Annual Report Apr 22 - Mar 23

THEATRE ROYAL BURY ST EDMUNDS ANNUAL REPORT

WELCOME

This was our first full year of operation since the global pandemic and continued to be a period of recovery.

We focused upon building our team back to pre-pandemic levels and developing our capacity to produce more high quality, in-house productions. As a result, this was a prolific year as we produced four in-house productions, two co-productions and invested significant additional resources into our productions by children and young people. This strategic approach to ‘produce our way out of the pandemic’ through big and bold productions was a great success.

We attracted 64,831 audience members, a 21% increase on the previous year.

Our success in attracting audiences back to the theatre is testament to the skill and passion of the entire Theatre Royal team of staff, trustees, artists and volunteers.

Our approach has been further validated by our successful application to become a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England from 2023-2026.

I am delighted to say that the 2022/23 financial year was a very positive one with most things returning to pretty well normal with some notable achievements. Staffing levels got back to full complement with some great new appointments, putting us in a strong position for the future. We produced some fantastic own productions, not least the panto, which as well as delighting audiences engaged many young people on stage. Our community and education work expanded, areas that the Board wants to see develop further in future years, and youth theatre is thriving.

Thanks to our very successful own productions and thoughtful and high-quality programming of visiting artists and companies box office income increased significantly, giving us some breathing space after a difficult Covid and post-Covid period. We continued to be blessed by the financial support we received from public bodies, donors, patrons and sponsors. Despite the pressure that they themselves were under our two councils (West Suffolk and Suffolk County) continued their grant funding at very similar levels as in previous years and our business sponsors were even more generous.

The Board are deeply grateful for this support, without which we would have found it very difficult to undertake the range of activities that we did.

Owen Calvert-Lyons, Artistic Director & CEO Roger Quince, Chairman of The Board

64,831 TICKETS SOLD

84 SCHOOLS ENGAGED 140 PRODUCTIONS

9,241 CREATIVE LEARNING PARTICIPANTS

590 PERFORMANCES

THE SECRET GARDEN

Written by FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT

Adapted by NICOLA WERENOWSKA

Co-directed by OWEN CALVERT-LYONS and DAVID WHITNEY

2,976 TICKETS SOLD

Every year, Theatre Royal stages a large-scale community production with professional actors and a creative team supporting a wider cast of local children and young people. The project offers a transformative creative experience as well as a unique insight into potential careers in a range of creative disciplines.

This year, we staged Nicky Werenowska’s new adaptation of Francies Hodgson Burnett’s classic story The Secret Garden. This new adaptation explores themes of friendship, self-discovery and acceptance, whilst challenging the approach to disability in the original story and changing it into a celebration of inclusivity.

This production designed and built in Bury St Edmunds, strengthened, developed,

supported and showcased the talent and skills of a cohort of young people as they worked alongside our professional team of actors, directors, designers, technicians and stage managers. This was an opportunity for young people to be involved in all aspects of a production: from acting to composing and from stage management to lighting design.

“The Secret Garden is a stunningsuccess-itrattles thecagesonmanyemotions and issues which are still sorelevant.Yet,thetwists andturnsalsoprovidegood humour,heart-rendingand magicalmomentsofhope, happinessandfriendship.”

Suffolk News (Iliffe)

PRODUCTION TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7RUJ13kgkmk

THE COMMISSIONING CIRCLE

This adaptation was funded by our Commissioning Circle. This programme supports the theatre’s artistic programme by expanding its capacity to commission new plays. This is a unique and exciting experience for theatre lovers, literary enthusiasts or business owners and entrepreneurs to commission a play and accompany it on its journey from ‘page to stage’.

A small number of Circle Members (around 5) fund the cost of commissioning a playwright to write a new play for Theatre Royal’s stage. As the commissioners of the play, Circle Members will play a significant part in enabling the theatre to produce an artistically excellent and creatively ambitious production each year.

“Ithasbeensuchaprivilegetobemembersofthe CommissioningCircle.Wehavesoenjoyedsharingthe embryonicjourneyoftheplay,fromthefirstreadingsto thefinalrehearsals.Meetingtheplaywright,theDirector, theproductionpersonnel,andthecast.Sharingthemany complexitiesoftransferringthisclassicstorybookontothe stage.Bravo,TheatreRoyal!”

