Category Archives: Bunny

Bad review?… Get a second opinion

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Since last posting about a less than positive review we’ve got a rather fantastic notice from the New York Times.

It praise Rosie’s “captivating performance” and Jenny Turner’s “delightful” animation, but it stresses Jack’s “acute ear” and the way he captures “Britain in the throes of seething ethnic strife.” And I absolutely agree.

We’re also one of the NYT’s Critics’ Picks, which puts us rather alongside shows like Billy Elliot and The Book of Mormon!

If you’re in New York between now and Sunday, check out Bunny at 59E59 Theaters to see what they mean.

Of course, given the above list, Bunny might be the only one you’ll get tickets for…

What to do with a bad review?

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Bunny is having a fantastic run in New York at 59E59 Theaters. And the reviews have generally been just as positive as we’d been receiving in London, praising Rosie Wyatt as “superb” and the one who “should make headlines,” while Jack Thorne’s script is “tight and insightful.” Yet we have also received less than positive comments: Bunny “hobbles along” (presumably a byline too easy to miss), and later the same reviewer “beg[s] for this Bunny to crawl down the rabbit hole.”

The reviewer didn’t like the show (although they still praise Rosie’s fantastic performance). And that’s obvious fine. Clearly there will always be people that don’t like, don’t want to see, or just don’t care about your show. And regrettably sometimes those people will be the reviewers. But how should a producer deal with this negative response?

Simply ignoring it is one answer. And perhaps this was a viable option before the internet, when a review would be published, seen and then forgotten, but with reviews now available for any potential audience member at any time during your run this is not so easy.

What about just taking the positive comments and spinning it into a thumbs up? It wouldn’t be too difficult to just lift quotes about Rosie and pretend that it was a stellar review:

“Rosie Wyatt is sensational as Katie”, OffBroadwayWorld.com

Of course, as soon as anyone clicked through to see what else that reviewer had to say they’d be confronted with a lament that “the material fails to pull the audience inward.” Not ideal.

So the only other option is to embrace the fact that there are lots of different opinions and that this show (as any show, one presumes) is not going to please everyone. I know that Bunny can go down incredibly well with audiences and critics alike. And obviously some people won’t enjoy it. I guess the producer’s job is to find those people who will and get them into the theatre.

After all, no one wants a miserable audience, even if they have paid for their tickets.

Producing in New York

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After only minor panics involving VISAs, baggage restrictions and passports we arrived in New York on Monday for the opening of Jack Thorne’s BUNNY at 59E59 Theaters. It’s been pretty exciting to have a show on in New York, but it’s very difficult to realise that we are actually there. After all, a theatre is still basically a black box whether it’s spelt theatre or theater.

There are however obviously some big differences between producing in London and New York. One of the those is the model of ticket pricing. Apart from the fact that it’s all more expensive, many theatres, and 59E59 is no exception, adopt a subscription pricing model, where members received discounted tickets (often 30%) and advance booking to the shows at that theatre. At 59E59 Theaters, membership costs $59.99 per year (so recoupable based on attending the theatre about 5 or 6 times a year). However, it’s the theatre that gets this income rather than the producer. So although tickets for BUNNY are on sale at top price of $25, I expect a lot of our audience to be on the member price of $17.50. I’m not really aware of any UK Theatres that offer this level of discounting. While big producing houses like the RSC and NT have large, managed membership schemes, neither offer discounted tickets exclusively for members. Of course, they receive all the income from their productions and membership schemes so no one loses out.

Of course, presumably the argument is that membership schemes encourage loyalty to the theatre, one of the biggest draws for a producer looking at which venue to take a show to. It seems reasonable to expect a theatre that can generally guarantee a loyal following for their shows (and thus provide value) should be rewarded for this, just like certain stars might be put on a box office royalty to acknowledge the tickets that their name sells.

Having a loyal audience following is an incredibly valuable thing for a theatre to provide, as we found out last night when we opened BUNNY to a nearly full house of loyal 59E59 supporters. And in a big, unknown city, it was truly appreciated.

Critics’ Choice in TimeOut for BUNNY

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We had a fantastic first week of performances at the Soho Theatre, and this week we’re Critics’ Choice in TimeOut!

“Rosie Wyatt is excellent as Katie”

“Thorne writes with exceptional drive and insight”

“a brilliant minature play about Britain”

Read the full review here.

Make sure you pop along to the Soho Theatre in the next two weeks so you don’t miss it! Wednesday is sold out, but we do have tickets later on in the week.

Joe Murphy and Rosie Wyatt are interviewed about BUNNY

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I’ve spent the morning at the Soho Theatre preparing for our first performance this evening. Not much longer now!

In the meantime, thought, I thought I’d share a short video of Artistic Director Joe Murphy and actor Rosie Wyatt talking about the play.

And if you want to find out more, come along to the Soho Theatre at 8pm this evening (or another night in the next three weeks).

***** Five Stars, Whatsonstage.com

***** Five Stars, Manchester Evening News

***** Five Stars, Watford Observer

**** Four Stars, Scotsman

**** Four Stars, Financial Times

**** Four Stars, Independent

**** Four Stars, Fest

**** Four Stars, Three Weeks

**** Four Stars, British Theatre Guide

 

Bunny by Jack Thorne

Soho Theatre, London

Wed 12 – Sat 29 October 2011 8pm; Fri and Sat Matinees at 2.30pm

020 7478 0100 / http://www.sohotheatre.com/

 

59E59 Theaters, NYC

Wed 2 – Sun 20 November 2011

212.753.5959 / http://59e59.org/

Filming

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On Monday I spent the afternoon shooting a short film trailer for Jack Thorne’s Bunny at the Soho Theatre and 59E59 Theaters. In the scorching heat, the brilliant Rosie Wyatt shot several clips from her monologue while we filmed what we needed to make two short films, one a teaser trailer and the other a longer series of interviews with Rosie and director Joe.

