Category: theatre

• Critics are lining up against London’s National Theatre director Trevor Nunn.  But “Nunn’s fiercest critics might want to think twice before hysterically demanding that he be ousted.” After all, who would replace him? It’s not an idle question. – The Observer (UK)

Audiences are clapping more and more in the London Theatre. “It is common in the West End for audiences to applaud the first entrance of major stars, as if grateful that they bothered to show up at all. Elderly actors always get a particularly big hand. This has nothing to do with their acting ability and everything to do with their longevity. This applause does not mean ‘You’re marvellous’ but ‘Isn’t it amazing that you aren’t gaga and in a bathchair’?” – The Guardian

The knives are out for London’s National Theatre boss Trevor Nunn. He’s being accused of not delegating, of not developing new talent, and producing work that ought to be better. But hold on, writes one critic. “Not only has he toiled at least as hard in office and rehearsal room as his workaholic predecessors, Eyre and Peter Hall, paradoxically getting himself attacked for not sharing or delegating power, but he has brought us some of the finest productions and performances I’ve seen.” – The Times (UK)

“Having problems hearing the play these days? You are not alone. Directors of Canada’s larger theatres say their audiences increasingly complain they just can’t hear the actors speaking. Is it a case of collective deafness? Are modern theatres poorly designed for acoustics? Have actors lost the art of projecting a whisper back to the rear balcony? Or have theatregoers lost the art of listening?” – The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Three years ago Jujamcyn, the third-largest theatre producer on Broadway, began a $1 surcharge on all the tickets it sold. The company called the fee a “restoration” charge to fund restoration of its theatres. But it refused to include the fee’s income when calculating royalty payments to its directors and choreographers. This week an arbitrator ruled Jujamcyn must include the charge and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in back payments. – New York Post

Elton John’s “Aida” was disliked by the critics, dissed by the Tony awards, and generally made fun of in the theatre world. Yet the show has become a surprising hit on Broadway, pulling in $800,000 a week. – New York Post

Critic Michael Billington blasted London’s Royal National Theatre (and its artistic director Trevor Nunn) several months ago for a “lack of imagination” and “saturation diet of musicals.” Now he’s outlined a plan to save the RNT, with developing new work at its core. “My complaint at the moment is that the National programme resembles that of the more conservative opera houses which assume that there are simply 50 golden masterpieces to be endlessly revived from here to eternity.” – The Guardian

In a bold stand against the Australian government’s recent restructuring of performing arts funding (in which state theater companies will have to turn to private investors for substantial backing), Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director Robyn Nevin has pledged to quit her position rather than comply with a more commercial business model. – Sydney Morning Herald

— an international festival of the Irish writer’s work, kicks off in Scotland this week. But unlike other tributes, this one won’t rely on “Godot” and other Beckett staples. “I wouldn’t want the festival to be predictable. With a Brazilian puppet group redefining three of his short plays, Beckett texts projected on to well-known Glasgow buildings, a season of his films at the GFT, and a Beckett flotation tank inspired by his work for radio, it could hardly be called that.” – The Herald (Scotland)

Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher is working on his eighth produced script this year. “Unless and until someone can ante up eight produced new scripts this year – and show a couple of musicals and two screenplays in the hopper – it’s probably safe to dub Hatcher America’s Most Prolific Playwright.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press