The Secret Garden, Commissioning Circle Member

THE LEGEND OF ROBIN HOOD

Written by CHRIS HANNON Directed by OWEN CALVERT-LYONS

24,818 TICKETS SOLD

Our in-house pantomime is legendary, with original script adaptations, featuring 16 local children, attracting 23,000 audiences each year and delighting generations of audiences. This year’s pantomime TheLegendof Robin Hood opened on 25th November.

We welcomed back Chris Clarkson (Little Joan), Craig Painting (Sheriff of Nottingham) and Samuel Knight (Robin of Loxley) who were such audience favourites in last year’s Cinderella. Nerine Skinner (Mavis the Minstrel/ Major Maureen McTavish) returned to Theatre Royal, who last performed here in 2017 as Nibbles in DickWhittington.

Alongside this team of returning favourites, three newcomers

joined our pantomime cast: Jessica Dennis , Zweyla Mitchell dos Santos (Wil Scarlett) and Ewan Grant (Rob the Baker’s Boy) both recent graduates.

Nominated for four UK Pantomime Awards (Best Newcomer, Best Costume, Best Script and Best Pantomime).

“TheLegendofRobinHood deliversoneverylevel: humour,stellarperformances, atalentedyoungcast,strong vocals,atightscript,simply stunningcostumes,oodlesof funandplentyofcustardpies. Followingaseriesofsuccesses, theTheatreRoyalhasnow establisheditselfasaleading pantomimeproducerandthe 2022offeringfollowsprevious impressiveform.”

Bury Free Press

The Legend of Robin Hood, 2022/23 (Tony Kelly)

THE CHILDREN

Written by LUCY KIRKWOOD Directed by OWEN CALVERT-LYONS

3,216 TICKETS SOLD

The Children is part of our commitment to stage the best plays of the past ten years and followed on from the success of last year’s Home,I’mDarling. One of the most exciting British playwrights of our time, Lucy Kirkwood’s writing is so precise, every word carefully chosen. She moves effortlessly between domestic and global, comedy and heartbreak.

recently given the go-ahead for Sizewell C. The conversation about nuclear power is one we need to have as a society. The last year has impressed on all of us the need for energy security. Is nuclear the price we have to pay for this? And have we learned the lessons of Fukushima?

The Children explores some of the biggest challenges we face as a society. The play is about climate change and the need for all of us to ‘want less’. It asks us to consider whether we have a responsibility to the generation coming after us. The Children is inspired by the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan 2011. This story has particular resonance in Suffolk as the government has so

“Itisagreatchallengeand privilegetoplayoneofher characters.Andit’sajoytobe inaplaywithonlythreeparts andwe’reallroughlythesame age-let’scallit‘seasoned’”

Imogen Stubbs, Rose in The Children

“Deeplymoving,thought provokingandbrilliantlyacted. Averyspecialexperiencefor thoseluckyenoughtoseethis production.”

Audience Feedback

YOUTH THEATRE

Youth Theatre at Theatre Royal is for anyone with an interest in theatre, writing, creating, or simply if you want to make new friends. Over 100 young people take part in our youth theatre workshops each week. Our sessions run on Mon-Sat during term time and give young people aged 8-22 (Juniors, Seniors and Young Company) the chance to experience the power of performance, building confidence and life skills along the way.

Every year, our Youth Theatre members perform in a professionally produced production. This year, we staged Carl Grose’s StayBraveBrian Gravy and Georgia Christou’s BrightYoungThings (audience 393).

“I love Youth Theatre because Icanhavetimewithmyfriends andweplaygreatgames.We alsogetalotofexperienceand it is all so fun!”

YOUTH THEATRE TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-04qXlJdGfk&t=10s

Our SENsory Youth Theatre groups support young people who identify as learning disabled, neurodivergent, having SEN, or other social, emotional, and mental health needs.

These groups give young people the opportunity to participate in creative play within a fun, friendly, and accessible environment.

“Itakepartandenjoythe funalotandthepeoplewith disabilitiesImeet-Igetto know a lot of them and I am reallyhappyaboutthat!”

