The Original Theatre Company 2018

A N N U A L R E P O R T

I N T R O D U C T I O N from Artistic Director, Alastair Whatley

This annual report aims to look back on a bold year of programming work in 2017/2018 as well as looking forward to exciting projects for 2019 and 2020.

The Original Theatre Company staged its first show in a garden in rural Suffolk in 2005 and has since then gone on to become one of the UK’s leading touring theatre companies. We are now combining bold revivals of classic plays such as Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest with the commissioning of new work from some of our most exciting writers including Rachel Wagstaff and Torben Betts. Furthermore we are allowing regional audiences the first chance to see the premieres and revivals of modern classics such as The Habit of Art, Napoli, Brooklyn and Invincible.

Original Theatre has built a unique model which is slowly bringing change into the way we make theatre. From co productions with York Theatre Royal, Eilene Davidson and the Anthology Group to associations with Malvern Theatres and The Yvonne Arnaud In Guildford.

Original has been proud to champion a diverse casting policy reflected outward from our programming. This was best exemplified in 2017 in the casting of Karina Jones, a registered blind performer who played the leading role of Susy in our revival of Wait Until Dark. To our knowledge it was the first time that a registered blind actor had taken on this role or any leading role in the commercial touring world. Karina showed that given the opportunity – anything is possible.

2017 also saw our first foray across the Atlantic headlining the Brits off Broadway festival in New York with our production of Torben Betts’ Invincible and where we will be returning again in 2019 with Betts’ new play Caroline’s Kitchen.

W H A T W E G O T U P T O I N 2 0 1 7

S O F A R I N 2 0 1 8

Original Theatre has built a unique model which is slowly bringing change into the way we make theatre

Our tours visited

24 venues playing to over

65,000 audience members.

We have produced

3 shows, visited

31 venues and played to over

82,000+ audience members.

That play, in its previous life as Monogamy, was our first commission. Bringing it from an empty page to the stage and then into London with a successful run in the main house at Park Theatre starring Janie Dee as the fictitious TV chef Caroline Mortimer.

Without a penny of public money we have continued to spearhead a reading group which unites actors, writers and creatives to explore new writing in an open and relaxed atmosphere. We are working with RADA Enterprises to host monthly readings under the banner of Original Reads. We have taken a step further this year creating a literary panel that invites, receives and crucially feeds back on every script submitted. This is a service which not even The National Theatre can match. It has already borne fruit and has led to two of those submissions being programmed.

Although we have been quietly working away and letting our productions do the talking for us in recent years, 2019 will see The Original Theatre Company step out of the shadows as one of the leading voices within the industry. Producing bold, daring, exciting and yes – Original work engaging audiences across the country from all backgrounds and walks of life. It has taken us 15 years of hard graft in the touring marketplace, but we now finally feel confident in living up to our name and producing Original Theatre for a United Kingdom that is perhaps not living up its name.

In a time of turbulence and unease, now more than ever theatre and great stories are needed to bring people together, to celebrate life and art and the simple communion of a good story well told. It has always been our mission, we are now ready to fulfil it and we invite you to join us.

Alastair Whatley

2019 will see Original Theatre Company step out of the shadows as one of the leading voices within the industry

A L A S T A I R W H A T L E Y Artistic Director

I founded the company in 2004 in a small bedroom near Egham whilst studying at University. I remember having to work sat on the poorly sprung single bed because there was not enough room for a stool. From those earliest days producing outdoor Shakespeare all over the UK, now almost 15 years ago, to today when we are producing a programme of work across 18 months as ambitious as anything we have done before- the constant is that we still perform all over the UK. Over the years, slowly but surely, Original Theatre has come to mean something- and not just to me, but to the people who work for us, the theatres who we work with as our partners and crucially our loyal audiences. Original stands for quality, for passion and also for family. We are a small, tight team who have worked through good times and tough times united by a shared passion.

My days are spent talking about plays, reading about plays, watching plays, directing plays. I get to meet actors, creatives, theatre managers and theatre staff all over the country. I still travel extensively- sometimes over to New York, but more often that not I’ll be visiting one of our shows in a town or city across the United Kingdom. The job never really stops. Yet somehow it never feels like a job. The company has a life of it’s own now. It’s a privilege to have been a part of it and to be leading it into 2019.

