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Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal consults the experts – and its public

Many organisations – not necessarily artistic ones – spend a small fortune on consultants to give them dispassionate management advice. In these recessionary times, theatres don’t have the financial resources to indulge in this. As befits its national treasure status, the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds has chosen a unique way to learn how its future might be best shaped.

The second of these is unveiled on Saturday 2 June in the form of a BBC2 documentary. Presented by Michael Lynch, formerly chief executive of the South Bank Centre, it has been a year in the making. Lynch and his team have come in basically as trouble-shooters as the theatre looks to maximise its Arts Council Portfolio client status. The Theatre Royal’s own chief executive Simon Daykin has said that it will: aid our thinking in how we can best continue to use the theatre to enrich the lives of our community here in Bury St Edmunds and beyond”.

That broadcast is preceded on Friday 1 June by an Open Space discussion day. Members of the public are invited to attend at the Bury St Edmunds Guildhall any time between 10.30am and 4pm to put their own views on how this historic theatres and its programming can enrich and even change the lives of those who visit it.

Chris Grady, head of external relations, explains that: “We’ll start with a single open question about which we all have opinions, experiences, and (I hope) passion. The structure of the day allows for many different conversations to happen, and many different topics to be explored – all sparked by the one central question. I urge all in the community to join us if you possibly can. If you care for the theatre and want it to thrive and survive, then we want to hear your voice”.

- by Anne Morley-Priestman

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