Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study | Interim Report

Acknowledgements This report was commissioned by Performing Lines on behalf of the Road Work initiative, supported by the Australia Council for the Arts.

It was prepared by Tandi Williams of Patternmakers. In partnership with Tandi Williams, WolfBrown provided the Intrinsic Impact survey design template and online dashboard reporting interface at no charge to this project as part of its ongoing commitment to developing methods of assessing the impacts of arts experiences in a wide range of disciplines and settings.

Performing Lines would like to acknowledge No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability and Side Pony Productions, and the cast and crew of Sons and Mothers and The Confidence Man. Thanks are also due to the Road Work consortium members and the presenting venues of the two productions.

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Contents Summary Introduction Context Findings Initial conclusions

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Introduction Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study Intrinsic Impact pilot: Sons and Mothers The Confidence Man Data collection

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Results: The Confidence Man Demographics Buyer Behaviour Impacts Use of technology Audience members as performers Overall impact Presenter feedback

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Conclusions Sons and Mothers The Confidence Man Looking ahead

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Summary Introduction Performing Lines has commissioned a series of Intrinsic Impact surveys to understand the impact of productions touring through Road Work, an initiative that facilitates contemporary performances throughout regional Australia.

To date, two Road Work tours have been assessed using the WolfBrown Intrinsic Impact tools – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability’s Sons and Mothers and Side Pony Production’s The Confidence Man – with a third and final study to be completed with the 2017 tour of Roslyn Oades’ Hello Goodbye & Happy Birthday.

This report outlines the interim findings from the second tour in the study, The Confidence Man, where relevant drawing on comparisons with the first tour Sons and Mothers. The final report will include a fuller discussion of all three case studies.

The aim of the study is to provide more targeted data on regional audience engagement and enjoyment of touring performances. Performing Lines is making the results available to the sector to inform discussion about marketing of contemporary works, and to support presenters in articulating their programming rationale in a competitive funding environment.

Context The Confidence Man is a dark suburban thriller in the form of an interactive theatre experience, where audience members use handheld devices to navigate the performance.

While quite different to Sons and Mothers in both content and form, it offered some similar challenges.

The costs and logistical challenges of delivering performing arts tours in regional Australia demands careful allocation of resources and rigorously efficient scheduling, despite an ongoing national dialogue about ‘slower, deeper’ touring models. Tight timelines, small budgets and a lack of staff time meant there were limited resources for marketing or community engagement around the show.

Both productions had unique casting considerations that required new approaches to traditional marketing and publicity strategies: Sons & Mothers had cast members with an intellectual and/or physical disability, while The Confidence Man had no cast whatsoever, drawing instead on the participation of audience members.

Planning survey administration was also challenging, with many presenters unable to use online surveys with their audiences, and limited resources available for entering hardcopy survey data.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Ultimately, a total of 988 tickets to The Confidence Man were sold across the 13 tour locations. A further 410 complimentary tickets were provided, meaning total attendances reached 36% of the available tickets.

Performing Lines worked with presenters to implement a mixed format approach at each tour location. In total 37% of The Confidence Man audiences completed a condensed Intrinsic Impact survey after the show, either online or in hardcopy, relative to 26% of Sons and Mothers audiences. Altogether almost 1,000 responses from the two shows were analysed in terms of demographics, intrinsic impacts, use of technology and overall experience.

Findings Despite the marketing and engagement challenges, The Confidence Man attracted audiences from all demographic groups, as did Sons and Mothers.

Those that did attend the two shows reported high levels of audience engagement overall – and different patterns of impact emerged from each tour. On average Sons and Mothers attracted a relatively older audience and reported higher levels of emotional resonance and social bonding, while The Confidence Man’s younger audience reported higher levels of aesthetic growth, consistent with the themes explored in each production.

The format of The Confidence Man was challenging for presenters in marketing the show, and some audience members found the plot difficult to follow. However, most were fascinated by the concept and creative process and reported rich conversations after the show. There was strong engagement with artist Q&As with 10% of audiences reporting they had met the creators.

As few venues were able to present more than one performance of The Confidence Man, there was little opportunity for word-of-mouth recommendations. However, presenter feedback suggests that word did begin to spread after the show, and at least one presenter reported multiple attendances by the same audience members.

Infrequent theatre-goers (those usually attending 0-2 times per year) reported high levels of captivation at both performances, and 83% said they would be likely to attend the theatre in future.

Despite the marketing challenges and disappointing ticket sales, all 10 presenters responding to a post-event survey said they would program something like The Confidence Man again.

