Theatre Dictator

Mon, 28 Mar 2011, 07:35 am

I have heard that an admirable South of the River theatre group, who have been renowned for constantly having full houses, has made a non-democratic decision to have only two directors direct all of their plays from now onwards.

The same person decided to cut down on the promotion of their plays – ‘after all we are so well known it is a waste of money’ - and has ended up with half-filled houses. The very dedicated team of helpers are in disarray at the decisions. Very sad news.

Thread (42 posts)

Threaded Flat

Gordon the OptomMon, 28 Mar 2011, 07:35 am

Bass GuyMon, 28 Mar 2011, 08:32 am

Names, Gordon...

...give us names!! I think we need to have a tar & feather section on this site; imagine the traffic it'd provoke.... Yours, poking the bear, Eliot McCann

NormaMon, 28 Mar 2011, 10:20 am

It is not....

Well gordon,

I can tell you of two 'south of the river' well known theatres that this most definitely does NOT apply to

(Bad grammar but you get the idea)

By the way- are you absolutely certain of your facts????

Gordon the OptomMon, 28 Mar 2011, 12:38 pm

which one?

Well south of the river.

Gordon

NormaMon, 28 Mar 2011, 12:53 pm

Which one?

Think I know who you might mean!

Walter PlingeTue, 29 Mar 2011, 11:45 pm

Not Harbour??

MusicalMumWed, 30 Mar 2011, 01:18 am

I'd hardly call HTC.....

"well south of the river".

NormaWed, 30 Mar 2011, 09:03 am

Not Harbour

No!

Walter PlingeThu, 31 Mar 2011, 01:25 pm

I know. It's Melville

I know. It's Melville Theatre. I knew it would be them. Oh well, it's there right I guess.

Paul TreasureThu, 31 Mar 2011, 04:56 pm

Which club?

"who have been renowned for constantly having full houses" Well that DEFINITELY cuts out the clubs that I'm actively involved with... ;-)

jeffhansenThu, 31 Mar 2011, 07:06 pm

I'm with Paul. Full houses?

I'm with Paul. Full houses? We had one for Zastrozzi,but before that I can't remember. www.meltheco.org.au

NormaThu, 31 Mar 2011, 08:01 pm

?Full houses

It's OK Jeff, he doesn't mean any of the "three"-much further south apparantly

NormaThu, 31 Mar 2011, 08:05 pm

I know, It's Melville

Really-"Walter Shaw"

It's always wise to engage brain before opening mouth.

jeffhansenThu, 31 Mar 2011, 08:18 pm

I do recall at a recent

I do recall at a recent committee meeting, that a club from the southern reaches sent a letter, asking for help finding directors, as they had lost most of their regulars, and were struggling with the couple they had left. Maybe it's not as sinister as Gordon has heard. Who has full houses anyway? www.meltheco.org.au

Paul TreasureFri, 1 Apr 2011, 11:48 am

Not them either...

That particular club, which is one of the ones I am actively involved in... definitely doesn't always get full houses... This is like an Agatha Christie, isn't it... We've just worked out it can't be the butler or the cook, but it still could be the vicar or the colonel! in the conservatory with the lead pipe :-)

StanleyFri, 1 Apr 2011, 01:45 pm

"full houses"

It is definitely not the one on the corner of Rockingham Rd and Carrington St. Hamilton Hill, but you might help to fill the first night house Thursday 7/4 "Agatha Christie Made Me Do It", proceeds to the Lord Mayor's Appeal.

Walter PlingeSat, 2 Apr 2011, 12:58 pm

It's more likely Murray

It's more likely Murray Music or Mandurah if it's well south.

NormaSat, 2 Apr 2011, 03:29 pm

It's more likely...

Neither.

jmuzzSat, 2 Apr 2011, 06:07 pm

Kwinana?

Well?

jmuzzSat, 2 Apr 2011, 07:03 pm

Apologies to Kwinana

...thought that'd be weird of you guys to be so myopic...particularly given the welcome you gave us when we performed there a couple of years ago. I now know who it is (not Kwinana) and may I say I'm not surprised. I heard a few years ago from someone whose name rhymes with Melissa Merchant and who used to live in Safety Bay that that particular club treated anyone who was not "local" (see "League of Gentlemen" for reference in that regard) like a pungent fart in a sleeping bag. Chickens coming home to roost perhaps? I won't delight in the news Gordon but the person whose name rhymes with Melissa Merchant may be entitled to a smirk.

jeffhansenSat, 2 Apr 2011, 07:07 pm

Daniel Kershaw rhymes with

Daniel Kershaw rhymes with Melissa Merchant www.meltheco.org.au

Walter PlingeSun, 3 Apr 2011, 01:27 am

I know! It's Rockingham!

Bass GuySun, 3 Apr 2011, 10:52 am

Curious, isn't it?

Where's Gordon gone? He's the one who started all this, and he's left you all playing "List All the Southern Clubs We Can Rattle Off The Tops Of Our Heads". NAMES, Gordon; courage of one's convictions! El

Gordon the OptomSun, 3 Apr 2011, 05:59 pm

Good grief

JMuzz has given some excellent clues.

What has totally surprised me is the fact that half the theatre companies in the Perth area seem to be feeling guilty, as they must also be going through this 'closed group', with 'nobody welcome' attitude.

Come on folks get good committees together, get rid of the nepotism, the old foggies and speak out - your group will benefit no end from the fresh air.

