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Post by crowblack on Jun 4, 2021 16:49:46 GMT
We have had a rough 2 years. Is it too much to ask for our national arts providers to help lift the mood of the population with things that boost our collective happiness? I agree on this - I'm not one for the Marie Kondo approach to home life, but at the moment what I want to see is things that 'spark joy'. |
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Post by cavocado on Jun 4, 2021 17:05:10 GMT
I'm pretty happy with this mix. I'm looking forward to Rockets and BLue Lights, Paradise, Manor and Our Generation. There are three or four others I'll probably see - The Corn is Green, The Normal Heart, Trouble in Mind, possibly Wuthering Heights. I have missed seeing plays that challenge me and make me think. I'm not particularly interested in plays aimed at boosting my happiness!
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National
Jun 4, 2021 17:36:45 GMT
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Post by Jan on Jun 4, 2021 17:36:45 GMT
It does feel like an attempt to create a season that is "relevant" rather than one that might ... entertain/thrill/delight. . I believe - someone may know - that the mission statement of the NT was changed (by the board I suppose) fairly recently to include the requirement for productions specifically to be “relevant”. I think before it was just a statement they should be of high quality, I forget the exact wording. Pushing at an open door with Rufus of course, a stranger to comedies. |
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Post by lynette on Jun 4, 2021 17:46:49 GMT
Groan.
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Post by crowblack on Jun 4, 2021 17:53:26 GMT
I'm not particularly interested in plays aimed at boosting my happiness! I suppose that depends how stressful you're finding life in general. I want something to take me out of death and misery right now. |
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National
Jun 4, 2021 18:00:09 GMT
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Post by zahidf on Jun 4, 2021 18:00:09 GMT
As always I'll see the cast and reviews. The national generally does it for me in terms of enjoying the shows once I'm there.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jun 4, 2021 18:51:37 GMT
The NT doing a new season announcement of basically fine but uninspiring productions with a couple of “oh that’s cool I guess” spotted within it.
Nature is healing etc.
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Post by crowblack on Jun 4, 2021 19:00:00 GMT
I'm sorry The Welkin isn't coming back - hopefully an archive recording will come up on NT at Home at some point.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 4, 2021 23:52:33 GMT
There was also going to be a second run of the excellent Small Island.
The pantomime thing didn’t last long, which I can only say is a good thing. However we’re getting a musical Sleeping Musical, by the artistic director and his wife, no nepotism there then and I’m sure his literacy department are going to tell their boss, how great it all is. I would’ve preferred to see the mentioned Standing on the Edge of the Sky musical that should have happened instead.
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National
Jun 5, 2021 0:00:06 GMT
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Jan likes this
Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jun 5, 2021 0:00:06 GMT
When I wished for more musicals at the NT on that monkey's paw this is not what I meant!
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 5, 2021 0:58:46 GMT
There was also going to be a second run of the excellent Small Island. The pantomime thing didn’t last long, which I can only say is a good thing. However we’re getting a musical Sleeping Musical, by the artistic director and his wife, no nepotism there then and I’m sure his literacy department are going to tell their boss, how great it all is. I would’ve preferred to see the mentioned Standing on the Edge of the Sky musical that should have happened instead. There should be a general rule in subsidised theatres that Artistic Directors are not allowed to employ relatives on any project. We need to break the arts free from nepotism. |
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National
Jun 5, 2021 9:10:34 GMT
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Post by theoracle on Jun 5, 2021 9:10:34 GMT
Will the performances continue to be Socially distanced? Would love to see Paradise and The Corn is Green which I hope by then will return to full capacity.
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Post by cavocado on Jun 5, 2021 9:38:52 GMT
I imagine the social distancing will depend on what the covid rules are. I think there's a lot of speculation that the 21st June opening up date will be put back by 2 or 3 weeks. I know some theatres have said that extra seats will go on sale as soon as they have confirmation of when restrictions will be lifted.
Re nepotism, I agree there should be strict rules and transparency, especially when it involves spending public money. But arts projects often arise out of collaboration between people who already know each other well, so I suppose boundaries will always be fuzzy. But certainly there needs to be accountability when someone has a lot of power in an industry and public money to spend. I suppose the rules could have said that Rufus N should take this project elsewhere and take a few weeks' sabbatical to work on it.
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Post by n1david on Jun 5, 2021 9:46:52 GMT
The website says they'll be sold initially as socially distanced, but if the rules change, they will move to full seating.
