New Wolsey Theatre Annual Review 2009

ANNUAL

REVIEW

2009

WELCOME 2008-09 has been an extraordinary year in the life of The New Wolsey Theatre. We have:

•

Increased participation in Creative Learning

•

activities by approximately 90% on previous years.

•

Had the most successful Pulse Fringe Festival in our history - with 78% of tickets sold.

•

Co-produced A Chorus of Disapproval with

Achieved remarkable attendance levels across

The Mercury Theatre, Colchester and toured

a broad range of events throughout the year

this production to The Watford Palace Theatre,

increasing attendance levels for every season

achieving 94% occupancy in Ipswich alone.

(autumn up from 80% to 86% on the previous year, spring up from 61% to 63%, Community Season up from 56% to 68% and the Pulse Fringe Festival up from 70% to 78%.

•

Positioned ourselves as a key player within the Westgate Centre development plan, to ensure greater physical resources will become available to meet our ambitious Creative Learning and

•

Had a record-breaking panto season with 98%

Artist Development plans.

of tickets sold over its two-month run.

Sarah Holmes, Chief Executive

The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

The New Wolsey also gratefully acknowledges the continuing support of the Wolsey Theatre Club.

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OWN PRODUCTIONS CO-PRODUCTIONS COLLABORATIONS Autumn/Winter 2008/09

In November, our associate company Gecko presented a work-in-progress showing of

Our autumn 2008 opening production was the

a new piece based on Gogol’s short story

sci-fi musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors

The Overcoat. This emotionally and physically

which achieved 73% occupancy and widespread

intense work, a co-production between the Lyric

critical acclaim.

Hammersmith and Plymouth Theatre Royal, was further developed in spring 2010 at the Lyric

“. . . a must see show. . .what a great start to the

Hammersmith and later at the 2010 Edinburgh

New Wolsey’s Autumn season.”

Festival Fringe where it earned glowing press

Ipswich 24

reviews. Plans for a world tour are now underway.

“Hauntingly and recklessly brilliant. . .piece of thrilling and sinister surrealist nightmare.”

The Sunday Times

Audrey II and James Haggie as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

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The Overcoat performed by our associate company Gecko. Photo: Richard Haughton.

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OWN PRODUCTIONS CO-PRODUCTIONS COLLABORATIONS In its eighth consecutive year, our ever-popular rock ‘n’ roll panto continued its record-breaking trajectory, with 98% of tickets sold for Cinderella which ran over two months during December 2008 and January 2009.

“. . . great entertainment for the whole family.”

Ipswich Evening Star

Spring 2009 The New Wolsey Theatre/Mercury Theatre

Sarah Scowen as Cinderella and Lauren Storer as The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.

Company Colchester co-production of Alan Ayckbourn’s A Chorus of Disapproval achieved 94% occupancy during its two and-and-a-half week run in February. After playing in Ipswich, the show took up residence at the Mercury Theatre in March before ending with a tour to Watford’s Palace Theatre. The show was extremely well received by audiences and press in all three venues.

“Cuttingly observant, this comedy is stuffed full of laughs right from the opening bows . . . Slick and without a weak link, this first co-production between the New Wolsey and Colchester Mercury is a treat.”

Paul Leonard and Julian Harries in A Chorus of Disapproval.

Photos: Mike Kwasniak.

Ipswich Evening Star

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Daniel Francis in the title role of The Hounding of David Oluwale, Eclipse Theatre. Photo: Keith Pattison.

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OWN PRODUCTIONS CO-PRODUCTIONS COLLABORATIONS In March, The Hounding of David Oluwale was

Director of Eclipse Theatre and after opening at

presented by The New Wolsey, West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Playhouse, the production toured

Playhouse and Birmingham Repertory Theatre

to Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Liverpool

as partners in this Eclipse Theatre national tour.

Playhouse, The New Wolsey Theatre, Hackney

A highly charged and powerful dramatisation of

Empire, Northcott Theatre Exeter and

the real life story of the eponymous Nigerian man

Nottingham Playhouse.

who was systematically hounded and apparently murdered in Leeds in the 1960s after moving

“. . . a powerfully imagined, theatrically fluid

from his home country, it was based on Kester

reconstruction that enhances the official record

Aspden’s award-winning book and adapted

to impressive dramatic effect.”

for the stage by former New Wolsey writer-in-

The Guardian

residence Oladipo Agboluaje. This was the inaugural production by Dawn Walton as Artistic

In May, The New Wolsey’s Artistic Director Peter Rowe directed Chimps by the award-winning playwright Simon Block, a production which met with widespread critical praise.