Initial conclusions This new evidence confirms that touring contemporary performances has the potential to attract new audiences to regional performing arts venues and create significant intrinsic 4

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

impacts for regional audience members. In particular, works that experiment with form can spark an interest and contribute to aesthetic growth.

The results will be of particular interest to other presenters seeking to engage younger audiences – the high-tech nature and non-traditional form of The Confidence Man was particularly captivating for younger audience members.

This study also highlights an ongoing challenge for our sector: If works are valued by presenters and audiences alike, why do they often fail to reach a market? How are we best to promote new works to regional audiences, and what steps can we take to help strong contemporary theatre works fulfil their true potential?

Performing Lines is using these findings in planning for the 2017 Road Work national tour of Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday, a verbatim theatre work by Roslyn Oades. For example:  The strategy and planning horizon has been extended, to begin conversations about each presenter’s tour goals at a much earlier date.  We believe the enhanced relationships we hope will flow from longer conversations will facilitate deeper, bespoke, community engagement strategies. At the same time, we are working with presenters to identify, acknowledge and, where possible, address capacity issues.  Marketing strategies will feature the creator, Roslyn Oades, and expose presenters and audience members to the creative process and the ideas behind the show.  Where capacity allows, deeper, bespoke community engagement strategies are being explored.  Analysis of survey results from the first tour location will be expedited to provide insight for tactical marketing to other presenters as early as possible.

The Intrinsic Impact survey will be administered again throughout the tour of Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday. A final report on the study will be published by the end of 2017, reflecting in detail on the three productions.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Introduction Road Work Road Work is a national performing arts touring initiative funded by the Australia Council for the Arts and managed by Performing Lines. Established in 2010, Road Work is committed to developing opportunities for regional audiences across Australia to engage with contemporary, original thought-provoking new Australian work. It’s aims are to:      

connect regional audiences with exceptional and ambitious artists; build engagement with high quality productions that are challenging and ambitious in terms of ideas and form and can engage and inspire regional audiences and artists; deepen the impact of the theatre/dance work within a community by extending its life beyond the performance; forge a dialogue and relationship between regional presenters and producers/artists; increase touring opportunities for high quality, original work to regional areas of Australia; and encourage dialogue about and interest in performance and culture in regional areas.

Road Work is implemented in partnership with a national consortium comprising 10 regional presenters across six Australian States, including Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Civic Theatre, Wagga Wagga, Merrigong Theatre Company, Wollongong, Orange Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart, The Capital, Bendigo, The Arts Centre Gold Coast, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Portland Arts Centre and Country Arts SA. Road Work tours to date have included: 2010: The Age I’m In/Force Majeure; Red Sky Morning/Red Stitch Actors Theatre 2011: Untrained/Lucy Guerin Inc 2012: CIRCA/Circa; Bare Witness/Mari Lourey 2013: Sundowner/KAGE; Table of Knowledge/version 1.0 2014: Lake/Lisa Wilson; Sons and Mothers/No Strings Attached 2015: The Confidence Man/Side Pony Productions After more than 6 years of operation, the consortium members have become increasingly more confident in their presentation of riskier and more innovative performing art works.

As a result, Road Work has evolved into a program intimately entwined with regional audience development and aesthetic growth, with a focus on developing connections over time to build an understanding of the work (amongst all stakeholders), to foster relationships with audiences and to develop advocates and champions for the work, which strongly encourage word of mouth.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Intrinsic Impact Study The Road Work Strategic Plan 2010-2012 referenced the work of Alan Brown and Jennifer Novak, leading international thought leaders in the field of audience experience and intrinsic impact: ‘Aesthetic growth allows for progressively deeper engagement of audiences and is the primary means of awakening new interests and unlocking additional demand for performing arts programs… it is central to a long-term audience development agenda on the part of the presenter’ A. S. Brown and J. L. Novak, ‘Assessing the Intrinsic Impacts of a Live Performance’ Performing Lines was supported by the Australia Council to conduct an Intrinsic Impact survey for the Road Work 2014-2016 funding triennium1. Developed by Alan Brown and colleagues at WolfBrown, the Intrinsic Impact survey tool is a methodology used by cultural institutions around the world to explore audience experiences of live performances, and look beyond box office results to examine artistic merits.

In this case, the objectives of the Intrinsic Impact study were to help Performing Lines, Road Work consortium members and other presenters to better understand audiences who attend Road Work tours and their experiences of the works. In particular, it would allow the partners to explore how each tour was delivering on the overall Road Work commitments outlined above.

