Since its conversion from a derelict building during the early-1980's, The Almeida, in Islington, London, has been a highly respected venue.
Wikipedia has a decent overview of its history and cultural impact. With 350 seats, its a mid-scale venue, its bare brick interior providing an intimate setting for the powerful work it puts on.
The Almeida is both a producing and a receiving house. Tom Horton is Head of Production, his Linked-In page making interesting reading for those seeking a similar career path.
The theatre's website has a 'Jobs & Opportunities' link at the bottom of its pages with stage management, technician and production management jobs advertised as of this writing.
For actors reading this, you're going to need an agent for their main productions of course, but they do have a Community Productions department and for young people, which includes recent graduates still under 25, their Young Artists programme might be of interest, including:
aYoung Creatives initiative 18-25, "for aspiring musical theatre creators".
a Young Company for aspiring actors aged 14 to 25.
a Young Producers programme for 16-25 year olds.
aYoung Designers and Technicians programme (14-18).
a Youth Advisory Board for "new arts leaders".
Free weekly drop-in drama workshops for 18-25 year olds.
For people interested in setting up their own theatre company one day, there are other sources of useful information: Companies House, which we used in the previous post, and with The Almeida being a charity, the Charity Commission's website.
The Charity Commission is a UK government run site. Simply go to it, click on 'Find a Charity' and type the relevant name in the search box. Straight away we can see overall income and expenditure with pie charts and an easy to follow layout.
We see income is primarily from donations/legacies and charitable activities, with expenditure largely spent on those charitable activities – that's how the company's theatrical work is defined; it is a charity, therefore its theatre making is part of its charitable work, as defined in its governance document.
As we saw on the theatre's website, The Almeida is an Arts Council funded theatre. How do you think that impacts its autonomy? What cultural and economic stipulations does it have to satisfy in order to receive its funding? If you are a producer intending to apply for funding, how will those things effect the decisions you make and how you couch your application?
Next we have the number of employees, including those with benefits over £60,000. As we know, charity is relatively big business, and more importantly, tax efficient. Your company could be a charity too.
Going down the Charity Commission's page sidebar. we have the four W's. OK, so that's how you fill in those boxes. Next, Governance, click on that number and your taken to their Companies House page. It's interesting when you click on the 'People' tab.
These are the trustees. Check out their occupations: Digital Strategist, Author, Theatre Director, Head of PR Amazon, Consultant, Lawyer, Restaurateur, Talent and Development Manager, CEO, Producer.
What skill sets can they contribute? if you were forming a theatre company as a charity, who could you ask to be a trustee? What do trustees actually do? Ask your mate Google.
Back on the Charity Commission's page, next we have the accounts – number crunchers heaven. Then we have an excerpt from the company's 'Governing document' stipulating 'Charitable objects'. Education is the classic one. So, theatre as didactic exercise. Oh, well, they've got to put something, and let's face it, the whole of life is a learning exercise, so why not?
Rather begs the question, what is theatre if not an educational experience on some level? Entertainment? Yes, in the etymological sense of the French verb Tenir, to hold; and what is it that is being held? The attention.
If you entertain people you are holding their attention. What you do with it once you've got it is largely how you define your theatre practice. Oh, this is gonna get deep, I can tell!
