ADMINISTRATORS BACK THEATRE BOARD’S RESCUE PLAN

Tenon Recovery have written to the creditors of Derby Playhouse Ltd calling a creditors’ meeting on Wednesday 30th July and recommending the Board’s offer to creditors. If the creditors’ vote in favour of this offer then the Board will take control of the company and be able to re-open the Playhouse.

Best for Creditors
Preferential creditors will get 100 pence in the pound – this includes the BECTU and Equity staff. Unsecured creditors will get a dividend – the amount will depend on the final total of approved claims.

Best for Audiences
The Playhouse will re-open on the Saturday 13th September - 6 weeks after getting the building back and nearly 3 months earlier than alternative plans for Derby Live! It is hoped that tickets for the Autumn Season will go on sale from August 9th.

Best for Local Talent
The award winning Academy for local performers from 5-80 years of age will be re-instated following a fundraising campaign. In the first instance community performers will be invited to participate in the Christmas production of Peter Pan.

Overtures to the amateur community will continue to re-build bridges and enable their use of the main stage and the studio.

Best for Tax Payer
The theatre will not be taking any public subsidy, so will not be a drain on the public purse.

Best for Theatre Craft
The immensely talented creative staff, including props, costumes, set building, lighting and sound staff will be re-employed immediately.

On the progress to date and the backing of the Administrators

Chairman Professor Jonathan Powers says
“It has been a long and hard journey to get to this point. We are here only thanks to the fantastic support we have had from a lot of people, including our administrators Tenon Recovery. We are offering £300,000 in a Company Voluntary Agreement, and the administrators are supporting our proposal. If the creditors vote to accept then you will see the fastest resurrection of a theatre there has ever been.”

Producing Artistic Director Stephen Edwards says
“Support for our rescue plan has been incredible. Teams of people have been working round the clock and away from the limelight in order to pull off a miracle.. Staff and volunteers are standing by to re-join the company and prepare the building for shows. Creative teams are designing, casting and developing those shows. We are 14 days away from being back producing shows and welcoming back our audiences within 6 weeks after .”

Arts Council Claim
The Arts Council have no claim in administration having settled out of court with Stephen Edwards in May

On November 1st 2008 Derby Playhouse Limited celebrates its Diamond Jubilee. It seemed appropriate to mark 60 years of producing theatre in Derby by exploring the lifeblood of the theatre – the actor.

We will whisk you behind the scenes to visit actors in the dressing room, in the wings, on location in dodgy caravans and muddy fields and on the stage. Each show will capture the comedy, the sentiment, the anecdotage, even the bitchiness that defines the world behind the scenes of the theatrical profession.

The season explores the feeling that the backstage world is itself a Neverland, a little kingdom, ‘a tatty Camelot worshipping a prop Holy Grail’.  As we re-create this Neverland, a wonderful place of the imagination, where fantasy is reality, where nothing is quite what it seems, we will prove that dreams really can come true.

The Killing of Sister George
By Frank Marcus
Directed by Cal McCrystal
Rehearsals commence 18th August
Runs 13th September - 11th October 2008

The “killing” in the title is a metaphorical death — that of “Sister George,” a smarmy apple-cheeked do-gooder who stars in a sentimental BBC series about village life. “George” is played in the series by June Buckridge, a brassy, bitchy, hard-drinking lesbian who’s the antithesis of the sickeningly sweet character she plays. In spite of the enormous popularity of George, her “death” is inevitable due to the constant embarrassments to the BBC of the woman who plays her. Her indecencies are quite public; they include enraged walkouts from the set, drunken binges, and most egregiously, an assault on two novitiate nuns in a taxi.

This rip-roaring black comedy will be directed by award winning clown and comedy director Cal McCrystal

“the brains behind some of the funniest theatre in Britain” the Independent

Stones In His Pockets
By Marie Jones
Rehearsals start 22nd September
Runs 18th October - 22nd November 2008

Winner of Best New Comedy Evening Standard Awards and Best New Comedy Laurence Olivier Awards

The 10th Anniversary production of this award winning comedy by Marie Jones will be made at Derby Playhouse prior to going on a national tour.