The Intrinsic Impact tools were selected for this study because they facilitate artistic reflection. This does not mean that presenters should always provide audiences with accessible or enjoyable work. ‘Intrinsic Impact’ includes a number of different facets, including captivation, intellectual stimulation, emotional resonance, aesthetic growth and social bonding.

The Australia Council’s Artistic Reflection Kit states that to be artistically vibrant, an organisation should understand which of these facets it is striving for, and then ask for feedback from its audience to find out if it is achieving them.2

Intrinsic impact pilot: Sons and Mothers In late 2014, Performing Lines piloted the intrinsic impact survey with Sons and Mothers, an Australian production by No Strings Attached selected by Road Work. Featuring six male characters, Sons and Mothers is described as ‘a love letter to mothers’. With heart and The Road Work 2014-2016 program will now conclude at the end of 2017 with the delivery of the final tour, Hello Goodbye and Happy Birthday by Roslyn Oades.

2 Australia Council for the Arts, Artistic Reflection Kit, Sydney, Australia Council for the Arts, 2010 [http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/artistic_reflection_kit] 7 1

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

humour, six sons tell stories of their mums as they draw or dance or sing their lives, complete with stumbles and triumphs. These are love stories made all the more potent because of disabilities the men live with and their humble take on discriminations they've faced.

Funded through Playing Australia, the tour consisted of 17 performances at 14 venues across Australia, and played to over 2,745 patrons. Due to a concerted effort by the relatives of cast members in each venue, 727 survey responses were collected from audience members, representing an overall response rate of 26%.

As a means to cost-effectively begin analysing these, Performing Lines adopted a sampling approach and 461 responses (including a portion from each presenter) were entered into Survey Monkey for analysis. Initial analysis conducted by Performing showed that:  82% of respondents said they were absorbed in the show, and 84% felt inspired.  72% felt they had gained ‘a new appreciation for people with a disability’.  78% agreed that after viewing the performance, they ‘are more likely to attend future theatre shows’.

A separate survey was used to collect feedback from the presenters. Their responses indicated:  The production was well received, with 80% listing quality, audience response and overall reception as excellent.  Whilst 89% said they had targeted new audiences, only 43% felt they were successful in doing so.  There were challenges marketing the show and ticket sales were somewhat disappointing. Several felt they needed more resources to build connections and market the show effectively.

The pilot confirmed that Son and Mothers was enabling regional audiences to have rich artistic experiences. It also suggested that box office data is not a measure of intrinsic impact – and that there is a role for research in understanding the patterns, and extent of impact on audiences.

The Confidence Man In the lead up to the subsequent 2015 Road Work tour of The Confidence Man, Performing Lines commissioned research consultant Tandi Williams of Patternmakers to work alongside staff to guide the gathering and analysing of intrinsic impact data, and help extract stakeholder value from the study.

Described by The West Australian as ’Lantana meets Pulp Fiction’, The Confidence Man is a dark suburban thriller in the form of an interactive theatre experience. Equipped with a mask and headset, six audience members at each performance are recruited to play the characters, whilst the spectating audience uses smartphones to flick between the characters’ stories.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Conceived by Side Pony Productions as a playful, immersive theatre experience that would throw audiences in the deep end, the production combined a ‘lo-fi’ aesthetic with a familiar yet sinister storyline.

The tour did not secure a Playing Australia grant, however the consortium was able to rethink logistical delivery of the tour, adopting a tight timeline and innovative approaches to make the tour viable. For example, the set for the production was sourced locally at each venue, with each presenter working with their local community to furnish the set, often with furniture from local op-shops and discount stores. This ensured that both the financial cost and the environmental footprint of the tour were significantly reduced.

Performing Lines and the consortium members aimed to collect a second set data from The Confidence Man audiences, to provide a second case study, and more deeply examine audience responses to:  Technology in the form of hand-held mobile devices  Multi-narrative format, where audiences can choose what storyline to follow  Opportunity for audience members to perform in the show.

Between September and November 2015, The Confidence Man toured to 13 regional venues, including eight Road Work consortium members and five other venues.

With no professional actors and an unusual format, The Confidence Man was a challenging show to market and ticket sales were low. Varying local presenter capacity to resource and manage additional engagement strategies, and Performing Lines’ finite internal capacity meant the focus inevitably shifted to the achievable rather than the aspirational as the tours commenced.

A total of 1,398 tickets were sold, from a total tour capacity of 2,856, with seven of the 13 presenters selling less than 50 tickets. Four presenters sold between 100 and 200 tickets and two sold over 200 tickets. Several performances were cancelled and one presenter sold not one ticket.

