-
Welcome to Stafford Forum. Please or sign-up and start posting!
Shakespeare in the Gatehouse.
- Thread starter joshua
- Start date
DoggedWalker
Well-Known Forumite
Yet when it was at the castle it was often difficult to get hold of tickets… can’t say I’m surprised. Bad council management making bad decisions.
Theresa Green
Well-Known Forumite
Potatoes are the greatest
Thehooperman
Well-Known Forumite
I saw two guys sitting outside the Gatehouse tonight, both wearing a fez and one sitting on a cardboard/wooden throne and the other sitting around some scenery.
I assume it's last night of Shakespeare "not at the castle" or they've robbed half of the set.
I assume it's last night of Shakespeare "not at the castle" or they've robbed half of the set.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
No, it’s on until Sunday.
It simply wasn’t sustainable at the castle, it wasn’t profitable and hard decisions had to be made.
However, the production this year has been so much better than anything that has gone before and the reviews have been wonderful.
Some friends of ours went on Sunday (initially dead against it because it wasn’t at the castle but got seduced by discounted tickets) said it “absolutely brilliant , we loved it, never enjoyed Shakespeare so much”
On one of my working nights, a couple hadn’t missed a Stafford Shakespeare in 30 years and still declared it the “best ever”. In fact on ALL of my working nights everyone has loved it.
I‘m guessing that the majority of the negative naysayers are making a judgement without actually having seen it themselves.
Which is a shame because they don’t know what they are missing. If you don’t believe me, go on to Stafford Gatehouse Facebook page and read what people are saying.
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Being of a cynical nature, I'm going to say it was moved to the Gatehouse because there was more money and less effort to be put in for Entrust.
Considering most tickets will have been sold at a considerable discount, we'll have to wait until (if) figures are published to find out how good or bad a financial decision it was.
I'm not a massive fan of Shakespeare, you can thank secondary school for that but we'd go to the castle for it for the event as much as the play. Going to an ordinary theatre to see Shakespeare holds no appeal to me whatsoever. Though we regularly go to the Gatehouse for various things.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
As I said earlier, judgments are being made by people who haven’t seen it.
MORE effort, not less, has been made for this production, in some part possibly to compensate for it not being at the castle but also because the staging and lighting effects couldn’t have been achieved at the castle. Being inside at The Gatehouse opened up so many opportunities.
This show is funny, brilliant production, fabulous special effects and has a wow factor.
Also the cast are amazing. Those who regularly attend West End theatre will already know Kerry Ellis and will grab any opportunity to see her, Shakespeare or no Shakespeare.
There no convincing some people, but I’d say that if anyone enjoyed it at The Castle then they would enjoy this production much more.
Let’s not forget, that not everyone got to enjoy a balmy evening at the castle with a picnic. Some people had to endure cold, torrential rain, wind, thunder and lightning.
Last week, on a particularly rainy miserable night everyone came in saying “Thank goodness it’s not at the castle“
Hats off to those people who decided to embrace change.
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
Being someone who wonders why you think Entrust have anything at all to do with what we are talking about, i'm going to say you don't have even the first idea what you are talking about.
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
But assembling then dismantling the stage and all the seating, proving electricity and toilets, etc. must have been a lot of effort and cost that wasn't needed this year.
Whether or not there's one next year will tell us if it's been a success indoors, a financial success that is because that's what counts.
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Sorry Freedom Leisure. It's difficult to keep up with who the borough council have sold what to in order to get best value in decimating services within the borough.
Glad you can still find time to come on here and be an obnoxious c.unt though.
DoggedWalker
Well-Known Forumite
I appreciate there’s some obvious pride in what the show is like this year but there is nothing remotely special about Shakespeare in a theatre in Stafford. The backdrop of the castle and an outdoor venue IS what made the annual productions special.
As for it not being profitable, I have two things to say about that;
1) the event was regularly sold out or very close to, so tickets could’ve increased in price marginally.
2) the response I had from the council when I contacted them probably tells you why it wasn’t profitable. Where an event isn’t making money, the thing you don’t then try and do is make it even more expensive to run, which is exactly what they took as the solution. I’ll quote the reply ‘ it has changed dramatically over time from a small production while sitting on bales of straw, no toilets, no bar, no cover, no transport to this years with electric transport, posh toilets, everything set up to be carbon neutral’
Maybe if they hadn’t gone for the posh toilets, the electric transport and paid some third party to offset carbon (a con by the way), it might’ve been more viable to have it at the actual place that makes this worthwhile for so many.
As for it not being profitable, I have two things to say about that;
1) the event was regularly sold out or very close to, so tickets could’ve increased in price marginally.
