The Hayman Theatre - by the new Vice Chancellor — Theatre Australia Forums

Hayman Theatre

Performances planned for Hayman Theatre this year have been relocated to other venues in the metropolitan area, as Curtin has been advised by independent fire engineering consultants that the theatre does not meet the relevant fire and safety standards.

Some upgrading has been undertaken to ensure the theatre can be used as a teaching space and rehearsal space, but it will cost over $1 million to bring it to the standard required for public performances. Properties is now undertaking a study to identify the most appropriate use of the space, taking into account current needs and priorities, before any decision is made.

Despite the closure of the theatre, the activities of the Performance Studies course will continue with productions planned for 2006 being staged in alternative venues within the metropolitan area. This will have the advantage of giving students experience in the types of venues they will work in after graduation, and will showcase the Performance Studies course in different areas and to different audiences.

OBSERVATION by reader

The several UWA theatres are used extensively - check the lack of parking any night! - surely Curtin can support one theatre and their acting and theatre skills courses. They have the space, facilities and parking

Back in June last year Curtin decided to charge Humanties rental for the Hayman Theatre space hoping that this would put financial pressure on the department and close down the performance studies course. Plans changed when the issue got publicised in the press and letters flooded the VC's desk. Now they have a legitimate excuse to close down the Hayman theatre space and turn it into a lecture theatre. As Gordon and Craig have both pointed out Hayman Theatre could be marketed more aggresively as a theatre for public hire like the UWA theatres and Nexus Theatre at Murdoch (which is self sustaining financially)and provide some return on the investment needed to fix the theatre up. It's wonderful that students will have the opportunity to perform in various venues outside of the university but I have a feeling that the added expense of hiring these venues etc will add to the reasons needed for Curtin to phase out the performance studies course and that would be a damn shame. I hope my suspicions prove to be wrong.

The Hayman Theatre - by the new Vice Chancellor

Hayman Theatre

Phasing out the performance studies course?

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