CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, COLLABORATION - Sherman Theatre Annual Review 2020/2021
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SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, COLLABORATION Sherman Theatre Annual Review 2020/2021
SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW
A YEAR UNLIKE
ANY OTHER
On 16 March 2020, theatres across the UK closed their doors due Heart of Cardiff: Emma Cooney Advent Calendar: Ruth Jones
to the situation caused by Covid-19. The Sherman Theatre team
knew that it would have to adapt quickly and find new ways to
deliver on its core purpose throughout the crisis. One year on,
we are taking this moment to reflect on twelve months unlike
any other.
This review shows how, throughout this We have relied on all of our agility, ingenuity,
uniquely challenging situation, we worked creativity and resilience as a team and a wider
using largely digital means to: artistic family to achieve the work described
in this review. This is not the year any of us
• ENTERTAIN AND ENGAGE OUR AUDIENCES expected or wanted but we have worked to face TEN: Dom’s Drug Prayer by Connor Allen Young Queens
head on all the challenges and make the most
•S
UPPORT AND NURTURE WELSH AND
of some of the surprising opportunities which
WALES-BASED ARTISTS
have come our way.
THE YEAR BROKE DOWN INTO FOUR PHASES OF ACTIVITY:
• CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES
• DEVELOP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE INTERVAL ADVENT CALENDAR
Interval was our immediate response to Christmas is such a special time at the Sherman
the challenges thrown up by the crisis. The and we were determined to make sure, even
programme was designed to ensure that we though our doors were closed, that we would
could continue to serve our audiences, artists, be able to share some seasonal magic with
THANK YOU communities and young people. It evolved in our audiences. With this in mind, we created
Our survival throughout the year and the work described in this review would not have been response to changes in the needs of those a digital Advent Calendar so that each day
possible without the support of our audiences, artists, communities, young people and partners. groups and the issues they experienced. throughout December our audiences would be
We would also like to say a massive thank you to the Sherman staff team, Board, and Associate given some festive joy.
Artists for the dedication, energy and determination they have shown. HEART OF CARDIFF
As it became clear that theatres would not YOUR WORLD, IN YOUR WORDS
We would like to thank our funders for Thank you to our partners throughout be able to open in the autumn, we set about This has been a year of seismic change and
their support: the year: creating a season that would serve all of our of hope. Early in 2021, we handed over the
Arts Council Wales Hijinx audiences. The result was Heart of Cardiff, a microphone to a broad range of communities
Paul Hamlyn Foundation National Theatre Wales, BBC Cymru Wales major season of ten new audio dramas and who had stories to tell and shared their work on
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation & BBC Arts documentaries created by Cardiff writers, telling our platforms. These stories encapsulated the
Moondance Foundation Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and celebrating stories of communities across hope that has emerged from the darkness.
Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation The College Merthyr Tydfil the city. The season was designed to make heard
Ashley Family Foundation Trans Pride Cardiff under represented voices and perspectives from
Garrick Charitable Trust The Old Vic across the city and introduce a diverse new
National Lottery Awards For All Wales Hayaat Women Trust range of artists. The audio series was accompanied
Creu Cymru – Llaw/Hand Fund Age Cymru’s Gwanwyn Festival by large scale creative engagement activity.
SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW
THE SHOW
OUR AUDIENCES ENJOYED THE FOLLOWING:
TEN, a season of newly created monologues Tydfil Tales and Tydfil Truths, audio dramas
by Welsh and Wales-based writers created in partnership with The College
WENT ONLINE
Merthyr Tydfil
MUM and DAD, two monologues by Gary Owen,
performed by Lynn Hunter and Michael Sheen An audio version of Nova Theatre’s drama Winners
Network Play Readings: our partnership with Playcrush, a lively podcast series in partnership
National Theatre Wales, BBC Cymru Wales & with the Old Vic Theatre, London in which well-
BBC Arts, showcasing exceptional work from known figures talk about their favourite play with
Welsh companies Sherman Theatre Artistic Director Joe Murphy
We exist to provide our audiences with compelling theatre.
EIGHT, first time plays from our Introduction Our digital advent calendar brought together
With our doors closed, the virtual world became our stage. to Playwriting participants an audiobook of A Christmas Carol and an
Across the year we premiered cutting edge new writing, comedies, audio version of The Elves and the Shoemaker /
Heart of Cardiff, a major season of ten new Y Coblynnod a’r Crydd, appearances from Ruth
haunting rediscovered gems, family entertainment, documentaries, audio dramas and documentaries created by Jones, Michael Sheen and Rhys Ifans, music,
Cardiff writers telling stories of communities games and activities to keep our audiences
fascinating podcasts and much more. across the city entertained throughout December
DAD by Gary Owen: Michael Sheen MUM by Gary Owen: Lynn Hunter TEN: Who Runs Towards a Fire? by Owen Thomas TEN: (Single) Motherhood by Alexandria Riley
46,500
THE YEAR IN NUMBERS: “Shout Out to “@ShermanTheatre “Really enjoyed the “It [Advent Calendar]
@ShermanTheatre for thank you so much Advent calendar was lovely! Really
keeping the drama for the delight that thank you. Diolch.” enjoyed it! I also loved
OUR ONLINE THEATRE WAS alive in Cardiff, from is your advent the Heart of Cardiff
Katie Brown
WATCHED OR LISTENED TO free streaming audio calendar. Its been a content, especially
Facebook
OVER 46,500 TIMES. heartofcardiff.co.uk to pleasure to receive Rodney & the
their Advent Calendar this every day, and Shrieking Sisterhood!”