“. . . fast paced, emotionally charged, complex and challenging.”

One Suffolk In May, the New Wolsey’s Artistic Director Peter Rowe and practitioner Nigel Jamieson took part in a highly successful week long laboratory New

Narrative Journeys, working with performers to explore new ways of storytelling using circus/ aerial theatre skills. The skills developed during this laboratory will feed into a dynamic new Ben Lambert and Jenny Platt in Chimps.

Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

production of Orpheus and Eurydice currently being planned for Autumn 2010.

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VISITING PRODUCTIONS Autumn/Winter 2008/09 After achieving capacity houses the previous spring, Potted Potter - the unauthorised Harry

experience returned to the New Wolsey Studio for six performances in September. The London Classic Theatre presented Charlotte Jones’ intelligent comedy Humble Boy and Big Creative Ideas in co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre presented At the Gates of

Daniel Clarkson & Jefferson Turner in Potted Potter - the unauthorised Harry experience. Photo: courtesy of James Seabright and Potted Productions.

Gaza, a highly charged new play by Ipswich playwright Juliet Gilkes-Romero, which went on to win Best Play at the Writers’ Guild Awards 2009.

Celebrated choreographer Jasmin Vardimon’s dance company captivated audiences with

Yesterday and English Touring Theatre, in coproduction with Exeter Northcott Theatre, achieved an extraordinary 92% capacity run with their adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far from the

Madding Crowd.

Filter Theatre, in association

Ben Bennett (Patterson) and Matthew Moxon (Miller) in At the Gates of Gaza. Photo: Jo Wheeler.

with the Royal Shakespeare Company, presented a radical retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

October half term saw an eclectic mix of shows, which included Gilbert and Sullivan’s patter songs in Opera della Luna’s Nightmare Songs, the raucous comedy Elizabeth and Raleigh with Simon Munnery as Queen Elizabeth I, the impressive aerial feats of Ockham’s Razor’s triple bill Arc, Every Action, Memento Mori, another

Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late but Live. Photo: courtesy of James Seabright.

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VISITING PRODUCTIONS successful night of Under 18 Comedy and

comedy with Up for a Laugh. Throughout the

An Audience with Peter Sallis, achieving

season, we successfully presented a variety of

82% occupancy.

children’s shows at the Studio Theatre, The

The season continued with comedy duo LipService’s Tony and Twizzle - the Glory Years

Musicians of Bremen, Little Red Hen and eight performances of Little Angel Theatre’s Handa’s Surprise which we programmed in as part of

and, in our ‘Pick of the Fringe’ slot, Red Cape

African History Month. Our children’s Christmas

Theatre Company presented their imaginative

show at the Studio was Long Nose Puppet’s

and emotionally powerful The Colony of Idiots.

Flyaway Katie which achieved 94% occupancy

Segue productions presented jazz specialists

during its three-week run.

Empirical and 2FaCeD Dance performed their award-winning street and contemporary dance

Spring 2009

show State of Matter which sold 100% of its tickets. Peppery Productions brought the Grand

Our spring season opened with a celebration of

Union Orchestra Allstars and Tongue in Cheek

Chinese New Year which achieved a culturally

Comedy presented another evening of stand-up

diverse audience and an overall occupancy of 87%.

Handa’s Surprise.

Photo: courtesy of Little Angel Theatre.

Colony of Idiots. Photo: courtesy of Red Cape Theatre Company.

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VISITING PRODUCTIONS European Arts Company’s The Pickwick Papers played to an appreciative 99% occupancy audience and The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s The Bible: The Complete Word

of God (abridged) fared even better at 100% with a waiting list in place for several weeks before the performance. Tongue in Cheek Comedy presented another of their popular

Up for a Laugh stand-up comedy evenings.

Graeae, the UK’s foremost disabled-led theatre company, in association with Birmingham

Spyski. Photo: courtesy of Peepolykus.

Repertory Theatre Company, presented Whiter

Than Snow, a new play exploring attitudes

Theatre Royal brought their high-octane

towards physical disability through the story of

adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

a war-time travelling troupe of actors and their

for a week to The New Wolsey, achieving 70%

difficulties in mounting a production of Snow White.

occupancy and Foursight Theatre brought Can

Any Mother Help Me, a new play inspired by the “An invigorating mix of the courageous and the

book by Jenna Bailey which told the true story of

chaotic . . . this is work that never patronises its

the Co-operative Correspondence Club, started

young audience with comfortable cant - or happy

by women during the early days of World War II.

ever after.”

