would like to say a special thank you to the staff over these last two years who have been incredible - adapting, learning, being creative and supporting each other to help us all get through this period, and to those who, while on furlough, took on voluntary jobs in the community. Notable departures over the last two years include Kate Smith, Director of Development, who has moved on after many years of work which contributed hugely to the organisation and the redevelopment of the King’s Theatre.

Sadly, our Capital Theatres family has not escaped the ravages of this awful virus. We will miss our friend and colleague Les Anderson, a leading light of the box office team, our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. This year we also said a sad goodbye to the great Scottish actor and comedian Andy Gray, our regular panto hero, who passed away in January 2021.

n.b. not all staff worked across both years and some left or changed post over this period hence some positions and people are listed more than once.

Chief Executive’s Office

Fiona Gibson Chief Executive (From April 2020) Duncan Hendry Chief Executive (Until December 2019) Susan Leask Administrator Fiona Syme PA to Chief Executive

Marketing and Communications

Anabel Barrero Digital Marketing Manager Catherine Bromley Head of Communications Jane Greig Senior Design Lead Sam Goldblatt Marketing Account Manager Becky Love Marketing and Communications Assistant Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Izzy Gray Senior Box Office Operator Camilla Hayes Box Office Operator Caitlin Higgins Box Office Operator Alexander Howard Box Office Operator Diane Legget Box Office Operator John Lynskey Box Office Operator Sales and Revenue Richard Miller Box Office Supervisor Les Anderson Box Office Operator Lindsay Anderson Ticketing and Revenue Manager Luke Morley Box Office Operator Julia Ossenbruegge Box Office Operator Jimmy Beacham Head of Ticketing and Revenue Ailis Christine Paterson Box Office Operator Kerry Black Box Office Operator Scott Ringan Box Office Operator David Brown Box Office Operator Pab Roberts Senior Box Office Operator Steven Davies Box Office Operator William Thompson Box Office Operator Gavin Dunbar Box Office Supervisor Christopher Townsend Box Office Operator Jennifer Gould Box Office Operator Megan McCutcheon Marketing Account Manager Joanna Miller Head of Marketing Gary Smith Director of Programming, Marketing and Communications

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Finance and HR

Hilda Craik Cashier Sarah Henderson Finance and HR Manager Jane Keddie Finance Assistant Iain Ross Director of Finance and HR

Creative Engagement

Mirella Arcidiacono Heritage Engagement Coordinator Laura Baxter Head of Creative Engagement Dawn Irvine Creative Engagement Manager (Dementia Friendly Programming) Catrin Sheridan Creative Engagement Manager Gail Vencker Volunteer Coordinator

Operations

Brian Loudon Director of Operations

Festival Theatre Café

Sarah Whyte Box Office Operator Miriam Wilson Box Office Supervisor Zara Louise Zangeneh Box Office Operator

Development

Lucille Bluefield Senior Development Executive (Major Gifts) Catriona Boyce Development Executive / Senior Development Executive (Grants) (maternity cover) Rebecca Churcher-Soden Senior Development Executive (Grants) Jordan Seath Development Assistant Kate Smith Director of Development Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Bethany Bugden Café Andie Caldwell Café Lisa Crawford Café Melani Corral Café Supervisor Lolly Deazley Café Irma Fraiman Café Rebecca Gallacher Café Catherine Gauld Café Emma Granberg Café Calum Grewar Café Matthew Halsall Café Manager Sophia Hembeck Café Michail Kasimatis Café Linsey Morgan Assistant Café Manager Aude Naudi-Bonnemaison Café Raquel Sanz Vicente Café Jordan Seath Café Supervisor Euan Stamper Café Claudine Stiles Café Joanna Stokes Assistant Café Manager Jessica Wainwright Café

Front of House and Customer Services Philip Aiolfi Usher Heidi Alexander Usher Kirsty Anderson Usher Josefin Bagge Aldman Usher Andrew Bain Usher Ethan Baird Usher Trevor Bates Usher Ruairidh Bennett Usher Raydun Bolk Usher Duncan Bowers Usher Molly Mae Brissett-Haigh Usher Beatrice Brownlee Usher Christopher Campbell Usher Adam Campbell Usher Jordan Cant Usher Olivia Cash Usher Jennifer Cassidy Usher Joe Cassidy Usher Alison Chrystie Usher Hannah Churchil Usher Matthew Cowan Usher Rachel Fairley Cram Usher Rosie Cram Usher Leo Crutchley Usher Alexander Davidson Usher James Dawoud Usher Conall Dewar Usher Jennifer Dewar Usher Niall Dewar Deputy Head of Front of House and Customer Services Mariama Diallo Usher Kirsty Dickson Usher Kyle Doig Usher Stephanie Donneadieu Usher Susan Downie Usher Colin Dunlop Front of House Manager Kathryn Dunlop Usher Andrew Dyer Usher Darius Eastwood Usher Marilyn Elliot Usher Lisa Elliott Usher

