Well, haven't you all been having a whale of a time while I've been away. Very nicely thank you very much. Well, bad news. He's back!
Can I recommend that you all go and investigate the South Coast and Southern Highlands of this beautiful state. The beaches are so 
clean, the water is so warm, the bushland is slowly rolling itself over into autumn colours, the crowds are non-existent and the sunsets and thunder storms take your breath away (especially when it's washed down by a glass of wine and a piece of cheese from some obscure little town).
To tell you the truth, I was absolutely ecstatic to come back to see so much activity on the blog. If only I could generate that type of response while I was actually blogging... Says a lot about what I am doing! (Or not doing as the case may be).
What's clear is that the coverage of the flagship theatre company of NSW on SAJ is deemed by you lot as too much. Ok - fair point indeed. I do try and cover everything in the independent sector however - whether it be the newest show at the stables to the latest underground arts festivals.
It was also good to get some diverse opinions on Kate Gaul's Twelfth Night. The night before I left on my little holiday I actually spoke to a number of people who shared the view of Marcellous who was not as 'enthusiastic' about the production as I was. He is certainly not alone. Some of the comments about Twelfth Night did smell of people who posted with a vested interest, but that's one of the freedoms of a blog I suppose. For your interest, my full-text review is now up.
The flagship theatre company debate got even more dirty and one anonymous comment made the interesting observation that "at least one good thing about the author of this blog being away is that we don't have to keep reading about the Sydney Theatre Company. It's almost like it was before he started this thing: invisible." This was followed by another anonymous comment that it is "somewhat childish" for this blog "to proudly display in the SAJ masthead a critical comment from the STC general manager, and then write sycophantic pieces about the incoming duo".
In my defence, I would say that I have actually never defended the appointment of the 'incoming duo' and their appointment as AD's of the STC. In fact, if you read all of things I have written, I have pretty much avoided commenting on it as I am reserving my judgement on the creative aspect of their positions until we get some evidence. What I have done recently is highlight the financial problems that the STC has and illustrated a clear correlation between that and their appointment. It doesn't take Einstein to see that the appointment is first and foremost a financial decision, not creative.
I imagine that the 'sycophantic' piece anonymous refers to is my defence of Blanchett as head of Kevin Rudd's 2020. It should be pointed out that 2020 is not affiliated with the STC in any way. It should also be pointed out that I am the only commentator who has defended the appointment after a gaggle of commentators from Fairfax and News Ltd questioned not only her intelligence but said that it was a consolation prize after not winning an Oscar. Sounds like it's more a case of the usual commentators having a crack at the arts. Talk about the usual sycophantic suspects.
But the point has been taken about the extent of coverage. If it's invisibility you want, it's invisibility you shall receive.
Which brings me to something that will be going down this week. After Arts NSW delivered its funding announcements after the Minister signed off on them four months late this year, many individuals mid-way through their projects and small-to-medium organisations are absolutely pissed off at the decisions.
It seems as though the cuts by our state government are now having a real impact on the sector. The big institutions have been pretty much protected but many of the smaller players now find themselves with huge cuts.
To make matters worse, the small to medium sector players all went off to Adelaide this week to attend the Performing Arts Market. It was here that they got to mingle with the oh-so-happy arts workers in the other states who are still riding on substantially better funding. Apparently the smiles from ear to ear of the Victorians arriving in Adelaide added a fair amount of salt to the wound.
The Herald is sniffing around and should publish something by the end of this week. By which time the lobbying will begin. I will post more as it comes to hand, but I want to emphasise that this needs an all-industry reaction. This state government stinks to high heaven.
Image: Fitzroy Falls, NSW
Sunday, 9 March 2008
While the cat's away, huh?!
Posted by Nicholas Pickard at 1:33 pm
Labels: Arts Funding, Blogs, Independent Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company
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20 comments:
My understanding is thet the Blanchett/Upton duo are preparing to run on a deficit over the next few years, and bracing themselves for the ensuing (and inevitable) criticism, in the interest of overseeing some interesting shifts in artistic policy. That sounds far from crass commercialism to me, and if they can pull it off, then kudos to them. Mind you, I'm all for Liv Ullman directing Tennessee Williams - there with bells on.