Gordon

jeffhansenSun, 3 Apr 2011, 06:26 pm

Melville is calling for

Melville is calling for directors for 2012. All comers are welcome to submit. No closed shop here. www.meltheco.org.au

jmuzzMon, 4 Apr 2011, 09:52 am

Hmmm, Gordon

Not sure your last comment is quite on the ball. I think at this moment in time the co-operation and cross-pollination of people between theatres is as good as it's ever been. As examples, Danni Ashton has two plays on at different theatres this year and in addition to Old Mill has put on shows at Harbour and Blak Yak to name a couple. Jeff Hansen president of Melville appeared on stage at Old Mill and Phil Barnett, president of Old Mill did a show at Playlovers last year and will soon be appearing in Don's Party at Melville. Garry Davies, former president of Old Mill, appeared in melville's "Forum" last year. Norma Davies inevitably floats between the two. Paul Treasure is not always stuck at Roleystone having doen shows at Kwinana and also Old Mill I believe from memory. I've done shows everywhere as has Martin Lindsay and God knows how many others. Eliot McCann is appearing in Amadeus at Old Mill whilst prepping a show for KADS. I could go on (but I'll stop). I think there is very welcoming and warm environment in Perth theatre at present and this extends to newcomers - we've got a couple new to amateur ranks in the Don's Party cast as an example - both very good as well. Fear not Gordon, people are likely to sound defensive because they would be mortified if their club acted like this one strange case you've outlined. :)

jeffhansenMon, 4 Apr 2011, 10:27 am

Forum

Garry wasn't in Forum, it was Warren. www.meltheco.org.au

LabrugMon, 4 Apr 2011, 10:28 am

Oh ;-)

Easy mistake to make. :LOL:

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

Looking for an Agent? Read this first!!

jmuzzMon, 4 Apr 2011, 11:02 am

Yeah alright Jeff H....

....but I bet he at least ATTENDED the show :)

Bass GuyMon, 4 Apr 2011, 12:54 pm

For the record...

... Eliot is prepping a show for Old Mill which follows immediately from Amadeus... but Muzz's very valid point still stands. Here's hoping the scenario outlined by Gordon is isolated to one (unfortunate) group only... El

jeffhansenMon, 4 Apr 2011, 01:34 pm

Through personal

Through personal experience, the best way to grow the club is to go get involved in shows at other clubs. Increase your circle of theatre friends, so that you have a larger group to call on when needed. I worried I would be unable to find 6 men in their 30s/40s for Don's Party. Had I stayed insular at Melville, I would not have had the circle of acquaintances to help fill the roles. "If you build it, he will come" doesn't seem to apply to Perth theatre. If you cut back the publicity budget, it will all end in tears. www.meltheco.org.au

Paul TreasureMon, 4 Apr 2011, 05:22 pm

Devil's Advocate

There are two sides to every story, And the side of this story that I've heard is totally different! The truth, as always, is probably somewhere in between

maljoMon, 4 Apr 2011, 05:46 pm

Why so secretive?

Why must we play these silly games trying to guess who Gordon is referring to. If he has proof name the Club involved, if not shut up and don't start or continue rumours

Walter PlingeWed, 13 Apr 2011, 12:28 pm

Green Room Gossip

Well...you have heard wrong....totally wrong

Bass GuyWed, 13 Apr 2011, 12:46 pm

..dot dot dot??

If this is so, and we've heard wrong, then what is the correct information? We want... information....information; INFORMATION!! Eliot McCann

Walter PlingeWed, 13 Apr 2011, 12:55 pm

Green Room Gossip

What you have heard is nasty gossip from a dis-gruntled ex-member of the theatre group who whose request to direct a play was declined until there was someone available to co-direct with them. They were formally thanked and asked to re submit a request next year if they were still interested. At no point EVER have I ever heard anyone said we do not need to publicise our shows and our budget has most definitely not been cut. Neither are we playing to half full houses...this is all totally fabricated. Oh and decisions are made at board level and are not non democratic. The decision not to allow the aforementioned ex member to solely direct a play this year was a unaninmous one. We welcome new members with open arms and are happy to say that we have had many, many new members join and stay with us over tha last couple of years, all of whom say how welcome they are made to feel, so the comment of sad members in disarray is thankfully also totally untrue. What I think is so very sad is that people wish to gossip and start rumours about other clubs. For me Community theatre is about having fun doing what we enjoy...in the community for the community. We all do the best job that we can do with what we have and that should be celebrated not pulled down and dragged through the mud in order to score points

Bass GuyWed, 13 Apr 2011, 01:31 pm

Balls in Courts...

So Gordon; In light of the above, would you care to attribute your findings to a particular source? Eliot -who always picked the scabs on his knees as a kid, and can't resist poking a hornets' nest with a cattle prod...

JoeMcWed, 13 Apr 2011, 05:55 pm

Someones got thier knickers all twisted!

Did I miss the naming of the particular comeatre group, that this topic is all about?

LALA which ameatre group are you?

So we might at least know who is being dragged through the mud &/or whatever.

Paul TreasureThu, 14 Apr 2011, 09:07 am

Sleeping Dogs

Just let it lie, Joe...

JoeMcSat, 16 Apr 2011, 12:56 pm

Is there any reason for

Is there any reason for this request Paul?

Could it be possibly something we the 'varriefied' are not privy too?

Which does not apply to the unverified, allowing them to hide behind anonymity without any essence of credence. While that of the verified would inversely need to state possibly without prejudice.

Daniel KershawSun, 17 Apr 2011, 09:37 am

Jeff Hansen rhymes with

Jeff Hansen rhymes with ... I have nothing.

Paul TreasureMon, 18 Apr 2011, 09:28 am

Picking scabs...

Sorry, Joe Didn't realise that not everyone is privy to as much info as some of us, so sometimes what is actually a genuine request for info can be interpreted as scab picking or bear poking Check your inbox :-)

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