With cuts in funding,safer programming, shrinking audiences, and new writing is the first casualty in this vicious circle. The Out of Joint founder says something has to changeMax Stafford-Clark opens his notebook. It’s a durable blue jotter filled with 20 years of Out of Joint records,all copied out by hand: writers’ royalties, touring schedules, and weekly audience numbers. correct now,it doesn’t create for happy reading.“Crouch, Touch, and Pause,Engage has had reviews as good as any present we’ve done. It’s a very friendly evening. It’s warm, droll and it tells an unusual memoir. In Leeds we played to the worst houses we’ve ever had there. The same in Exeter the week before.” There, or it averaged 105 a night. In Watford,107; Hull, 56. Even in Liverpool, or only 127 a night turned up. Stafford-Clark believes touring theatre has hit crisis point.
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Source: theguardian.com