Alistair Smith

London

Editor @TheStage, trustee @GetIntoTheatre, author of the London Theatre Report and Theatre Workforce Review. All views my own etc

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Articles

Alistair Smith on musical theatre showcases

1 week ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Musical theatre on a global stageClockwise from top left: Operation Mincemeat, Six, The Great Gatsby, Come from Away. Photos: Matt Crockett/Pamela Raith Photography/Tristram KentonMusical theatre is an increasingly global sector so why not have a formal partnership between the showcases, asks Alistair SmithSupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month.
Alistair Smith on naming theatres after commercial sponsors

2 weeks ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Is UK theatre finally about to embrace commercial naming rights? Shakespeare North Playhouse is seeking a naming rights dealUK theatres may need to get comfortable with being named after commercial sponsors as happens in other parts of the entertainment industry, says Alistair SmithSupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month.
Alistair Smith on preserving the joy of working in theatre

3 weeks ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Has theatre become less fun? Does it matter? Are we keeping the 'fun' in theatre for its workforce? Photo: ShutterstockTo retain talent, we must pay as much attention to preserving the joy of working in theatre as we do to improving wages and conditions, says Alistair SmithSupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month.
Why DCMS abolition could be a disaster

1 month ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

DCMS abolition could be a disaster: culture must not lose its seat at the top tableThangam Debbonaire at the 2024 Future of Theatre conference, in association with Moore Kingston Smith – what a difference a year makes, says Alistair Smith.
UK theatre touring needs a clearer roadmap

1 month ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

UK theatre touring needs a clearer roadmapPhoto: ShutterstockThe current crisis in touring feels particularly severe. The foundation of the Local Theatre Touring Alliance offers hope but cannot risk neglecting the mid-scale, says Alistair SmithSupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month. OR Or subscribe from just £7.99 and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk.
Indhu Rubasingham's National Theatre is spreading its wings globally

1 month ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Indhu Rubasingham's National Theatre is spreading its wings globallyIndhu Rubasingham. Photo: Antonio OlmosIndhu Rubasingham’s inaugural season announcement demonstrates an exciting vision with a broad and global outlook, says Alistair SmithSupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month. OR Or subscribe from just £7.99 and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk.
Is the UK theatre sector shrinking?

2 months ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Is the theatre sector shrinking? Photo: ShutterstockResearch suggests a contraction in theatre activity across the UK beyond the West End, with a reduction in creative opportunities, says Alistair Smith, though there are signs of recoverySupport The Stage by registering or subscribingTo continue reading this article you must be logged in. Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month. OR Or subscribe from just £7.99 and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk.
leading London's Royal Court Theatre

2 months ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

“I thought this job would be the biggest adventure that I could have”As artistic director and chief executive of the Royal Court Theatre in London, David Byrne has a job that might intimidate many.
Indhu Rubasingham at the National Theatre – what should we expect?

2 months ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

Her programming suggests a broad and nuanced approach to multiculturalism – the kind that would feel entirely mainstream in television or film. There’s a consistent liveliness to her work, a strong instinct for contemporary relevance, and a clear desire to connect with modern audiences. When she took over at the Kiln, she declared her ambition to “bring unheard voices into the mainstream”. I’d argue that the ‘mainstream’ part of that statement is every bit as significant as the ‘unheard’.
Covid continues to shape theatre five years on

2 months ago | thestage.co.uk | Alistair Smith

It’s almost inconceivable that this week marks five years since the UK entered its first Covid lockdown – and with it, the official closure of all UK theatres for the first time since the Second World War. The experience feels strangely unreal in hindsight. It exists in that liminal space of memory: somehow both distant and something that only happened yesterday. The immediate impact on the theatre sector was stark. And brutal.