SENsory Youth Theatre Participant

SENSORY YOUTH THEATRE TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3kbrJAFI5UE&t=3s

Youth Theatre Participant

Youth Theatre Presents: Stay Brave Brian Gravy & Bright Young Things, 2023

(Tom Soper Photography)

Theatre

TINY PLAYS, BIG IDEAS

Tiny Plays, BIG IDEAS sends playwrights into Suffolk primary schools, teaching children to write their first play. A selection are performed by professional actors on Theatre Royal stage. Children learn about plot, character, storytelling, drafting, and staging in two one-hour workshops. Teachers attend a 2-hour CPD session exploring project aims and providing tools for continued classroom work.

This year, 380 pupils from 12 West Suffolk primary schools learned to write their first play. The project was a huge success again this year, empowering children to express themselves creatively. The work emphasizes each child’s unique perspective and storytelling ability. No themes or creativity restrictions are imposed, allowing children to tell their stories.

The project supports demographics in High Need areas, promoting high-quality culture. It celebrates diverse influences and knowledge in Suffolk communities. It brings live performances to rural West Suffolk schools, breaking geographic, economic, and social barriers. CPD sessions link schools and artists, ensuring cultural education access. Participants are directed to our participatory programmes. The project promotes future familybased arts and cultural events, increasing awareness in networks that might not attend otherwise.

Playwrights and facilitators are East Anglia-based, with extensive experience. Three of four professional actors are also from East Anglia. The diverse creative team engages the Global

Majority, Deaf, disabled, neuro-diverse, and socio-economically affected individuals.

After the success of this and our other Creative Learning work and projects, Theatre Royal continues to be a leader in the field of Creative Learning. The project allows us to build and deepen relationships with local primary schools, including those in low cultural engagement areas and to develop staff skills. Participants are directed to other Theatre Royal activities, increasing creative team diversity. Relationships with freelance playwrights and actors are strengthened. Schools benefit from innovative projects, helping them to understand the value of creativity. The project provides schools with life-changing experiences that inspire and engage children.

“Thewholeprogrammewasexcellentfromthe organisationoftheplaywrightingworkshops throughtheoutstandingperformances.Ourpupils thoroughlyenjoyedtheirworkshopsandvisitto thetheatretoseetheirplayscometolife!Pupils wereengagedwiththeirlearning,usingtheskills andcreativityduringtheirfollowinglessons.”

Teacher Participant

“Lots of our children had never been to the theatre beforethistrip.”

Teacher Participant

TINY PLAYS, BIG IDEAS TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdSA6a1hdi0

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Annual Report Apr 2022 - Mar 2023

DOORSTEP THEATRE FESTIVAL

Growing year on year, the Doorstep Theatre Festival is a touring rural arts festival designed to make high-quality arts accessible to young people across Suffolk. This is one of our flagship programmes.

Doorstep provides schools with the opportunity to host a performance from leading theatre companies making amazing work for young people. Following the performance, schools have the option to take part in enrichment workshops led by Theatre Royal’s Creative Learning Team. We offer this programme at a heavily subsidised rate to schools. Teachers are invited to a CPD session to explore how the themes within the performances and workshops can be carried into the classroom.

“Veryhighqualityofperformersandextremely engaging.Thechildrenwereallhavingawonderful time.Extremelypositiveattitudewhenfacedwith apowercuttooandweredeterminedtodeliver.

Theworkshopfacilitatorwascontrolledand engaging.”

Teacher, Cheveley Primary School

This year we programmed two shows, one for EYFS and KS1; TheTapDancingMermaid by Tessa Bide Productions, and KS2 production of The ‘Not So’ Grimm Twins by Wrongsemble. Both productions were suitable for SEN.

HEADLINE NUMBERS

245 teachers and 3,501 young people engaged with the programme.

The programme engaged 1,189 young people with TheTapDancingMermaid and 1,367 young people with The ‘Not So’ Grimm Twins, totalling 2,556 participants. We worked with 18 schools across Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Newmarket, Thetford, Sudbury, Haverhill and Ipswich. Our team of 5 facilitators delivered 59 workshops in total. 402 young people engaged with TheTapDancing Mermaid workshops and 503 engaged with The ‘Not So’ Grimm Twins workshops, totalling 945.

