Research Issues 1988: The Theatre’s Side Of The Story
When numerous allegations about the management of the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round appeared in publication as diverse as the Scarborough Evening News, The Stage and Private Eye among others - the majority based on accusations by former theatre manager Ian Watson - the theatre management largely chose to ignore them.However, an internal investigation did take place conducted by the theatre’s accountant Keith McFarlane - appointed by Alan Ayckbourn months after Watson had left. This is as close to an independent assessment of the claims which - whilst held in archive - have never previously been made public.
Given the prominence of the accusatory articles, it seems right for future research that the theatre’s own response and rebuttal should be available to give at least some balance, particularly as it appears many of Watson’s claims could be definitively proven to be false.
KMcF/CG 9.6.88
OBSERVATIONS RE 'TOP TRADER' ARTICLE 2 JUNE 1988
1. "The Theatre has lost £15,000 in major sponsorship deals negotiated by IW [Ian Watson] before leaving in January."
No correspondence regarding sponsorship deals for 1988/89 has been found and surely any firms who had agreed to sponsor productions would have contacted the theatre regarding their "negotiated deal". None have done so.
2. "The Theatre stands to lose between £50,000 and £250,000 in public subsidies under new rules governing Arts Council funding."
This presumably refers to the latest Arts Council incentive funding scheme for arts organisations. The Theatre cannot lose what it has never had - application will be made before 30 September 1988 on receipt of the 'model book'.
3. “The Theatre's catering and bar activities, which in the last published accounts showed a 61% increase in net profit, are being severely cut back."
The figures referred to are presumably 1985/86 and 1986/87, these being:
Catering Bar Total
1985/86 515 8553 9068
1986/87 (1126) Loss 14394 13268
INCREASE IN NET PROFIT (46%) £4200
The only 'cut back' is that the bar is not open on Sundays with the change in music policy. There will be an increase in lunchtime activities from 2 shows in 1987 to 4 in 1988.
4. "Allen has been demoted because of the patently absurd publicity campaign over the last two years."
Russ Allen has not been demoted and as IW was the Theatre's administrator over the past two years and appointed Allen, he presumably had overall control over publicity policy.
5. ”Alan Ayckbourn ordered Allen to destroy 100,000 copies of the Theatre's summer brochure - at an estimated cost of over £4,000 - when it was discovered that the advertising panel for solicitors was wrongly named."
The name of the solicitors was printed incorrectly, but the brochures would have been withdrawn anyway with the late change in programme from the new Tinniswood play to Eden End by J B Priestley. The printing of the photographs on the brochure was not to an acceptable standard and this would have been taken up with the printers (an original brochure attached).
The print run was stopped at 36,000, the approximate cost being £3,500 (per Russ Allen).
6. ”The instructions to destroy the summer brochures was only very partially complied with."
5,000 brochures had already been mailed before the decision to withdraw them was made.
7. ”Attendances have actually fallen by more than 11% during the last 12 months."
Ticket sales for the Stephen Joseph Theatre's own productions were 39,238 for 1986/87 and 37,988 for 1987/88, a drop of 1,250 (3%). Ticket sales for Sunday Concerts for 1986/87 were 4,867 and for 1987/88 1,589, a drop of 3,278 (67%). There were no Sunday Concerts from December 1987 to March 1988 nor were there any throughout the Summer of 1987, whereas 1,400 tickets were sold during the 1986 Summer Season.
8. ”A poster devised by Allen which had to be scrapped at a cost in excess of £2,000 revealed the top secret ex-directory security number linking the burglar alarm system to the police station."
The cost of the posters was £200. The poster did give the security number but this does not now pose a security threat as the telephone line no longer accepts incoming calls, as is usual with security lines.
9. “Allen destroyed the theatre's entire financial archives."
When Ian Watson's office was cleared out, after his departure, for redecorating, old financial records which were stored there were thrown out. All the records for 1987/88, 1986/87 are intact, as are all wages records going back a number of years. The Theatre's nominal ledgers and audited accounts were stored in the accounts office and are still intact.