“Hilarious and irresistable” The Sunday Times

When a major Hollywood film studio descends on a village in rural Ireland the demand for extras from the local community is huge. Two actors bring a pair of movie extras and a host of over 20 other extraordinary characters to life.

“A moving and heartfelt tribute to the imaginative power of live performance”
The Guardian

If you liked Father Ted….you’ll love Stones In His Pockets.

“Ingenious, hilarious, delirious – extraordinary” The Daily Mail

Peter Pan
By JM Barrie, adapted by Karen Hebden
Directed by Stephen Edwards
Rehearsals start 27th October
Runs 29th November 2008 - 24th January 2009

All children, except one grow up.

When Peter Pan flies in through the Darling children’s nursery window in search of his shadow, the scene is set for a classic tale that has captured the imagination of children and adults for one hundred years.

Wendy and her two brothers join Peter on a series of exciting adventures with the inhabtants of the magical island of the Neverland, the lost boys, the mischievous fairy Tinker Bell, the brave Redskins, the Pirates on the Jolly Roger – and their notorious leader, Captain Hook, whose destiny lies in the hands of a crowing boy and a ticking crocodile.

“A production too good to miss in a theatre too valuable to lose” The Guardian on Treasure Island

Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick
By Terry Johnson
Directed by Karen Louise Hebden
Rehearsals start 5th January 2009
Runs 31st January – 28th February 2009

Winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1999, Terry Johnson’s beautifully crafted comic play is part homage, part farce, with a little bit of tragedy thrown in.

Spanning the filming of four of the classic Carry On films, from the great Carry On Cleo in 1964 to the final Carry On Emmanuelle in 1978, the action centres around Sid James caravan-cum – dressing room at Pinewood Studios. Sid’s caravan has sprung a leak, his relationship with the acidic Kenneth Williams is veering towards hatred, and he has fallen in lust with a feisty, loud mouthed tribute to a landmark in British Comedy and three of its best loved stars.

Proceedings taken by Stephen Edwards in the High Court were settled today.  The Arts Council’s proposal to place the Derby Playhouse into immediate liquidation has been withdrawn and it will no longer press any claim to be a creditor of the Derby Playhouse while it is in administration so that the new Board of Trustees can finalise and implement its rescue package.

Stephen Edwards says:

If I had not taken this action then the Arts Council would have forced a 60 year old theatre company into liquidation on a claim which should never have been allowed.  The Derby Playhouse should be celebrating its Diamond Jubilee this November and I am delighted that I have resolved matters with the Arts Council, so the Board of the Derby Playhouse can continue its rescue plan and re-open the theatre in time for that celebration.

This resolution re-opens the possibility for a successful rescue of the Derby Playhouse by the new Board, which is working with the administrators, Tenon Recovery, to finalise a package that can be presented to the creditors as soon as possible.

Professor Jonathan Powers – Chairman of Derby Playhouse says:

The Board is grateful for the courage and tenacity of Stephen Edwards in taking this action.  Thanks to him we are now back where we were in February.  We have a plan to get the theatre up and running in the Autumn.  It will be a leaner and battle-hardened organisation.  It will need support and commitment from the people of Derby and Derbyshire and from the theatrical profession to ensure that world-class professionally produced theatre can once again thrive in Derby, on our stage, in our building, for the next 60 years.

Derby Playhouse can be contacted on derbyplayhouse@hotmail.co.uk

Dear Editor

The new Trustees of Derby Playhouse have a duty to rescue the company if they can and also to do their best for the creditors. We do not have the right to walk away.

We are firmly of the view that the costly disaster we inherited could easily have been avoided. After the theatre was put into administration, Stephen Edwards’ heroic intervention to rescue the Christmas Show (supported by members of the general public) gave us the chance to create a plan which would have kept things running without a break. But further obstacles were thrown in our path. We are now finally on the verge of surmounting them, but no-one should be under any illusion about the damage or the cost. Stephen Edwards has taken the action at his own expense against the Arts Council on behalf of the Board and Members, because the action could only be taken by an individual creditor. To suggest that he is preventing theatre happening in Derby is absurd. While we resist the temptation to accuse anyone of trying to “obstruct” our efforts, we must make it clear that we do not wish to obstruct anyone else who shares our passion for live theatre in the City.

