Theatre companies move online to reach audiences in lockdown

Theatres and production companies across the world have launched new digital content so as to continue to connect with their audiences and provide cultural inspiration as well as learning resources and practical and physical activities through this general period of isolation. Some of the theatres and companies in question include:

Splendid Productions

The touring company are providing free access on Vimeo to their filmed performances for those who already own a Splendid DVD. These include productions of Dr. Faustus, Medea, Woyzeck, The Trial, Everyman, Macbeth, The Odyssey, Metamorphosis and The Oresteia. To allow your students to access the service for free, email ben@splendidproductions.co.uk for further details. Those who have not purchased a DVD can still rent individual performances on Vimeo for £7.50, with access lasting an extended 30 days. To accompany the performance videos, Splendid's teaching resources are available to order online, including mind maps and teachers’ packs to help students study during the self isolating period. For films, visit vimeo.com/splendidproductions and find teaching resources at: splendidproductions.co.uk/shop/publications.php

Chichester Festival Theatre

CFT has made available new resources among which are a new playwriting competition, entitled ‘Five Day Play’ where writers will be asked to submit a play that fits a weekly brief. The winning writer will have their work published online and receive professional feedback. Other online resources include: a digital resources pack that allows those aged 25 and under to study for the Arts Award project at home; resources for parents looking after children at home, including free yoga and dance sessions; and streamed productions added periodically over the coming weeks. cft.org.uk

© MANUEL HARLAN
Chichester Festival Theatre's production of The Midnight Gang is one of the streamed productions to be made specially available online during this period

Omnibus Theatre

The Clapham-based theatre has launched Ominbus Theatre Online, offering weekly activity packs for young people including Technique of the Week and Game of the Day. From YouTube to Instagram TV, podcasts to live interactive broadcasts, Omnibus is also giving adult audiences and collaborators the chance to connect and engage during these challenging times. omnibus-clapham.org/omnibus-theatre-online

Frantic Assembly

World leaders in devising and collaborative theatre, Frantic Assembly has launched a new virtual resource, Frantic Digital, which will give audiences exclusive insight into the creation of some of the company's iconic productions, including Beautiful Burnout, Lovesong, Othello and Things I Know to be True. A series of videos becomes available each week based on a different production, enabling people of any age all over the UK and abroad to engage with Frantic Assembly's work, through creative challenges, practical warm-ups and deep dives into how shows were made. Frantic Flashbacks are videos which share insights into the creative and rehearsal process, while Frantic Create sees audiences invited to take part in different creative challenges. Led by Scott Graham and Frantic Associates, these weekly challenges involve everything from creating your own boxing-inspired choreography to rewriting Shakespeare. Frantic Associates Simon Pittman and Sophie Shaw lead warm-ups inspired by the rehearsal process of that week's production in Warm Up With Us. A review of Frantic Digital appears on page 39 of this issue of D&T. franticassembly.co.uk/frantic-digital

British Youth Music Theatre

BYMT is hosting an open-access weekly program of webinars exploring the secrets of the theatre industry. Under the hashtag #BYMTalks the series works with industry professionals to offer behind-the-scenes insights into life in London's West End to help aspiring performers. Students can register to participate in the live chat hosted on Zoom at noon each Saturday, or the sessions are accessible on catchup via the BYMT YouTube channel. britishyouthmusictheatre.org/summer-courses/bymtalks

The Bush Theatre

The London theatre is releasing a series of online masterclasses with staff members, covering musicals (with Literary Manager, Deirdre O’Halloran), writing character (with Associate Director, Daniel Bailey), and theme vs. story (with Artistic Director Lynette Linton). The ten-minute masterclasses designed to support anyone who is interested in writing and plays will be available to watch on IGTV, Twitter, YouTube and the Bush Theatre website. bushtheatre.co.uk

The Actors’ Centre

Meanwhile, professional development members’ club The Actors’ Centre has been offering online workshops for members and non-members, including sessions on auditioning for drama school. For detail on workshops available, go to actorscentre.co.uk/workshops

Many more examples of theatre companies offering help in this period appear on pages 12-15 of this issue of Drama & Theatre – and for updates as the crisis continues, visit our website: www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk

REP RELOADED to support students across the West Midlands

© ROSS JUKES

With Birmingham Repertory Theatre (the REP) temporarily closed, the theatre's Creative Learning team have launched REP RELOADED, offering a 5-day a week digital programme for hundreds of young people in 8 schools across the Midlands. It will run across the summer term until mid-July, and offers participants access to vital interaction and creativity online from the safety of their own homes supporting cultural education and emotional wellbeing.

