Garrick annual report - Lichfield Garrick

Annual report 

2009/2010

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Garrick Theatre & Studio Annual Report 2009/2010 

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8-9 

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10-11 

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14-15 

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Introduction from The Artistic Director 

Production and drama 

Dance 

Music 

The Green Room 

Young people and community 

Conferencing and seminars 

Staff 

Finance 

Economic impact 

Friends of the Lichfield Garrick

Introduction from 

The Artistic Director 

g reat performances for everyone... 

...because g reat performances ARE for everyone. 

That’s what we pride ourselves on at the Lichfield Garrick. Whether 

you are a music fanatic, an avid drama lover, enjoy a good laugh, or 

you just like good, varied family entertainment, the Lichfield Garrick 

adds something special to everyday life. 

The Garrick has a huge impact on the economic life of the district 

and offers many opportunities for members of the community to get 

involved. With two very different performance spaces, we offer 

people the chance to get out and enjoy stunning live entertainment. 

We believe this is the priceless quality the Lichfield Garrick adds to 

life in the district and surrounding areas. 

This is the first annual report for the Lichfield Garrick, and focuses 

predominantly on April 2009 to March 2010, although some historical 

information is also included. We are very proud of our achievements 

and have worked hard to extend our reach way beyond the Lichfield 

District. We are now enjoying the reputation as a leading regional 

theatre, and have created productions which, have not only 

transferred to London’s West End, are now also touring nationally. 

Inside this report you will read about our commitment to excellence, 

our drive to meet new challenges, and our development of community 

based and focussed arts initiatives, which are rapidly becoming 

integral to life within our district, particularly for young people. 

These tremendous achievements would not have been possible 

without the involvement of you - our audience, the dedicated team of 

staff, and of course Lichfield District Council. 

As you will see, it takes many people to make the Lichfield Garrick the 

success it is, and our thanks go to all. 

Adrian Jackson 

Artistic and Executive Director 


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The Lichfield Garrick is enjoying 

a national reputation for drama 

following the formation of its Rep 

Company in 2006. 

The theatre also continues to work 

with visiting producers which include, 

Ian Dickens Productions, Middleground 

Theatre Company and Mark Goucher Ltd. 

The Garrick Rep Company produces two 

seasons of high quality drama each year 

and these have become a very important 

feature of the annual programme. They 

contribute substantially to both our 

audience development and education 

programmes, resulting in the 

formation of the Young Rep 

Company and Acting School 

in 2008. 

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Producing & drama 

Previous Garrick Rep productions 

which have enjoyed great acclaim 

February 2006 

Bouncers - By John Godber 

Directed by Alice Bartlett 

Cast: 

Steve Edwin, Russell Richardson, 

Tom Roberts, Mark Jardine 

“…powerhouse performances... 

this bodes well for this new company” 

Birmingham Mail 

October 2006 

April in Paris - By John Godber 


Cast: 

Sarah Kirkland, Tom Roberts 

“...a great night out...touching and funny” 

Lichfield Mercury 

October / November 2006 

Frankenstein - By Mary Shelley 

Adapted by Alice Bartlett 

Cast: 

Rob Glyn Jones, Sarah Kirkland, 

Tom Roberts 

“..poignant and beautifully acted” 

Lichfield Mercury 

May 2007 

Waiting For Godot - By Samuel Beckett 


Cast: 

Steve Edwin, Russell Richardson, 

Mark Jardine, Phil Yarrow 

“...one of the great theatrical 

experiences of my life” 

Phil Preece 

May 2007 

Satin ‘n’ Steel - By Amanda Whittington 


Cast: 

Tom Roberts, Rebecca Reaney 

“…another hot hit. A sure fire winner” 


November 2007 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 

By William Shakespeare 

Directed by Adam Barnard 

Cast: 

Ben Warwick, Emily Bowker, Giles Faulkner, 

Lydia Bewley 

“...real theatrical magic. I’m going again!” 

