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I can do no better than use the concluding sentence of my report from last year as a springboard for launching into this one: “Next year we will reap the benefits of all your efforts.“ Well, any snags, hiccups or hardships notwithstanding, we have indeed harvested much good from our accumulated labours over recent years. The decision three years ago to set up a separate fundraising committee was right for its historical moment, but has ultimately been transcended by developments, not the least of these being that special unit’s own very creditable success! Already by last AGM, it was thought best to discontinue separate fundraising committee meetings, and the main committee had decided to increase the frequency of its own meetings to once a month, on the understanding that anybody with a particular interest in fundraising – or other – questions could contribute to committee meetings as appropriate. Far from being a retrograde or despairing move, the effective re-absorption of the fundraising arm into the main body at this stage is a prime indication of the fact that serious and consistent attention to this area has become well integrated into the normal fabric of Venturers’ life. More about the committee later, but let me turn now to the salient points of the group’s activities over the past twelvemonth.
The major point to note here is that we have successfully mounted two theatrical productions, Jean-Paul Sartre’s NO WAY OUT in October, and Joseph Kesselring’s ARSENIC AND OLD LACE just this April past. Both of these took place in our familiar, friendly setting of the Cockpit theatre. This means that we have got ourselves started on our intended path of presenting two plays a year, and we must steadily work to keep up the momentum of what is, after all, our core activity, now that it has been thus re-invigorated. I shall leave it to others to supply the statistical details, though I can justifiably claim that, in both cases, our finances operated on a sound footing, and our audience levels were definitely respectable. For my part, though, I shall try and elaborate some general points which are of particular significance in relation to the fundamental aims of the Venturers.
The two plays were ostensibly very different from each other. I may never quite agree with its director when I say that the October one was a sombre opus of unremitting, ultimate doom, but seemingly not without humorous potential. On the other hand, the recent production was essentially a deliciously sophisticated farce, though with more than just a hint of the sinister about it. This basic contrast afforded actors who took part in both plays, such as Janet Tuggey and Wayne Chapman, the chance to give a good account of themselves in clearly divergent roles. Yet, for all their differences, both dramas achieved some desirable goals in common, even although the former had a small cast of four, while the latter was the more obviously ambitious undertaking at fourteen characters. (It should be said that for the Sartre we also understudied most of the parts, and the “alternative” cast took the stage for one of the three evenings of the run: there were a full seven actors in the company, therefore.) All in all, both plays brought fresh VI talent to the boards, - Binni Egbinola and Paul Clayton, for example, - whilst also allowing not only recent discoveries (like Ian Leask) but also more established troupers (like Corie Stanfield) to gain further experience, and, in the Kesselring, audiences were able to witness the return of one comparative “old Stager”, who is far too modest to be named!
But these are not all the benefits that have accrued. Our group has continued to draw on the contributions of sighted/non-disabled actors, Paul ingham and Randolph Read amongst them: we have been around for a good three decades, after all, and are presumably mature enough by now to resist any temptation towards a separatist or isolationist mentality, - and too practically-minded as well, I should hope! Also, in Erin Halil, Lee Innell and Genevieve shawe, we have been fortunate enough to attract the involvement of three performers who already possess more general dramatic experience, including film, in Lee’s case. Erin, who is sight-impaired, has skills and experience in the field of dance, which have not yet been called upon by Venturers. All three made their mark in last month’s play, with Genevieve distinguishing herself in a major role, in spite of having other theatrical commitments. In addition, she ably assisted shaun Duffy, the outside director whom we got in for lastOctober’s production. In fact, whether I have specifically mentioned them or not, sincere thanks are due to all the actors who have given their time and enthusiasm, sometimes in the face of serious setbacks, and who have thereby helped to enrich this year for Venturers.
Although I have highlighted the acting side of things, I mustn’t neglect the technical and production aspects. These, too, have provided fields for co-operation and sharing between the VI and the sighted, be it in stage-management, lighting, or whatever. There has been no hard and fast demarcation of “blind” and “sighted” jobs, but, on the contrary, the distribution of roles has resulted from the interaction of willingness, determination and commonsense. There have also been those who have moved between the acting and technical sides, from production to production: Judy Cobbett and Adam Holdsworth spring to mind. To cut a long story short, a lot of diligence, commitment, patience and goodwill have been shown by every one of these organising and support personnel, and they deserve our warm appreciation and cordial gratitude for their sterling efforts and hard work.
