- Q: I want to put on a production in your theatre. What should I know?
- Q: I am a writer with a playscript. Will CPT put it on?
- Q: The production I want to propose fits your artistic policy. What do I do now?
- Q: What kind of slots do you have?
- Q: What kind of financial arrangements do you make?
- Q: We're an unfunded company! Can we get a box office split?
- Q: What services do you provide?
- Q: How far in advance do you programme?
- Q: I want to put on a production in The Basement. What should I know?
- Q: I am an artist who would like to exhibit my work in the foyer.
Q: I want to put on a production in your theatre. What should I know?
We are always very happy to hear from companies and artists who wish to bring in a theatre piece, and will be glad to give detailed advice by email or over the phone. However, these are the most important things to bear in mind before contacting us:
- CPT is a fairly small fringe theatre. The space is flexible but with an end-on bank of 52 seats, the performance area is roughly 5m x 5m. There is a small side-room adjoining the stage area but there is no wing space as such. We therefore cannot accommodate large or highly populated productions, and plays requiring multiple or concealed entrances/exits may have to build a set to make this possible. (However, see the remarks below about sets!)
- CPT has a very clear artistic policy, which you can read here. We are principally, if not exclusively, involved with collaboratively-made and experimental theatre and performance, including live art. It is therefore fairly unusual for us to programme script-driven plays (either new or old), unless -- and this is particularly true with regard to productions of classic texts -- the production is offering something radical or experimental in approach: for example, a very physical performance style.
- Following on from the above: whatever you may have heard to the contrary, CPT is not a 'new writing' venue. We are happy to consider proposals regarding new plays, but unless they are compatible, either in content or execution, with our artistic policy, we are unlikely to be able to offer them a slot.
- We are interested to receive proposals from companies and artists working in dance-theatre. However the fairly small playing area should be taken into consideration. Also the floor of the theatre, though wooden, is not sprung, and there are uneven patches.
- We are happy to consider proposals with a strong multimedia element. However, this is not our specialist area, and for reasons of security as well as the meeting of technical demands, we do not recommend CPT as a location for work requiring a great deal of multimedia equipment.
We appreciate that words such as 'experimental' and 'collaborative' may have different meanings for different people. We don't aim to be proscriptive and we're happy to enter into conversations about working methods and aims. But if the area of work in which we specialise is unfamiliar to you, please do a little research before you contact us. At least, we would recommend taking a look at our archive to get some flavour of the kind of work we present.
Q: I am a writer with a playscript. Will CPT put it on?
For the reasons described above, almost certainly not...! Any work developed in-house is devised by the creative team for that project, and we do not offer a matchmaking service between writers and directors. There are a number of London venues, both fringe and upscale, dedicated to new writing, and numerous networks and services for playwrights.
We are happy enough to receive unsolicited scripts: all are read, but we follow up on very few, and none are returned.
Q: The production I want to propose fits your artistic policy. What do I do now?
In the first instance, it's best to email the artistic director with a very brief outline of your company (or yourself) and the nature of the project. You are welcome to follow up with a phone call after a few days, if you haven't heard anything. If the project is of interest you will be invited to come in, meet the AD, and look around the space.
CPT is pretty informal so there is no set procedure for proposals etc. Start a conversation with us and see where it leads! It would be good, however, to be ready to supply us with a fuller written proposal, and/or reviews, images, video documentation of past work...
We would not normally need to see a script in order to make a decision about programming. In most cases, given the kind of work we are interested in, there may not be a script until after the development process, if at all.
Q: What kind of slots do you have?
There are three main seasons in the CPT year when we show work by visiting companies and artists: January to April (Spring), May to July (Summer); September to mid-December (Autumn). In June we have our annual Sprint festival.
It is sometimes possible to hire in August and over the Christmas period.
Visiting productions might run for anything between one night and three or four weeks. The standard performance week at CPT runs Tuesday through Sunday (six performances); we do not normally open for matinee performances. However, there is often some flexibility and we are happy to discuss options.
A one-night stand is normally only possible on a Monday or, occasionally, Sunday. These slots are under heavy demand and it is normally necessary to book them in some time in advance.
Three-night slots would tend to run Tues-Thurs and Fri-Sun; we can occasionally consider Thurs-Sat, but this can be expensive.
Q: What kind of financial arrangements do you make?
The cost of hiring space for productions at CPT varies throughout the year and according to the length of slot required. A ballpark figure would be around £1150 per week (Tues-Sun). Get-in's are normally on the Monday prior to opening night and the on the Tuesday of opening night.
For a shorter period, reckon on around £250 per day, including access from mid-morning of the first performance.
If you need technical staffing or press assistance, this may be available for an additional charge.
We normally expect 50% of the total hire fee up front, however we can sometimes be flexible and accommodate different arrangements.
Q: We're an unfunded company! Can we get a box office split?
Unfortunately we're not normally able to offer a split arrangement unless we have an existing relationship with the company.
Most companies and artists bringing work to CPT are unfunded, by the way; we sympathise, and we try to give the best value we can, but we also do not currently receive funding to cover our core costs, so things are pretty tight for us too!
Q: What services do you provide?
We will run all box office operations, including ticket sales at each performance. These are entirely and exclusively our responsibility. We also provide front of house services such as running the bar before the show and during the interval (if you have one).
We will distribute press/media listings and advertise your production on this web site. If your booking falls within the period covered by a season brochure, and the booking is confirmed far enough in advance, your production will be featured in the brochure.
For slots of one week or more, CPT's technical manager will be on hand for the first four hours of your get-in. Aside from this you will need to provide your own tech crew.
Q: How far in advance do you programme?
We normally aim to programme around 5-6 months ahead, i.e. in January we will expect to be booking productions for June/July. However, we are often able to consider proposals up to 9 months in advance.
Short-notice slots do open up from time to time due to cancellation etc., so it's always worth checking to see if we have space when you want it -- even if it's only a month away!
Q: I want to put on a production in The Basement. What should I know?
The Basement is not currently available for hire for productions or evening events.
Q: I am an artist who would like to exhibit my work in the foyer.
The CPT foyer is used to display art-work (paintings, prints, photographs etc) from time to time. Work accepted for display would normally be consonant in some respect with the venue's artistic policy. Regrettably for health and safety reasons we are unable to display sculpture and installation.
The duration of any exhibition of work will normally be negotiable but would usually be around three months.
The work must be hung (or its hanging must be arranged and overseen) by the artist. At the end of the exhibition, any necessary repairs to plasterwork or paintwork are the responsibility of the artist.
If you would like to make an appointment to visit the foyer with a view to exhibiting work or discuss financial arrangemenrts, please contact the office, by email or on 020 7419 4841.
|
|
Tue 14 May 13
-
Sat 01 Jun 13
7.30PM
Starts Tue 14th, then runs Weds - Sat
Unhappy Birthday
£10.00 /
Concs: £8.00
£12.00, concs £10.00 on Fri & Sat
|