Lichfield Post 

November 2007 

Look Back in Anger - By John Osborne 

Directed by Adam Barnard 

Cast : 

Ben Warwick, Emily Bowker, Lydia Bewley, 

Giles Faulkner, Robert Austin 

“...this outstrips current offerings at any 

other Midlands venue” 


Garrick Theatre & Studio Annual Report 2009/2010 5

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Producing & drama 

Previous Garrick Rep productions 

which have enjoyed great acclaim 

April / May 2008 

Two - By Jim Cartwright 

Directed by Alasdair Harvey 

Cast: 

Mark Jardine, Janet Bamford 

“...Janet Bamford is touchingly believable.” 

“...Mark Jardine...uncomfortably real.” 


May 2008 

Shirley Valentine - By Willy Russell 


Cast: 

Beverley Hills 

“...Beverley Hills gives a real tour de 

force. This is studio drama at its best.” 

Lichfeld Post 

October 2008 

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 

By Edward Albee 

Directed by Andrew Hall 

Cast: 

Matthew Kelly, Tracey Childs, 

Mark Farrelly, Louise Kempton 

This production 

transferred to 

the Trafalgar Studios, 

West End in April 2009 

“Towering Performances” 

The Stage 

May 2009 

Ladies’ Day - By Amanda Whittington 


Cast: 

Joanna Bacon, Lorraine Cheshire, 

Abigail Longstaffe, Sean McKenzie, 

Liz Simmons 

“The Rep has a rapidly growing reputation” 


October 2009 

The Entertainer - By John Osborne 

Directed by Andrew Hall 

Cast: 

John Ashton, Gerry Hinks, 

Lyn Blakley, Rob Pass 

“The 140-seat theatre is so intimate 

that you feel as though you are right 

there in the family’s living room” 

The Stage

New Writing 

The Lichfield Garrick has also 

presented new work by local writers in 

the Studio theatre. This work included 

“House of Pain” by local writer Phil 

Preece and a special adaptation of the 

Jacobean classic, “Revenger’s 

Tragedy” presented by Jadis Shadows, 

an experimental, professional 

development touring company. 

Information on our Youth Programme 

and Pro Am productions are detailed in 

the Young People and Community 

section of this report. 


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Dance 

The Lichfield Garrick offers a variety of dance 

performances and projects. These include both 

professional dance companies, local dance schools and 

national and international ballet companies. 

The theatre employs a freelance dancer who works 

predominantly in the community, however there have also 

been a number of projects based at the theatre including: 

• FAB Burntwood. 

• Workshops for young students. 

• Performances by disabled and less able 

bodied children. 

These activities have attracted approximately 500 people. 

Professional performances have included: 

• European Ballet. 

• Vienna Festival Ballet. 

• Jasmin Vardimon. 

The Lichfield Garrick offers an extensive prog 

There is a very extensive mix of both UK touring 

productions and in house collaborations and 

performances, drawing on the skills and expertise 

of resident theatre staff. 

Garrick productions have included, A Tribute to 

Staphane Grapelli, A Gala Night at the Proms and 

a number of studio recitals and master classes.

The Green Room 

The Lichfield Garrick introduced a café and bars 

improvement programme which began in 2007. The 

refurbished ground floor café and first floor bar were 

completed in 2009. We now offer our customers a 

choice of bars to enjoy both during the day, and 

before, during and after a performance. 

The Green Room Café and Bar is now a thriving 

enterprise which offers a selection of hot and cold 

food throughout the day, with a specials evening 

menu on all performance days. 

The Green Room Wine Bar is the perfect place to 

relax before a performance, and anyone wishing to 

dine with us may book a table in either of our bar 

areas. 

There is a thriving free live music programme every 

Friday from 4.45pm until 6.45pm in the Green Room, 

which attracts well over 4,000 people annually from 

across the district. In addition to this, from May until 

September, we have a cocktail pianist playing the 

Steinway Grand Piano in the Green Room, between 

12noon and 2pm every Saturday. 