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Fraser Ewen Usher Adam Ferguson Front of House Manager Sophie Fields Usher Hannah Fieldsend Usher Kirsty Finlay Front of House Supervisor Rona Forbes Usher Alan Foy Usher Silvie Furneaux Usher Sally Gerrard Usher Catherine Gibb Usher Craig Giblin Usher Ellana Gilbert Usher Eilidh Gilmour Usher Imogen Graham Front of House Manager Beverley Grant Usher Amy Grant Usher Eleanor Grose Usher Ben Hadfield Usher Angus Harrower Usher Molly Hemmings Usher Flora Henry Usher Callum Hoffie Usher Linda Hogg Head of Front of House and Customer Services Laura Hounsell Usher Helen Hunter Usher Edward Hutchings Usher Ailsa James Usher Ben Kelly Usher Marianne Kelly Usher Sylva Kirkpatrick Usher Nadeem Kydd Usher Kirsty Law Usher Karmen Law Usher Alexandra Lawrie Usher Andrew Lindsay Usher Matthew Logan Usher Euan Lownie Usher Chelsea Lucas Usher Lucy Marina Kemp Macdonald Usher Kim Macdougall Usher Eilidh Mackenzie Usher Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Harrison Macneill Usher Shaun Marshall Usher Ben Marshall Usher Alex Mason Usher Rebecca Matthews Usher Carla Rose Mccullough Usher Kim McKenna Front of House Manager Clare Mcmanus Usher Brodie Miller Usher Ruth Murphy Usher Robert Murrell Usher Aude Naudi-Bonnemaison Usher Dechlan Nicholson Usher Elliot Oldcorn Usher Lucy Parker Usher Sara Pereira Usher Samira Perez Naveiro Usher Matthew Price Usher Stephen Quinn Usher Corin Rhys Jones Usher Harmony Rose-Bremner Usher Josefina Sanchez Davila Usher Fiona Scott Usher Lauren Scott Usher Mathilde Scott Usher Jordan Seath Front of House Supervisor Graham Simpson Usher Fraser Sivewright Usher Craig Smillie Usher Gerald Smith Usher Emma Smith Usher Matthew Gabriel Smith Usher Ignacio Soler Preciado Usher Manvir Soora Usher Fiona Souter Usher Lori Stott Usher Katherine Taylor-Brown Usher Laurie Turner Usher Jonathan Urquhart Usher Axel Utriainen Usher Rebecca Waites Usher Naomi Wallis-Ryder Usher

Rosalyn Watson Usher Ellis Watson Usher Jenna Wayth Usher Charlie West Usher Eilidh West Usher Evie Williams Usher Mirren Wilson Usher Alexander Zawalnyski Usher

Facilities

Gavina Baillie Cleaner Nick Brown Facilities Manager Claire Campbell Cleaner Kirsty Carswell Stage Door Receptionist Mia Alice Clarke Cleaner Georgiana Daniel Cleaner Clare Dingwall Stage Door Receptionist Tom Dutton Maintenance Officer Sharon Fergie Cleaner Hayley Fisher Stage Door Receptionist Lynne Helen Gray Cleaner Emily Hall Stage Door Receptionist

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Rory Hanlon Cleaner Caroline Henderson Cleaner Stephen Hood Stage Door Supervisor Ross Howie Stage Door Receptionist Rachael Hunter Stage Door Receptionist Gillian Kelly Cleaner Konrad Kopec Cleaner Lukasz Kulwicki Cleaner Ali McInnes Maintenance Officer Elaine Noble Cleaner Gary Norquay Cleaner Olga Podbielska-Nykiel Cleaner Elizabeth Rolland Cleaner Caroline Thewlis Head Cleaner Keith Wright Cleaner

Technical

Eleanor Agnew Stage Technician James Alexander Technician Katrina Alexander Stage Technician Elinor Mhairhi Burton Stage Technician Harry Campbell Stage Technician Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Sharon Campbell Stage Technician Emma Cannell Technician Jim Clark Technical Manager Michael Clark Stage Technician Chris Combe Stage Technician Jim Cursiter Technician Scott Davidson Stage Technician Hannah Dewitt Stage Technician Chris Drew Stage Technician Anthony Duff Stage Technician Ruari Dunn Technician Rosie Fisher Stage Technician Niall Flockhart Stage Technician David Grierson Stage Technician Stuart Haldane Head of Stage Darrell Harding Stage Technician Daniel Hibbert Stage Technician James Hulligan Stage Technician Gareth Hunt Stage Technician Paul Hunter Stage Technician Katie James Stage Technician Jonathan Kennedy Stage Technician Tony King Senior Technician Chris Lindsay Stage Technician Garry Mackenzie Stage Technician Ross Mactaggart Stage Technician Niall Mactaggart Stage Technician Aaron Mccall Stage Technician Kieran Mccruden Stage Technician Jamie Mcdowell Stage Technician Richard Mcgee Stage Technician Stewart McGil Senior Technician Andy McInnes Technician Moira McInnes Senior Technician Dean Mcleman Stage Technician Sandy Mcleod Stage Technician Heather McLuskey Technician Eleanor Morgan Stage Technician Peter Murray Stage Technician Cormac O Callanain Stage Technician Steven Page Technician Mark Pringle Technician