2) the response I had from the council when I contacted them probably tells you why it wasn’t profitable. Where an event isn’t making money, the thing you don’t then try and do is make it even more expensive to run, which is exactly what they took as the solution. I’ll quote the reply ‘ it has changed dramatically over time from a small production while sitting on bales of straw, no toilets, no bar, no cover, no transport to this years with electric transport, posh toilets, everything set up to be carbon neutral’
Maybe if they hadn’t gone for the posh toilets, the electric transport and paid some third party to offset carbon (a con by the way), it might’ve been more viable to have it at the actual place that makes this worthwhile for so many.
c0tt0nt0p
Well-Known Forumite
It's not though is it ??
Glam
Mad Cat Woman
Friend at work used make it a proper day out. Massive picnic, half a vineyard just for her, reckoned the atmosphere alone was worth it, whatever the weather. Gatehouse was for Winter time.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Right, ok then.
So, even though I was originally of the same opinion, that it was a shame not to be at the castle, but changed my mind having ACTUALLY SEEN IT.
Even though the reviews are great from those who have ACTUALLY SEEN IT.
We can’t change the opinion of those who absolutely won’t go, because it’s not outside.
Blimey, it’s a good job that those who choose to visit the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford Upon Avon, don’t boycott it because it not outside by a castle. They somehow manage every year being inside all the time.
Anyway, it is what it is.
Someone from Surrey was visiting our theatre the other day (they come every year to the castle, but still decided to give the theatre a chance.)
They thought that our little theatre was wonderful, the show was wonderful.
Says it all though that people from afar appreciate what we’ve got but some locals won’t support it.
So, even though I was originally of the same opinion, that it was a shame not to be at the castle, but changed my mind having ACTUALLY SEEN IT.
Even though the reviews are great from those who have ACTUALLY SEEN IT.
We can’t change the opinion of those who absolutely won’t go, because it’s not outside.
Blimey, it’s a good job that those who choose to visit the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford Upon Avon, don’t boycott it because it not outside by a castle. They somehow manage every year being inside all the time.
Anyway, it is what it is.
Someone from Surrey was visiting our theatre the other day (they come every year to the castle, but still decided to give the theatre a chance.)
They thought that our little theatre was wonderful, the show was wonderful.
Says it all though that people from afar appreciate what we’ve got but some locals won’t support it.
Couldn’t disagree with this more. An opportunity to see Shakespeare performed well is always special, and the fact it’s local is a huge treat. I’m taking one of the kids at the weekend (having been slightly baffled at friends who said theirs wouldn’t understand it - Shakespeare performed is worlds apart from Shakespeare on the page!)
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Yes, this production is great for kids, in fact all of the afternoon school productions sold out very quickly.
But even in the evening performances there were people of all ages attending, including children. It‘very easy to understand.
It does seem that the biggest complainers are those that haven’t seen it.
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
It's not about "those who have ACTUALLY SEEN IT".
It's about how many choose to, and how many choose not to, spend their money and time going to see it.
What reduction in ticket sales has there been from Romeo and Juliet outside last year to A Midsummer Night's Dream inside this year ?
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
I think you are missing my point, or being deliberately obtuse.
Of course it’s about choice, I‘m not even saying that anyone should like Shakespeare.
I’m saying that those who enjoyed it at the castle, those who were sceptical about it not being at the castle, those who chose to give it a chance and support our local theatre, absolutely loved it.
The reviews speak for themselves, just go on Facebook and have a look.
I don’t know yet about ticket sales compared to last year but The Gatehouse Facebook page says
”IT’S OFFICIAL:, A Midsummer Nights Dream is now THE most watched drama production in The Gatehouse’s 41 year history”
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
I haven't missed your point about those who enjoyed seeing it inside and I'm not being obtuse, deliberately or not.
Drastically slashing ticket prices from £35 to £16 must surely have happened because demand was far lower than expected.
I suspect that if it was "the most watched drama production in The Gatehouse" then that's because £16 was all many people would pay for an indoor production and/or it was on for more performances than other drama productions.
Do you have an interest to declare, such as being employed there ?
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Yes, if you’d read my others posts then you’d know that I volunteer front of house, that’s why I know first hand that people who were sceptical but came anyway thoroughly enjoyed it. Night after night, I can see the enjoyment and pleasure.
Yes, there are empty seats because some people think it won’t be the same because it’s not at the castle.
I‘m repeating myself now but all I wanted to do was emphasise to those with doubts that it’s a great show, castle or no castle. I just wanted to let people know how fantastic it is, and that if they enjoyed Shakespeare at the castle then give it a chance and they will be pleasantly surprised.
There was no ulterior motive, I was just trying to be helpful but you are being deliberately argumentative.
To be honest , you were not my target audience anyway, I don’t expect you to buy a ticket even if they reduced them to £1 because it doesn’t involve drinking in a pub.