Group halts show due to funds risk
A COMMUNITY amateur dramatics group has had to cancel its show at Exeter Northcott amid fears the theatre may not secure funding beyond April.
The Exeter Musical Society, formerly the Exeter Amateur Operatic Society, was due to perform at the venue in May.
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CANCELLED: Exeter Northcott
As reported in the Echo, the Arts Council has provided £100,000, which will enable the theatre to complete most of its spring programme and talks are continuing to ensure its long-term future.
But, members of the musical society feared if they waited to see if the summer programme would go ahead, they would risk losing £40,000.
Marketing officer James Dunk said: “We know the Northcott is working very hard to secure its future and we have a good relationship with them.
“By pulling out now we won’t lose funds but if we were to take the risk, we could end up losing up to £40,000. It’s too big a risk.
“The society’s been going for 100 years and we haven’t had to cancel a show since the Second World War.
“This is our first year as the Exeter Musical Society and it couldn’t have got off to a worse start.
“We’re exploring other venues but nothing of the size and standard of the Northcott is available.”
He added: “We’re the biggest community amateur dramatics society in Exeter, and the only adult amateur company, so it will be devastating for all our members, the society’s patrons and friends and the public who look forward to coming to see our show each year.
“We’ve had to keep putting off selling tickets and had so many people ask us about the show, if it doesn’t go on it’s going to disappoint a lot of people.
“We’re determined to make sure this show does go ahead this year. We don’t want to disappoint anyone or let all our hard work go to waste.”
He said the news this week that the Northcott had won a reprieve would be welcomed by everyone, even if there was still some doubt over its longer term future.
Mr Dunk said: “I’m absolutely gutted, not just from my perspective as a committee member but I was one of the main characters. We had such a high possibility of a sell-out show.”
Ian Walker, of Begbies Traynor, who was appointed administrator by the theatre’s trustees, said: “I am confident that the ideas which are being considered for a new way to proceed longer term — and the lessons which will have been learned from this administration — have the potential to secure a healthy and fulfilling future for this fine regional theatre.”
6 Comments
by Dave, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 8:38PM
“I'd be interested to know what Mr Dunk's definition of "adult amateur company" is. I'm fairly certain there are several other companies that I would put under that description.”
by Tony Macan, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 8:10PM
“As the Treasurer of the Exeter Musical Society, I would like to put peoples mind at rest over a couple of points raised. No ticket money or box office takings are at risk. This money has been ring fenced by the administrators and is secure. If a show does not go ahead, any ticket holders will be refunded.
The main reason the Society was unable to go forward with our show "Anything Goes" was that we were advised by the theatre's administrators that they could not give the Society a guarantee that the theatre would still be open in May.
Current funding is available to allow the theatre to remain open and complete its Spring Programme, and it is hoped that by then a rescue plan will be set up by other interested parties.
They said the risk would be ours if we wished to carry on with advertising and setting up for the show.
The cost of putting on a show at the Northcott is quite substantial and includes set and costume hire,technicians, orchestra and directors fees. Lighting, advertising, and lots more, including a significant sum for the hire of the theatre itself. The financial risk therefore was far to great to expose the Society to, which if the theatre closed, would likely to have also caused the Society to fold.
The decision to postpone, not taken lightly, and we hope to put on the show later in the year, at the Exeter Northcott, which by then we anticipate will be up and running again as Exeter's premier theatre. All the cast members, as well as everyone else involved are extremely disappointed about the cancellation, but they know it was done for the right reasons and very much look forward to putting on a superb show later in the year, and we sincerely urge everyone to come along and support both the Northcott Theatre and the Exeter Musical Society.”
by Sarah, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 7:44PM
“"Just what the Northcott needs" cannot be remedied by an EMS production and I find it an offensive response to what has clearly been explained in the above article as a reluctant decision made by EMS commitee members. The future of the theatre is not on a life support machine, wired and dependent on those companies and artists that were due to perform there in the Summer Seaon (let us not overlook that it is only the Spring Programme that has been funded to proceed...) its debt, sadly, is far too great. Flippant remarks are a little insensitive for those who have sacraficed a much loved project and EMS will not have been the only company to have had their hand forced into making a difficult decision.”
by Teresa, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 2:30PM
“Regarding the above comment... would you plough on with no guarantee that your box office takings are secure and lose all the money Exeter Musical Society has... that would mean the end of the society. They had no choice but to pull as the Northcott and the administrators could give no guarantee and neither could Exeter City Council. The money that EMS would have brought could not save the Northcott and is a drop in the ocean in relation to their debts. Get your facts right before damning a company that have been a loyal customer to the Northcott since its conception in excess of 30 years, A Welch.”
by Dave, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 1:03PM
“Unfortunately the company probably had no choice. If they plowed on and the theatre closed before the show then that would have been the end of the company.”
by A Welch, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 12:17PM
“Just what the Northcott needs, productions pulling out rather than supporting!”