Theatre Boards
Following on from my comment on Jane Edwardes’ interviews with artistic directors, she mentions in her impression of the new Gate Artistic Directors.
“an apparent desperation not to upset the theatre’s board by saying the wrong thing”
This highlights a subtle but important aspect of running theatres and charities, its board.
I think Edwardes was potentially being unnecessarily hard in judging attempts “not to upset a board” as “apparent desperation”.
Generally, a board and its executives should meet in harmony and synergy with creative tension and direction where necessary.
Problems at board level, or a split between its board and executive would be a disaster for a company. A weak board is equally a potential disaster.
Nick Hytner at the NT has said this about NT’s board
Does the Board ever get involved with repertoire?
The Board never gets involved. It would be hard to point to a precise date when the Board stopped getting involved with repertoire choices, but it doesn’t any more. I report to the Board what the repertoire will be, on a meeting-by-meeting basis. They always have a clear idea of what the artistic direction of the theatre will be, moving forward. If I suddenly decided there was going to be a radical shift in the direction the National Theatre was going to take – if for instance I decided the National would do no more new plays, or no more classics – then they would intervene, and they would be right to intervene. But they don’t consider it to be their job to intervene in the day-to-day running of the National and that would include the choice of repertoire. But they do very much consider it their job to be overall custodians of what the National Theatre is.
For the record the current board is: Chairman, Sir Hayden Phillips GCB; Members, Anjali Arya, Susan Chinn, Nicola Horlick, Rachel Lomax, Neil MacGregor, Caragh Merrick, Grahame Morris, Caro Newling, André Ptaszynski, Philip Pullman, Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury, Edward Walker-Arnott & Nicholas Wright.
That’s a very powerful board in reach, reputation and clout.
The Gate’s board (Kevin Cahill, Jonathan Hull, Pim Baxter, Mark Bayley, Diane Borger, Rupert Christiansen, Susan Hitch, Rima Horton and Colin Simon) may not on the face of it seem quite as scary but they are the custodians of the Gate Theatre and its only right to have respect and not to upset them. Challenge them, yes. (Although as ADS they will employ you)
Boards must be proper custodians too. Some speak of recent issues at the Bristol Old Vic of the board maybe not being brave enough. I don’t know the circumstances but theatre boards are a vital part of actually getting a theatre building/company to work.
[Note, I speak with a bias being on the Talawa Theatre board.]
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About me
I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.
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Recent Work
Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).
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Nakamitsu
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Yellow Gentlemen
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