Derby Playhouse Ltd is a registered charity which owns a 94 year lease on the building. We want to see things back in action as quickly as possible – provided that everything is done on a sound business footing. We have commissioned the Christmas Show and we are planning a Diamond Jubilee Gala for 1st November to celebrate 60 years since the opening of the Derby Little Theatre in Becket Street in 1948.

We are delighted to learn that Derby LIVE has made progress with its plans, and we would be very happy to talk with them if they wish to hire either of the auditoria – the contracts will be detailed and transparent.

We give the same invitation to the amateur companies, who have expressed an interest in using the Playhouse.

Because of what has happened we cannot now reinstate everything we had before: we have to begin again from our beginnings – volunteers, amateurs and professionals working without public subsidy. The successors of the original Derby Little Theatre Club set up a “Derby New Theatre Trust”. It was their passion that created Derby Playhouse, and it is for them as well as today’s theatre-goers that the current Board and Members hold its assets in trust.

Make no mistake, in the new mix we are planning we will get outstanding professional produced theatre back on stage.

We know Derby demands it !

Jonathan Powers
(Chairman)

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Derby Playhouse Newsletter No 1

This is the first newsletter for friends and former employees of Derby Playhouse. The company is still in administration and there is a lot still happening to rescue the company some of which you may have seen in the local press. We want to be able to keep in touch with you while the building is closed so please feel free to pass this on to other friends and supporters of the theatre.

The Playhouse Board is continuing to fight to keep Derby Playhouse as a professional producing theatre and rescue the company in partnership with one or more commercial co-producers. Derby Playhouse could become an independent creative engine generating work for touring or the West End, giving Derby audiences the benefits of seeing such shows premiered, and maintaining Derby as a centre of creative excellence.

When we re-opened Treasure Island the Derby Playhouse Fund, supported by generous public donations, paid out a total of £305k including £110k from ticket sales. It discharged obligations of £196k in advance ticket sales and paid £62k of contractual obligations to actors and musicians. The Fund’s Financial Year will end on 31 July to correspond with the end of the normal theatrical year and at that time the audited accounts will be published.

Following the closure of the theatre when the Arts Council (ACE) transferred its funding to Derby City Council, the first Creditors Meeting was held by Tenons at the Playhouse on 25th February. The Board had submitted a rescue plan which was put verbally to the meeting, although Tenons had not included the written version in the creditors’ pack. There was popular support for the Board’s plan, which was described by one creditor as a ‘no brainer’. However allowing ACE’s claim, for the repayment of £1.074M Recovery Grants, overwhelmed the votes of the smaller creditors. Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC), carrying a proxy for ACE, presented a demand for the immediate liquidation of the company with PWC replacing Tenon as liquidator. It subsequently emerged that the offers made for the assets, presumably by DCC, did not provide Tenon with enough to action Creditors Voluntary Liquidation as there was not even enough on the table to pay the fees. So the company remains in administration and is still operating. The Board are still working to rescue the company, pay off the creditors, and take back control of the Playhouse building.

A series of complaints have been submitted to the Arts Council by the Board and have not yet been concluded.

The Board registered an objection to ACE’s claim (apart from £10,564 of the revenue grant for March) which was therefore marked as “disputed”. Stephen Edwards, as one of the major creditors, has taken out a legal action to have the claim struck out on the grounds that under ACE’s conditions of grant they could only ask for the money back when the company had been liquidated and ceased to operate. They should not be able to use this claim to give them the voting strength to force liquidation. The Board has supplied a Witness Statement in support of his case. ACE and Tenon have until 11th April to file a response, and Stephen Edwards will then have 14 days to submit additional evidence, after which the case would be ready to be heard at the High Court in London. It is not known when this will be.

The Chairman has written to the Chief Executive of ACE urging him to accept that ACE’s claim was premature and that the consequences of ACE forcing liquidation would be that either ACE would be accused of robbing the other creditors and themselves of the chance of getting their money back, or else they would find they had forced the sale of the Playhouse building to pay the creditors including themselves.

This has been a difficult time, but the Board hopes that in due course it will be possible to re-establish good relations with both Derby City Council and the Arts Council England and that proposed changes to the company Rules will leave the door open to this, but will also make possible relationships with commercial co-producers. The intention is that Derby Playhouse Limited will be independent of DCC and ACE and as a charitable arts organisation that exists for the benefit of the people of Derby and Derbyshire will be able to form “adult” relationships with future partners and funders.