In addition, with just two people available to support all aspects of the tour (the Director/Stage Manager and Production Manager), there was very limited capacity to support data collection.

Data collection Two sets of guidelines were developed to direct data collection for The Confidence Man – one for Performing Lines and one for the presenters of the show. These included step-bystep instructions on how to plan and administer the survey in a robust and cost-effective manner. These guidelines covered audience communications and FAQ, collection methods (paper or electronic), the collation of responses and resourcing.

The survey questionnaire was adapted from that used for the Sons and Mothers tour, with minor amendments to reflect the nature and form of The Confidence Man tour. The majority 9

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

of the questionnaire (a condensed version of Wolf Brown’s full Intrinsic Impact survey protocol) was maintained to preserve comparability between tours.

Performing Lines oversaw the data collection in close collaboration with presenter representatives, with most presenters opting for paper administration. Whilst online administration via Survey Monkey offered a number of efficiencies, only a minority felt this was appropriate, given the limited number of email addresses available and the lack of audience familiarity with online survey tools.

A total of 512 surveys were completed by audience members, equivalent to 37% of attendances across the tour. This included some complimentary ticketholders and students attending with school groups.

Presenters were also sent a separate survey to evaluate the tour, as they are after every Performing Lines tour, and nine out of the 13 responded. This included many presenters with low attendances at The Confidence Man shows. In fact, three out of the four highest selling presenters did not respond to the presenter survey.

Of those presenters responding, three said they forwarded the online link and six provided paper surveys. Unfortunately, most of those using online surveys could only send it to a small proportion of attendees for whom they had email addresses, resulting in a total of 52 online responses. In contrast there were 462 paper surveys, resulting in a significant data entry task.

Some presenters were particularly active in promoting the survey, and two gathered over 100 responses. Response rates at each location varied from 0% to 60%.

Figure 1 - Total attendance and respondent profile, by audience range Number of presenters

13

Tickets available

2,856

Total attendance

1,398

Complimentary tickets

410

Paid attendance

988

Survey responses

512

Response rate

37%

Following data entry, both paper and online survey responses were imported into Wolf Brown’s Intrinsic Impact Dashboard. The dashboard is a live platform that allows users to manipulate the results instantly and view the intrinsic impact data in different ways.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

A workshop was arranged to review the data in the online intrinsic impact dashboard, and to share ideas about interpretation of the results. The workshop was designed to gather a range of perspectives, and included:       

Performing Lines CEO, Karilyn Brown Performing Lines WA Senior Producer (now managing the Road Work initiative), Fiona de Garis Performing Lines WA Producer, Rachael Whitworth Performing Lines Production Manager, Liz Young Creator and Director of The Confidence Man, Side Pony Productions Zoe Pepper Producer of The Confidence Man, Side pony Productions Gemma Pepper Research consultant, Tandi Williams.

Based on this discussion, this draft report has been developed to document the initial findings and set out the steps to interpret and act on the findings.

It analyses the demographic characteristics of audiences at The Confidence Man, relative to Sons and Mothers, before exploring the intrinsic impacts of The Confidence Man in greater detail, along with presenter feedback on the tour. The final chapter draws some tentative conclusions, for the purposes of discussion among Road Work stakeholders.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Results: The Confidence Man Demographics One third of the audience for The Confidence Man was under 24 and half were under 35, which is a young age profile relative to the average performing arts audience. In contrast, the audience at Sons and Mothers was somewhat older, with 77% over 45 years of age and 26% over 65.

Figure 2 - Age profile of survey respondents, by tour

Under 24 The Confidence Man

25 to 34

35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64

Sons and Mothers

65 to 74 75+ 0%

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For both tours, there were more female than male respondents, however the picture was more balanced for The Confidence Man, where two-thirds were female.

Figure 3 - Gender of survey respondents, by tour

The Confidence Man Female Male Sons and Mothers

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Buyer Behaviour Audience members who responded to the survey had a varying knowledge of the theatre.

Two-fifths (40%) of respondents were frequent attendees or subscribers, seeing more than six shows a year. However, 30% were infrequent attendees, seeing just one or two shows each year.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

It’s interesting to look at the motivations for attending: three quarters of the audience for The Confidence Man said they were motivated to try something new. In contrast, the Sons and Mothers audience members were more likely to say they were seeking an emotional connection.