Graham Raith Head of Electrics Alan Ramsay Stage Technician Emma Reid Stage Technician Benjamin Ryan Stage Technician Kevin Shelfer Stage Technician Thomas Smith Stage Technician Alexander Taylor Stage Technician Alexei Veprentev Stage Technician Rosie Ward Stage Technician Sulie Wood Technician Paul Worthington Stage Technician

Wardrobe

Amy Louise Allan Wardrobe Assistant Grace Allan Wardrobe Assistant Antonija Anic-Antic Wardrobe Assistant Velia Ansorg Wardrobe Assistant Sheena Buchanan Wardrobe Assistant Tilda Campbell Wardrobe Assistant Emma Clifton Wardrobe Assistant Iona Currie Wardrobe Assistant Diane Easson Wardrobe Assistant Linnea From Wardrobe Assistant Avril Gardiner Wardrobe Assistant Georgina Heriot Wardrobe Assistant Patrycja Jastrzebska Wardrobe Assistant Margaret Kennedy Wardrobe Assistant Patricia Kenny Wardrobe Assistant Ruth Marin Wardrobe Assistant Lyndsay Mcintosh Wardrobe Assistant Esther Monteagudo Jiminez Wardrobe Assistant Amanda Montgomery Wardrobe Assistant Karen Montgomery Wardrobe Assistant Natasha Murray Wardrobe Assistant Claire Nicoll Wardrobe Assistant Harriet Ogden Wardrobe Assistant Amber Restorick Wardrobe Assistant Maggie Scobbie Wardrobe Assistant Stephanie Thomson Wardrobe Assistant Orlaith Thornton Wardrobe Assistant

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Supporters We would like to recognise those supporters who have stood by us through this toughest of years, and those who have come on board in that time to play their part in our story of survival and resilience.

Principal Funders

Key

Corporate Partners

u 2019/20 supporters u 2020/21 supporters u Both 2019/20 and 2020/21 supporters

u City of Edinburgh Council u Creative Scotland u Scottish Government

u u u u u u u u u u

Brewgooder Castle Terrace City Cabs Edinburgh First Edinburgh Gin Holiday Inn Express Royal Mile Inverarity Morton The Kitchin Group S Luca Dairy Ice Cream Southside Scran

Supporters u Artemis Charitable Foundation u Cruden Foundation Limited u The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust u Historic Environment Scotland u Leith Benevolent Association u Life Changes Trust u The National Lottery Community Fund u The Theatres Trust u Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids u The Rayne Foundation u The Robertson Trust u The Viewforth Trust u Walter Scott Foundation u The William Syson Foundation Corporate Members u Gillespie Macandrew

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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Principal Patrons u u u u

Sir Tom and Lady Farmer Mr Roger Miller Sarah Whitley and Graham Whyte Hedley G Wright

Supporting Patrons

King’s Dome painted by John Byrne. Photo by Silke Tuexen Photography.

u u u u u u u u u u

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

u u u u u u u u u u u u

Geoff and Mary Ball Sir Ewan and Lady Brown Richard and Catherine Burns Reverend and Mrs David Dalglish Lady Elliot Bill and Janice Gammell Kate and Gavin Gemmell Hamish and Alison Glen Malcolm and Avril Gourlay Bryan A. Hislop and Graeme Roberts Sir Raymond and Lady Johnstone Donald and Louise MacDonald Chris and Gill Masters Mr and Mrs Bruce Minto Walter and Norma Nimmo Bryan Rankin Alastair and Elizabeth Salvesen Jim and Isobel Stretton Barry and Helen Sealey Richard and Heather Sneller Dame Joan Stringer and Roel Mali David and Terri Warnock

Patrons u Geoffrey and Tish Alderson u The Cameron Family u James and Patricia Cook u Mr M and Mrs A Goodwin u Colette Grant u Jane and John Griffiths u George Gwilt u Shields and Carol Henderson u Phyll and Wren Hoskyns-Abrahall u Alan M Johnston u Lesley Knox u Roxane Laird Craig u Mr Ralph Lutton u Christine and Stewart Mackay u Vivienne A McCulloch u Lynda McGrath u Sir Ronald and Lady Miller u Martin Reynolds u Christine Richard OBE and Fiona Richard u Bruce and Eileen Ritson u Lord Ross u Derek and Ann Shepherd u Mrs Eileen Waddell u Margaretha Walker u Ged and Nikki Welch

Capital Theatres is helping to inspire a lifelong love of theatre thanks to the extraordinary commitment of our supporters. If you would like to get involved, please email support@capitaltheatres.com

And all those who prefer to remain anonymous

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Our Contribution in 2019-20 Artistic Contribution In 2019/20 we staged 657 performances of 144 shows across our three venues, carefully balancing artistic excellence and commercial viability.

