Challenge of continuing costs can't dampen new season hopes of theatre boss
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As Eden Court launches a brochure for the new season’s performances, chief executive Rebecca Holt emphasises they want to welcome more people into the theatre in 2023 – despite reduced hours.
The theatre boss said: “It remains the same economic climate we are operating in and it continues being challenging, as we know it also is for our customers.”
The theatre has been opening at 4pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and 11am the rest of the week since the start of the year.
This change has been necessary, Ms Holt explains in her introduction to the new brochure, because of the “significantly increased costs that we, alongside all businesses, are experiencing in this climate”.
But the chief executive wants people to understand reduced hours don’t mean a closing of doors to customers.
“Rather we aim to welcome even more people to Eden Court in 2023,” she said.
The You Are Welcome campaign encourages everyone in the community to use Eden Court as a Warm Space. The Community Table scheme has seen book clubs and knitting groups getting together there.
Ms Holt, speaking in the run-up to the brochure launch, said: “We are offering a lower £5.50 ticket price for cinema and OneTouch theatre shows for people on low income, on benefits or with an unstable financial situation.
“We want to let people that use the building know that it’s open to them seven days a week, and we have just been looking at ways we can reuse and make our resources go further.”
Another way to get people into the theatre is the quality and variety of the shows and events a venue can offer. With a new print brochure as well as online, events offering a huge variety of genres run from March to September.
The theatre has booked musicals to living legends, such as Neighbours’ Alan Fletcher – Australian soap star medic Dr Karl Kennedy, family shows to vintage productions, such as the long-running Agatha Christie thriller The Mousetrap, celebrating its 70th anniversary.
And when hard times mean everyone can do with a laugh, Eden Court will offer some of the UK’s biggest stand-up acts, including Stewart Lee, Frankie Boyle, Susie McCabe, Josie Long and Tim Vine.
Family audiences have some spectacle totake their breath away, including Dinosaur World Live, smash-hit circus musical CIRQUE: The Greatest Show and the fun of David Walliams’ Demon Dentist.
Scotland’s national companies bring us Scottish Ballet’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Scottish Opera’s Bizet’s Carmen and National Theatre of Scotland’s exciting new productions Kidnapped and Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning.
Music goes from national institutions Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham to Blue Rose Code, who is marking 10 years on the road. Sun Records: The Concert presents the music of rock’s greatest pioneers.
Be convinced by the argument of a brilliant speaker such as Darren McGarvey confronting the scandal of class inequality, while explorers Kenton Cool and James Ketchell take you to Everest and beyond
But one of the most talked-about shows is Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort of), and it was the first name Ms Holt picked out when asked for a few favourite choices on their way to Inverness that she is looking forward to the theatre hosting. It’s the Jane Austen story with classic pop songs added in, with a few surprises!
“Pride And Prejudice* (*Sort of) – I am really excited about! It won best comedy play in the Olivier Awards and has been written by Scottish writer Isobel McArthur – and it started out at the Tron," said Rebecca Holt.
“Friends who’ve seen it rave about it and I’m looking forward to having a good laugh and bringing people the show’s escapism and fun. The Stamping Ground is coming back. That was a big moment for us making a Scottish musical with a local writer and it will be good to see it fly across venues in Scotland. It feels like a proud moment to have it back as it starts its tour.”
The chief executive then added: "Eden Court rivals any venue in the country for its programming breadth and scale of ambition. The next six months’ feature musicals, drama, classic plays, new-writing, murder mysteries, horror, circus, opera, ballet, contemporary dance, stand-up comedy, children’s shows, talks, traditional music, orchestral music and musical tributes. This spring and summer programme illustrates once again the commitment of the Eden Court team to bring work of the highest quality and diversity to the Highlands.
"We look forward to welcoming tens of thousands of people through the doors to enjoy what’s on offer.”
The new brochure is out now at Eden Court. For a digital copy, see: eden-court.co.uk