T O M H A C K N E Y Creative Producer

I graduated from Cygnet drama school in Exeter in 2007. Since that time I working predominately as an actor before venturing into producing on late 2012. The Original Theatre Company seemed a wonderfully creative place to invest my energy, an endless source of optimism and unabashed love for all things theatre. It has continued to grow and indeed thrive on the ethos that great theatre must be able to tour and make an impact wherever it leads. From the cliffs of Cornwall to the hills of Malvern, we strive to tour the very best, telling stories, making friends, learning and entertaining along the way. It remains one of the corner stones of the company, great plays must tour and be premiered in the regions.

OTC has come a long way from wet weekends doing open air theatre in the Abbey Gardens at Bury St Edmunds, but the undiminished drive remains the same. Very proud of our recent productions and the connections we have made in the last few years. However, more exciting is where we will be in another 10. Look forward to seeing you there.

E M M A M A R T I N Communications Manager

I graduated in 2009 with a BA Hons Theatre & Performances Studies degree from the University of Warwick. From 2010 to 2015 I worked my way up from Marketing Officer to Head of Department at the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. During this time I was lucky enough to work with the Original Theatre Company on two national tours of Three Men In A Boat. After leaving Suffolk to work as Marketing Manager for Tara Arts I continued to work on a freelance basis managing the first tour of Torben Betts’ Invincible.

Since November 2016, I have been working as a freelance Arts Marketing consultant and manager and this has allowed me to move into a company role for Original. I am thrilled to have been able to work on two tours of Invincible, seeing the show move to the 59e59 Theater’s Brits Off Broadway festival. I am particularly excited to be bringing Napoli, Brooklyn to the UK after seeing the New York production in 2017.

www.emmamartin.org @emmavmartin

E M I LY A LT N E U Assistant Producer

I studied English literature and Theatre at Warwick University. I then trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts as an actress. I joined the Original Theatre Company in the autumn of 2016 as an assistant to the team. Alongside assistant producing and general management I am still an actress. My particular knowledge in being on different sides of the industry helps me uniquely contribute to OTC in many capacities. I am ever thankful for the continued responsibility bestowed on me and how valued I feel at the company.

Having been an actress in Birdsong I have to say this ranks as a show I am most proud of. I was honoured to be using our art to support Help for Heroes as well as reach so many audience members with this large scale tour.

It’s been great to work on The Habit of Art; our current touring production. I particularly love plays which debate why we do what we do - why creativity matters. It’s a great privilege to work with such a wonderful team on this show.

R E C E N T P R O D U C T I O N S

Sep – Nov 2018

T H E H A B I T O F A R T

By Alan Bennett

The Habit of Art charts a meeting between famed poet W.H.Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten. A hit at the National in 2009 we are producing this the first ever revival in a co-production with York Theatre Royal and Ghost Light Theatre Productions.

The show starred award winning TV, film and stage stars Matthew Kelly, David Yelland and Veronica Roberts and is directed by former Chichester Associate Artist Philip Franks.

The production opened in York at the end of August and tours 14 UK venues until the end of November.

This marks a major revival of the play and will be one of the highlights of the autumn theatre calendar. The show grossed almost £750,000 and played to over 32,000 audiences.

1st Revival

★★★★★ ‘witty, moving, laugh-aloud funny and understatedly profound… stunning’ The Observer

★★★★ ‘Ambitious, revealing and hugely entertaining.’ The Times

★★★★ ‘Dazzling... very funny, deeply moving’ Daily Expresss

★★★★ ‘A treat’ Mail on Sunday

★★★★★ The Observer

★★★★★ Broadway World

★★★★★ Essential Surrey

★★★★★ LondonTheatre1

★★★★ Daily Express

★★★★ The Times

★★★★ Mail On Sunday

★★★★ Libby Purves

★★★★ Attitude

Apr – Jun 2018

M O N O G A M Y By Torben Betts

Monogamy was the first truly original piece of theatre we have created. Commissioned by Artistic Director Alastair Whatley in partnership with Ghost Light Theatre Productions in 2016 following the success of writer Torben Betts’ Invincible produced by us in 2015-2016.