Kompany Malakhi performed Boxin’ for one night,

The Times on Whiter Than Snow

a dynamic and extreme dance theatre influenced by contemporary dance, parkour and hip-hop.

Mike Marran Productions presented A Funny

Valentine, the true story and music of Chet Baker

New Wolsey audiences were treated to a radical

to a 70% occupancy audience and Swansea City

and anarchic re-telling of The Importance of Being

Opera made a welcome return with Donizetti’s

Earnest when Peepolykus and Lyric Hammersmith

The Elixir of Love which was similarly popular.

presented their spoof spy comedy Spyski to 66%

Pilot Theatre Company in association with York

capacity audiences for a week in early May. 10

Ockham’s Razor triple bill Arc, Every Action, Memento Mori . Photo: courtesy of Turtle Key Arts.

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VISITING PRODUCTIONS “It’s impossible to describe the delirious pleasure

also sold out, even with an increased capacity

you feel as the genteel English façade of Wilde’s

to meet public demand.

chamber play breaks down into a rip-roaring espionage farce.”

Middle Ground Theatre Company presented

Maddog Magazine

Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall’s celebrated kitchen sink drama Billy Liar starring Helen

Immediately after Spyski, Segue Productions

Fraser for a week in April to 77% average

presented the award-winning British jazz band

occupancy during its week run. In a first for The

Dennis Rollins’ Badbone & Co and this was followed by Tilted Productions’ Trapped. Almost

New Wolsey, ROH2 The Royal Opera House On

200 Under 18s enjoyed another evening of

DanceEast presented the world premiere of an

Under 18 Comedy and the very next evening

original dance piece based on Albert Lamorisse’s

a more mature audience filled 98% of the

film and children’s story The Red Balloon which

auditorium when Terry Dash Music presented

delighted audiences with its sheer spectacle and

The Charleston Chasers. Louder than Words presented Noise Ensemble to a full house and

inventiveness.

the accompanying drumming workshop was

The Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds ended

The Road Covent Garden in partnership with

our spring season with their community touring production of Three Men in a Boat. Throughout the season, we also presented a series of extremely popular children’s shows at our Studio Theatre; Under the Bed (97% occupancy), Terry

Jones’ Fairy Tales (97% occupancy), Animal Olympics (95% occupancy), Jumping Mouse (95% occupancy) and The Princess and the Pea (98% occupancy).

Billy Liar. Photo: courtesy of Middle Ground Theatre Company.

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CREATIVE LEARNING The New Wolsey set out to establish a new

events. Through this we deliver a wide range

programme of Creative Learning activity for

of work in primary, secondary, and specialist

2008/2009 to build on the achievements of

schools and have successfully focused on

previous years and to respond better to changes

working with referral agencies to support the

in the profile of formal and informal learning within

pre-NEET (Not in Education, Employment or

our sector. A new Creative Learning Team was

Training) agenda.

appointed, led by the new Associate Director Rob Salmon. We have worked closely with our

Creative Projects

principal stakeholders to develop a strategic 3

is an extensive programme of enrichment

year Creative Learning Action Plan which details

activities and events designed for and with

the activities, timelines, objectives and risks

children, young people, and the communities in

within three inter-connected initiatives; Creative

our district and region that extends our cultural

Education, Creative Projects, and Creative

agenda beyond the boundaries of the theatre

Development. These form the Creative Learning

building. Through this we deliver a broad and

Framework, which deliberately spreads the

expanding offer with a specific focus on the

objectives across the whole organisation rather

personal, social and artistic development of

than isolating them within one department.

young artists as positive and vital contributors

Creative Learning uses theatre as a catalyst to

to our society.

develop creativity - with the aim of celebrating identity, contributing to positive change and

Creative Development

increasing capacity/expertise. Three inter-

is a platform for students, arts educators,

connected initiatives are designed to provide a

practitioners and life long learners to gain new

specific entry point for all skill levels and ages:

skills and share good practice. By supporting and challenging students, artists and

Creative Education

professionals in the creative and cultural industry

is a service for schools and colleges in our district

we are significantly enhancing the development

and region, working with children and young

of our sector locally, regionally and nationally.

people aged 4 -19 and education professionals to provide a consistently accessible programme

The social agenda takes a clear and deliberate

of comprehensive supporting activities and

role in the work that the Creative Learning 13

CREATIVE LEARNING engenders, however we are dedicated first and foremost to the delivery of high quality theatrical experiences that not only reflect the values of the New Wolsey Theatre but that also exploit what it has to offer. This structured programme has generated a significant increase in participation of approximately 90% on 2007/08 and almost 100% on the average of previous years, and has been delivered over a wide variety of settings; Primary Schools, Middle Schools, Secondary Schools, Special Schools, Pupil Referral Units, Colleges, Universities, Libraries, Community Venues, Prisons, and with other Arts Organisations.