Open Mic sessions have also featured in the Green 

Room and these have offered many people from 

across the district the chance to perform publicly to 

an audience. 

The Green Room offers a great social atmosphere to 

all. Whether enjoying a pre show drink, a light lunch, 

or a relaxing drink after work, there’s something for 

everyone. 

ramme of Music covering all musical genres. 


Young people 

and community 

The Lichfield Garrick has an extensive 

programme of performance and 

education for both young people and the 

community as a whole. There is 

particular focus on audience 

development activities, and to date these 

have had a high impact on the 

attendance figures for the theatre. 

Our programme, which also includes 

outreach work in the form of school 

workshops, currently consists of the 

following: 

• Lichfield Community Youth Choir 

• Lichfield School of Acting 

• Community Summer Workshops 

• Garrick Rep Seasons & education 

programme 

• Pro – Am community collaborations 

• Youth Theatre 

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The programme also includes: 

• Free and assisted places for young people with limited 

means from the North Lichfield & Burntwood areas of 

the district. 

• A fully inclusive ‘open door’ / non elitist policy for all youth 

projects. There are no audition procedures. 

• Opportunities for all members of the community to work 

alongside professional performers, directors, designers and 

other creative personnel. 

• School holiday ‘Performance Workshop’ opportunities for 

young people aged between 9 and 18. 

• High level tutoring in performing arts. 

• Professional plays produced ‘in-house’ aimed at expanding 

the audience base, and offering a high standard of work, 

pushing the boundaries for studio performance. 

• Visiting workshops taken by actors to surrounding schools 

and colleges. 

Concept and operation 

The idea behind the activity is to continue to provide 

opportunities identified as being lacking in the surrounding 

area, in a creative and purpose built environment. The 

intention has been to establish the theatre as a hub of arts 

activity, which provides educational, participatory, 

performance and industry-led activities throughout the year. 

This compliments the already established programme of 

touring shows and concerts, which play at the theatre on a 

regular basis. The Lichfield Garrick works for, and with the 

community as much as possible. 

An outline of our current programme is as follows: 

Youth Choir Monday evenings between 5pm & 7pm 

Community Adult Choir Monday evenings between 

7pm & 8pm 

Pro – Am Stage Play March/April each year 

Summer Holiday Workshops 9 – 12 years, 13 – 18 years 

School of Acting 11 – 18 years, Sundays during 

term time, from 11am – 1pm 

Repertory Seasons April/May & October/November annually 

Speakers’ Corner Workshops Monthly 

Youth Theatre Workshops and master classes 

Ongoing throughout the year 

Youth Theatre Productions Spring and autumn annually

Who our programme reaches 

The Lichfield Garrick targets a wide cross section of the 

community. Schools across the region are approached and 

we aim to attract a diverse mix of young people. We invite 

local community groups to suggest people who they feel 

would benefit from the resource. The information is 

circulated to the community via our in house marketing 

department, and includes the following strategies: 

• Mail shots to all local schools and colleges. 

• In house posters and flyers outlining the activities on offer. 

• Press releases to local media. 

• School visits to outline programme. 

• Teacher and youth worker involvement. 

How the activities will affect 

those experiencing them 

The activities within the programme are designed to engage 

and enrich those taking part. It is well documented that 

creative activities, such as drama and singing, develop a 

sense of self esteem and confidence in people of all ages. 

The number of applicants wanting to take part in these 

activities is further proof that the programme is not only 

essential, but can be sustained. 

The annual Pro Am production offers a chance for amateur 

performers, and members of the community, to work 

alongside established professional actors and directors, thus 

providing a valuable learning experience. The Repertory 

seasons offer people in the surrounding areas the chance to 

experience drama of a very high standard. 