Figure 4 - Audience motivations for attending, by tour The Confidence Man

Sons and Mothers

To try something new Because someone invited you To spend quality time with family or friends To energize your own creativity To be emotionally moved or inspired To expose others to the arts You knew someone involved in the show You participated in a community activity…

0%

10%

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30%

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Audiences for The Confidence Man and Sons and Mothers were equally likely to be looking forward to the show, on average rating their anticipation levels as 4 out of 5.

Almost one third (31%) of the audience for The Confidence Man had heard about the show on social media, compared to 11% of Sons and Mothers audiences.

Half of those attending The Confidence Man participated in some kind of additional engagement activity before or after the show: one in three attendees also attended a Q&A session, and one in five said they participated in the show as a character.

Impacts In developing the intrinsic impact tools, Wolf Brown’s research identified a range of different impact areas, including:  Captivation  Inspiration  Emotional resonance  Social bonding – both with loved ones and others in the audience  Audience involvement  Aesthetic impacts: o Being exposed to a new style o Being more able to appreciate theatre o Being validated in terms of aesthetic choices.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Each of these was probed in the questionnaire, by asking questions like ‘During the performance, to what degree were you absorbed in the show?’ and ‘To what extent were you exposed to a new style of performance that you didn’t know about previously?’.

Looking at the pattern of intrinsic impacts for The Confidence Man, on average audiences reported higher levels of captivation than any other area (4.51 out of 5). The multiple narratives and empowerment of the audience through technology succeeded in capturing the audience’s attention and holding it.

The other area of strongest impact was in terms of aesthetic growth, with audiences very much exposed to a new style of theatre (4.49 out of 5).

With two very different audiences, there are limitations in the conclusions that can be drawn by comparing the two shows. However, it is interesting to analyse the pattern of impacts within each show.

Audiences at Sons and Mothers were also captivated (4.80), however they reported highest levels of inspiration (4.82). The Sons and Mothers audience also felt an emotional resonance (4.74) with the show’s themes of disability and motherhood. In contrast to The Confidence Man, social bonding was higher than aesthetic growth for Sons and Mothers audiences.

Figure 5 - Average level of impact for five main impact areas, where 5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest, by tour Captivation 5.00 4.00

The Confidence Man Sons and Mothers

3.00 Aesthetic growth

2.00

Inspiration

1.00 -

Social bonding

Emotional resonance

The survey had two qualitative questions, ‘Is there a question you would have liked to ask the creators and/or director?’ and ‘Do you have any general comments or feedback?’.

In their answers, many audience members at The Confidence Man remarked on the originality and creativity of the work, for example one person said, ‘Conceptually intriguing.

Delving into the characters’ minds and points of view disrupted the linear narrative and yet 14

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

paradoxically kept the story on track. Similarly, the use of technology brought me closer to the characters and yet isolated me into a solo theatre experience.’

Performances of The Confidence Man aroused curiosity around theatre-making, and some posed questions about the development of the piece, for example: ‘Why this story with this form?’ ‘What was the process and which came first - the story or the form?’

In contrast, Sons and Mothers audiences tended to comment on the show’s authenticity and how it resonated with their lived experiences. The questions posed more often related to the actors and their experience of working on the show.

Many audience members stayed to participate in Q&A sessions after the show, and 9% of the audience of The Confidence Man said they met the artists. In addition to the questions raised at the performances, more than a quarter of the audience afterwards said they had a question they would have liked to ask the creator or director.

Use of technology Technology formed the gateway to The Confidence Man, and put the narrative in the hands of the audience. Whilst this was seen as novel and fun by most, some people found it challenging.

The extent to which audiences enjoyed using technology to navigate the show appears to be related to age – although three-quarters of those over 65 still responded positively. The group least likely to enjoy using technology was the 45 to 54 age group.

Figure 6 - Extent to which audiences enjoyed using technology to navigate the show, by age group 65 + 55 to 64 Not at all

45 to 54

2 35 to 44

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25 to 34

4 Very much

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One younger audience member thought that technology made this work more accessible, commenting, ‘Technology is a good way to promote non-usual theatregoers to attend.

Social media has taught us to jump from thing to thing.’

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Some people expressed curiosity about the choice to present the same audio to both performer and audience – and several suggested that the cues for the performers were not needed for the audience.

Whilst some found the choice of who to follow empowering, others felt that they missed critical details in the plot, for example, ‘I was flipping round like a maniac from channel to channel but I never heard how Sam had all that money or what the transmitter was or if Alex and Maria knew what was in the house.’

However, most people understood that this was all part of the experience – and wanted to do it all again, ‘Excellent. Loved the use of technology and the interactive nature. Should set up show times so that the audience can watch it twice - have intermission, change characters and then watch it again.’