This is now even more urgent with the loss, at least for now, of the prospect that the Hippodrome might once again become a working theatre.

Concern has been expressed following the arson attack and subsequent partial destruction of the Hippodrome about the security of the Playhouse building. The Administrators are continuing to pay the rent, the building is insured by them and they are making regular inspections. Post addressed to the theatre is being forwarded to them.

Finally, a Benefit Event is being planned to raise money for the campaign. This will take place during the summer at a Derbyshire location, and will be likely to include a showcase for the youth and community theatre, masterclasses and other activities during the day, with a Gala Performance in the evening. Anyone interested in helping or taking part please get in touch – details below.

This newsletter is being distributed electronically. If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please send your name and email address to Anne Powers at the address below or via Facebook.

To contact us by post please write to:

Professor Jonathan Powers
Chairman, Derby Playhouse
The Quandary
100 Church Road
Quarndon
Derby
DE22 5JA

Theatres Trusts Urges Derby To be Vigilant

The Following is an excerpt from the Theatre Trusts website urging Derby People and the Derby City Council to remain vigilant:
As previously stated by the Trust, failure to obtain consent for works or demolition of a listed building is a criminal offence. Derby City Council can now take action against the owner including the serving of an enforcement notice to rebuild the theatre. Director of the Trust, Mhora Samuel said “The owners have adopted completely the wrong approach to repair Derby Hippodrome. This destruction demonstrates the vulnerability of historic theatres and buildings when owners breach listed building legislation.”
The Trust again urges local residents to remain vigilant and report any further activity on the site they see over the weekend to the Police on 0845 123 3333, Derby City Council Emergency 24 hour line Dangerous Structures on 01332 255 903 and The Theatres Trust on 07932 653 560.

Original Source

Derby has a long tradition of produced theatre, all of which was established through sweat, tears and hard work. The benefits of which are wide ranging. Will Derby Live for example provide an opportunity to employ the staff who lost their jobs or re-open the youth theatre and community theatre?

If true this may well signal an end to the Powers led consortium.

We expect ACE and Derby City Council to make some statement about the future of the Derby Playhouse and producing theatre in Derby.

The Derby Playhouse Ltd have kindly supplied us with the following statement:

The Arts Council has rejected Derby Playhouse’s appeal on the basis that
they do not believe that Derby Playhouse Limited can deliver the business
plan outlined in our appeal. Essentially this means that following the
final performance of Treasure Island on 2 February, the theatre will
close.

The Playhouse now has 14 days in which time to raise Private Funds to
replace its dependence on both state funding and the local council tax
payer.

Derby Playhouse would like to pay tribute to Tenon Recovery, the
administrators, who have done everything in their power to aid the total
recovery of the business for the people of Derby.

Since re-opening on 7 December, Derby Playhouse Ltd has achieved the
following, with a skeleton staff and no funding:

£30,000 public donations
15,000 petition signatures
£130,000 additional sales for Treasure Island
30,000 paid attendances for Treasure Island
12,000 ticket sales for Treasure island
80% capacity for Treasure Island
Exceeded box office target for Treasure Island by £30,000

The following questions should now be asked of the Arts Council.

If a High Street bank and a liquidator will back our new business plan why
won’t they?

Did they ask to see the new business plan? If not? Why not?

Can they unpack the figure of £1.6 million which they say they have
invested?

How much have Leicester Haymarket and Nottingham Playhouse had in addition
to their revenue grants from Stabilisation, Recovery and other similar
pots?

Why did Leicester keep its grant over the past 3 years while being closed
for the majority of that time?

The Arts Council’s only response is use the Theatre Royal Northampton as
an example. However Northampton Theatres is made up of The Theatre Royal &
The Derngate, a commercially run receiving house which helps to underwrite
the Theatre Royal. Hardly like for like.

Jonathan Powers
Chair of Derby Playhouse Charitable Trust

Patrick Ellward and Dilip Dattani were appointed Joint Administrators on 30
November 2007. The business and property of Derby Playhouse is being managed
by the joint administrators. Please note that the joint administrators and
their staff act as agents of the Company and Contract without personal
liability.