Further to that we have also secured in excess of £20,000 in funding to deliver projects for Babergh District Council, The National Osteoporosis Society, YPPT and Suffolk Artlink, and an additional £10,000

Beth William-James in Yellow Moon. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

from University Campus Suffolk on behalf of Gecko. transformative cultural offer for children and In the first twelve months of its operation, the

young people.

New Wolsey’s Creative Learning initiatives have included:

Young Company A new working group for 16 - 25 year olds led by

Youth Theatre

Rob Salmon, Associate Director. The Young

Five new working groups for 7-16 year olds led

Company’s first project was the youth premiere

by Laura Norman, Creative Learning Practitioner

of the award winning play Yellow moon by David

and Helen Baggett, Associate Director of Gecko.

Grieg, presented as a double bill with a new piece

These groups are artist led and participant-

devised by the Senior Youth Theatre with

centred with the dedicated aim of providing a

guidance from Helen Baggett, called 70% Myself.

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CREATIVE LEARNING

70% Myself. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

Young Board

Young Team

Through our existing links to young people, through

The Young Team is an opportunity for emerging

partnerships with the Connexions Service and

graphic designers, visual artists and theatre

V for Volunteering, and through a series of

designers to be employed to work with the New

marketing initiatives we have established the

Wolsey Theatre on Creative Learning projects.

Young Board, a non governing advisory group

Designed to give a supervised professional

of 13-26 years olds that meets prior to the

challenge to an individual artist, including

full constituted Board of Directors Meeting to

contracting, consultation, delivery and managing

discuss their expectations of the New Wolsey

expectations. Through our successful YPPT

Theatre, and to answer questions posed to them

application we appointed 2 young designers to

by the Board and the executive staff team.

work with the Young Board to develop a new graphic identity for Creative Learning at the New Wolsey Theatre.

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CREATIVE LEARNING Scene Change In association with Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and Graeae Theatre we presented a two-day intensive course for disabled and non-disabled 14-18 year olds with the support of University Campus Suffolk. We intend to launch an 18 month continuation of this project - subject to a successful ‘Grants for the Arts’ submission.

Write Now In partnership with Synergy Prison Theatre Project we appointed regional playwright Danusia Iwaszko (Menagerie Writer, and attached Writer to the National Theatre) to lead a 10-week play

Matt Harrison in No Ball Games. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

writing course in Hollesley Bay Open Prison.

The course culminated in a performance by

devise an original piece based on the evidence

professional actors of the work submitted by

gathered. The resulting play

the participants, held in the Prison. Some of

was then performed across the district, engaging

these plays also received professional rehearsed

over 3,000 young people and members of the

readings within the 2009 Pulse Fringe Festival.

community. This project was a considerable

Three of the writers are now being supported

success and we intend to repeat this model of

and developed by Synergy.

interaction.

No Ball Games We were commissioned by Babergh District

Westbridge Pupil Referral Unit, Montgomery Road, 4RCE Training

Council’s Community Safety Partnership to

These three projects supported by Suffolk County

deliver a series of workshops in target secondary

Council all successfully engaged with the Pre-NEET

schools to investigate the perspective of young

agenda. The Westbridge Project used theatre set

people on their perception as ‘Anti-Social’ - this

design model making as a mechanism to develop

was then followed up with a period of time to

and accredit key/life skills. Montgomery Road 16

CREATIVE LEARNING worked with a number of girls at risk to create a

Creative Apprenticeships, and with the support of

short performance exploring the issues affecting

Arts Council England, East we are also guiding

their perception and by association their

target staff towards the Train 2 Gain scheme.

aspirations. 4RCE Training provided some initial engagement for a group of BME young people,

We are in a strong position to contribute to the

using stage combat as a device to tell their own

artistic development of a range of individuals and

story and to increase their self esteem.

groups, to professionalising our sector through benchmarking, providing training opportunities

NSA/Creative Apprenticeships

and by offering our support as a resource and as

We are a founding member in the National Skills

a critical friend. It’s been a prolific and challenging

Academy Eastern Region Spoke. We also

year - an exciting time to be involved in Creative

committed to the national pilot scheme for

Learning at the New Wolsey Theatre.

