Richard Jordan is one of the biggest movers and shakers in UK theatre. Currently, he is the Administrative Director of Richard Jordan Productions Ltd, an award winning production and theatre management company that operates in the UK and overseas. In 2000 he was one of the first winners of the TIF/Society of London Theatre Producers Award. In 2005 he featured in The Stage‘s list of the 100 leading theatre professionals.
Richard Jordan regularly gives talks about theatre and production to international audiences, including the Guildford School of Acting and the Julliard School, New York. He is also a regular commentator on BBC Radio.
Soon, this UK impressario will touch down in Adelaide to talk to Australian practitioners about the nuts and bolts realities of getting their shows to Edinburgh and the West End. He gives Arts Hub readers a sneek peek of what attendees can look forward to.
What do producers look like? An audience will be instantly familiar with the actor, writer, director, designer, or composer who brings a show to life. But the producer is the invisible puppeteer, pulling the project together and providing a guiding hand in the ultimate job of multi-tasking.
Before holding his or her breath as the box office starts to roll in – and then of course sometimes it doesn’t. So the producer looks like a business man? Well, its true that for the producer the romance is seeing the box office returns, but a real producer is far more than that – it is someone who has a love affair with the theatre, who loves writers and artists, who believes in its genre and cares passionately for the work and artists he or she presents – after all, theatre is at times so tough, so unpredictable and at times heartbreaking that to lose that passion, or envisage a day when they couldn’t be doing this, is a thought that terrifies them and would make everything else meaningless.
In theatre the only way you get to keep knowledge is to share it. It is through the seeds of expectation that makes producing exciting and the moment when you start producing a new project it presents a world of possibilities to maybe go anywhere.
Whether it does, or whether it’s a play in the outback, a show at the Edinburgh Festival, a run in the West End or on Broadway, the template and formula remains a similar one and for any producer their most important role must be “to serve the play”. So that’s what we’re going to be talking about over three different sessions, along with the survival of new writing and musical theatre, as well as advice for actors.
Successful theatre is all about collaboration, and producing is a pretty lonely existence so a few friends will be helping me in these talks and, I hope, provide a further insight into the industry that will be interesting and informative to those working in theatre today, wanting to work in it in the future, or who just enjoy watching from the wings.
In theatre you never stop learning, and so within these talks I hope you will also participate in helping to share with me and others in the audience your own experiences and thoughts that will help provide the backbone for some healthy discussion.
Certainly that is what I am optimistic about in coming out of my first visit to Adelaide and Holden Street Theatre as both a presenter and a participant – and so maybe that’s what producers look like… optimists!
Getting to Edinburgh, Producing Around the Globe, Acting in the UK and New Writing is hosted by Adelaide’s Holden Street Theatres and is part of the city’s upcoming Fringe Festival. There will be several sessions of the class over a series of afternoons at the theatre, which will encompass detailled discussion on the producing process, with particular insight into the UK market.
The three workshops will focus on three main areas:
GETTING TO EDINBURGH, PRODUCING AROUND THE GLOBE
Based on his experience Richard will look into the role of a producer on a grand scale as well as some of the finer points that have made him one of the most sought after producers in the world. Amongst other things Richard will look at the differences between producing for a local or national and international audience and producing for touring. He will give his advice on how to choose a good project, what the essential elements are behind a success and when to let go and what to look for in the ‘risk’ to minimise the danger.
ACTING IN THE UK
The approach actors take to present themselves as professional artists to Directors and Producers is imperative to their success and varies greatly from place to place, even within Australia not to mention overseas. With his experience as Producer Richard has been exposed to some of the best and worst of these presentations. There is a lot to learn from different countries and invaluable if you want to work on a professional stage. With Guest speaker Linda Marlowe.
AND NEW WRITING
Richard has been involved in some of the most successful new works to grace the stage in recent years. As a Producer he sees the value of presenting new work and also the risks involved. Having many successful ventures with new writers such as prize-winning playwright Conor McPherson with world tours of the author’s “Rum and Vodka” and “The Good Thief”, staged jointly, Richard’s approach to the future and knowledge of theatre is insightful and inspiring.
For those lucky enough to be in Adelaide for the famous Festival, tickets for the session are $30.00 for Adults and $22.50 for Concession. Bookings can be made at Fringetix 1300FRINGE (1300 37 46 43) or through www.adelaidefringe.com.au
Richard Jordan regularly gives talks about theatre and production to international audiences, including the Guildford School of Acting and the Julliard School, New York.
