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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 29, 2022 18:20:16 GMT
They have lost the venue so are trying to find somewhere else.
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Post by Jon on Aug 29, 2022 19:54:22 GMT
They have lost the venue so are trying to find somewhere else. I find it strange that the Menier haven't released a press release confirming that they're no longer at the original venue like what happened with Above The Stag. |
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5,910 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 29, 2022 22:10:21 GMT
They have lost the venue so are trying to find somewhere else. I find it strange that the Menier haven't released a press release confirming that they're no longer at the original venue like what happened with Above The Stag. I know. It is rather odd. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Aug 30, 2022 6:34:48 GMT
Gutted to read this. OK the venue was odd and some of the productions misfired but they also gave me some of my all time favourite productions.
I hope they can find a new home.
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19,793 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 30, 2022 8:27:49 GMT
They have lost the venue so are trying to find somewhere else. Do you mean the lease has expired and they can’t afford to renew, or the owners haven’t given them the opportunity to renew? |
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5,910 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 30, 2022 9:33:06 GMT
They have lost the venue so are trying to find somewhere else. Do you mean the lease has expired and they can’t afford to renew, or the owners haven’t given them the opportunity to renew? I gather that developers are turning the building into apartments |
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4,993 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Aug 30, 2022 10:06:17 GMT
Luxury ones I assume for overseas investors. Something London is desperate for ...
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Post by Jon on Aug 30, 2022 11:41:11 GMT
As unfortunate as the Menier losing the original venue, I do think they should have been proactive in trying to look for somewhere else when there was a sniff of the landlord kicking them out. Southwark Playhouse managed to find the upcoming venue in Elephant and Castle and potentially another one in London Bridge.
My guess is that they’ll probably find a temporary space within the vicinity.
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Post by joem on Aug 30, 2022 14:00:48 GMT
How utterly stupid. Even if the story about the apartments is true why can't they keep the theatre? It's at a basement level for goodness sake.
I'd grown very fond of this place.
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Post by Jon on Aug 30, 2022 14:23:48 GMT
Unless you own the building or on a very generous lease, you're always going at the mercy of the landlord.
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Post by Jan on Aug 30, 2022 16:35:48 GMT
Luxury ones I assume for overseas investors.... Why do you assume that ? You think Southwark Council (52 Labour and 11 Lib Dem councillors) would approve that ? Not a chance. There’s no current planning applications for the site incidentally. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2022 21:33:55 GMT
How utterly stupid. Even if the story about the apartments is true why can't they keep the theatre? It's at a basement level for goodness sake. I'd grown very fond of this place.
Same. It was always one of favorite venues when I come over from the States for a week or two in London. I've seen so many enjoyable productions there.
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Post by frankubelik on Aug 31, 2022 6:18:36 GMT
It is a shame despite my love/hate relationship with the venue and productions offered but with the apparent demise we really don't have a comparable venue to present forgotten or overlooked shows too expensive to mount in the West End. Same thing happened with the Bridewell (even though I think they still present amateur productions).
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Post by austink on Aug 31, 2022 7:07:47 GMT
Well the gist of most of these venues is it’s impossible to make money or break even on tickets. Musicals are expensive even when stripped back and when you are sitting on expensive real estate without a developer being required to subsidise rent (as we are getting with the new spaces showing up), it requires companies to knock it out of the park every time to keep it going or have generous fundraising. The Menier has had neither recently. As you note the Bridewell Theatre Company operated based on subsidies/grants from Arts Council, City of London and St Brides Foundation and the moment it lost those, they closed.
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Post by Jon on Aug 31, 2022 12:27:27 GMT
Well the gist of most of these venues is it’s impossible to make money or break even on tickets. Musicals are expensive even when stripped back and when you are sitting on expensive real estate without a developer being required to subsidise rent (as we are getting with the new spaces showing up), it requires companies to knock it out of the park every time to keep it going or have generous fundraising. The Menier has had neither recently. As you note the Bridewell Theatre Company operated based on subsidies/grants from Arts Council, City of London and St Brides Foundation and the moment it lost those, they closed. The Menier always lost money on the musicals when they ran at the Chocolate Factory IIRC even if they were a sell out. |
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Post by Marwood on Aug 31, 2022 19:46:27 GMT
Sad to hear of this : I’ve only been to three things there (Abigail’s Party, the thing with Scott Bakula and Sharon Horgan that was written by Saul Rubinek and whatever that was with Maureen Lipman and Felicity Kendall, the fact I can’t remember the name of these plays is an indication of their quality ) but the last thing London needs is more flats that will be sold to someone who spends a few days out of a year staying in them.
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Post by theatreian on Aug 31, 2022 21:19:14 GMT
Yes it's such a shame. Have seen many productions over the years and had many lovely meals too! It always comes down to funding in the end and these small venues are so difficult to be financially viable, especially where the value of property is so high.Hope they manage to get a new venue, although that may necessitate a new name!
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Post by Deal J on Sept 1, 2022 7:19:01 GMT
[...] Hope they manage to get a new venue, although that may necessitate a new name! , perhaps? |
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Post by Jan on Sept 1, 2022 9:25:07 GMT
but the last thing London needs is more flats that will be sold to someone who spends a few days out of a year staying in them. London needs a lot more flats. There is a housing crisis which has inflated prices and rents to unaffordable levels. Even if they are bought by overseas investors they will be rented out thus helping the overall situation. Anyway as I said above, Southwark Council won't give planning permission without conditions attached, a lot of the developments over there have to meet requirements for affordable flats, key worker flats, or they work together with housing associations. Many bigger developments are required also to provide community spaces such as theatres (in the Elephant and Castle development for example). |
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Post by Jon on Sept 1, 2022 9:48:55 GMT
but the last thing London needs is more flats that will be sold to someone who spends a few days out of a year staying in them. London needs a lot more flats. There is a housing crisis which has inflated prices and rents to unaffordable levels. Even if they are bought by overseas investors they will be rented out thus helping the overall situation. Anyway as I said above, Southwark Council won't give planning permission without conditions attached, a lot of the developments over there have to meet requirements for affordable flats, key worker flats, or they work together with housing associations. Many bigger developments are required also to provide community spaces such as theatres (in the Elephant and Castle development for example). If it was a new build then I imagine that would be the case but not for something like the Menier building which would be change of use. |
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Post by andrew on Sept 1, 2022 10:29:46 GMT
Has anyone said anything officially or is this all just rumour?
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Sept 1, 2022 13:35:58 GMT
Real news soon. very soon.
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7,189 posts
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Post by Jon on Sept 1, 2022 13:59:32 GMT
Real news soon. very soon. Good or bad? The lack of communication is poor, I know they’re a small venue but it’s not good. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 2, 2022 6:17:02 GMT
They’re still taking donations and selling gift cards too.
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Post by partytentdown on Sept 2, 2022 7:56:34 GMT
I walked past yesterday and it is indeed looking very closed and dusty. There is still a big poster up outside for that Maria Friedman concert, it looks like everyone just up and left.
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