The Importance of Reaching a Broad Audience....?

**french frank** · 17-08-13, 13:43

Not an élite audience but an audience that in fact already has an interest in seeing something like that, in seeing something real. I'm not interested in having a statistically larger number of people coming to watch it than otherwise would. It's very nice if in fact the theatre is packed, but I'm perfectly happy to have a theatre which (like for example at the Rose Theatre at the moment in Kingston)... I'm very happy and indeed everyone in the cast is happy if there are 400 people there rather than 2000.

JM is speaking a foreign language, isn't he?

Isn't Bartoli much as operatic divas (and divos) have always been? They wanted arias that would show them to good effect - composers often obliged.

**aeolium** · 17-08-13, 14:16

I've often thought that Miller was something of a showman himself and probably what he didn't like about Bartoli was that he thought she was trying to make herself more noticeable than him.

Nicholas Hytner obviously disagrees with Miller as he has initiated the NT's live broadcasts to cinema which has allowed many more people to see fine plays and productions than would otherwise have been the case. I think for the larger organisations like the NT (and of course the BBC) which receive public support, the size of the audience ought to be important, but it should not be obtained at the cost of compromising quality and seriousness.

**french frank** · 17-08-13, 14:35

Originally posted by aeolium View Post

Nicholas Hytner obviously disagrees with Miller

But Miller was referring to the audience present in the theatre, 'coming to watch'. It's not clear that Hytner (or Tony Hall at the ROH) would have wanted to alter what they wanted to do in order to attract a bigger audience to the theatre: merely that technology can be used to take what they do to a bigger audience outside the confines of the theatre building, to people who would certainly 'have an interest' in going to the theatre if it was practicable for them.

They are referring to different things rather than disagreeing

**aeolium** · 17-08-13, 15:17

Originally posted by french frank View Post

But Miller was referring to the audience present in the theatre, 'coming to watch'. It's not clear that Hytner (or Tony Hall at the ROH) would have wanted to alter what they wanted to do in order to attract a bigger audience to the theatre: merely that technology can be used to take what they do to a bigger audience outside the confines of the theatre building, to people who would certainly 'have an interest' in going to the theatre if it was practicable for them.

They are referring to different things rather than disagreeing

Well, I was thinking of Miller's response to Sackur's question "It's important to reach as broad an audience as possible, isn't it?" where Miller says "I don't think that's important at all." I don't think Hytner would have responded like that. He would have said, I think, that it was important to reach as broad an audience as possible (and that is the whole point of the cinema project) but not to compromise on the content, the quality or the production style simply to do that - hence for instance the decision to make Phèdre the first NT play to be broadcast.

**french frank** · 17-08-13, 15:47

Originally posted by aeolium View Post

Well, I was thinking of Miller's response to Sackur's question "It's important to reach as broad an audience as possible, isn't it?" where Miller says "I don't think that's important at all." I don't think Hytner would have responded like that. He would have said, I think, that it was important to reach as broad an audience as possible (and that is the whole point of the cinema project) but not to compromise on the content, the quality or the production style simply to do that - hence for instance the decision to make Phèdre the first NT play to be broadcast.

Miller perhaps could have been a bit more thoughtful in his immediate reaction.

**Andrew Slater** · 17-08-13, 20:23

There's a difference between 'broad' and 'large'.....

**aeolium** · 18-08-13, 10:34

Originally posted by Andrew Slater View Post

There's a difference between 'broad' and 'large'.....

Yes, indeed. I recall Hytner in one of his introductory interviews in the early NT Live cinema broadcasts touching on this and explaining that he wanted to extend the audience beyond those who would normally go to the theatre and were simply prevented from going to the NT by distance or price. By broadcasting to cinemas, more popular venues, and at cinema prices not the (usually) significantly higher theatre prices he thought it might be possible to draw in people who would not normally think of going to the theatre, people who might be intimidated by the more formal conventions of theatre-going. I'm not sure to what extent he has succeeded in doing that; my experience has been that there has been a larger and more diverse audience at the NT broadcasts than at the Met or ROH opera broadcasts which where I live seemed to draw those who were already opera-lovers.