The content will enable students to tell digital stories through drama, learning adventures, storytelling, drawing, devising and writing plays. Students will submit responses to the challenges which can be shared via school blogs, websites and REP channels. The REP will also provide access to British Sign Language (BSL) workshops.

The Young REP youth theatre will be able to participate in digital workshops hosted by professional directors at The REP, including Artistic Director Sean Foley, covering acting for screen, performing puppetry, devising, improvisation, monologues and creating plays. Through games, writing challenges and theatre-making young people aged 8-25 will remain connected during lockdown and give voice to their experiences.

As part of Shifting The Dial, a national scheme to strengthen the mental wellbeing and skills of young black men, REP RELOADED offers Lightpost Theatre Company an opportunity to continue to create new plays of social and historical significance. The scheme aims to develop a Birmingham-based brotherhood of 300 young men who feel mentally stronger and healthier for their engagement in a wide range of cultural activities. The theatre company's activities will continue online.

And REP RELOADED is also taking part in ‘The Coronavirus Time Capsule’ (more details on page 15). Artistic Director of The REP, double Olivier Award-winner Sean Foley said ‘We're not open for performances, but we are continuing to create theatre in many ways – remember, it's ‘Only The Interval’’

As well as youth theatre provision, The REP will be streaming a selection of previous REP productions online, offering remote play-reading sessions for families and community participants, and will continue to provide activities for local young people in care as well as adult engagement.

The REP is keen to extend this engagement across the city. Contact alex.summers@birmingham-rep.co.uk

BBC announces ‘Culture in Quarantine’ festival

In response to theatre closures, the BBC will be streaming performances straight to living rooms across the UK.

Including pre-recorded performances of productions, such as Mike Bartlett's Albion and Emma Rice's Wise Children, performances of new plays especially written for broadcast and readings of poetry and books, the BBC's ‘Culture in Quarantine’ festival will ‘help keep the nation informed, educated and entertained.’

Performances will be broadcast on BBC2, BBC4, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4, as well as on digital platforms. Radio 4 will broadcast plays from its archive and BBC Sounds will allow users to stream modern podcast dramas. Other programmes such as exercise classes, educational resources for children and classical concerts will also be included as part of the festival's offering.

BBC director of arts Jonty Claypole said, ‘As a public service organisation, [the BBC] has always aimed to be more than a broadcaster but a stage, gallery and cultural platform in everybody's homes.

‘We will also be offering jewels from the archive, ensuring that new theatre and dance performances will join with modern classics to create a repertory theatre of broadcast.’

To find out more visit bbc.co.uk

Edinburgh's August 2020 festivals cancelled

For the first time in over 70 years, the five festivals that transform Edinburgh into the world's leading cultural destination every August are not going ahead this year due to concerns around the Covid-19 pandemic. Edinburgh Art Festival, The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will not happen as planned in 2020.

Together, the five August festivals comprise over 5,000 events across Scotland's capital each summer, welcoming audiences of 4.4 million and over 25,000 artists, writers and performers from 70 countries, making them the second biggest cultural event in the world after the Olympics.

The festivals’ history dates back to 1947, when in the aftermath of the Second World War the Edinburgh International Festival was founded to reconcile and reunite people and nations through art, in an event that transcended political and cultural boundaries. Many years later the International Festival continues to present the world's leading theatre, dance and music artists in Edinburgh's magnificent venues. Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform on the fringes of the very first International Festival, launching the ‘Edinburgh Fringe’.

Organisers continue to plan the festivals for August 2021.

Drama publisher offers special resources

Bloomsbury Drama are supporting teachers with free access to digital copies of adopted textbooks and offering a discount on their texts with 30% off print and 45% off eBooks. There are also additional support resources from their authors, including how to write a play by Martin Travers, a six-session guide to devising by Tashi Gore and Jess Thorpe, and acting exercises to teach online by Samantha Marsden. bloomsbury.com/uk/superpage/stay-connected-tothe-drama