In fact, there was a range of suggestions as to how audiences could fill in the gaps in their experience, for example by: - Sharing the full script online, so audiences could read the other characters later - Offering discounted tickets to later performances, or free tickets for those who participated in the show.

Although some people felt they ‘missed out’ on certain characters or details in the plot, this led to rich conversations after the show, as audiences compared their experiences with others. Presenters and crew members commented that often audiences remained at the theatre to discuss the work after it ended.

Almost half (47%) said they discussed the show ‘intensely’ afterwards compared with 43% of the Sons and Mothers audience, and three in 10 (29%) attended a Q&A session.

Audience members as performers Most of the audience was intrigued by the decision to use improvised audience members rather than prepared actors. Many asked questions along the lines of: ‘How much of a risk did it feel to use untrained and unprepared actors? What made you decide to do that?’

For most of those participating as characters, the show was a fun opportunity to try something different, and provided a new angle on the show, as one audience member commented, ‘Fantastic, I had no intention of being the character but went with the flow.

Immersed myself into the experience, what a rush!! Reminded me why I love theatre plus why it is important to express your creativity. You can tell I am totally stoked!! Plus - the use of smart phones - big tick. Awesome innovative idea!’

Most (85%) of those who participated in the show as a character said it enhanced their experience of the show. Those who participated also:  Reported higher levels of captivation, inspiration and emotional resonance  Were more likely to have a question to ask the creators  Feel that they are better able to appreciate contemporary theatre.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Although the creators deliberately selected a familiar genre and plot to ensure the work was accessible, some comments wanted to see further development of the characters and storyline.

There was great interest in future projects, and many mentioned the piece as encouraging exciting new potential in the world of theatre. A few suggested of widening the genre in future, possibly to detective genres or comedy.

Overall impact Looking at impacts of the experience overall, the results confirm that people had their expectations fulfilled at a very high level. Only 6% said the show was below their expectations and audiences responded very positively when asked if they would attend theatre in future.

Qualitative comments confirm there was a great appreciation for the engaging method of presentation, and most commended the interactivity of the audience. Although further statistical analysis is not within the scope of this project, a range of factors appear to be linked with positive overall experiences.

Figure 7 - Extent to which the show fulfilled audience expectations, by age group 65+ 55 to 64 Below Expectations 2

45 to 54

Met Expectations 35 to 44

4 Above Expectations

25 to 34

Under 24 0%

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40%

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People of different ages reported varying levels of satisfaction with The Confidence Man, although the 45-54 age group reported the lowest results, whilst those under 24 and over 65 reported the highest.

Audience experience of technology appears to be closely linked with their overall experience. Those audience members who enjoyed using technology on average reported more positive experiences overall. As shown in Interestingly, whilst Sons and Mothers audiences were relatively consistent from location to location, The Confidence Man led to a range of experiences.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

The average overall impact of Sons and Mothers was between 4.6 and 5.0 for each location, with 12 out of the 15 locations having averages of 4.6 or 4.7.

Figure 8, those who reported low enjoyment of technology were more likely to say the show was below their expectations.

Interestingly, whilst Sons and Mothers audiences were relatively consistent from location to location, The Confidence Man led to a range of experiences.

The average overall impact of Sons and Mothers was between 4.6 and 5.0 for each location, with 12 out of the 15 locations having averages of 4.6 or 4.7.

Figure 8 - Extent to which the show fulfilled audience expectations, by extent of enjoyment of technology

High enjoyment of technology Below Expectations

2

Medium enjoyment of technology

Met Expectations 4

Low enjoyment of technology

Above Expectations 0%

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100%

Meanwhile The Confidence Man produced a larger range of scores, from 3.7 to 4.9. Audiences in three locations reported average overall impact of less than 4, whilst another three reported 4.7 or higher.

Audience comments also suggest there was value in sharing The Confidence Man with regional audiences, with one person commenting, ‘Excellent show! So happy there is opportunity for creative styles of theatre in regional areas. Also very pleased to have my teenage son exposed to this level of creativity. Thank you!’

Presenter feedback Performing Lines’ separate survey of Road Work presenters provides insight about their experience of The Confidence Man. Although 5 out of 9 said the tour was poorly or very poorly attended, 7 out of the 9 said the show had an excellent audience response.

One described it as ‘High quality, engaging, sophisticated and very entertaining’, whilst another commented, ‘Absolutely remarkable - incredible to see how differently the story could be portrayed when played by a different player.’ Their comments consistently suggest that the show was a remarkable and innovative production, thought it was difficult to explain to potential patrons.

