Theatre of dreams

With the threat of closure lifted and staff working under one roof, the theatre’s director moves into 2013 with renewed confidence in its future.

“I feel as though some people still feel the theatre is under threat, but it’s not,” she says.

“Actually, things are moving on and developing and progressing well with lots of exciting new possibilities opening up.”

Her positive attitude comes after plans to sell or close the theatre were abandoned, although council cuts saw Darlington Arts Centre, in the town’s Vane Terrace, shut in the summer. Sad as that closure was, she says, it enabled her to refocus resources and staffing around the Civic.

There are plans to refurbish the Grade IIlisted building and she’s entering partnerships with other stage companies to bring new quality drama to Darlington. Plus, she wants to attract more younger audiences and open up the building to the community. There are even hopes that the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company will bring productions to the town.

“For the first time, all of the staff are working directly for the theatre and based in the building in Parkgate. That’s really given a fantastic impetus to the life of the building and the way it’s managed,”

she says.

“It’s absolutely fantastic being in the heart of things. When companies arrive, we are here on site and so it’s much more positive in terms of relationships, particularly through pantomime when we had the most wonderful relationship with the company led by Sam Kane and Linda Lusardi. We all felt part of one team.”

In the longer term, she’s developing partnerships and other tour possibilities.

One scheme has already found finance, with Arts Council England giving £1m to the Touring Consortium Theatre Company, of which Darlington Civic is a part.

The company has brought productions such as Of Mice And Me, To Kill A Mockingbird and The Diary Of Anne Frank to the theatre in the past. The grant will support five productions over three years, to be produced out of either York Theatre Royal or Northampton Royal & Derngate.

The package includes a creative learning and participation programme with a shared digital hub called Theatre Cloud, developed by Yorkbased Pilot Theatre, where people can access information and get more involved with productions.

The partnership will help build up the Civic’s drama audience.

WINSTANLEY points to the “wonderful feedback” to Shakespeare’s Globe production of Anne Boleyn, seen in Darlington last year. “From that, I know that audiences want to see quality drama here,” she says.

“Anne Boleyn was a landmark for us, just as we were coming through this very difficult time. We would very much like to develop opportunities to present quality drama like that.

“The Arts Council has been very supportive in encouraging companies to bring their work here because they recognise our aspiration to build up our drama programme. We don’t receive any direct funding, but it’s nice to know they recognise the significance and the value of the Civic Theatre in Darlington.”

She’s hopeful the National Theatre will bring a production in 2014 and possibly the RSC, although she says “it’s early days”.

She has plans to open up the theatre and productions more to the public. “The key to the success of the theatre in the future is that, yes we need quality work but the audience want a really high quality experience with opportunities to get to know more about productions and the theatre, to get involved and talk to those people.”

That means changes within the building, which a recent report from historic theatre consultants concluded needed significant expenditure and modernisation to ensure its future.

“We believe the accommodation is now a bit limited to progress and move the theatre on. We are looking at a potential refurbishment for the theatre, which will be led by its heritage – by an improved and increased understanding of what the theatre originally was.

“We need to build on that and create more public circulation space because the theatre is very much as it was when Signor Pepi ran it.

Making better use of the space would mean more events could be organised and provide more income, because theatres need to be more self-reliant.

“It would be fantastic to have more space and better access because, again, this Edwardian theatre is not ideal for disabled access. We have no lift at the moment. We’d also be hoping to make some improvements in the auditorium in ventilation and in the comfort of seats.”

It’s hoped to secure Heritage Lottery Fund money for the refurbishment.

ANOTHER major priority is attracting young people into the theatre. The Civic is part of a consortium of North-East venues, led by Darlington-based Theatre Hullabaloo, working to bring quality young people’s plays to the region and to develop audiences for them.

“It would be great to find ways for young people to become independent theatregoers. They come in family groups, but we want them to graduate and come to the theatre on their own and feel comfortable here.”

During the closure threat, she’s discovered how much people like the Civic. “Over the past two years, I’ve been overwhelmed by the support of the public for the theatre and the affection it’s held in,” she says. “Now it’s starting to feel as though the way forward is opening up to us in a really exciting way.”