Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by Mr Robert Berry

RESPONSE TO INQUIRY INTO "ARTS DEVELOPMENT: MUSICAL THEATRE"

  The funding problems currently being faced by the NYMT and the Bridewell Theatre, while of immediate and obvious concern are also significant as warning signals for an industry which if allowed to continue on its present course will be in severe jeopardy in ten years time. Although your inquiry highlighted many pertinent issues, there are further matters which should be considered.

  Robert Cogo-Fawcett's talk of the relationship between subsidised and commercial theatre demonstrated some of the essential problems, especially with regard to the contrasts between our set up and that of New York's. I would like to tell you something of my own situation, as I believe it is relevant to this.

  As a young writer of musicals, I moved to London from Scotland, last year. (I graduated in Music from Bristol University two years ago and then worked full-time on a musical). I moved to London, as having written the musical, had it performed in Bristol and re-written it, I felt it was ready for development. I also felt London was the place to meet other writers of my own age. (I was wrong—there are very few people my age writing musicals.)

  Two institutions have been of particular interest to me, since moving here. The first is Mercury Musicals Development. The personalities involved (in particular Georgina Bexon and Caroline Underwood) have been very accessible and helpful. The organisation has provided me with the majority of the contacts I now have, as well as useful advice and information. I feel very fortunate to have joined them. However, they do not have the resources to properly help develop work. Despite having the support of an extensive network of important industry figures who are all too happy to have their names attached, there is not a great deal of financial support.

  Like most other musical writers, attempting to find somewhere to help develop this material has proved difficult, owing to the lack of theatres, which deal with this. The general lack of support both in the development and performance of new musicals in this country is something that is deeply worrying.

  The West End Producer's motivation at the moment seems to be geared towards exploitation of pre-existing fan-bases. This is totally understandable, at a time when the tourist market is so unpredictable. However, this results in the appearance of musicals which tend to fall into the following categories: revivals of musicals from 1940s onwards; musicals focusing on the back catalogues of successful rock-bands; and musicals, which have been adapted from popular (often musical) films. While each of these aforementioned categories is perfectly valid as a means of keeping box-office revenues ticking over, new musical material in the last ten to fifteen years has hardly had a look in.

  The lack of developmental support means that all too often, producers—who bother to turn up to showcases—see work that is not complete and either write it off, because they are unable to see the potential or will say "Come back, when it has been fully developed", but are not willing to support that development. I have not show-cased my material, but I have been to 25 in the past year and not a single one seems to have led anywhere. (Most of them were not ready for show-casing, but some of the writers could not get help developing it, so thought they would showcase it to get cash for development.)

  I have only met a very few people my age writing musicals, even though I know plenty of talented young song-writers. The perception is that it is totally unfeasible and unrealistic, given that the developmental support is not there and there are no new musicals being promoted. (I have been extremely fortunate to be able to give it a proper shot, as I had a bit of cash just to live on, unlike most my age.)

  The second institution I am particularly interested in is the Bridewell, as it actually offers the opportunity to develop material. (It is also in a great location for targeting potential investors, who work in the city.) While it is great that this theatre gives audiences an opportunity to see American work that might otherwise not be seen, ironically the crucial significance of the Bridewell is for commercial theatre.

  Producers' lack of commitment to the life-blood of their industry means that the Bridewell is almost alone in helping realise a full development of something, which might prove to be a commercial hit. Although it is a rather lonely effort—and especially when compared to what is going on in New York—at least it is one channel, which will allow the next Lloyd-Webber to come along with musicals, which could be national institutions/cash-cows in ten years time. Shut this door and it is another nail in the coffin, which leads to musical writers transferring their skills to other mediums like pop songs or just going to New York, where people have the commercial sense to treat new musical writing as an investment in the future.

  The way things are going, in ten years time, if there is a new musical on the West-End, it is highly likely that it will come from New York, (with some money going back to new American musical writing.) People will realise then that sitting back and watching the Bridewell struggle and then close was an appalling act, which was more than symbolic of the shallow grave made for decent new musical writing and development in this country.

19 November 2003





 
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