(from left): Matt Harrison, Ricky Norwood and Laura Norman in No Ball Games. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

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COMMUNITY SEASON Our 2009 Community Season opened with The New Wolsey Young Company’s production of The Dice House, Paul Lucas’ irreverent black comedy inspired by Luke Rhinehart’s cult book The Dice Man. It played to an average occupancy of 77% and was warmly received by audiences.

Suffolk Youth Theatre presented without a doubt their most accomplished and successful show to date, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which achieved 75% occupancy and glowing reviews.

Members of the New Wolsey Young Company in The Dice House.

Suffolk Youth Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

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COMMUNITY SEASON Four seasons presented Summertime Variety,

In early July, Appeal Theatre Group entertained

in support of Victim Support and with the

audiences with a week-long run of Thoroughly

sponsorship of Ipswich Rotary Club. This was

Modern Millie which achieved 79% occupancy.

closely followed by the Bangladeshi Annual

This was followed by The Gallery Players

Community Day which attracted a diverse

presenting Follies which was also popular,

audience to this important date in Ipswich’s

achieving average houses of 72%.

cultural calendar. The Revd Charles Mugleston presented a staged reading of The Ruba ‘lyat

of Omar Khayyam in aid of St Elizabeth’s Hospice and Black & White Productions presented Mr Dickens - Public Lives, Private

Passions, a new play by local writer Suzanne Hawkes. DanceEast presented two evenings of

High Voltage 9, a celebration of dance in the east of England, which achieved 69% occupancy.

In June, The New Wolsey Theatre in association with the National Osteoporosis Society presented

The Professor and the Soft Machine as part of Youth Perform! Students from across Suffolk took part in this production over four evenings and the production was warmly received not only by the general public, the peers and families of the performers, but also by the many audience

The Professor and the Soft Machine. Photo: Mike Kwasniak .

members from the wider community who have been directly affected by the issues surrounding osteoporosis.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream . Photo: Name here.

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Publicity image for Lost Spectacles’ Lost in the Wind (Pulse Fringe Festival ’09). Photo: Rory Foster.

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PULSE FRINGE FESTIVAL The Pulse Fringe Festival 2009 was our most

“Recently, I travelled to Ipswich to attend the

successful ever, achieving average occupancy of

Pulse Festival; the contrasts between it and

78% and gaining recognition by the national as

Edinburgh were stark. For one, there was a

well as the regional press. A significant two-year

clear and manageable programme of events

investment in Pulse from an Arts Council England

so it was possible to see everything. The shows

East ‘Grants for the Arts’ award enabled the

themselves were a mix of former Edinburgh

festival to build on recent successes and in

Fringe hits (Paperweight, Lost in the Wind),

particular to raise the profile of regional artists as

early showings of work going to this year's

part of the Arts Council’s talent strategy strands

festival, local pieces, touring performances,

Escalator Performing Arts and Escalator East 2

works in progress, rehearsed readings, scratch

Edinburgh. Containing a vibrant mix of music,

performances and international work.

drama, rehearsed readings, comedy, visual arts, dance, poetry, a circus skills workshop, and site-

What was wonderful, though, was the sense

specific work, Pulse was selected as one of the

that the performances had been gathered

UK’s Top 50 Festivals by The Independent and

together by people who cared about them.

was favourably contrasted with the Edinburgh

There was none of the pile-'em-high, charge-

Festival Fringe by The Guardian’s Theatre blogger

'em-a-fortune mentality that seems to prevail

Andrew Haydon on the eve of Edinburgh 2009:

at some Fringe venues. As such, one attended each event with enthusiasm and interest rather than scepticism. Most valuably, by feeling able to put your trust in the organisers, you could see work that you might otherwise have never considered. Of the five shows I saw, it almost certainly wouldn't have occurred to me to see at least two of them. As it was, I probably had a richer, more varied and more satisfying programme than I remember any Fringe venue having given me, culminating with a performance

Publicity image for Top of the World’s Paperweight.

Photo: courtesy of the company.

of Chris Goode's heart-wrenchingly beautiful

Wound Man and Shirley.

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PULSE FRINGE FESTIVAL But I already knew I liked Goode's works, such as

Longwave and Hippo World Guest Book, so the real discovery of the weekend was the comic solo contemporary dance piece The Great

Escape, by Isobel Cohen. In 20 minutes, it managed to explain contemporary dance better than anything I've seen before, while at the same time being incredibly funny and beautifully performed. Happily, it's going on to Edinburgh as part of a quartet of pieces by Cohen's company, Helix Dance.