Box office records show that visitors attend the theatre from 

a wide radius, giving realistic scope for further audience 

development. (See Finance section page 13) 

This programme has 

significantly raised the 

profile of the Garrick 

Theatre and endorses its 

commitment to provide 

opportunities for all, 

regardless of background 

or financial means. 

Achievements 

By running this programme, we have achieved very positive 

outcomes which include: 

• An increase in new audience at the theatre. 

• An increased public awareness of the opportunities and 

activities we are providing. 

• A wider range of audience demographic attending the 

theatre, or benefiting from its outreach work. 

• Maintaining a high standard of tutoring production values 

and industry expertise. 

• Pushing boundaries with new and complex work in the 

Studio theatre. 

• Improving accessibility for all communities within the 

district. 

Speakers’ Corner workshops 

Speakers’ Corner was established in Lichfield in May 2009. 

The Lichfield Garrick continues to provide a series of 

workshops help members of the community prepare for 

public speaking. Sessions are led by both experienced in 

house, and visiting actors. 


Conferencing & seminars 

The Lichfield Garrick is actively promoted as a conference 

and meeting venue. Both performance spaces are utilized, 

together with the secondary spaces which include the bars 

and meeting rooms. 

Whilst the revenue from these activities is relatively small, 

the various activities increase the footfall in the building 

and bring a different section of the local population to the 

Lichfield Garrick, some of whom may return for 

performances. 

Businesses and organisations regularly using the Garrick 

for conferencing and seminars are: 

• Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce Seminar 

• Young Enterprise Trade Fair 

• The Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music Exams 

Management and staff structure 2010 

Daytime duty 

managers 

Front of House 

Manager 

Casual FOH 

Staff 

Staff 

Casual Duty 

Managers 

Evening duty 

managers 

All Green Room 

& Bar Staff 

The Lichfield Garrick has a very dedicated team of 

professional staff, who work tirelessly to provide the very 

best in regional theatre. The staff group ranges from 

artistic and managerial, to financial and technical. All work 

very flexible hours. 

There are 21 permanent members of staff, who work a 

mixture of hours every week. In addition to the permanent 

12 Garrick Theatre & Studio Annual Report 2009/2010 

Artistic & Executive 

Director 

Deputy Executive 

Director 

Marketing & 

Events Manager 

Green Room & 

Bars Manager 

Finance Assistant 

Deputy Green Room 

& Bars Managers 

• Walsall Operatic Society Workshops 

• Lichfield Players 

• Shakespeare in the Park Open Day 

• Lichfield District Council – various seminars and meetings 

• South Staffs College - Foundation Course End of Year 

Exhibition 

• Lichfield District Council Local Development Framework 

• Redcliffe Event Management - team meeting 

• Midlands School of Philosophy - weekly meetings 

• Local Actions for Climate Change 

• Tourist Visitor Guide Launch 

• Lichfield Cathedral School Music Seminars 

The approximate number of people annually attending 

meetings and seminars is in the region of 1,500 and the 

income from these activities is approximately £6,000. 

Community & 

Outreach Staff 

Box Office 

Manager 

Box Office Staff 

Casual Box 

Office Staff 

Housekeeper 

Cleaning Staff 

Technical Manager 

Maintenance 

Manager 

Deputy 

Technical 

Manager 

Technicians 

staff, the Garrick has a team of over 50 casual employees 

working across all departments, who support and assist in 

the safe running of the theatre. 

There is an annual staff training programme that helps to 

ensure the very best care and attention is provided to all 

customers of the theatre.

Finance 

Performance for 

April 2009 – March 2010 

Key points for the year: 

• Direct income was up by 7.1% on last year, at £2m. This 

exceeded last year’s level by £132,000. 

• Direct expenditure increased by 9.1% this year compared 

to last year. This was due to increases in staff costs and 

supplies and services. 

• The 7.1% rise in income was achieved in the depth of the 

recession. Income would have needed to rise by 11.8% to 

£2.084m, to cover the extra expenditure. This was 

unachievable, given the growth in income in the preceding 

years of nearly 14%, 24% and 17%. 

