R&S Pride SEPTEMBER 230.qxp 12/08/2021 09:06 Page 24
CURVE THEATRE
Ahead of the Curve Together with the hospitality sector, the performing arts industry has had it tougher than almost any other industry when it comes to enduring the pandemic. Thankfully, Curve in Leicester is now open again, as safe as can be and with a brilliant programme of autumn productions... Words: Rob Davis.
IT’S A VAST SPACE. Over 900 seats worth of giant auditorium, tumbling down toward the stage, a huge place for world-class productions and the best talent in the performing arts sector. At the moment it’s near silent, except for a soft murmur from the ventilation fans. Later though, as the audience begins to take their seats for that evening’s performance of Grease: The Musical, the hum will be replaced by a cacophony of anticipation, and then as the lights are lowered, by the familiar soundtrack of the musical score with which we’re all so well-acquainted. “I don’t really like it like this,” says Nikolai Foster showing off the £61m theatre, which opened in 2008 and whose productions are enjoyed by an audience of 750,000 every year at Curve and on tour. “It’s too quiet like this, I much prefer it when there are rehearsals going on, or crews working away on sets, or big audiences and productions taking place.” It’s been too quiet for too long, and though as an industry the performing arts sector has received support from the government amid Covid, only when shows can resume and auditoriums can again be full will theatres like Leicester’s Curve begin to properly recover and put a dreadful couple of years behind them. Nikolai says the theatre was his sanctuary from a young age, and his own experiences have made him determined to offer the same emotional, intellectual and cultural home to other young people, and to communities of all ages across Leicestershire, to give them the same opportunities and the same enjoyment he’s enjoyed during his career.
Why does theatre mean so much to you?
I was born in Copenhagen to a Finnish mother and to an English father who was very abusive and violent. As a family we moved back to the UK when I was young, thinking it might make our lives better which, of course, it didn’t. Living in Yorkshire in quite a working class area, school was quite tough and when I joined the school’s theatre group, it was a sanctuary from home and from school life. It was inclusive and supportive and wonderful. I joined The Drama Centre in London – now incorporated into Central Saint Martins – and studied alongside Michael Fassbender and Tom Hardy, initially with the intention of becoming an actor. But seeing incredible talent around me, I felt a bit overwhelmed! So your original career aim was acting?
Another of the theatre’s former students was Sir Anthony Hopkins who (very) allegedly took inspiration for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter from one of the tutors there. That same tutor would conduct a cull each year, which was always very brutal. I faced his wrath and was on the cusp of being chucked out when I blurted out that I’d stay and pursue stage management and directing. It saved my skin and I’d already been producing whole plays – writing, directing, getting to grips with stage management and lighting and so on – so I found a new fascination with being behind the scene rather than on the stage. In fact, when I did find myself on the other side of the curtain again, I realised just how much I loved being involved in productions instead of performing in them.
I’ve never forgotten what a difference theatre has made to my life, and whatever we do here, it’s always with a view to making people feel as included and fulfilled as it first made me feel. When did you come to Curve?
I joined about seven years ago, having already worked as a freelance director. Curve is incredibly well-regarded in the sector; it’s well-respected. I work closely with our Chief Executive Chris Stafford and host weekly programming meetings with the team. For any given week we could host any one of two or three shows, so we’re fortunate to have our pick of a number of productions. Consequently we’re able to maintain a dynamic, diverse schedule of really high quality productions and pick the cream of what’s available at the time to really push forward and ensure there’s something for everyone here, every season. But we’re also fortunate to have our Made at Curve team which has a huge breadth of skills and can incubate local talent both on stage and backstage. We have a thriving youth theatre plus Curve Associates to call on too; theatre experts, choreographers of dance, choirs, writers... there are so many people who can infuse our productions with locally-nurtured talent, in addition to our own in-house creatives. What facilities are there at Curve?
We have our 900-seater auditorium with its proscenium and over 150 flying bars, all computer controlled. That means we can host technically sophisticated show and not have to limit our creativity for practical or logistical reasons. >>
Main: We spoke with Curve’s Creative Director Nikolai Foster about life in the performing arts sector post-Covid, image by Ellie Kurttz.
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