Pulse serves its local constituency perfectly. It doesn't get, but nor does it need, much coverage from the national press. Of course, it could aim to expand, run each show for longer, seek to gradually turn every living room in Ipswich into a venue for student theatre and so on. By the same token, the Edinburgh Fringe Society could impose some sort of selection criteria, crack

Chris Goode in Wound Man and Shirley (Pulse Fringe Festival ’09). Photo: courtesy of Ric Watts & Queer Up North.

down on wily venue merchants turning every tea room into a performance space, and generally try to limit numbers. But, ultimately, Edinburgh wouldn't be the same glorious struggle and scene of spectacular, unexpected hits if it were better policed, and Pulse would lose the intimacy that makes it valuable if it tried to grow. In the end, the two festivals support one another, if at a distance, and both are invaluable to our theatre ecology.�

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AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Developing a Culturally Diverse Audience As hosts of Ipswich’s Chinese New Year Celebrations for several consecutive years,

to this popular event were from Black or Minority

The New Wolsey has developed strong links with

Wolsey is a co-founding member) presented a

the area’s Chinese communities. Our Cultural

hard-hitting drama documentary The Hounding

Facilitator has also played a key part in the

of David Oluwale which attracted a diverse

organisation and event management. The 2009

audience, 15% of whom were Black or Minority

Chinese New Year Celebrations attracted an

Ethnic in origin.

Ethnic backgrounds. Later in the month, The Eclipse Theatre consortium (of which The New

87% capacity audience, of whom over 17% were people from Black or Minority Ethnic groups.

The New Wolsey has also been instrumental in facilitating the annual Bangladeshi Day, holding regular meetings throughout the year to ensure the smooth running of this important event in the area’s cultural calendar. At this year’s event, 92% of the 370-strong audience were Asian.

In autumn 2008, The New Wolsey programmed

At the Gates of Gaza, a play by local writer Juliet Gilkes-Romero which examined life on the battlefront of World War II for a battalion of West

Daniel Francis in the title role of The Hounding of David Oluwale, Eclipse Theatre. Photo: Keith Pattison.

Indian volunteers fighting for the Empire. Over 20% of the audience for this production was Black or Minority Ethnic in origin.

In March 2009, the Mayor of Ipswich and local faith communities invited members of the public to a Civic Celebration of the Community hosted by The New Wolsey. 53% of the audience 23

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Increasing Access Provision

from the districts of Mid Suffolk, Babergh and

Throughout the year, The New Wolsey continued

Suffolk Coastal. This growing team of

to make significant progress in improving its

Ambassadors strengthens our links with people in

Access provision and in raising awareness of

these three districts and enables The New Wolsey

the increasing number of facilities available to

to deliver relevant and targeted messages to

enhance the experience of customers with

existing and emerging interest groups such as

particular Access requirements. These facilities

theatre-going groups, reading groups, sports

include increasing numbers of British Sign

clubs, mother and toddler groups et al.

Interpreted performances; Audio Described performances; ‘touch tours’; and Captioned

For several years now, since the inception of

performances. This work has been supported by

the scheme, The New Wolsey has been offering

‘See a Voice’, an initiative which aims to develop

free tickets to selected shows to Looked After

and broaden the programme of arts and cultural

Children and their families as part of Suffolk

events made available to deaf, deafened, hard

County Council’s ‘Freetime’ Scheme. During the

of hearing, blind and partially sighted audiences

year ending 31 March 2009, a total of 127

across England. During the year ending

‘Freetime’ tickets were given to people on the

31 March 2009, we had sold a total of 1,217

scheme, a clear indication of the success of the

tickets to disabled customers, almost 2% of

theatre’s ability in engaging with this group.

the entire sales for that year.

As part of our commitment to integrate

Developing Suffolk Audiences

vulnerable adults and people with learning

Throughout the year we dispatched Audience

difficulties into the community, we have a number

Development Assistants to a number of ‘target

of mailing volunteers who are a key part of our

towns’ throughout Suffolk to raise the theatre’s

‘Friday Club’, a dedicated and growing team of

profile and to engage more closely with

volunteers who help us achieve a regular series

communities in these districts by talking to local

of mailings to assist the marketing department

people about the range of events and activities

throughout the year. During 2009, new members

offered by The New Wolsey. During 2009 we

have been recruited from Suffolk Coastal district

developed a new Ambassador Scheme in order

as well as Ipswich.

further to develop audiences and participants 24

ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY For the year ending 31 March 2009, The New Wolsey Theatre’s total economic impact on

1 For 2008/09 The New Wolsey’s turnover was

£2,353,808.

the local economy was £6,174,792.

