NE Theatre York director Steve Tearle with his pooch Millie Bell
NE Theatre York will no longer provide press tickets for reviews, donating them instead to charity.
“Our reason for going forward without professional reviews is simple really,” says chairman, director and producer Steve Tearle.
“As we are a diverse and inclusive company, we create a safe environment for everyone and build up confidences to a level to get them on the stage and start to have faith in themselves and above all self-belief.
“For instance, we had 27 people on the stage for The Sound Of Music [Joseph Rowntree Theatre, April 29 to May 3] that had never been on stage or sang before. Twenty of these had to sing in Latin. It was a wonderful, outstanding achievement. To which we celebrated that success.”
Steve’s statement, on behalf of the NE Team, continues: “Professional reviews are always open to individual interpretation, and they should be, but do tend to compare and rate.
“They can lead to people feeling let down, disappointed in themselves, and can create personal setbacks. They also can go against everything we have achieved with that individual, even ourselves.
Rebecca Jackson as Maria in The Sound Of Music, the last NE Theatre York show to be reviewed by CharlesHutchPress on April 30 after more than three decades
“This has been been proved already with the cast and the team. Hence the time to change. Therefore, we have added this into our manifesto.
“The teams and myself have made the decision not to invite any professional reviewers to ensure that we have put our cast first and put the people ahead of the company.
“We sell tickets based on the campaigns we create around each the show; creating different campaigns for different demographics.
“I have also found out, with the help of some market research, that previews are better than reviews to sell tickets for our company as we are only in the theatre for a small limited time.”
Did you know?
FORMED in 1914 as the New Earswick Dramatic Society, the society has mutated into New Earswick Dramatic and Operatic Society, New Earswick Operatic Society, New Earswick Musical Society, latterly NE Musicals York, NE and now NE Theatre York. “NE” stands for New Exciting Theatre York.
Coming next: Carousel, Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York, June 5 to 7
NE Theatre York’s poster artwork for Carousel, The Fully Staged Concert
NE Theatre York will present a fully staged concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel at Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York, from June 5 to 7.
After the sold-out run of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound Of Music at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, director Steve Tearle is turning his focus to another R&H favourite, Carousel, premiered on Broadway in April 1945.
This time, follow the swaggering path of carefree carnival barker Billy Bigelow as he falls in love with the sweet but naive mill worker Julie Jordan, but romance comes at the price of both their jobs.
The story turns darker still when Billy participates in a robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child. After the heist goes wrong, Julie turns to her Aunt Netty for comfort. Meanwhile, Julie’s best friend Carrie Pepperidge has her eyes on Mr Snow, leading to a marriage proposal.
Finlay Butler and Rebecca Jackson
Cue such R&H classics as June Is Burstin’ Out All Over, If I Loved You, When I Marry Mister Snow, Blow High, Blow Low and the iconic Liverpool and Celtic terrace anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Tearle’s cast for this tale of hope, redemption and the power of love will be led by Kit Stroud as Billy Bigelow; Rebecca Jackson as Julie Jordan; Maia Beatrice as Carrie Pepperidge; Finlay Butler as Mr Snow and Perri Ann Barley as Aunt Netty.
“This will be a fully staged concert version with 29 voices,” says Steve. “The score will be given its full glory with an 18-piece orchestra led by Joe Allen. “You get every word said, so you can follow the story between the songs. Projections will transport the audience to Middle America to capture every moment of the story.”
The composers are said to have regarded Carousel as their personal favourite among their works. In 1999, Time magazine named Carousel as the best musical of the 20th century.
Tickets for this week’s 7.30pm evening shows and 2.30pm Saturday matinee are on sale at ticketsource.co.uk/netheatre-york.
I must say I disagree with this very much. Part of performing is to learn that constructive comment on one’s performance is part of being on stage.
If you are charging the public to see your performances then reviews are part of the process and should be welcomed.
We may not always agree with the reviewer but most of us appreciate an honest independent review.
Aspiring performers need to learn that comment on their performance is accepting reviews and sometimes taking it ‘on the chin’ if the criticism is objective.
After 70 years as a performer it’s part of the process !
I agree with every word Jim . You once said to me you were disappointed in a show that you felt was not my usual standard .
And you were right – and I never ever forgot .
Bev used to be asked to review shows and he said no because people only wanted praise , and took constructive criticism badly.
How sad that self appreciation has become the top priority .
NE Theatre has not not stopped having our shows reviewed, indeed we have had a number of reviews of our recent performance Carousel this week. NE Theatre policy is now to give out free tickets to charity rather than reviewers. Reviewers are welcome to come along to any of the performances in the same way as other audience members.. As a member of the cast I welcome all constructive criticism and am not just looking for praise if there are improvements to make.