Monogamy also represented our first extended London run since 2008 with 5 weeks at Park Theatre at the height of summer following a 5 week national tour. The production starred Olivier and Evening Standard Award winner Janie Dee as TV chef Caroline opposite Patrick Ryecart, Charlie Brooks, Jack Sandle, Genevieve Gaunt and Jack Archer.

The production played to 4800 people over its run with over 75% capacity reached at Park Theatre at the height of the World Cup and the heatwave.

★★★★ ‘The comedy simmers’ Daily Mail

The success of the production has led to a transfer to New York and further UK tour in 2019 under it’s new title Caroline’s Kitchen.

WorldPremiere

OriginalCommission

T H E I M P O R T A N C E

O F B E I N G E A R N E S T

By Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde played 14 of the UK’s leading regional venues between January and May 2018. Produced in association with our long term partner The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford.

Starring Gwen Taylor, Kerry Ellis, Susan Penhaligon and Peter Sandys Clarke it reached an audience of 37,000 people and sold over three quarter of a million pounds worth of tickets.

The Importance of Being Earnest became our second best selling show of all time scoring a string of HHHH and HHHHH reviews with wildly receptive audiences up and down the United Kingdom. The production will return for a run in 2020.

Jan – May 2018

ClassicRevival

Jan – May 2018

Sebastian Faulks’s

B I R D S O N G Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff

Birdsong completed one final farewell tour in 2018 marking the final year of the centenary of World War One. Produced now by our friends at Birdsong Productions and in association with Original. Over a period of 6 years the production reached nearly 300,000 people across over 500 performances. Birdsong raised tens of thousands of pounds for The Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes and brought together 4 casts of actor and stage managers. The show moved audiences from Aberdeen to Truro, from Canterbury to New Brighton and more than 50 theatres across the country, the curtain finally coming down in Oxford in July.

★★★★ “Finally gets the staging it deserves.” The Times (and Critics Choice)

★★★★ The Daily Telegraph

★★★★ “Does the book justice.” The Daily Mail

★★★★ “This is a highly crafted show and comes highly recommended.” WhatsOnStage

“A stunning and emotional piece of theatre with strong performances.” The Daily Echo

C O M I N G S O O N

Jan – Apr 2019

C A R O L I N E ’ S K I T C H E N

By Torben Betts

Direct from its hit London run and ahead of New York transfer, this searing, sharp, state of the nation comedy is touring the UK this spring.

Starring Caroline Langrishe (Lovejoy, Judge John Deed), Aden Gillett (The House of Eliott), James Sutton (Emmerdale, Hollyoaks), Jasmyn Banks (EastEnders), Elizabeth Boag (Invincible) and Tom England (Death Trap).

Touring the UK this Spring to Derby Theatre, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, Theatre Royal Bath, Connaught Theatre, Worthing and Mercury Theatre, Colchester.

★★★★ ‘The comedy simmers’ Daily Mail (Critic’s Choice)

★★★★ ‘Betts paints a wonderfully lurid picture of the middle classes, juxtaposed with the fragility of those who serve them.’ The Stage

★★★★ ‘It is an acerbic, often laugh-out-loud take on marriage, privilege and class, and it is well worth a ticket to see the ending alone, because reader, I gasped.’ West End Wilma

‘Makes you laugh when you really think you shouldn’t... it’s hilarious’ Jenni Murray, Radio 4

Original

Commission

May – Jun 2019

N A P O L I , B R O O K LY N

By Meghan Kennedy Directed by Lisa Blair

The Muscolinos have raised three proud and passionate daughters. Each of them bonded by a fierce love for one another and harbouring a secret longing that could tear the family apart.

When an earth-shattering event rocks their Park Slope neighbourhood, life comes to a screeching halt and the sisters are forced to confront their conflicting visions for the future in this gripping, provocative and poignant portrait of love in all its danger and beauty.

‘Vivid, emotional and authentic’ Time Out New York

‘This is how you grow playwrights. Incredible’ New York Times

Park Theatre, London: 13 Jun - 13 Jul 2019

National tour: Malvern Theatres: 30 Apr - 4 May 2019 more dates TBC

EuropeanPremiere

Original Reads continues to be an engine room and testing ground for the company’s development. We’ve built on our success with Torben Betts - first touring Invincible and then commissioning Monogamy. This year two of the new scripts submitted to our Literary Panel have resulted in commissions for development and two of the upcoming productions were first heard at an Original Read. As well new plays, we have also read a number of forgotten classics and investigated revivals of shows not seen since their famous first production.