We hosted many Scottish exclusives, meaning our venues were the only places in Scotland where audiences could see the likes of Mark Morris’s Dance Group, Rambert 2, Northern Ballet, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Theatr na nÓg and Frantic Assembly.

The Festival Theatre maintained its international reputation as one of the leading dance houses in the world, showcasing works of Ballet Black, Mark Morris, Northern Ballet and Rambert among others. In November Carlos Acosta brought his critically acclaimed Acosta Danza, to Edinburgh for their last performance before Carlos joined Birmingham Royal Ballet as Artistic Director. We also had the privilege of welcoming Richard Alston back for his final visit to Edinburgh before the company closed in 2020.

olds with and I am so delighted they saw this show. They talked about the role of women in society for the rest of the night - and recreated the dances and sang. Ticked EVERY box. What a show” Audience member of Six

Clockwise from left: Carlos Acosta’s Acosta Danza; Six; Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; Zog; Ballet Black; A Taste of Honey

Image featuring the West End cast

At the King’s Theatre, the National Theatre presented Shelagh Delaney’s career defining play, A Taste of Honey; at the Festival Theatre we had Bill Kenwright’s multi-award winning production of Cabaret and then Kenny Wax’s smash hit musical Six, which knocked audiences for six! There was

“ I brought 11-year IT’S REIGNING QUEENSthree - HALLELUJAH!

plenty on offer for our younger audiences.

All 33,418 came in their droves to see a variety of shows including The Worst Witch, Zog, special performances of Scottish Ballet’s Wee Hansel & Gretel and, of course, the annual Pantomime.

DIVORCED • BEHEADED • LIVE! LONDON ★ NEW YORK ★ CHICAGO ★ SYDNEY ★ EDINBURGH

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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Social Contribution Creative Engagement We actively address health and social inequalities that exist for communities that surround our theatres. The opportunities provided through our learning and participation programme give those inherently less likely to engage with, and access, quality arts experiences the same opportunities as anyone else.

Over 2019/20 we have worked with older communities; people living with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases; those in care home environments; children at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children; ethnically diverse communities around the Festival Theatre; children and young people with multiple and complex needs; communities in areas of multiple deprivation; D/deaf and blind communities and individuals; and care experienced children and young people; all at a disadvantage in accessing quality arts experiences.

“I feel more myself from spending the last few days with so many incredible people than I have felt in a long time. The lessons this project taught me about myself will stay with me forever.”

We continue to collaborate with partners such as LGBT Youth Scotland, Action for Refugees, special educational needs schools, Nari Kallyean Shango, WHALE Arts, Alzheimer Scotland and Lifecare.

By encouraging expression of ideas in a nurturing and creative environment, alongside professional artists and experienced practitioners, we have found that it builds confidence and self-esteem amongst participants. Activities involving dance and movement, singing, spoken word and performance actively improve the health and wellbeing of participants. For example, 66% of participants of ‘Tea & Jam’ (a monthly music making and social meet up event) reported that they felt more alert. 88% of participants of The Satellites creative project (involving 30 older people in making new artistic performance work during 16 workshops) agreed that it had a positive effect on their mental health and wellbeing.

Creative Engagement in 2019/20 13,240 participants 308

learning and engagement events

17 events and workshops with visiting companies; 161 activities and workshops with children and young people; 113 dementia friendly events, workshops

LGBTQ participant

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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‘I am disabled and think the staff are exceptionally helpful & considerate without being patronising and should be proud of their service. Being able to park at the stage door is invaluable to me and very much appreciated.’

Economic Contribution As Scotland’s largest theatre charity our work makes a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s and Scotland’s economy.

419,000 Tickets sold

Audience member

£8,310,000 Supplier spend across the UK and Scotland

230 staff employed

£8,662,560 Box Office income

Clockwise from left: Dementia friendly Tea Party; Relaxed performance of the King’s Panto; Sofa to Seat pilot at dementia friendly Tosca

£

Accessible performances 33 Touch Tours organised for shows (nearly a quarter of all productions)

£3,221,054 On wages

33,418 Children’s tickets sold 25,416 Elderly Senior tickets Sold 297

Unwaged tickets sold

1391

Young Scot tickets sold

£27.90 Average ticket cost

12,504 Disabled discounted tickets purchased More on our extensive community work, particularly for those living with dementia can be found on our website at capitaltheatres.com/raise-the-curtain Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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2019/20 and 2020/21 in Numbers These two years couldn’t be more different in terms of activity. For the first our theatres were functioning as normal, for the second we had to find new ways to connect with people when they couldn’t walk through our doors.