The upshot of all of this is that we have managed to pursue our basic aims of seeking to enhance the cultural opportunities and social existence of visually impaired people, in a spirit which can be truthfully described as integrated and outward-looking. Apart from those genuine, serious points, it is surely true as well that venturers just love to enjoy themselves and have a good time pleasing an audience, in defiance of nerves, stress, and the like: “Seriously Fun”, to quote the strap-line on our logo. So, while there can never be any room for complacency, I believe we can look at ourselves in the mirror with some pleasure and sense of achievement, the better to inspire us for the further progress we can make and the challenges yet to come.
However, if there is one respect in which we do need to improve appreciably, it is in the area of forward planning. We have perhaps not had the right atmosphere or environment for this to flourish properly, up to fairly recently, but, now that we have set out upon the road of two plays per year, we need to get ourselves thoroughly into the habit of thinking sufficiently far ahead about exactly what drama we want to put on, and when. For all their success, both of our most recent productions suffered from problems which it would have been easier to obviate if we were already doing more advance planning. Of course, in the event, stops were pulled out and improvisation came into its own, and there will always be scope for these elements. Still, factors like the special requirements of vips for Braille or large print only add extra weight to the argument for consistently conducting ourselves in a way which would maximise the efficiency and productivity of our efforts, thereby making for a much more enjoyable and fulfilling outcome for all concerned. The proposed new “producer” role would surely have a vital contribution to make here, providing, as it would, a main focus of responsibility in this regard, not to be mistaken for a lone pair of shoulders, of course. Indeed, the carrying out of the committee’s intention to put together clear job descriptions for all the production roles can only help to ensure that responsibility is distributed sensibly and fairly.
We ran both a successful pub quiz and a successful entertainment evening last calendar year, and plans are already in hand for another entertainment evening this coming July, which should feature some new blood. There were concerns expressed about rowdy behaviour during the quiz, and distinct worries were also voiced about the unhelpful and even impolite attitudes sometimes displayed towards performers in our entertainment evenings, but we have by no means been discouraged from holding either type of event in the future: nothing that can’t be sorted out by a bit of good sense and some gentle but straight talking. We have unfortunately lost our customary quiz-pub, in common with the rest of its customers, sad to say, but we will hopefully find another one soon. As for more direct fundraising, we have not held street/station collections for some time, but that, too, is consciously in hand as a desirable and useful activity to re-establish. A variety of other initiatives and types of activity are regularly under consideration, and we are always looking for ideas in this regard, whether new or resurrected. The more we do for ourselves, the more will others think us worthy of help, and the better we will feel about ourselves in terms of confidence and achievement.
These days, general interaction and communication among the members of the group are operating at a level which is more than barely adequate. Whilst the constitutional forms are not being ignored, the more regular meetings of the committee and our more focused yet relaxed over-all approach have opened up the possibility for the committee itself to act sometimes as one direct forum for members at large, since we are not too hidebound in our way of doing business. However, E-mail is now being used more intensively and spontaneously, and, while there is not yet an E-discussion list as such, more than one member has supplied information from time to time to a large proportion of the group and its friends with E-mail access. Chief among these, perhaps, is Ann Baxter, our vice-chair, who is constantly trying to get us all to the theatre: quite right, too! Whatever spats there may have been between members, our mutual communication also seems basically good-humoured in character, as well as seriously helpful in its intent. In fact, if I can sum it up this way, Venturers just comes across as more dynamic and alive than it did even not so long ago.
No doubt there is more I could say, but the above thought might be a good note on which to end. I shall only add to what I have said by expressing the hope that we continue to build on our recent advances, as we move forward to other challenges and opportunities, known and unknown.
Sandy Easton, Chairman
May 2005
© 2004-2006 Venturers Drama Group for the Visually Impaired, Charity Number 283164