The BFG on stage and respecting FOH teams – this week in Your Views
Huge congratulations to Daniel Evans, Tom Wells and the whole team at the Royal Shakespeare Company for bringing The BFG back to the stage – the world’s favourite giant has spent far too long away from the boards.
In all the justifiable excitement surrounding the premiere of Wells’ version of Roald Dahl’s great favourite, can we please not overlook the groundbreaking and wildly popular first adaptation of The BFG, written and directed by David Wood, a production that opened at the New Wimbledon Theatre 34 years ago.
That show, a true ‘world premiere’ as no significant theatrical adaptation of Dahl’s work existed before it, was produced by myself and James Woods for Clarion Productions and Robert Cogo-Fawcett for Lyric Hammersmith Productions with Anthony Pedley in the title role. Our production introduced thousands upon thousands of children to live theatre, both on tour and in the West End, winning great critical acclaim along the way (The Stage’s very own Lyn Gardner giving it a four-star review in the Guardian as long ago as 2002). Subsequently picked up by Fiery Angel, David Wood’s script continued to enjoy great success right up to and including its last outing in 2009.
David Wood’s adaptation of The BFG represents a benchmark in children’s theatre, and I am very proud to have played a part in bringing it to life.
I wish Evans, Wells and everyone involved at least as much success with their version as we enjoyed with our own, very first world premiere of The BFG on stage.
Justin Savage
Email address supplied
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Reward front-of-house teams with respect
Regarding your article ‘Front-of-house staff deserve their share of the spotlight’, most of those who work off stage in theatres (and other entertainment venues) do so because they would feel profoundly uncomfortable on the stage and “in the spotlight” and consequently choose to contribute to the overall artistic endeavour in one or more of the very many disciplines that support or contribute to the work on stage.
The peak of achievement for many in backstage disciplines is for the audience not to notice their work at all, and the last thing we want is for attention to be drawn to us. Respect, consideration and even a modicum of gratitude for going above and beyond the call of duty are all welcome, and getting paid properly is crucial – all of which you mention in the article – but I would suggest that vanishingly few of those who are not performers would welcome public attention of any kind.
Simon Bayliss
Via thestage.co.uk
Regarding your news story ‘ATG staff asked to ‘volunteer’ time to decorate Wicked venue for Christmas’, this episode underlines a wider issue that front-of-house teams in the West End have been raising for a long time. When staff are already paid below the London Living Wage and working on insecure contracts, even small requests for unpaid labour carry weight. What may seem like a light-hearted seasonal gesture can feel very different when people are struggling to make ends meet.
It is good that ATG has reversed the request and will fold the work into paid shifts. That is the correct outcome. But it should also be a moment to recognise the pressures placed on the lowest-paid workers in the sector and the need for consistent, fair working practices. Front-of-house teams are the public face of our theatres. They deserve proper pay, secure contracts and respect for their time.
Christmas decorations are not the problem. Expecting the most precarious workers to shoulder extra tasks for free is.
Irving David
Via thestage.co.uk
Head of union BECTU Philippa Childs to leave role in 2027
Head of union BECTU Philippa Childs to leave role in 2027
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