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Another elaborated: ‘I would concur with comments from both players and audience members that the script/storyline was well constructed. Although not all details of the story were easily identified, because of the deliberate overlapping action, it was still possible to understand the story and the motivations of the characters. It also encouraged audience members and players to discuss and compare notes after a performance, in order to fill in the "gaps" and gain a wider appreciation of the piece.’

Many found the Q&A sessions valuable and vital for audience understanding, one saying ‘the questions flowed very quickly and many people had questions based on following the story line’.

Another thought it was particularly important for this kind of contemporary theatre, explaining, ‘We have learned that 'value-adding' to a show in the form of community activities (in this case pre/post show events) are beneficial when marketing this type of 'high-risk' show. It is good for people to come together in a social, unstructured environment different from the traditional 'theatre' experience.’

In terms of Performing Lines’ assistance with marketing, presenters on average rated the marketing support, and the associated materials, media release and images as ‘good’, though 3 out of the 8 said the marketing resources did not help them with creating a marketing strategy.

Word of mouth seems to have been the most effective channel, as one presenter explained, ‘The nature of the performance was a challenge to describe to our audience. It was a hard sell and it was the performance itself that sold tickets. People spoke of it and word of mouth brought in more sales.’ However, with just one or two performances in each location, there was limited opportunity for this to translate into further ticket sales.

Despite the challenges of marketing the show, all of the nine presenters said they would program something like that again. More than one presenter thought that if it were to be presented again, they would have much greater success.

Both The Confidence Man and Sons and Mothers appear to have delivered on the presenters’ aims. In relation to Sons and Mothers, one presenter said, ‘A very good choice by the Road Work consortium, I think this production was a great example of the type of work that the member venues should be considering - contemporary, original thought-provoking new Australian work.’

In relation to The Confidence Man, another presenter said, ‘It’s about exposing our audiences to a different type of theatre. You don’t want them to go through their lives not knowing what’s possible.’

The experience of Matt Dann Theatre & Cinema is an interesting case in point (see Figure 9).

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Figure 9 - Experience of presenting The Confidence Man for Matt Dann Theatre & Cinema, Port Hedland, WA The Confidence Man toured to Port Hedland in WA, the second largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, with a population of approximately 14,000. Brad Holder, Venue Coordinator for the Matt Dann Theatre & Cinema said, ‘I really wanted to see this performance come to Hedland, and without the flexibility and professionalism of Side Pony & Performing Lines it would never have happened.’

After their first strategy to furnish the set was unsuccessful, the organisation appealed to staff at the local council with an all staff email looking for furniture. Brad said, ‘This worked out to be accidentally a really amazing way to promote the performance, and we had a much higher attendance than ever before from people with in our organisation. Sometime to change externally you need internal change first.’

In terms of marketing the show, Brad said ‘Video & Vox Pop's through social media and email marketing were absolutely essential to selling this work. We programmed the performance into a pub to break down the barriers of the traditional pub audience attending theatre. I believe this was successful. We worked closely with the Walkabout Hotel, they sponsored the venue and some of the larger furniture elements.’

The show ultimately attracted an audience of 50 people, and 30 of them responded to the survey, reporting an overall impact of 4.1 out of 5. Although they considered their marketing was ultimately successful, some tactics were not as effective as others.

‘Helping to find a way to convey the whole picture of the production is important, particularly for the riskier productions that delve deeper than just a stand-up comedy production or music piece. In saying that, I think if you'd asked me if we had done this at the start I would have said yes - but community feedback said otherwise.’

For Matt Dann Theatre & Cinema, the biggest challenge was about conveying how 'cool' the production really was: ‘You can only include so much on a poster - and unless you spoke to someone directly about the show they had the perception that it was just going to be a regular theatre performance. When you spoke to them about the show and explained it, they were straight into it and lining up to purchase tickets.’

He adds, ‘Another classic example was that we were giving away two double passes to the show through our local radio station, and the person who won them didn't want them because they thought the show was a seminar delivered by a motivational speaker, “The Confidence Man”.’

The organisation also believes it will play a role in developing their audience: ‘Some of the feedback we have had is that this performance has set us up with an audience for next year's season. Everyone who came along loved it and they are now far more trusting of what we are bringing to our community.’

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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

Conclusions Sons and Mothers The pilot phase of research on Sons and Mothers suggested that audience impacts and presenter experiences could provide meaningful counterpoints to box office results.