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Post by Jan on Jun 5, 2021 10:43:18 GMT
There was also going to be a second run of the excellent Small Island. The pantomime thing didn’t last long, which I can only say is a good thing. However we’re getting a musical Sleeping Musical, by the artistic director and his wife, no nepotism there then and I’m sure his literacy department are going to tell their boss, how great it all is. I would’ve preferred to see the mentioned Standing on the Edge of the Sky musical that should have happened instead. There should be a general rule in subsidised theatres that Artistic Directors are not allowed to employ relatives on any project. We need to break the arts free from nepotism. I somewhat agree. But there are other hidden forms of it too, for example where an AD has the same agent as the writers they're commissioning and the directors and actors they're employing. I agree it looks a bit odd that Rufus Norris has commissioned a musical co-written by the first-time musical writer Rufus Norris. Does he get paid extra for that ? I suppose he'll then get income from all subsequent new commercial productions of it (if any) as author whether he's directing it or not. NT tightened the rules on payments for direct transfers under the last regime but it probably doesn't apply to the writers. Peter Hall was NT AD who enriched himself most disgracefully off the back of transfers of NT productions - he got a % of the gross for a Broadway transfer once. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 5, 2021 11:12:37 GMT
If you are leading a national company that receives vast swathes of public cash then you should lead not use it as an employment scheme for your partner/children/whoever.
There was an outcry over MPs employing their family members. New rules were put in place.
There should be an outcry about public sector arts employees doing the same thing. If you want to work with someone close to you, do it in the private sector.
Nepotism is rampant in theatre. There has to be change.
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National
Jun 5, 2021 12:36:29 GMT
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 5, 2021 12:36:29 GMT
I hope I'm wrong, judging by previous Noris musicals I suspect this debate will be more interesting than Hex
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 5, 2021 13:09:23 GMT
I have supported Rufus as AD, despite having stinkers, Hytner had stinkers too.
It is a weakness of Lisa Burger in her role as Executive Director not to reign Rufus in and say “no, there is a clear conflict of interests here, this isn’t going to happen, at the National.” She seems completely enthralled by Rufus though. If another subsidised venue decided there is merit in Hex and decided to put in their artistic programme, all is well and good and obviously I wouldn’t be commenting on this on a public forum, as there is clearly no nepotism at play.
No Hex is going ahead, so if Hex goes on to be a success in commercial theatre, it is only right Rufus should get the same percentage of earning as any other writers, set out by National Theatre contracts, I have absolute no problem there, in Rufus doing well, if it is a success. However if it goes down a stinker with the critics and public, difficult questions needs to be asked and then Rufus and Lisa needs to do the honourable thing and resign.
If you live by the sword, you die by the sword.
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Post by n1david on Jun 5, 2021 14:05:03 GMT
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National
Jun 5, 2021 14:57:17 GMT
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Post by TallPaul on Jun 5, 2021 14:57:17 GMT
Although I've never sat on one, I'd be surprised if each new season isn't signed off by the board of every producing theatre, if only nominally.
I'm not currently at home, so can't look, but I'm sure Nicholas Hytner writes about it in Balancing Acts.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 5, 2021 15:14:26 GMT
The board are just as guilty of endorsing nepotism in that case.
There are lots of writers and composers who deserve a leg up in this industry. Shame on Norris and the board for putting nepotism first.
I don't care how many times Norris and his wife have worked together in the past. They shouldn't be working together at the National whilst Norris is in charge. They might think that is unfair but there is a price to be paid when you assume the leadership of a major arts organisation.
A rehash of Sleeping Beauty is not something that absolutely has to be done now. It could have waited.
This is a bad decision. I don't care how good or bad the end product turns out to be. The principle of removing nepotism from the RNT/RSC and other similar companies is one that should be followed.
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National
Jun 5, 2021 15:45:59 GMT
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Post by Jan on Jun 5, 2021 15:45:59 GMT
There was a similar situation when Sher wrote that play about Michelangelo and he and Doran staged it at Hampstead rather than the RSC which seems a less conflicted approach.
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Post by Jan on Jun 5, 2021 15:54:00 GMT
I hope I'm wrong, judging by previous Noris musicals I suspect this debate will be more interesting than Hex Norris isn’t a showman. The previous people in that job have had a side to them which is just a little bit brash and populist: Hytner, Olivier, Hall, Nunn. Even Eyre to a lesser extent: Guys and Dolls for example. Norris seems just so dull and humourless and worthy. That would be fine at some venues but not for those massive NT stages. |
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Post by lynette on Jun 5, 2021 18:56:39 GMT
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you that there are no writers in the UK or heaven forfend the entire world who may have written a play/musical/entertainment/monologue/rant which is good enough to go on stage at the NT so that our beloved leader there has to take on the challenge himself aided by his life’s companion - shocked.
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Post by Jan on Jun 6, 2021 17:30:28 GMT
That Times interview with Norris and Burger is quite something:
"Norris and Burger want to connect with society as a whole. The Summer shows are by the straight white males Jack Thorne (After Life) and Dylan Thomas".
As a straight white male I find it quite bizarre they think that Dylan Thomas would somehow "connect" more with me than, say, Noel Coward or Caryl Churchill. Why ? I mean I didn't even know that Dylan Thomas was straight - why would I ? Did Jack Thorne have to self-declare as straight before they commissioned him for the Summer season ? Anyway, useful to know that nothing in their season other than these two would "connect" with me so I don't need to bother seeing them.
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