2 There were no overseas earnings in the year.

This was calculated by using a formula which has been adopted by Arts Council England to show

3 Additional visitor spend is the money spent

how arts organisations contribute to the value of

by people attending the theatre to see a

the local economy, both directly and indirectly.

performance, over and above any money

Direct impact includes items such as purchases

spent on tickets or in the theatre itself, and

from local suppliers (catering suppliers, printers,

covers travel, accommodation (if visiting the

graphic designers etc.) while indirect impact

area specifically to go to the theatre), domestic

includes the additional spending that takes place

costs (e.g. babysitter) and any food or drink

by these local suppliers (e.g. spending more on

purchased outside the home. For 2008/09,

staff wages, other supplies that they in turn

the Additional Visitor Spend (AVS) per audience

purchase). All this expenditure builds up in the

member is approximately £4.30. During the

local economy and many other businesses (e.g.

year ending 31 March 2009, there were

coach companies, dry cleaners, florists) benefit

87,221 attendances so the overall additional visitor spend is 87,221 x £4.30 = £375,051.

economically too.

The formula used to calculate the economic impact is: Economic impact = (1 Turnover + 2 Overseas

4 £901,673 was spent locally on resident staff wages during the year.

earnings + 3 Additional visitor spend + 4 Salaries + 5 Subsistence allowances + 6 Supplies purchased locally) x 1.5 (to take into account the

5 Subsistence payments to actors counted within item (4).

knock-on effect in the local economy).

6 Supplies purchased locally totalled £485,996.

25

53,504

86

OCC UPA NCY

TOTALS

103

%

196

TOTALS

Chinese New Year 1 The Pickwick Papers 1 The Bible (Abridged) 1 A Chorus of Disapproval 19 Under the Bed 2 Terry Jones’ Fairy Tales 2 Up for a Laugh 1 Whiter than Snow 6 Civic Celebration 1 The Hounding of David Oluwale 5 Animal Olympics 2 A Funny Valentine 1 Lord of the Flies 8 The Elixir of Love 1 The Titanic Show 1 Can Any Mother Help Me? 3 Boxin’ 1 Spyski 6 Jumping Mouse 2 Dennis Rollins 1 Trapped 1 Under 18 Comedy 1 The Charleston Chasers 1 Noise Ensemble 1 Billy Liar 7 The Red Balloon 4 Chimps 17 The Princess and the Pea 2 Three Men in a Boat 4

OCC UPA NCY

74 79 99 65 36 46 92 96 65 73 68 60 102 64 82 53 46 55 58 101 38 54 98 94

PRODUCTION

ATT END ANC E

7,950 474 184 519 284 183 2,576 179 1,811 292 268 483 407 257 326 630 182 220 230 402 152 217 32,417 2,959

SPRING 2009

PER FOR MAN CES

27 6 2 2 2 1 7 2 7 1 1 2 8 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 83 34

%

Little Shop of Horrors Potted Potter The Musicians of Bremen Humble Boy At the Gates of Gaza Yesterday Far from the Madding Crowd Little Red Hen Twelfth Night Nightmare Songs Elizabeth and Raleigh Ockham’s Razor Triple Bill Handa’s Surprise Under 18 Comedy Peter Sallis The Glory Years The Colony of Idiots Empirical The Overcoat State of Matter Grand Union Orchestra Up for a Laugh Cinderella Flyaway Katie

AUTUMN 2008

ATT END ANC E

PRODUCTION

PER FOR MAN CES

ATTENDANCE

346 395 398 7,113 180 181 159 989 170 757 176 280 2,242 248 398 633 277 1,575 176 222 93 194 392 400 2,169 737 2,411 183 856

87 99 100 94 97 97 40 41 43 38 95 70 70 62 100 53 69 66 95 56 23 49 98 100 77 46 35 98 54

24,351

63

Little Shop of Horrors Autumn ’08. Photo: Mike Kwasniak.

26

The Dice House A Midsummer Night’s Dream Summertime Variety Annual Bangladeshi Day The Ruba ‘iyat of Omar Khayyam Mr Dickens High Voltage 9 The Professor and the Soft Machine Thoroughly Modern Millie Follies

TOTALS

3 4 2 1

241 1,202 331 390

77 75 41 98

1

142

36

2 2

116 552

56 69

4

854

53

6 5

1,894 1,444

79 72

30

7,166

68

Jude Simpson, whose evening of performance poetry Making Happy was one of the sell-out events of Pulse ’09.

Photo: courtesy of Jude Simpson.

