PLAYHOUSE WINS AT DERBY.

Derby Playhouse announces 'an exceptional year' under its new management team of Chief Executive Karen Louise Hebden and Creative Producer Stephen Edwards, in its Review of 2003.Audiences for home-produced work have risen by 17,500. What the people want has included Willy Russell, Charles Dickens and Noel Coward - his Blithe Spirit rather charmingly offsetting Dracula in the world of the theatrical undead - plus, from the post-1956 drama boom The Entertainer and Oh What A Lovely War.

Two Davids - director Freeman and actor Threlfall - have brought national class to the Playhouse, which also provided the first mainstage arena for a British-Asian drama, Ray Grewel's My Dad's Corner Shop.

New ticket schemes encouraged people to attend more shows, and there's been almost £50,000 raised from private and charitable funding.

While Edwards notes there are still financial challenges, improvements in access and facilities plus investment in developing new talent - over 90 young people played in the Playhouse Youth Theatre production of Peter Roberts' Viking Tales - indicate the value a repertory theatre can bring to such a city as Derby.

Timothy Ramsden

2004-03-04 11:11:54