But what's interesting is the difference in the Hytner/NT approach from the BBC one. Hytner wants to widen the appeal for serious and sometimes 'difficult' drama without compromising on its presentation. The BBC seems to feel that the presentation has to be diluted when attempting to reach a wider audience - especially (as is seen in another thread re TV Proms) in its TV presentation. The result is that through a failure of nerve and intellectual confidence the future of linear, live arts broadcasting - at least to screen - is moving away from the public service broadcaster to independent arts companies, and ventures like the Guardian live streaming of Glyndebourne operas.

**amateur51** · 18-08-13, 10:42

I think it's important to note how Miller comes to theatre directing - he does not run a theatre, he's not responsible for the finances, people will always find him when they want him to invest his particular undeniable talents in their production. In that sense he's an amateur and there is certainly a place for such people, especially when they're as good and as actor-friendly and as text-friendly as Miller is.

Miller's also a bit of a contrarian too - witness how he responded to most of Sackur's propositions about Miller - he loves taking up a position that challenges a status quo.

He does get damned good results too but he's not the person to run The Royal National Theatre ... or The Rose Theatre at Kingston, for that matter

**Nick Armstrong** · 18-08-13, 10:57

I agree ams. His unworldliness is appealing but is too simplistic to be the full story. Nonetheless we need people like him to keep the sodding bean-counters from running the show!

**french frank** · 18-08-13, 11:02

Originally posted by aeolium View Post

But what's interesting is the difference in the Hytner/NT approach from the BBC one. Hytner wants to widen the appeal for serious and sometimes 'difficult' drama without compromising on its presentation. The BBC seems to feel that the presentation has to be diluted when attempting to reach a wider audience - especially (as is seen in another thread re TV Proms) in its TV presentation. The result is that through a failure of nerve and intellectual confidence the future of linear, live arts broadcasting - at least to screen - is moving away from the public service broadcaster to independent arts companies, and ventures like the Guardian live streaming of Glyndebourne operas.

As I read your first paragraph, that was (perhaps not unsurprisingly!) the idea that was forming in my mind - that television is where you 'broaden' the audience.

**Nick Armstrong** · 18-08-13, 11:10

What chimes for me in what Miller said was the importance of presenting "something real" - not something fake or watered-down.

For me, the "Urban Classic" prom, or the TV proms with the 'difficult' bits filleted away, are examples of something fake being constructed or presented to the public in the hope of 'a broader audience'.

**amateur51** · 18-08-13, 11:12

Originally posted by french frank View Post

As I read your first paragraph, that was (perhaps not unsurprisingly!) the idea that was forming in my mind - that television is where you 'broaden' the audience.

But surely Hytner's model is about broadening the funding base as well as broadening the audience.

If punters will place their derrieres on a cinema seat for £11 as I have done at my local indie cinema to watch the Globe's films 'as alive' of its Shakespeare productions, and in so doing selling out the show rather than have 30% audience at £9 for a Sunday art film, then both aspirations are fulfilled.

Certainly this is how The Globe's director Dominic Dromgoole explained the innovation to a Q&A audience recently.

Their DVD of Twelfth Night with Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry is proving to be a very popular birthday present too

**Serial_Apologist** · 18-08-13, 12:37

Originally posted by amateur51 View Post

But surely Hytner's model is about broadening the funding base as well as broadening the audience.

If punters will place their derrieres on a cinema seat for £11 as I have done at my local indie cinema to watch the Globe's films 'as alive' of its Shakespeare productions, and in so doing selling out the show rather than have 30% audience at £9 for a Sunday art film, then both aspirations are fulfilled.

Certainly this is how The Globe's director Dominic Dromgoole explained the innovation to a Q&A audience recently.

Their DVD of Twelfth Night with Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry is proving to be a very popular birthday present too

Waheeey!!! And a very happy birthday to you, ams!!!

**amateur51** · 18-08-13, 12:50

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

Waheeey!!! And a very happy birthday to you, ams!!!

Slip me your birthdate and address and a copy shall be yours S_A

Always assuming that you have a DVD player.

NB: this offer is non-transferebable

The Importance of Reaching a Broad Audience....?

The Importance of Reaching a Broad Audience....?

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