Songs from a Hotel Bedroom 1 Lost in the Wind 2 Last One Standing & Les 1 Angles Morts No 5 1 Paperweight 5 The World’s Wife 1 Wolf 1 Springboard readings 2 The Snow Goose Diaries 1 Bully 1 The Caravan 25 Circus Theatre Workshop 1 Mississippi 1 The October Revolutions 1 Britain’s Best Mates 1 Tracker, Driven & I.D. 1 The Truth Is, I Can’t Stop 1 Telling Lies Write Now 1 Out Westgate 1 Two Bye Two & Cope 1 Bedroom Stories 1 Jude Simpson: Making Happy 1 The History of the 1 Pomegranate Horse 1 King of the Gypsies 1 Is Everyone OK? 1 Lovedrunk 1 Epiphany 1 The Great Escape & This is our Universe/Basic Dressing 1 You Are Here 1 Oh! What a Shitty War 1 Sound Journey 1 Dreamdance 1 The Adventures of Wound 1 Man and Shirley

TOTALS

64

% OCC UPA NCY

PRODUCTION

ATT END ANC E

PULSE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2009

PER FOR MAN CES

% OCC UPA NCY

PRODUCTION

ATT END ANC E

COMMUNITY SEASON 2009

PER FOR MAN CES

ATTENDANCE

77 140

73 66

71

36

80 95 103 96 92 98 78 161 7 90 98 102 73

100 100 97 91 77 92 74 81 35 113 92 96 37

92

87

39 85 65 70 103

37 80 61 83 97

45

54

54 78 97 70 38

51 93 115 66 95

67

63

79 101 84 86

94 95 100 102

151

76

2,910

78 27

MONEY Where it came from and how it was spent Income y/e 31/03/09

Expenditure y/e 31/03/09

(£2,353,808) Bar & Catering £131,621 5.6%

(£2,363,982) Core Grants £991,567 42.1%

Support Costs £630,795 26.7% Bar & Catering £131,621 5.6%

Other Grants £148,917 6.3% Donations £1,511 0.1%

Earned Income £1,080,604 45.9%

Operation of theatre £1,601,566 67.7%

Summary Financial Statements (Source: audited accounts)

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities Income

y/e 31/03/05

y/e 31/03/06

y/e 31/03/07

y/e 31/03/08

y/e 31/03/09

General Core Grants Arts Council England, East Suffolk County Council Ipswich Borough Council Suffolk County Council Children and Young People Sub-total Core Grants

£538,568 £138,330 £88,160 £31,300 £796,358

£552,033 £138,330 £88,160 £32,100 £810,623

£587,763 £138,330 £90,100 £32,900 £849,093

£603,927 £138,330 £92,000 £33,700 £867,957

£723,927 £141,100 £92,000 £34,540 £991,567

Earned Income (ticket sales, touring income, rentals, interest & auxillary income) Donations, Gifts, Legacies Grants for Specific Purposes Bar and Catering

£974,598 £335 £347,278 £118,334

£991,403 £9,575 £668,628 £127,862

£903,258 £40,287 £803,251 £110,774

£1,015,612 £15,040 £372,214 £125,068

£1,080,604 £1,511 £148,917 £131,209

£2,236,903

£2,608,091

£2,706,663

£2,395,891

£2,353,808

Operation of Theatre Support costs (governance, management, administration, fundraising & publicity) Bar and Catering

£1,548,105 £480,668

£1,851,610 £505,548

£1,974,728 £515,272

£1,635,972 £1,601,566 £610,014 £630,795

£116,376

£121,555

£111,607

£126,118

£131,622

TOTAL

£2,145,149

£2,478,713

£2,601,607

£2,372,104

£2,363,982

at 31/03/05

at 31/03/06

at 31/03/07

at 31/03/08

at 31/03/09

£385,888 £590,495 (£218,541) £371,954 £757,842

£655,339 £586,283 (£378,724 ) £207,559 £862,898

£647,995 £550,562 (£311,872 ) £238,690 £886,685

£654,694 £581,422 (£359,605) £221,817 £876,511

TOTAL Expenditure

Consolidated Balance Sheet Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities Net Current Assets Total assets less current liabilities

£139,498 £722,291 (£233,325 ) £488,966 £628,464

Directors Statement These summarised financial statements have been extracted from the full audited accounts. The accounts for y/e 31/03/09 were approved on 3rd November 2009 and will be submitted to Companies House and the Charity Commission. For further information, the full annual report, financial statements and auditors' report for y/e 31/03/09 can be obtained from Companies House or the Charity Commission.

David Edwards, Director, 18th November 2009.

28