Sadler’s Wells: Reinvent Programming?

“For the past few years, Sadler’s Wells has been going about its task respectably, acting as a receiving house for international contemporary dance on tour, and hosting the odd bit of touring opera or musical theatre.” Sadler’s new chief Jean-Luc Choplin “is not content with this niche. “The history of the second half of the 20th century has been of attempts to create access to high arts for all. It’s been done by cheap tickets, education projects, access initiatives. But all these have worked only to an extent. I want to create a genuinely popular theatre. Ticket pricing and access is important – but you have to change the programming.”