Doorstep Theatre Festival: The ‘Not So’

Grimm Twins, 2023

ACT YOUR AGE

A creative participation programme for over-55s. The group builds social networks, promotes independence and maintains physical movement, all core aspects of maintaining physical and mental health and well-being in older age.

The programme encourages people to develop a positive sense of who they are and what they can achieve by being able to create quality art which reflects and celebrates their unique creativity whilst exploring theatre-making in an inclusive and responsive environment. It enables people to have stronger, more positive and affirming relationships.

Through working with Theatre Royal people feel more able to direct or manage their lives and express themselves.

Number of beneficiaries per term: 15. Number of termly workshops delivered across the year: 30.

“IjoinedtheActYourAgeworkshopsin2018.This isanimprovisationgroupforolderfolk.Didn’thave acluewhatimprovisationinthisareameant-I hadabsolutelynoexperienceofparticipationin dramaofanykind...goodtostepoutofmycomfort zone!Thesessionsaregreatfunandawonderful fertiliserforgrowingconfidenceandmeetinga rangeofpeoplethatIneverwouldhavemet…not onlywereweabletogettoknowourinnerchild, itsopenedsomanylife-enhancingdoors.”

Participant

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Annual Report Apr 2022 - Mar 2023

HOW WE ARE FUNDED

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds is the third oldest working theatre in the country, the only surviving Regency playhouse and, in 2019, celebrated its 200th birthday. We are a Registered Charity (Charity Number 242977).

We receive crucial public authority funding from Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk Council.

In 2022-23:

• 8% of our income came from our core grants

• 7% of our income came from project fundraising (Trusts and Foundations)

• 16.5% of our income came from private sector support through fundraising from donations and legacies, sponsorship, memberships, individual giving and fundraising events.

• 54% came from our charitable activities –Theatre Royal’s entire programme (all events,

our Creative Learning programme, our heritage programme, our own productions and support for our local amateur groups)

• 6% came from our other trading activities

• Less than 0.5% came from investments

• 8% came from other income

A highlight of our fundraising events programme last year was in May 2022, when we welcomed our Life Patron, Dame Judi Dench, to Theatre Royal for an afternoon in conversation with her daughter Finty.

“TheatreRoyalBuryStEdmundsisanabsolute gemanditmustbepreservedforgenerationsto come–amagicalplacewithitshistoricauditorium andrichheritage.”

Dame Judi Dench Life Patron, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Dame Judi Dench & Finty Williams, 2022 (Dan Cole Media)

INCOME

Fundraising (Individual Giving, Sponsorship & Fundraising Events)

Trusts & Foundations

Core Grants

£163,500

Other

£155,800

£142,000 Investments

£3,900 Trading £220,600

Charitable Activities

£1,084,000 £228,700

Trading £129,656

£1,932,795

FUNDRAISING INCOME

£54,225 FUNDRAISING EVENTS

£25,000 TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS (CORE)

£142,000 TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS (PROJECT)

£64,504 SPONSORSHIP

£84,971 INDIVIDUAL GIVING

The Legend of Robin Hood, 2022/23 (Tony Kelly)

The

SUPPORTERS

Life Patrons & Ambassadors

LIFE PATRONS: Dame Judi Dench DBE, Mr Timothy West CBE, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, Mrs Judith Shallow DL, Mr Colin Blumenau, Mrs Patricia Thompson CBE