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

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Our Contribution in 2020-21 Social Contribution - Making a Difference in our Communities During this crisis we have been proud to deliver a wide range of activities and insights to a huge range of people through our adapted on-line creative engagement programme Raise the Curtain, generously supported by Creative Scotland, The Rayne Foundation and the Cruden Foundation.

This included creativity sessions for children, back stage tours, films of staff talking about their roles, radio plays and our Tea & Jam and Contactless Afternoon Tea Parties, all to help maintain some structure, creativity and social contact with our most vulnerable audiences.

Capital Theatres closed the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio on Monday 16 March. As well as many performances being cancelled, several dementia friendly events and activities were too. In order to provide continuity for participants Dawn Irvine, Creative Development Manager (Dementia Friendly Projects), adapted our programme to deliver a remote series of events informed by the participants and created by staff and artists currently working from home.

Pic caption

“So very, very successful and looking along the screen at everyone they enjoyed it as well, mostly people dancing. Brilliant job, thank you” Participant

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

These events included Contactless Afternoon Tea deliveries to approximately 70 people in the Lothians, expanded in partnership with Dementia Friendly East Lothian. The entertainment was pre-recorded and available online or posted out in DVD format and baked goods were delivered by local bakers. Many shared their wonderful photos of people enjoying the tea parties at home, laying the cakes out beautifully and dancing around their living rooms.

What started as A Brew and A Blether a relaxed drop-in chat on Zoom for people with lived experience of dementia, providing a sense of community - evolved into a variety of events shaped by the participants and their needs. The group went on virtual tours and behind the scenes at organisations they were unable to visit.

Tea & Jam moved onto Zoom. The monthly sessions encourage everyone to grab an instrument, or sing,

and jam along with musician Gus Harrower.

For Joy to the Moment Capital Theatres put out a call online for short films of people being creative outside. These were edited together and sent to people shielding indoors or those in care settings who were isolating in their rooms in an effort to bring a little of the outdoors...indoors. King’s Ambassadors Grant Stott, Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith provided films, as well as others from children at The Edinburgh Steiner School, local artists, dancers and comedians and other members of the public.

Sundown Stories was a series of short stories adapted for film for anyone who might enjoy a calming and relaxing story. The stories, written by and for persons living with dementia, were delivered in a calming environment, at a gentle pace and with a soothing tone to aid those experiencing anxiety or distress associated with the phenomenon of Sundowning.

The project was delivered in collaboration with residents, carers and staff from Crossreach - The Elms Nursing Home, Sharing a Story CIC and Dunbar Dementia Carers Group. Our Dementia Friendly Communities project is made possible thanks to generous funding from The Life Changes Trust and the Robertson Trust, and additional funding for Sundown Stories from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Capital Theatres adapted its annual Care Settings Theatre Tour commission to create full length audio drama, When the Sun Meets the Sky, for people living with dementia, their loved ones and carers, with accompanying sensory resource packs and a guide as to how to make your own.

This was realised through a collaboration between Capital Theatres and the Traverse Theatre to which Capital Theatres brought its 5 years’ experience of working creatively with persons living with dementia, and the Traverse Theatre brought expertise in theatre production, new script writing, audio drama and podcasting to the partnership. This was made possible thanks to funding from Creative Scotland and The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.

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Good Cheer Contribution - We bring the sparkle Every Christmas for the last six years, Capital Theatres has brought a dash of festive sparkle to the wards of Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) with Panto Presents, thanks to generous funding from Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids. A project carefully designed to provide resources, activities and a specially created relaxed performances for children and families who many not be able to visit the theatre over panto season.

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Despite everything that saw the theatres closed and the incredibly popular King’s Panto cancelled in 2020, nothing stopped Panto Presents from continuing to bring that magic to children and families in the hospital over the festive period.

Of course, last Christmas things needed to be done differently to ensure that it was as safe as possible.

The teams at Capital Theatres and Edinburgh’s Children’s Hospital Charity (EVHC) worked round the clock to prepare enough panto packs jam-packed with panto related craft materials so that each child

could have a delivery of Christmas sparkle.

The box was created from scratch and designed to transform into the King’s Theatre with some easy-to-follow instructions. Alongside COVID-safe bedside performances on the wards, the team at Capital Theatres also captured this year’s original relaxed performance as a short film, Panto Presents ….Where Has Panto Gone? starring Imogen Reiter and Hannah Bradley as Cinderella and Belle, which was watched by families in the hospital over the Christmas period. page 15

A continuation of a brilliant established relationship between Capital Theatres and ECHC, Curtains Up was a brand-new project which brought a bit of old school overhead projector fun to bedsides, creating unique and playful scenes on the inside of hospital curtains.

