Reaction to ACE funding of the new Rice company

You fail to see a problem only because you agree with the decision. What is slightly depressing is that despite having a large and devoted audience Rice didn't feel confident enough to set up a commercial company as several similarly experienced directors have done - Grandage, Hytner, Elliot, Dromgoolge - but came cap in hand to the taxpayer again thus squeezing out younger directors actively needing support - another middle-aged bed-blocker keeping the younger generation out.

A lot depends on what level of risk the ACE wants to take, if they give money to riskier undertakings then they can be called out. The RSC and NT both get generous funding when they already have fairly captive audiences and are well established.

Hytner leaves the NT and works to get the new Bridge Theatre up and running - no ACE funding for that as far as I can see

Rice leaves the Globe and gets £2 million for a company that didn't exist until less than a fortnight before the deadline for applications.

I can understand that certain parts of the Arts community will want to rally round and support her through what has clearly been a difficult time for her professionally and personally. But this funding decision doesn't feel right to many others.

I could have understood some initial seed funding being made available to get Wise Children up and running - allowing it to develop from a website into an actual theatre company. But granting NPO status after 9 days of existence is a very questionable decision by ACE.

I am, as yet, unclear as to how Wise Children will differ from Kneehigh - other than being directly under Rice's control.

ACE still haven't really provided any clear justification for their decision. They need to do so - and quickly - to adequately address the genuine concerns that have been raised.

Fans of Rice's work will, of course, applaud the prospect of her new company. But the current discontent surrounding the project is not going to help it get off on the right foot - so to speak.

"Wise Children will commit to the training of a new generation of theatre artists."

One of the most distinctive aspects of Wise Children is that its apprenticeship scheme, which will be fed by a training school offering intensive learning modules, will do exactly what you say it won't!

www.wisechildren.co.uk/sign-up.php#page/6

No that would be too extreme, just reviewing the list I'd remove funding from about 75% of the flagship organisations and distribute the money far more widely.

There is a lot to digest in all of that. More than I am willing to plough through whilst in holiday. But it is clear that a number of significant risks were identified. Whether they are equivalent to those of more established companies remains to be seen.

But it still looks like a leap the dark

Reads like a creative writing spoof exercise. How many meaningless expressions can you fit in? And all based on Emma Rice. What happens if she decides to change direction, emigrate or whatever? Or is this her salary? In which case she can go on writing stuff like this for ever.

Bloody useful to anyone planning an ACE application though, ahem. *fires up the ol' CTRL C*

Quick reactions.
- Ooh, David Jubb is involved.
- The training aspect would be a real draw here, similarly with residencies rather than tour stops and the possibilities to fill the mid scale touring gap.
- There's quite a 'Joan Littlewood' feel to plans and aspirations.
- Good approach to have the reader visualise what the company would bring.
- Ticks all the boxes, these are people who know their way around having to work to such targets.
- Big name approval included with quotes from across the theatre community, it's like being bombarded with energy.
- 'British character and values'. Tick.
- The development of creative space; with all recent developments in venue use, this is an important part of the conversation (also noticed Bea Minns, Punchdrunk designer, assisting in a capacity. Interesting).
- Spelling canon as cannon, tut tut....
- Evidence based, it's not new it's built on past experience (key for a company newly named).
- Training to challenge the middle class hegemony of current drama education (one of my own concerns). Living wage apprenticeships. Bretton Hall/Dartington closing etc.
- On the commentary, the concerns raised revolve around the early stages nature of the company, the major risk being an untested business model.

Summary, you can easily see why this succeeded, very well put together, industry wide backing, inventive. The risks of a startup are clear but they did everything to show that this is built from an existing base.

Can I see some more please? NT? Punchdrunk?

Just looked at their what's on for the main stage.

Prism, written and directed by Terry Johnson.
Slaves of Solitude by Nicholas Wright, directed by Jonathan Kent.
Cell Mates by Simon Gray, directed by Edward Hall.

I mean, did they really not notice the issue(s) there? Did nobody at any point say 'hold on a minute, isn't this a bit, you know, male, or white, or old' (Hall is the youngest and he's my age, for crying out loud!)

What struck me was how white and middle-aged almost everyone mentioned is - Rufus and Greg and Tom and Matthew all rallying round - the entrenched theatre establishment looking after one of their own - it's saying the the way to get funding is to have got funding in the past. Surprisingly little on the economics of the whole thing, how the money will be spent.

What it also reminded me of a bit was Adrian Noble's justification for leaving the Barbican - actors of old were vagabonds not shackled to any one place, free spirits, pitching their tent wherever they may, playing in different venues on different nights, going where they are needed ..... and similar romantic fantasies designed to appeal the the self-image theatrical folk have.

Won't happen. They are resident at the Old Vic, that means they'll do nothing with the NT and RSC, it was only put in as a possibility to boost the application. Even ignoring the Old Vic, I wonder if the NT vs RSC rivalry is as fierce as it was in the past, probably not, however has any 3rd company ever worked with both within a 3-4 year period ?