28
with some double bills will miss it. Each “I thoroughly enjoyed
Di Jones
for children day has been fabulous the Advent Calendar,
Twitter
then adults” and thoughtful. thank you very much,
WE PREMIERED Thank you, thank and am looking
28 SHORT Roger Tomlinson
you.” forward to more
NEW PLAYS. Twitter
online contents.”
Emma Hardy
Twitter Yuko Uchida
Twitter
SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW
THROUGH THIS 165 155
THE YEAR IN
NUMBERS: IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
AND NEW CONNECTIONS.
TOGETHER
WE HAVE INTERACTED
WITH 155 ARTISTS FOR
WE HAVE PROVIDED 165 THE FIRST TIME.
275
PAID OPPORTUNITIES
FOR CREATIVE
FREELANCERS.
709
This has been an incredibly difficult time for freelance artists and
SHERMAN THEATRE HAS ACROSS THE YEAR THE
creatives. We have worked hard, not just to support artists through INTERACTED WITH 275 SHERMAN HAS HAD 709
this uniquely challenging period but also to continue to nurture ARTISTS THROUGHOUT INTERACTIONS WITH
THE YEAR. FREELANCE THEATRE
them and aid their development for the future. Our focus has MAKERS.
been on:
OUR WORK TO SUPPORT AND NURTURE WELSH AND
WALES-BASED ARTISTS THIS YEAR HAS INCLUDED:
• PROVIDING FREELANCE THEATRE MAKERS WITH MUCH NEEDED PAID OPPORTUNITIES PAID OPPORTUNITIES NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
• OFFERING THEM THE CHANCE TO ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS We have provided a significant number of paid We have stayed connected with the artistic
opportunities for freelancers including writers, community through networking opportunities
• HELPING TO MAINTAIN THEIR CREATIVITY directors, actors, teaching artists and creatives including coffee mornings for freelancers.
• KEEPING THEM CONNECTED WITH BOTH THE SHERMAN AND THEIR PEERS to work on projects throughout the year
• INCREASING THEIR PROFILE
including: TEN, EIGHT, Heart of Cardiff and OPEN PLATFORM
the Digital Advent Calendar.
Our Open Platforms have provided a showcase
and a large audience on our social media
WORKSHOPS channels for existing work by Welsh and
Freelancers have been offered the opportunity Wales-based Black and LGBTQIA+ artists.
to develop a wide range of new skills through
free workshops led by members of the
“Very excited and “Diolch Sherman “Ma angen gair Sherman’s expert team. The topics covered in
YOUR PLATFORM
honoured that the Theatre! Thank you Cymraeg arnon ni the workshops series included structuring a Sherman Theatre’s Your Platform initiative,
Sherman Theatre so much for keeping am ‘chuffed’. Wir, play, producing, creative engagement, theatre hosted on its social media channels, has helped
have included me in our industry alight WIR yn gyffrous i design and marketing. 35 theatre makers maintain their profile during
their Your Platform with positivity and fod yn sgwennu the situation caused by Covid-19.
scheme – especially resilience! Thank darn fer ar gyfer
TIME WITH
as during February you for championing @ShermanTheatre
Theatre makers seized on the chance to stay
SHOWCASE
they are celebrating theatre makers yng nghanol cyfnod
LGBT+ History Month and providing mor weird ac anodd.” creative and have free ranging conversations Last year, the brilliant final year acting students
and championing #YourPlatform 1:1 with members of the Sherman’s artistic at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Alun Saunders family including Associate Artists Daf James, didn’t have the opportunity to perform their
theatre makers to showcase the
Twitter Gary Owen and Suzanne Packer, and our industry showcase. Working in partnership with
from the LGBTQIA+ wonderful artists
community. Diolch across Wales! Very Artistic Director Joe Murphy. RWCMD, Sherman Theatre did its bit to put that
yn fawr iawn, thank proud to be a part right with the Showcase initiative. Our Artistic
Director Joe Murphy committed to watching
you very much!” of this!” AUDITION SKILLS the showcase piece of any students who asked
Rob Stevens Jordan Palmer Forse Associate Artist and Senior Lecturer In Acting RWCMD to forward their videos to the Sherman.