The children created original drawings which were projected and traced onto their hospital bed curtains, proudly displaying their art to their families

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

and the rest of the ward. Curtains Up gave children autonomy over their environment while staying in hospital, creating a child-centric environment and fostering creativity between families and staff.

“Decorating their hospital space is a fantastic and fun way for children to get creative and make their bedside environment feel a little less scary and more like their own home.

Fiona O’Sullivan, Deputy Director of Children’s Wellbeing, said: “The visits from Capital Theatres always prove hugely popular with children and young people in the hospital so we are very excited to welcome them back for the Curtains Up project.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to Capital Theatres for getting involved with our vital arts programme as it’s projects like this one that enable ECHC to continue to transform the lives of children and young people in hospital.”

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the state of jeopardy the theatre experienced as a result of closure throughout the pandemic. Sophie hung the 20 individual, digitally printed curtains inside the glass panes of the Festival Theatre façade over December and January. The 525 messages submitted as part of the Crowdfunder campaign were also displayed on the digital screens so people walking past could read them.

Sophie said: “I was really inspired by the messages the public shared during the Crowdfunder and wanted to find a way to incorporate that in my response to the commission.

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

Our Artistic Contribution - Hanging by a million threads

in her textile-based installation Hanging by a million threads.

Capital Theatres, as part of its Creative Engagement programme, held a competition for freelance artists to secure a commission to create a work of art for the Festival Theatre.

Artists were given a brief and two weeks to respond, 60 entered and Sophie Fields won.

Edinburgh-based emerging artist Sophie Fields created a statement of thanks to all who supported Capital Theatres over 2020,

The title Hanging by a million threads is quite literal, as the fabric is made up of millions and millions of individual threads woven together to give it a strong tensile form. But also links to

The work was made up of hundreds of comments from supporters of Capital Theatres’ Crowdfunder campaign. Commissioned by Capital Theatres, the installation was made possible thanks to the generous support of Creative Scotland.

“The idea of having draped textile pieces filling the front of the Festival Theatre came from the new series of activity created by Capital Theatres called Raise the Curtain which continues aspects of their community engagement work whilst the theatres are closed, together with the idea of real stage curtains opening up again in the spring. Having the curtains pulled back slightly is a symbol of hope that the theatre still exists and events will hopefully be running as normal inside soon.”

Since being de-installed some of the fabric from the artwork has been turned into masks for both community friends and staff to use, exemplifying adaptability and resilience which have been key themes in the pandemic. page 17

Our Artistic Contribution - Part of Scotland’s cultural fabric

The panel Top row from left: David Greig, Aisha Khan, Fiona Gibson Centre from left: Barbara Dickson, Kenny Wax, Katie Brayben Bottom row from left: Howard Goodall, Elizabeth Newman, Ricky Ross, Robert Softley Gayle, Matthew Xia

Capital Theatres exists to inspire a life-long love of theatre, and for many years it has presented the best plays, musicals, operas, and dance the UK and the world has to offer on the stages of the Festival and King’s Theatres.

Under the new strategy of its Chief Executive, Fiona Gibson, Capital Theatres is working to develop its third theatre space, The Studio starting with the creation of exciting new Scottish musicals.

In a producing partnership with Pitlochry Festival Theatre it launched a brand-new Musical Commissioning Hub as the first step towards achieving this in the autumn of 2020, thanks to funding from Creative Scotland and The Viewforth Trust.

Through this new strategy, Capital Theatres and Pitlochry Festival Theatre are looking to collaborate with musicians, writers and artists to develop Scottish talent and cultural output, so that their stages become a home for great Scottish musicals year on year, which could ultimately be shared on tour with venues across the country.

A fantastic panel came together to select the successful applicants from the first call out for submissions, including Barbara Dickson,

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

page 18

Kenny Wax, Aisha Khan, Ricky Ross, David Greig, Elizabeth Newman, Fiona Gibson, Katie Brayben, Matthew Xia, Robert Softley Gayle and Howard Goodall. Together they brought a diverse background and range of expertise in music, musical theatre, creative writing, and performance to assess and guide the submissions and the process.

Three compelling new Scottish musicals have now been selected to be the finalists of Capital Theatres and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s first Musical Commissioning Hub call out. Niloo-Far Khan impressed the panel with The Light Travels (Working Title) a time-travelling tale from present-day Edinburgh to a suffragette rally on Princes Street and back again. Shonagh Murray wowed the panel with Nessie the story of a brave young girl and a notorious mythical underwater creature. Tommy Antonio excited the panel with Rebel which tells the unforgettable story of Anne Mackintosh, the forgotten hero behind the Jacobite rising of 1745.