• However, income was affected by the 

recession, particularly in September and 

October, with attendances lower in these 

months. Corrective action was taken on 

staffing and marketing costs, which is 

helping to improve the financial position 

into 2010. The severe bad weather in 

January also impacted on income for the 

Pantomime, when snow and ice caused 

school closures, which resulted in 

cancellations of performances. Despite 

this the pantomime’s income was up by 

£25,000 on the previous year. In addition 

we estimate that the recession reduced 

income by circa £60,000. 

• A continued focus on the performance 

of bar and catering facilities during the 

year has resulted in a £50,000 surplus 

(net profit), an increase of £38,000 on the 

previous year. 

• An improved box office facility has been 

installed, which is designed to actively 

control employee costs on the box office, 

and to provide an improved customer 

service. The new system allows people to 

book on-line, select their seats and print 

their own tickets. When booking, 

customers can view the stage from their 

seat, which will have a marked impact on 

the use of the facility. Increasing the 

number who book and print their own 

tickets, will reduce cost in this area, and 

reduce the congestion in foyer area at 

show starting times. The new service has 

been well received so far. 

•The economic impact of the theatre on the local economy 

was calculated to be £8.3m, compared to £7.6m last year. 

The return on the council’s investment is calculated as 16:1 

(see Economic Impact pages 14-15). 

Lichfield Garrick approved budget 

Actual income and expenditure 2003 - 2010 

Lichfield Garrick approved budget: 

Cost per each £ of income 


Economic impact 

We’ve assessed the contribution the Lichfield 

Garrick makes to the local economy, so that we 

can see the value of the investment the council 

makes each year, through the financial 

contribution to the running of the venue. 

Economic impact studies have become one of 

the key tools available to arts organisations. 

They help to demonstrate, and justify their 

relevance to the communities in which they are 

based, by evidencing their economic 

contribution. 

The most significant study was commissioned 

by the Arts Council in 2004, when the University 

of Sheffield developed a methodology which is 

accepted as the industry standard. 

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Economic impact is the gross financial contribution made 

by an organisation, or a facility, to the overall economy of its 

base area. 

The model developed by the University of Sheffield assesses 

the impact in terms of money received by the organisation 

(incoming or earning factors) and money paid out by the 

organisation (outgoing or spending factors). 

Theatres make a direct and indirect contribution to the local 

economy. The direct impact is, for example, local spending 

on wages paid to staff who live locally, and local spending 

on purchases and supplies. 

The indirect impact is the ‘knock on’ effect generated by the 

direct impact, where spending money leads to more money 

being spent. When theatres purchase supplies from a local 

company, that income helps the company pay wages to 

their staff, who then buy other goods with their salaries. All 

of that expenditure is circulating around the local economy, 

helping to preserve jobs and boost economic growth. 

Once the total spend and income is calculated (ie the direct 

impact), a multiplier is then applied to calculate the indirect 

impact, or knock-on effect on the local economy. The 

multiplier used is 1.5, the smallest that is realistically 

possible, to ensure a cautious result. 

Theatres also help to build and shape a night time 

economy. The audience for a performance becomes part of 

the people populating the area, in which the theatre is 

located, helping to create a diversity within the population 

which use a city centre at night. This is particularly so when 

there are family shows, or shows which attract a wide age 

range. This in turn can engender a feeling of evening and 

night time safety, as families, and old and young, are 

amongst those who populate the city centre.

Once the calculation of the economic impact is arrived at, 

we can then calculate the return on the investment of 

public funds. So, for example, for the Garrick, having 

calculated the economic impact figure, we can then divide 

this by the net direct expenditure (which represents the 

councils contribution to the Garrick Theatre), and show the 

return on investment of council resources. 

Applying the methodology to the Lichfield Garrick 

1. Money received by the organisation (incoming or earning 

factors): ticket sales, ancillary income like programmes, 

merchandising and bar/catering sales, money earned 

through sponsorship, grants or donations, and income 

generated from hire and events fees, and from tours or 

selling productions to other theatres. 