AMBASSADOR: Mrs Gina Long MBE

Patrons & Major Donors

Joan Abbs, Matthew Abercrombie, Nancy Ackland-Lang, George Agnew and Adrian White, Jennifer and Nicholas Antill, Alix and Robert Ashton, Kit and Daria Aspen, The Association Management Company, Gary Avis MBE, Robert and Sally Baxter, Bob and Sally Beckett, Countess Helen Benckendorff, Christopher Biggins, Christine Bird, Ben and Katie Birrell, Sarah Birrell, Derek Blake MBE and Valerie Blake, Stephen and Stephanie Bourne, Joy Bowes, Gyles Brandreth, Stuart Brennan, Marie Brown and in memory of Tony Brown, Mary Burr, Tonya Callihan, William and Lynn Cardale, Laura Carmichael, Sir Geoffrey and Lady Cass, Gordon Cawthorne MBE and in memory of Judith Cawthorne, Richard Chaplin, Christine Clark, Marcus and Sophie Codrington-Fernandez, Sian Couture, Louise Cramp, The Croft Family, Rev. David Crofts, Jane and Michael Crowe, Yvonne Curtis, Lady Mary Damerell, Piers Day, Nicholas Denyer, Michelle Dockery, Ian and Alison Duncan, Francesca Eady, Tony and Celia Earl, Caitlin Evans, The Fabulous Fascia Co Ltd, Andrew Flatt, Emma Fisher, Vivien Gainsborough Foot, Keith and Mary Gallois, Sarah George, Jayne Gittus, Philip Glenister, Robert Glenister, Judith Grandi, Sheena Griffiths, Bryan Hamilton, Michael and Caren Harrington Spier, Nigel Havers, David and Gillian Hodge, Stephen Hubner, Sam Hughan, John Meers and Jo Holden, Debbie Hudd and in memory of Roy Hudd OBE, Eric and Hazel Humphreys, Karen and Antony Hurden, Sir Derek Jacobi CBE, Peter Jackson CBE and in memory of Ann Jackson, Alex Jennings, Christina Johnston, Lesley Joseph, Jim and Carol Keohane, Fiona Langley, Nicholas Law and Susan Tanis, Malcolm Leith and Amanda Wearing, Barry Lingwood, Dame Maureen Lipman DBE, Bryan and Emma Littlefair, Andrew Long and Gina Long MBE, Karl and Annette Ludvigsen, Janet Martin, John McCarthy CBE, Sir Ian McKellen CH CBE, John Meers and Jo Holden, Julie Merrick, Nic and Kat Metcalfe, Gillian Morgan, Martin and Sylvia Moss, David and Pauline Mulley, Marguerite Nice, John and Maureen Orange, Irene and David Overman, Riccardo and Michaela Parfitt, Jeffrey Parker, Nicholas Pearson OBE and Fiona Pearson, Mark Pendlington DL, Heather Phillips, Mary Porch, Clare Presland, Libby Purves OBE, Roger and Thelma Quince, Sue Rawlinson, Michael Redgrave, Mike and Kate Redmond, Jo St Clair Roberts, Susan Roberts, James Robertson, Paul Romaine, Michael and Margaret Rustin, Prunella Scales CBE, Sue Scrivener, John Sergeant, Michael Shallow and Judith Shallow DL, Alice Sheepshanks, Graham Showell, John Simpson CBE, Charles and Suzanne Simpson, Sue and Dick Soper, Simon Spence KC, Jo Stark, Sha Starr, Christian and Susan Stenderup, Richard and the late Heulwen Stewart, Steven and Kimonie Stroud, Dame Janet Suzman DBE, Meriel Sykes, David Taylor, Nick and Rosemary Thomson, Christopher Truncellito Fiona Unwin, Sir Terry Waite CBE, Julia Wakelam, Dame Harriet Walter DBE, Christine Webber, Peter Wenban and Sarah Wenban CBE, Timothy West CBE, Sam West, Deborah Williams, In memory of Gabrielle Woodward, The Association Management Company, Theatre Royal Friends Committee and the generous donors of The Show Will Go On! – Theatre Royal’s Reopening Appeal (2020).

Youth Theatre Presents: Stay Brave Brian Gravy & Bright Young Things, 2023 (Tom Soper Photography)

THE TEAM

17 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS

55 PART-TIME (INCL. CASUAL STAFF)

51 FREELANCERS

120 VOLUNTEERS

THE BOARD

10 BOARD MEMBERS

Roger Quince, Marcus Codrington-Fernandez, Emma Fisher, Bal Kaur Howard, Graeme Kirk, Bryan Littlefair, Alistair Wayne, Stuart Henderson, Sara Whybrew & Liz Michie.

The Legend of Robin Hood, 2022/23 (Tony Kelly)

The Legend of Robin Hood, 2022/23 (Tony Kelly)