All three finalists have been awarded seed commissions and are now being supported in the development phase of their projects with scratch performances for an invited audience which took place in the Capital Theatres Studio in September 2021.

Niloo-Far Khan said:

“I am absolutely ecstatic about receiving the commission to develop a new musical about women of colour defining their activism and identity. I’m so excited to get my team together to make it all finally happen.”

Shonagh Murray said

“Nessie has existed until now only in my head, some voice memos and a notebook, so I’m so excited that it’ll be taking its first steps as part of Capital Theatres and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s new commission. I’ve been in a constant state of buzzing disbelief since Nessie was selected but it’s been an absolute joy working with Capital Theatres and Pitlochry, chatting through the project and planning for the development and I’m so grateful for their support and shared enthusiasm in bringing Nessie to life.”

Rebel by Tommy Antonio

“After a year like we’ve had it feels incredible to be able to get a piece of musical theatre on its feet, especially a story that I think’s important to tell in Scotland right now. I’ve been bowled over by how supportive Capital and PFT have been throughout, they’re putting art and artists first which feels precious and rare. Pressure’s on to write some bangers now.”

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

page 19

King’s Development Update Opened in 1906, the King’s Theatre welcomes over 200,000 visitors every (normal) year. It is one of a handful of Grade A listed theatres in the UK yet to have a major redevelopment and is the only surviving operational theatre by the architects Swanston and Davidson. Over a century old, the King’s needs a major redevelopment to meet the needs of today’s audiences and performers, and to safeguard it for generations to come.

Redevelopment works were scheduled to begin in September 2021, with the theatre closed for 20 months, reopening summer 2023. However, due to the impact of coronavirus, we have taken the difficult decision to pause the redevelopment of the King’s Theatre. We will now start the project 12 months later, in September 2022.

The project advanced significantly in the last year.

The design team, led by award-winning architects, Bennetts Associates, have advanced to RIBA Stage 3, Developed Design. We have undertaken broad ranging consultation to develop all aspects of the project, and in late 2020 made an application to the City of Edinburgh Council for planning permission and listed building consent.

We were delighted to receive a Stage 1 pass from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in September 2019 and more recently to have secured £1.7m in stage two of the application. This funding alongside funding secured from the City of Edinburgh Council, grant making trusts, philanthropists and companies, and our most recent announcement of grant funding from Scottish Government, means we are making good progress on reaching our £25m target.

The transformational development will:

uM odernise the stage house to reinvigorate

the artists programme by attracting a wider range of the best available local, national, and international productions

u T ransform access throughout the theatre including the installation of two new lifts

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

page 20

u Overhaul

the existing bars and foyers whilst

retaining their heritage and charm, providing flexible and enjoyable entertainment spaces for pre- and post-performance

uC reate a welcoming community asset by day, open to all

u Include

a brand-new studio to provide a much-needed space for community engagement and learning projects

u Unveil

a new street level café and bar, accessible directly from Leven Street

The King’s project is critical to the long-term sustainability of Capital Theatres. Without this much-needed redevelopment, the King’s would not be viable as a functioning theatre and in all likelihood could have closed when the current lease runs out in 2023, seriously undermining the resilience of our organisation going forward.

The Objectives of the Redevelopment are:

u T o re-energise the artistic programme

by attracting a greater breadth and the best available local, national and international productions.

u T o create a transformed, highly enjoyable, theatregoing and visitor experience.

u T o transform access to achieve equality of experience for all.

u T o modernise, preserve and showcase the heritage.

u T o create an enabling environment to foster lifelong cultural engagement.

To find out how you can safeguard the King’s Future visit: capitaltheatres.com/kings-future

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

page 21

Income and Expenditure 2019-20 Net surplus

Income and Expenditure 2020-21

2% 6% 11%

£16,182

Net deficit

0.2%

6.7%

6.8%

(£260,283)

86.4%

81%

Income

£12,296,510

Grants and Donations

741,404

Friends, Patrons and sponsorship

276,029

Investment income

6,360

Income

£3,685,243

Grants and Donations

245,081

Investment income

Trading company

1,354,904

Trading company

Operation of theatre

9,917,813

Operation of theatre

1%

3,183,442

Friends, Patrons and sponsorship

2.1%

1%

404 6,035 250,281 4.5% 0.2%

4% 28.4% 30%

64%

Expenditure

£12,279,698

Fundraising costs

185,251

Trading company (excl. payroll)

498,662

Payroll (incl. NIC, pension)

3,693,657

Operation of theatre

7,818,280

Depreciation/amortisation Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

64.7%

83,848

Expenditure Fundraising costs Trading company (excl. payroll)

£3,945,526 177,338 9,085

Payroll (incl. NIC, pension)

2,553,768

Operation of theatre

1,121,176

Depreciation/amortisation

84,159

page 22

With Your Help We Can

“A building, team and company I love. They have welcomed, me develop as an amateur stage manager.❤” Martin

“The Festival Theatre holds a special place in my heart; I’ve been coming here since it opened in 1994 and it is one of the things I have most missed over this pandemic.”