Just like theatre, film has its own vocabulary and it’s one that I’m not yet very familiar with. But, it was great fun learning as we went along, and hopefully we’ll have a nice little trailer to show for it. Watch this space…

Theatre and technology

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One of the shows I’m working on at the moment, BUNNY, is transferring to 59E59 Theaters in New York after its three week run at the Soho Theatre. It’s pretty exciting to be taking a show out to New York, especially as it’ll only be the third professional show I’ve produced. It’s also pretty terrifying.

But it’s been made slightly less so by the incredible ease with which I can get in touch with everyone in New York, like the fantastic Vicky Graham, a producer who’s just moved to NY who has joined our team to provide marketing and press support on the ground. It’s fantastic to have someone on the ground to deal with all the inevitable challenges that’ll come up over the next few weeks. Last week I had a great video call with her to catch up on how everything was going (very well so far). Thanks to the fact they’re free, technologies like skype mean it’s feasible for small companies with limited budgets to tackle big challenges and take their shows exciting places that they might not previously have had the resources to do.

Of course, this is just one way in which changing technology changes how theatre works. Or at least how producing theatre works. Perhaps the most instantly noticeable change is in marketing and advertising theatre. While not everyone can afford a TV ad slot during Downton Abbey like the National Theatre, more and more shows and theatres are filming short trailers for youtube. E-marketing is a serious part of any theatre’s marketing strategy be it email-outs, facebook, twitter or blogs. And it’s certainly something I’m keen to do more of.

We’re off to Luton tomorrow to film a short trailer for BUNNY (hopefully useful for London and New York). For more news, watch this space…

BUNNY at Soho Theatre

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Katie’s finally coming to London. After a Fringe First winning Edinburgh run, followed by a critically-acclaimed UK tour, I’m producing Jack Thorne’s searing monologue to Soho Theatre for new writing company nabokov, before taking the show to New York as part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival at 59E59 Theaters.

If you haven’t had a chance to catch this fantastic piece from one of the UK’s most exciting young voices, book now before you miss out! And then check out the series premiere of Jack’s new TV show The Fades which airs tonight.

BUNNY

by Jack Thorne

October – November 2011

Presented by nabokov

“Amusing, poignant, bang on the money real – catch it if you can” – ***** WhatsOnStage

“Pretty much pitch perfect” – ***** Manchester Evening News 

The Fringe First Award winning production goes to London and New York.

“I don’t like thinking. But I do. Think. All the time.”

Scorching heat. A fight. A car-chase. A siege. Feisty 18-year-old Katie is thrust on white-knuckle ride through one extraordinary evening when her boyfriend is attacked on the street. Amidst the baying for blood and the longing for love, Katie is forced to decide her future.

This award winning, deeply personal new play from one of Britain’s most exhilarating young writers is an unflinching, heartbreakingly vulnerable look at the complexities of growing up and the complications of racial diversity in Britain today

“Electrifying” – **** The Scotsman

“Jack Thorne confirms his position as a powerful voice for Britain’s youth” with writing that is “fresh and compelling”. - **** The Independent

“Rosie Wyatt gives a remarkable performance” – **** The Financial Times


BUNNY by Jack Thorne

12 – 29 October

Soho Theatre // Dean Street // London // W1D 3NE // Closest Tube: Tottenham Ct Rd / Leicester Sq.

Tickets // 020 7478 0100, www.sohotheatre.com, or CLICK HERE!

 

2 – 19 November // various times

59E59 Theaters // 59 East 59th St // Between Madison & Park Ave // New York City // NY 10022, USA. // Subway: 4/5/6 or N/R/Q to 59th & Lex.

Tickets // +1 212.753.5959, www.59e59.org

Press Nights

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I had a great debate today with the fantastic PR at the Soho Theatre about the press night for Bunny. I’d wanted to book it in for Thursday 13th October, but Amy pointed out the numerous clashes scheduled already (the Bush, Trafalgar Studios 2, Royal Court, Lyric Hammersmith, RSC and more all open shows that week) and persuaded me that it’d be better to invite reviewers to attend when they could. If they wanted to, of course.

As more and more shows keep opening (and so often open in the same four week cycles), the press diary maintained by the Society of London Theatre looks full however far in advance you try to plan, so it’s increasingly difficult to get all the reviewers in at the same time. But does this matter?

Well, yes and no. No, in that a good review is a good review. If you’re looking to the long term, no one is going to care whether the review came out in the first week or the last week of your run. Critical thumbs up is still a great way to strengthen your profile (be that as a director, writer, actor or producer). But yes, in that reviews can sell tickets. Perhaps. For small shows on the Fringe with limited runs reviews are a useful tool to publicise your show quickly to its audience. Even shows in the West End can often be hurt or helped by them. A high critical approval rating can translate into ticket sales, especially when a few extra seats makes all the difference. Luckily that was my own experience working on Blue Surge at the Finborough. There, with only 50 seats to sell, positive reviews definitely made a difference.

Of course, Bunny has already got fantastic reviews, both in Edinburgh and on its UK tour. But there are still reviewers who haven’t given their verdict, just like there are lots of people who haven’t seen the show yet.

It looks like we won’t be holding an official press night. But you can bet anything that I’ll be urging reviewers to come along as early as possible if they can.