Sometimes it takes time to turn around a big boat going in the wrong direction, Anonymous.
And if placing celebrity directors into positions alongside signed up and paid for sponsor deals with the likes of Armani isn't 'commercial' - then I don't know what is.
Welcome back Nicholas. We all knew that, like John Clarke and Elizabeth Butcher at NIDA, you'd never go away...and yes agree about seeing Liv Ullman direct Williams, though brace yourself for the same provincial whingeing about "overseas' people working here that STC has put up with for the past eight years...
Thanks Sarah. That quote is almost worthy of putting in the masthead... like John Clarke and Elizabeth Butcher indeed!
The thing that crossed my mind about that interesting bit of news that came out of Fairfax - is how much more info are we going to get leaked about next year's season?
And you are right... if there are a lot more international appointments, we can anticipate a good amount of complaint seeping out... tall poppy this, tall poppy that...
And if possible, it would be helpful if all these anonymous readers, at the very least, used a psuedonym so that others can differentiate.
My feeling is the "leaking" of the 2009 production (and you are right--never known it to happen before) was a strategy designed to deflect criticism from the sponsorship deal with yet another high-end fashion house--this time the super expensive IWC watches, also slipped into the same media release.
Perhaps the more interesting leak to Fairfax was who decided to reveal the contents of the letter from Neil Armfield, Nevin, Bell and other theatre heads and luminaries about the disgraceful treatment of Aubrey Mellor? What a fiasco that has become.
Yes - that was quite a good little scoop. No doubt it is someone who is sick to death of Board members constantly intervening in the day-to-day running of arts organisations. And in that instance, NIDA is certainly not alone.
"Tall poppy this ... tall poppy that ..."
Wait a goddam, cotton-pickin' minute! (with apologies in advance to Tennessee Williams). I am astonished that you are alluding to the possibility, on this blog of all places (!), that criticism of your bete-noire and all and any elements of the Blanchett/Upton Co-ADship might be due to the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
Are you suggesting, in the manner of the cyber-supporters of the STC, that to have an unpopular opinion (read: other than fatuous, sycophantic and grovelling) about what is to become of the company is only because Cate Blanchett is more famous than us? Should we all just tow the line and bow down before the shrine of internationalism on our stages?
These 'leaked' developments might fill a few more pages of certain filofaxes in Sydney, but it is a slap in the face of the pioneers of Australian theatre who fought long and hard, in the face of adverse box office receipts and harsh criticism, to demand a place for Australian voices, stories, actors, directors and designers on the stages of our subsidised theatres.
Is is as sinister, self-serving and culturally, creatively, intellectually and artistically vain as anything I have ever read. Will, I can't help but wonder, what's left of the STC subscriber database notice the difference?
"Lovely set!" "Lovely acting!" "... oh, and nice watch!"
Sorry anonymous (another anonymous???), I think you may have misunderstood me.
I was referring to the international artists that the STC collaborate with.
Your point is taken and was something that I was thinking about (again!) when I saw The Hatpin a week or so ago.
Great Australian story but pulled off so ordinarily. The question is, do we need these international collaborations to help us see the worth and possibility of our stories?
God knows that the independent theatre sector in Sydney is struggling, struggling to get some good and new local stories up on stage.
I pray that the advent of PlayWriting Australia might make producers, directors and audiences see the value of it and abolish this hideous cringe that even has our artists tongue-tied.
I totally fail to see how Liv Ullman directing a production at the STC means that Australian stories are sidelined. Wait and see what the entire program is first; it's all about balance, after all. Unless you're saying that we ought to have Australian stories and nothing but Australian stories. I don't see what there is to gain from that kind of fortress mentality, which seems to me cultural cringe indeed. We should aim to stand squarely in the realm of international theatre, as equals, and our theatre should go out to the world just as theatre from the rest of the world comes to us. Otherwise what the hell are we doing? Running the local parish raffle?