The intrinsic impact survey showed that Sons and Mothers audiences experienced strong positive impacts. In addition, 72% felt they had gained ‘a new appreciation for people with a disability’ and 78% agreed that after viewing the performance, they ‘are more likely to attend future theatre shows’.

Presenter feedback indicated that Sons and Mothers helped many of the presenters reach out to their local disability community, and almost half reported that they were successful in reaching a new audience. Whilst only 3 out of 10 presenters said attendance was good (4 said it was poor and 3 said it was fair), 8 out of 10 said the audience response was excellent.

The Confidence Man Three key sources of data on The Confidence Man were analysed for this second phase of the study including Intrinsic Impact survey results, box office reports and presenter feedback.

Building on the findings for Sons and Mothers, these sources confirm the value of contemporary performance for regional audiences, whilst also highlighting important challenges for the sector.

The Confidence Man attracted a young, technologically savvy audience to the theatre, though again total attendances were overall disappointing. The show was difficult to communicate to audiences, and despite good marketing support from Performing Lines, only two out of nine presenters ran effective marketing campaigns.

Some presenters were able to reach out to staff, partners and parts of the community to build engagement in The Confidence Man, though in general there was significant untapped potential. Community engagement strategies designed to help furnish the set were not effective in many locations, with limited staff time to manage such initiatives.

Despite the challenge of getting ‘bums on seats’, the audiences that did attend each production shared unique motivations for attending and reported strong overall intrinsic impacts. Two-thirds of Sons and Mothers audiences said they came to be emotionally moved or inspired, while three-quarters of audiences at The Confidence Man said they came to try something new.

Whilst Sons and Mothers audiences reported high levels of captivation, inspiration and emotional resonance, the second phase paints a different pattern of impact. Performances of The Confidence Man appear to have contributed to aesthetic growth of audience members, with many saying they were exposed to a new style of theatre. Many attendees of 21

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

The Confidence Man were fascinated with the format and use of technology, and curious about the creative processes behind the play.

Although the storyline and characters were simply drawn, the show was highly absorbing, and captured audience imaginations. Many were intrigued by the potential of the form.

A minority of audience members at The Confidence Man did not enjoy using technology, and therefore had difficulty enjoying their experiences. These audience members tended to be of middle age, although people of all ages did enjoy the show. Only 6% of audiences felt the show fell short, with the vast majority saying it exceeded their expectations.

Those who participated in the show as characters tended to report even higher impacts, and feel better able to appreciate contemporary theatre. Young audiences also showed particularly strong engagement, with 96% of those under 24 saying the show exceeded their expectations.

Although some people felt that they missed out on critical details in the plot, this led to engaging conversations after the show, both among the audience and in Q&As with the creators. Most people said would be likely to attend future shows that are a bit 'out of the ordinary' or potentially challenging in nature.

Word of mouth appears to have been the most appropriate channel for marketing The Confidence Man, though with just one or two shows in most locations, the tour was unable to fulfil this potential.

Looking ahead As with Sons and Mothers, all presenters responding to Performing Lines’ post-tour survey said they would program something like The Confidence Man again, despite the poor attendances this time. The intrinsic impact results confirm that the presenters’ aims to expose audiences to new work were met – and for some, exceeded.

As noted above, one presenter of Sons and Mothers said, ‘It was a great example of the type of work that the member venues should be considering - contemporary, original thoughtprovoking new Australian work.’ Similarly, the data analysed for this phase suggests The Confidence Man was also an ideal Road Work production, with clear potential for aesthetic growth of audiences and the ability to engage young people and infrequent theatregoers.

However, both surveys suggest there is more to be done to attract and engage audiences, if such productions are to fulfil their full potential. Potential avenues for further exploration include:  

Longer lead times for planning and development of marketing and engagement ideas Early identification of target audiences and development of ‘personas’ to guide tour production and marketing 22

Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Interim Report

      

Touring to locations with sizeable populations of the target audience, e.g. towns and cities with universities Programming in alternative venues such as pubs and campus theatres Marketing strategies that amplify word-of-mouth promotion, potentially through social media and viral campaigns between regional locations Identifying ambassadors to help generate buzz and explain the production to their peers in their own words Scheduling multiple performances wherever possible to allow for word-of-mouth to spread Offering discounts for referrals and repeat attendances (‘bring a friend and see it again for half price’) Considering a second national tour to appropriate locations.

Performing Lines is using these findings in planning for the 2017 Road Work national tour of Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday, a verbatim theatre work by Roslyn Oades.

The Intrinsic Impact survey will be administered again in 2017 throughout the tour of Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday. A final report on the study will be published by the end of 2017, reflecting in further detail on the three productions.

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