Mairi

Capital Theatres would like to thank all those whose generous contribution to our charity has helped us deliver our mission of inspiring a lifelong love of theatre; 4875 people donated to Capital Theatres and 5525 signed up to our annual Friends programme during 2019-20. In 2020-21, 2618 bought a Friends membership and 2080 people donated, with a further 1732 people giving to our Crowdfunder campaign which raised an incredible £86,900.

Collectively these individuals, alongside grant making trusts, our Corporate Partners and Patrons enabled us to us:

u Remain at the forefront of the theatre sector

in Scotland, bringing high-quality productions to our stages.

u Take artistic risks by programming performances that we believe deserve a platform, and an audience.

u Maintain and preserve our beautiful and

historic theatres so they can continue to be enjoyed by all who visit.

Annual Review 20I9-20/2020-21

u Improve physical access to our venues

to give everyone the opportunity to experience live theatre.

u Programme relaxed performances for

disabled, D/deaf and neuro diverse audiences, as well as Captioned, British Sign Language interpreted and Audio Described performances, and Touch Tours of sets before audio described performances.

u Collaborate with diverse groups, including

children and young people, refugees, ethnically diverse and LGBTQ, to provide opportunities to engage with the performing arts.

u Provide training for staff to be Dementia Friends, to ensure that those living with dementia feel welcome, comfortable and supported whenever they visit our theatres.

We could not do all this without this support and we are extremely grateful. Donations of any size are always hugely appreciated and add up to help us achieve extraordinary things. For more information please contact: support@capitaltheatres.com page 23

Capital Theatres 13-29 Nicolson Street Edinburgh EH8 9FT Registered Scottish Charity SC018605

Faun

Choreography: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui Rehearsal Directors: Daisy Phillips and Daniel Proietto Music: Claude Debussy with additional music by Nitin Sawhney Costumes: Hussein Chalayan Lighting: Adam Carrée Length: 15mins Flemish-Moroccan Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is one of the most sought after contemporary choreographers in the world. He is renowned for creating imaginative productions which shine a new light on the cultures and movement genres he explores. Faun was originally commissioned by Sadler’s Wells for its production In the Spirit of Diaghilev celebrating the centenary of the founding of Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Cherkaoui’s Faun is his interpretation of L’Apres-midi d’un faune.

With the addition of Nitin Sawhney’s music to the instantly recognisable score by Debussy, Faun sheds its cultural baggage and becomes in itself dual or multiple, primeval and modern, suddenly uprooted from history and geography.

Faun is a Sadler’s Wells Production, co-produced with Theatre National de Chaillot, Monaco Dance Forum, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Mercat de les Flors, Opera de Dijon and Grand Theatre de Luxembourg.

Rooster Choreography: Christopher Bruce Assistant Choreographer: Steven Brett Music*: Songs recorded by The Rolling Stones (Little Red Rooster, Lady Jane, Not Fade Away, Paint it Black, Ruby Tuesday, Play With Fire, Sympathy for the Devil) Lighting Design: Tina MacHugh, realised by: Christina R. Giannelli Costume Design: Marian Bruce Length: 27 mins

SADLER’S WELLS AND VALID PRODUCTIONS PRESENT

Acosta Danza Evolution

Rooster is a celebration of the music* and of the times these tracks were recorded, the 1960s and ‘70s. Taking Little Red Rooster as a starting point, the piece shows preening cockerels that symbolise the stylish but chauvinistic young men of this period. Meanwhile, for the most part, the women look on with ironic amusement at the male posturing.

The result is something of a battle of the sexes. *Paint it Black, Ruby Tuesday, Sympathy for the Devil, Lady Jane

Performed by The Rolling StonesWritten

by Mick Jagger and Keith RichardsPublished

by ABKO Music, Ltd Courtesy of ABKO Records, Ltd

*Play with Fire

Performed by The Rolling Stones Published by ABKO Music, Ltd Courtesy of ABKO Records, Ltd

*As Tears Go By

Performed by The Rolling Stones Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Andrew Oldham Published by ABKO Music, Ltd and Essex Music, Inc. Courtesy of ABKO Records, Ltd

The Original Theatre Company & Anthology Theatre in association with Peter Stickney and York Theatre Royal present

ALAN BENNETT’S Starring

MATTHEW DAVID

Directed by

VERONICA

KELLY YELLAND ROBERTS

PHILIP

FRANKS

www.abkco.com Photo Enrique Smith Soto