Providing for all

Published Monday 26 June 2006 at 18:35

In response to Mark Shenton’s article (June 22, pages 10-11) on widening access to the theatre and his experience at Derby Playhouse.

Derby Playhouse is working hard to engage with audiences from a broader, more diverse range of backgrounds and increasing access to high-quality theatre for people with disabilities is one of our key responsibilities as a not-for-profit arts organisation.

However, what we do not do is put some sections of our audience before others as Mark Shenton suggests in his article. Rather our policy is to provide excellent customer service to all of our theatregoers and for us this means balancing the needs of around 530 people at each performance.

The group of theatregoers Mark Shenton refers to in his article were visiting the theatre for the very first time through our audience development scheme EDS Hot Tickets. In a scheme that has been running for three years with over 19,000 tickets being distributed to first-time audiences, there have been few complaints from other patrons. In fact, most praise and congratulate the diverse audience that Derby Playhouse and the scheme attracts. What Derby Playhouse is trying to achieve is to make the opportunity to attend and experience live theatre open to everyone.

Over 200 groups from diverse backgrounds now attend Derby Playhouse on a regular basis through the scheme and had they not been given the opportunity to make their first visit, without fear or prejudice of what might happen, they would now be missing an experience they enjoy.

Janthi Mills

Community Liaison Officer

Derby Playhouse

Theatre Walk

Eagle Centre

Derby

Derbyshire