10. ”The supposedly new administrative structure imposed on the theatre was rejected by every other theatre back in the 1960s as being inadequate to cope with the demands and responsibilities required by public subsidy."
No other theatre in the world has Alan Ayckbourn at the head of its management structure. This structure was agreed with the Regional Arts Association and only time will tell if it is workable.
OBSERVATIONS RE 'TOP TRADER' ARTICLE 2 JUNE 1988
1. "The Theatre has lost £15,000 in major sponsorship deals negotiated by IW [Ian Watson] before leaving in January."
No correspondence regarding sponsorship deals for 1988/89 has been found and surely any firms who had agreed to sponsor productions would have contacted the theatre regarding their "negotiated deal". None have done so.
2. "The Theatre stands to lose between £50,000 and £250,000 in public subsidies under new rules governing Arts Council funding."
This presumably refers to the latest Arts Council incentive funding scheme for arts organisations. The Theatre cannot lose what it has never had - application will be made before 30 September 1988 on receipt of the 'model book'.
3. “The Theatre's catering and bar activities, which in the last published accounts showed a 61% increase in net profit, are being severely cut back."
The figures referred to are presumably 1985/86 and 1986/87, these being:
Catering Bar Total
1985/86 515 8553 9068
1986/87 (1126) Loss 14394 13268
INCREASE IN NET PROFIT (46%) £4200
The only 'cut back' is that the bar is not open on Sundays with the change in music policy. There will be an increase in lunchtime activities from 2 shows in 1987 to 4 in 1988.
4. "Allen has been demoted because of the patently absurd publicity campaign over the last two years."
Russ Allen has not been demoted and as IW was the Theatre's administrator over the past two years and appointed Allen, he presumably had overall control over publicity policy.
5. ”Alan Ayckbourn ordered Allen to destroy 100,000 copies of the Theatre's summer brochure - at an estimated cost of over £4,000 - when it was discovered that the advertising panel for solicitors was wrongly named."
The name of the solicitors was printed incorrectly, but the brochures would have been withdrawn anyway with the late change in programme from the new Tinniswood play to Eden End by J B Priestley. The printing of the photographs on the brochure was not to an acceptable standard and this would have been taken up with the printers (an original brochure attached).
The print run was stopped at 36,000, the approximate cost being £3,500 (per Russ Allen).
6. ”The instructions to destroy the summer brochures was only very partially complied with."
5,000 brochures had already been mailed before the decision to withdraw them was made.
7. ”Attendances have actually fallen by more than 11% during the last 12 months."
Ticket sales for the Stephen Joseph Theatre's own productions were 39,238 for 1986/87 and 37,988 for 1987/88, a drop of 1,250 (3%). Ticket sales for Sunday Concerts for 1986/87 were 4,867 and for 1987/88 1,589, a drop of 3,278 (67%). There were no Sunday Concerts from December 1987 to March 1988 nor were there any throughout the Summer of 1987, whereas 1,400 tickets were sold during the 1986 Summer Season.
8. ”A poster devised by Allen which had to be scrapped at a cost in excess of £2,000 revealed the top secret ex-directory security number linking the burglar alarm system to the police station."
The cost of the posters was £200. The poster did give the security number but this does not now pose a security threat as the telephone line no longer accepts incoming calls, as is usual with security lines.
9. “Allen destroyed the theatre's entire financial archives."
When Ian Watson's office was cleared out, after his departure, for redecorating, old financial records which were stored there were thrown out. All the records for 1987/88, 1986/87 are intact, as are all wages records going back a number of years. The Theatre's nominal ledgers and audited accounts were stored in the accounts office and are still intact.
10. ”The supposedly new administrative structure imposed on the theatre was rejected by every other theatre back in the 1960s as being inadequate to cope with the demands and responsibilities required by public subsidy."
No other theatre in the world has Alan Ayckbourn at the head of its management structure. This structure was agreed with the Regional Arts Association and only time will tell if it is workable.
This article is copyright of Scarborough Theatre Trust. All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without crediting Simon Murgatroyd and the website.