Making your own theatre

By Joe Scott

‘for the first couple of months it was just four people, sitting there wondering if we’d made a wise move. By spring we had enough people to put our first show on’ Ged Quayle

There are some genuinely excellent theatre projects in and around Liverpool. Started often with no money and little support some of them have developed into large and successful companies. Nerve speaks to Network Theatre Group, to find out how it can be done.
The Network has just finished a sell out run of Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” at the Unity, they’re producing a first play by a local playwright in April, and they’re about to launch into the third of their successful “Shakespeare in the Park” projects. At the same time they’ve taught theatre skills to campaigning groups, hosted classes on Theatre of the Oppressed and are launching a political cabaret project. Everyone in the Network is a volunteer, and membership is available to anyone. As a grassroots arts project Network is hugely successful.
Technically the Network started in 1987 after the closure of the Merseyside Unity Theatre, but by 2000 it had fallen defunct. It was only the determination of one man, Graham Frood, that kept the name alive. In 2000 a bunch of people joined determined to develop it. The Network you see today is barely 3 years old.

Founder member Ged Quayle remembers: “for the first couple of months it was just four people, sitting there wondering if we’d made a wise move. By spring we had enough people to put our first show on, by spring the following year there were enough people to cast the first Shakespeare in the Park. The Network now has about 50 full members. It was hard work but we’re getting there.”
Getting the Network started was difficult but probably no different to any community or arts project. Ged advises: “You really just have to be persistent. People have to get used to seeing you and they have to be convinced that you’re for real. It took a couple of months of just turning up, plugging away before things finally started to take off for the Network and it’s probably no different for any other project. Persistence is essential. Persistence and performance; the Network set a target of producing plays very early on and we’ve stuck to that. Whatever the Network does the Network will produce plays. That keeps it focused on goals. Experience has been that you’ve got to have goals or the whole thing just drifts along and people get demotivated.”

Network arranges theatre visits. Their philosophy is that if you want to make theatre then seeing theatre is essential. They’ve arranged visits all around the country and encouraged people to visit theatres. Making it a social event is important as well; it can be a bit flat going on your own. Going in a group is just more fun for people.

The Network’s philosophy is to be useful, to be open, to be equal; anyone can turn up, anyone can have a go, anyone can audition or suggest a project. Asked about future plans, Ged says: “Really we’re set on encouraging participation. In ten years time I’d like there to be theatre groups working all over Liverpool. I’d like to pick up this magazine, say, and be spoiled for choice by the number of shows going on and know that the Network had a part in encouraging that.”

If you’re thinking of starting a group then Ged’s advice is start, persist and commit yourself to production. If you get stuck or need advice you’re welcome to talk to the Network, they’re in the Flying Picket on Hardman St every Tuesday at 7pm or you can look on their website:

http://www.networktheatre.org.uk/