Old Vic Learns Lesson, Minds the Gaps???

Much as he wanted to be forward-looking at today’s press briefing (See Today’s News), Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey was – unsurprisingly and repeatedly – questioned about his performance to date and, specifically, about the failure to programme a production for this spring/summer, when the Old Vic will be dark for a total of five months. Though he said there would have always been about a two-month gap (the Old Vic does not commit to year-round programming, but instead schedules from September to July), Spacey admitted that the “elements just didn’t come together” in time for a final production this season and that he knew they “were going to get some stick for this”. The Old Vic has now ruled out receiving any outside productions this summer, and are planning ahead to ensure that they’re not caught short again. Spacey today promised: “We will never have a similar gap. We have learned our lesson.” But, he also made another, equally realistic promise, in reference to critically panned productions, including Robert Altman’s staging of Arthur Miller’s Resurrection Blues, which played to 50% capacity: “I am announcing it today: we will have other plays that will not work.” He anticipated that he would receive more criticism in the media in the coming years but said he was unfazed by it. “It will never matter what anyone says,” Spacey declared. “I will never stop believing that my being here is a good idea…. If you believe in something enough, nothing can dissuade you from doing it.” Spacey also emphasised that, compared to other theatrical institutions, the Old Vic Theatre Company is still a novice. “We are 18 months old, we are so young, we’re babies and we’re still growing, we’re still learning – and yet we’re also under more scrutiny than any other theatre.” Even with the negative nature of much of that scrutiny, however, Spacey chose to look on the positive today. Smiling, he noted, “Isn’t it great that, after so many years of no one caring, people are talking about this theatre again? No matter how ugly it may look, I believe people do want us to succeed here.”

Got some goss? Contact gossip@whatsonstage.com

Related Content