Indeed Alison, who knows? As I mentioned in my article about the STC programme for this year, they "are producing seven, count them, seven Australian plays".
It wouldn't be surprising if that trend continues.
Dear, dear, dear Anon. What precisely is it that you don't understand about balancing the books? Banging on there as tho we were seconds away from the world premiere of "A stretch of the imagination"! Please ... spare us your lofty and romantic (albeit parochial) yearnings.
Let me be perfectly clear about what I think is perfectly obvious about what is going on at the STC. Blanchett et al are preparing a season so full of high-voltage theatrical offerings that we will be falling all over ourselves to get a ticket. The big-ticket productions like "Streetcar" will probably subsidise the entire season!
Quite possibly these whinging Anons have never produced a single thing in their lives. If this is the case, then bless your wonderful under-achieving souls. If this is not the case, then I am so sorry to imagine it didn't work out ... quite possibly on any level.
As for me, if the wondrous Liv Ullman directing "A streetcar named desire" with Cate Blanchett as Blanche du Bois is the leak, whatever else can be in the season!
I, for one, can't wait!
I'm with you Geoffrey and will be fronting up to see that "Streetcar," and if that makes me a sycophant for wanting to see one of the world's best actresses in one of the world's best roles, then so be it. An interesting side note--or musing perhaps--first we had Nevin direct Blanchett in "Hedda" then Blanchett direct Nevin in "Magical Thinking" and now Ullman directing Blanchett...is this possibly the STC's new paradigm, combining two major actresses as director/actor for an amalgamation of their skills? I for one find it rather fascinating.
Interesting comment about board members meddling.
some boards or chairmen also stuff things up by making bad choices for the positions they can select. some very bad ceos arrived under the last government. will it continue? It seems a senior Aust Co manager has decided she's tried long enough to live with the problem that Strong appointed and that more may follow
My ignorance, does Ullman direct a lot of theatre? I am familiar with her film work but that doesn't necessarily count - kind of like Philip Seymour Hoffman who really is a beginner theatre director despite his acting experience as was evident with Riflemind, and honestly was evident with Cate's production of Blackbird. Please, if anyone has seen her theatre work or read about if I would love to hear about it.
On that - if we were to have a pick of visionary THEATRE directors we would like to see working over here who would you suggest? Ivor van Hove would be on my list. Others?
Sam
Well Sam I disagree about "Riflemind", I thought Phillip Seymour Hoffman did a very good job with a far-from-perfect play and a truly awful set. As far as your feelings about "Blackbird," I didn't see it, but perhaps that explains why (in a recent magazine piece) RN insisted on having the vastly more experienced Jennifer Flowers in the room. I have a vague memory from reading Ingmar Bergman's autobiography that Liv Ullman was with him at the National Theatre in Stolkholm--whether as actor or actor/director I couldn't say.
That's an interesting note about Jennifer Flowers Sarah. Neil Armfield seems to have set up a similar support system for new directors at Belvoir this year - the idea of a 'companion' director - to help develop them rather than just fling them to the wolves. Smart man.
Sam
Sam - I fear it has more to do with Hegenemy. TopCat
It seems the decision to have Flowers be there was a wise one--inside sources say CB isn't around much these days. Babies and theatre don't mix I guess.
'Companion directors'? What bollocks.
The fact that Armfield et al had their names in the programme companioning all these people was just ridiculous.
Either these young talents are good enough or they aren't without this patronising display.
How offensive.
I agree with Flurry. What next? "Companion" actors to stand next to the neophyte ones and start speaking the lines if they stumble? I think it was a completely cynical marketing move on the part of Belvoir just to get names like Neil Armfield and Dale Ferguson into the program to try to reassure ticket buyers. I can see it now..."Diary of a Madman" performed by Joe Bloggs, companion actor Geoffrey Rush...
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