2. Money paid out by the organisation (outgoing or spending 

factors): staff wages and salaries to employees and casual 

employees, payments to actors, directors and other creative 

team members, including their subsistence payments 

which will be spent on local hotel or accommodation, 

payments to suppliers. We’ve used a figure of 50% of the 

payments to actors and directors, as a cautious estimate of 

how much is spent locally. 

3. Together with spend by theatre audiences outside the 

theatre, called additional visitor spend, which includes 

things like transport costs, besides spend in other facilities 

like shopping, souvenirs and gifts, restaurants and 

overnight stays. We’ve used £5 per head, a more cautious 

figure than the industry standard for outside of London and 

the West End, of £7.77. 

Money received by the organisation (incoming or earning factors): 

£ for 2008/9 £ for 2009/10 

Ticket sales 2,429,073 2,647,832 

Ancillary income like programmes, merchandising and bar/catering sales 357,632 443,920 

Grants and donations 34,586 129 

Income generated from hire and events fees 96,305 94,517 

Income generated from tours or selling productions to other theatres 6,492 4,751 

Money paid out by the organisation (outgoing or spending factors): 

£ for 2008/9 £ for 2009/10 

Staff wages and salaries to employees and casual employees 

Payments to actors, directors and other creative team members 

514,793 579,127 

(including producers, repertory artistes, musicians and hirers) 

including their subsistence payments/expenses 

556,426 612,803 

Payments to suppliers (supplies and services excluding artiste fees) 529,899 580,469 

Average visitor spend (£5 x nos. of attendees (109,460) for 2008/9) 547,300 569,690 

Total 5,072,506 6,146,041 

Multiplier of 1.5 2,536,253 3,073,021 

The economic impact of the Lichfield Garrick 7,608,759 8,299,857 

We can calculate the return on investment of the council’s 

annual contribution: 

£ for 2008/9 £ for 2009/10 

The economic impact of the Lichfield Garrick 7,608,759 8,299,857 

Net direct expenditure for 2008/9 £441,397 £531,000 

Ratio of economic impact to the Council’s contribution 17 : 1 16:1 


Friends of the Lichfield Garrick 

The Lichfield Garrick has a very active independent 

Friends organisation, which is run by a committee of 

its members. The main objectives of the organisation 

are to provide active support to the theatre, 

and assist with its promotion and profile 

throughout the district and beyond. 

The annual subscription paid by 

Friends members goes back directly 

to the theatre in various ways 

including: 

• Purchasing new equipment to 

enhance both the front of house areas 

and the whole artistic experience 

customers enjoy at the Garrick. 

• Provide opportunities for young people from 

around the district to perform at the Garrick with 

experienced actors etc, by participating in workshops 

and master classes. 

• Run independent social functions and generally 

support the tremendous community spirit within 

the Garrick. 

Friends members enjoy a number of benefits as a 

result of their annual subscription. These include: 

• A 10% discount on all professional 

performances at the Garrick, both in the 

main auditorium and studio. 

• Additional offers on selected 

performances throughout the season. 

• Priority booking at the launch of 

every season. 

• Regular newsletters, keeping 

Friends up to date with what’s going 

on at the theatre. 

• Invitations to special VIP evenings 

throughout the year, with the cast and 

crew of productions. 

• The opportunity to get involved with the 

Friends’ committee, and vote on various aspect of 

the activities at the Annual General Meeting. 

Membership of the Friends scheme is currently £25 

per year for a single members, and £45 per years for 

joint members. 

An annual general meeting of the Friends takes place in June or July. 

www.lichfieldgarrick.com 

Lichfield Garrick, Castle Dyke, Lichfield, WS13 6HR. 

Project Part-Financed 

by the European Union 

European Regional 

Development Fund

Garrick annual report - Lichfield Garrick

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