The format of Original Reads has become more versatile with the group’s growing value to the company. We not only hold the open reads, the roles are shared amongst attendees, but we’ve also developed more carefully cast readings where single actors are selected for certain roles. The largest growth has been in rehearsed readings, where Original hires a director and a suitable cast, and stages the script for industry professionals.

Whilst the focus of Reads is the writing but they also remain a meeting place for actors and directors who have worked for Original. We continue to welcome new directors and actors. Any who would like to join the casting pool can introduce themselves to Associate Director, Chris Harper, by email (chris@original.com.) However, please note that Original Reads are not auditions and have no bearing on casting decisions for productions. Writers who’d like to submit scripts please email us at literary@original.com.

As Original Theatre Company goes from strength to strength this underlying thirst for exploration and development provides an ongoing mechanism for new buds to grow, away from the bright lights – and high costs – of full-scale production.

Aberdeen •

Aylesbury •

Birmingham•

Blackpool •

Bury St Edmunds •• Cambridge Cheltenham •

• Coventry

Huddersfield •

Exeter •

Harrogate •

• Guildford

• High Wycombe

Hull •

Derby •Lichfield•

Salford •

London •

Malvern •

• Mold

• Northampton

Oxford •

Darlington •

• Liverpool

• Doncaster

• Scarborough

Southend •

Stamford •

Stoke • • Buxton

• Winchester

Bath •Salisbury •

Worthing • • Brighton

York •

New York •

Belfast •

• Eastbourne

• Edinburgh• Glasgow

• Horsham

• Bromley

• Manchester

Colchester •Swindon •

Woking •Windsor •

New Brighton •

Durham •

O R I G I N A L T H E A T R E

Taking world class theatre across the UK and beyond Where

we have been...

• Dartford

Ipswich •

New Wolsey theatre were delighted to be asked to present Wait until Dark in our Autumn 2017 season – especially as they wanted to cast a visually impaired actress to play Susy; we shared possible casting and were delighted when Karina Jones was appointed. To then work with the Original team on our experiences of the rehearsal process needed was an added joy.

Wait until Dark was a box office triumph: 80% attendance over 9 performances, covering comfortably Originals guarantee and breaking into our next split. A brilliant deal to keep both teams motivated to get best sales.

Original’s work is always of a very high quality and being able to be supportive to their production process makes for a very real collaborative process.

Sarah Holmes, Chief Executive, New Wolsey Theatre

It’s been great to work with OTC over the last year and a half, firstly with their second tour of Invincible which took part in the 2017 Brits off Broadway Festival and then, this year, with their premiere of Monogamy which will also go the BOBs in 2019.

They continue to attract top-quality actors and creatives and are clearly going from strength to strength. It’s been a privilege to play a small part in their continuing journey.

Torben Betts, Writer of Invincible and Monogamy / Caroline’s Kitchen

We have invested and co-produced with Alastair and the team at the Original Theatre Company for a number years;

they are professional, transparent and a delight to work with.

Ghost Light Theatre Productions

W O R K I N G W I T H T H E O R I G I N A L T H E A T R E C O M P A N Y

The Original Theatre Company approached me in 2011 about staging my adaptation of Birdsong. I went to see their work (Our Country’s Good in Peterborough) and was hugely impressed. I’ve been increasingly impressed ever since by the brilliance and dedication of Alastair Whatley and his team.

The Original Theatre Company are a very exciting company, producing increasingly impressive work. I adored their productions of Birdsong and am thrilled to be working with them on future projects.

Rachel Wagstaff, Playwright

At York Theatre Royal we have worked with Original Theatre on a number of performances in the past year, including The Habit of Art, Monogamy and Birdsong. We have enjoyed the process hugely, particularly when co-producing The Habit of Art, which opened at York to stunning reviews including HHHHH in The Observer andHHHH in The Times. Actors and creatives were very happy on the project, and were hugely looking

forward to touring with the company. It’s great to work with a company always willing to try new models for producing and touring, always looking to innovate with new types of deal. They fulfil a crucial role in the touring landscape.

Tom Bird, Executive Director, Yorth Theatre Royal

www.originaltheatre.com