Facebook Facebook at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama,
Patricia Logue, offered potential drama school
candidates the opportunity to learn how to
effectively approach an audition.
SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW
STAYING
CONNECTED
In these difficult times it has been more vital than ever to stay
connected. With our doors temporarily closed it has also been more Young Queens
challenging to do this than ever before. By picking up the phone,
sending letters, emails and using digital media we have worked to
keep in touch with and support our communities. Amidst all of
the challenges, there have also been new opportunities. This year,
we formed new relationships with even more communities across
our city and beyond.
Tydfil Tales Love Letters
OUR WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES INCLUDED:
SHERMAN 5 TYDFIL TALES AND YOUNG QUEENS LOVE LETTERS
The continued work of Sherman 5 to engage TYDFIL TRUTHS Young Queens are a group of young Welsh The Love Letters project collected beautiful
people facing barriers to attendance, supported Originally planned as a stage production, Somali writers and performers age 11-14. letters to Cardiff, written by some of the
by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, changed its Tydfil Tales saw students from The College Fiercely proud of both their Welsh and Somali city’s older people. In Autumn 2020, Sherman
focus through the pandemic to support and Merthyr Tydfil turn real life stories told by heritage they created four compelling poems Theatre’s Sherman 5 programme worked with
connect with its members throughout the the residents of The Daffodils care home into about what it means to be a young Welsh Somali Age Cymru’s Gwanwyn Festival to gather these
year. We have called members, ensured there an intergenerational audio drama. Such was today. We were proud to work in partnership letters as part of Sherman Theatre’s Heart of
is always someone available to call if they the success of this project, Sherman Theatre with Hayaat Women Trust and share these Cardiff season. The letters were available to
wish simply to have a chat, delivered regular supported a follow-up Tydfil Truths, which inspirational films with our audiences. read online and a recording was made of a
communications and offered a programme of saw the perspectives of the students come reading of a selection. Letters were exchanged
workshops and activities. to the fore. between participants and recordings were sent
to older audience members, care homes and
Sightlife members.
1533
THE YEAR IN NUMBERS:
WE ENGAGED 1533 PARTICIPANTS
THROUGH COMMUNITY PROJECTS.
SHERMAN THEATRE ANNUAL REVIEW
THE FUTURE
OUR WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE INCLUDED:
YOUTH THEATRE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Our celebrated Youth Theatre programme was We were delighted to support 7 University of
CANNOT BE
taken online. Throughout the first lockdown South Wales Performing Arts students (at both
we provided a range of activities that could be MA and BA levels) with placements during our
participated in at home. From Autumn 2020, autumn and Christmas seasons.
we delivered the Youth Theatre programme for
all age groups through blended learning, with NOTES
PUT ON HOLD
some pre-recorded sessions and some
live interactive sessions. Sherman Theatre offered support to Welsh and
Wales-based actors who prepared speeches for
Drama School auditions last spring but were
unable to work further on these or attend
auditions. Our Notes initiative offered one
to one sessions with the Sherman’s Creative
Engagement Manager Timothy Howe who
Developing, engaging and watched the audition pieces and shared his
connecting young people THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR WORK WITH notes and thoughts with each actor.
YOUNG PEOPLE FOCUSED ON:
across Cardiff and South
Continuing our commitment to developing
Wales is at the core of what young people into active and socially
responsible citizens
we do. When the restrictions
came into force we moved Delivering our existing programmes including
Introduction to Playwriting, Youth Theatre, and Youth Theatre online session
quickly to move this work Sherman Sherbets online in smart new ways
online. Our projects evolved
Tackling increased isolation experienced INTRODUCTION TO
to respond to and meet the by young people, by ensuring they remain PLAYWRITING
needs of young people connected with each other
The first cohort of the Introduction to
throughout the crisis. Evolving projects in response to dialogue with
Playwriting programme to develop young
playwrights aged 15-18 continued working on EIGHT: A Bee Sting by Manasvi Nanavati
young people and changes in restrictions
their writing during the first lockdown. The
result was EIGHT, a series of monologues which
Maintaining a participant-centred approach
were performed and directed by professionals,
each play was a personal reflection on the
experience of 2020. In autumn 2020, we
451
THE YEAR IN NUMBERS: worked with artists across the UK to develop
a playwriting blended learning resource. The
programme, which is funded by the Esmée
Fairbairn Foundation, moved into its next
2730
phase with sessions across the autumn and
into spring 2021.
HOMESCHOOLING SUPPORT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR In April 2020, we made available online our
WE WORKED WITH 451 catalogue of education activity packs to download EIGHT: What You Thought You’d Do During Lockdown by Tom Price
YOUNG PARTICIPANTS and use. We were delighted to be able to share
these highly regarded resources with teachers,
WE INTERACTED WITH YOUNG practitioners, families and young people.
PARTICIPANTS 2730 TIMES
ACROSS THE YEAR
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