blackpoolgrand.co.uk
CEOs Pivotal Role in Theatre’s Success Blackpool Grand Theatre chief executive officer, Ruth Eastwood, is soon to make her final curtain call.
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fter eight ‘magic’ years as custodian of Blackpool’s iconic Grade II Frank Matcham venue – it is time for another new chapter in the theatre’s rich history.
“Admittedly at times, it nearly finished us – it was so tough. Cancelling a pantomime and making a film version within three weeks; losing an entire working team bar 15.
With the new year comes a new challenge and a return for Ruth to her freelance career. She will hand over the reins to experienced theatre director Adam Knight, who will join the team this spring.
“We spent 2020 working to survive, 2021 planning and now in 2022, we need to start coping and we are just so fortunate the grant support was there to put in us a better position. There is now that silver lining we were looking to.”
Modest of her talents, Ruth has been no mere player in her time on the Fylde Coast – having been instrumental in steering the way through what is arguably one of entertainment industry’s biggest evolutions amidst a global pandemic that halted nearly all live performances for 18 months. Lockdown restrictions resulted in the closure of all UK theatres. The Blackpool Grand Theatre shut the doors in March 2020 and welcomed back its first live audiences in September 2021. A beacon of positivity throughout, despite the challenges, Ruth says the ‘silver lining is in reach.’ She says: “Despite the difficulties, my time here has been lovely. The Grand Theatre is embedded in the life of the town and it’s been my job as custodian to care for it for a time, as have so many others before me for 128 years. “I’m a little moment in the history, hopefully so that the theatre can carry on for another 125 years. I’m so proud to have played a part.” Much like the fabric of entertainment is embedded in the north-west resort – the wonder of theatre continues to stir every emotion in Ruth, even after a complete transformation in working practices. She admits “We’ve been through them all. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, felt every emotion sat in that majestic auditorium. “I have three different ways I can walk into that building each morning, every day I’ve been there I’ve chosen the route through the auditorium – there are few theatres that give you that feeling when empty, they don’t have that soul – the Grand, it’s a special place.”
Ruth, although readying to exit left, is still busy setting the stage before she takes her final bow. A sell-out pantomime season and a complete 52-show run was a welcome tonic for the whole cast, production and theatre team and Ruth described the return of the tradition as ‘absolutely fantastic.’ She says: “There will always be year on year something in pantomime that without fail makes you laugh and to see the audiences enjoying it again was just wonderful. That’s what we wanted to do, be able to share something again.” With the festive season now over, Ruth is once again head down ready to work on another big bid for the Art Council’s three-year support programme and ensuring all is in place for the launch of the new season. “I am leaving the Grand in the most capable of hands, none of this would ever have been possible without the efforts of such a fantastic, dedicated team who I am so grateful for. “But also, Adam is a fantastic appointment. He is a theatre man, with all the knowledge and expertise and brings with him an extensive network of contacts, having worked in very similar venues and he will be ready to put his own stamp on the role and move things forward.” Ruth admits it was the Grand’s presence and a love story of her own that was one of the big draws to the Fylde Coast when she stepped into the role in 2013; having previously been CEO at the Leicester Theatre Trust, overseeing the development of the stateof-the-art modern age Curve Theatre.
“But what perhaps we never realised whilst we had our heads down in the business of it, was that perhaps without that time we would never have adopted these new ways of working and made the amazing changes we have.
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