paulears Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Not sure if anyone else has come across this, but the author made this show available to amateur groups and did not include in the contract requirements the usual geographical v time restrictions, so there are many groups gazumping their neighbours, by putting it on a bit earlier, to grab audiences. As a result - you could think you're doing a show that suddenly gets cancelled when somebody else in a bigger venue nearby suddenly advertises. It's also causing serious bad feeling between formerly friendly societies I'm told. One to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewg112 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Im sure I've seen it advertised by more than one group in our area. Silly really, especially when you have already paid for the performance rights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Seems a bit ridiculous ... I'd expect before applying for a license most companies would check to see if anyone else locally is doing it. I can't understand why amateur groups would want to try and poach audience members from another group : ( Definitely one to watch though, hopefully the rights holder will revise the license to bring it more in line with other productions in terms of geographical/time restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 What's happening is people are getting gazumped. Near me, just across the Norfolk border, it's being done later in the year, yet last week, it was announced the local group in my town are going to do it, BEFORE the other group. They have already spent the money on posters, photos etc, and suddenly doing it in a venue double the size, where many members of the audience will be the same, is a bit underhand - so now there's a battle underway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 After the local amateurs dd 'Steaming' a couple of years ago I hoped we wouldn't have to go through ladies of a certain age and shape taking ther clothes off on stage ever again. My heart sank when I read your frst post. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 We're just auditioning for it at the minute. We had the rights for a while and kept it under wraps until we'd secured the show that's preceeding it (we're doing The Full Monty followed by Calendar Girls as a bit of a double - guess why!). A new am dram group locally got the rights as well (literally a minute down the road) and announced it straight away. I think a little negotiating was done and from what I can gather it's all pretty ammicable. You know what local rivalries can be like though between societies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 All three groups that I regularly work with are doing it in fairly quick succession! Not good :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 so many square metres of flesh! and most of it needing a good ironing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 (we're doing The Full Monty followed by Calendar Girls as a bit of a double - guess why!).Eek!Is it because Leeds is evil and must be punished? :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave SA Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I thought bands were stupid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Gordon Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 According to an editorial in the July issue of "Amateur Stage", the producer decided to release the amateur rights for a limited one-year window from September 2012. The idea was to break a world record for the maximum number of productions of a play and in so doing raise funds for charity. Samuel French received 300 applications and issued 154 licences. Licences for amateur productions of plays are not subject to the 3-month or 30 miles rule that is applied to musicals apparently, although a professional production would, of course, result in a total withdrawal of licences, probably nationally. It has been suggested that groups competing locally should negotiate or co-operate with each other. The producer has been quoted as saying that he regrets the decision to release the amateur rights as it has given rise to much backbiting and unhappiness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ripley Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 The producer has been quoted as saying that he regrets the decision to release the amateur rights as it has given rise to much backbiting and unhappiness! Amateur societies don't usually need any outside help when it comes to this, in my experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 and the idea of local societies willing to negotiate or co-operate with each other is another somewhat out of touch statement! I remember well a good friend being called a traitor for going in the oppositions show because her group were having a break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 and the idea of local societies willing to negotiate or co-operate with each other is another somewhat out of touch statement! I remember well a good friend being called a traitor for going in the oppositions show because her group were having a break! Yeah I remember the UK being like that. I don't miss that at all now I'm far, far away. My "home" society has it's clubhouse across the car park from my "away" society, and we swap actors, crew, cross-hire stuff pretty often, we play the same venues. We also swap actors and directors with at least three other further away societies. Worth a picture from google maps: http://davidbuckley.name/pix/studios.jpg We're the grey and white roofed buildings by A, and the cross shaped building to the left with most of the cars outside is the other society. The red roofed building is (amongst other things) the local brass band, which was very handy when we did Brassed Off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth A Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Yep. In a way its like two supermarkets selling the same product. You have to find a way to bring the shoppers into your store. I've always found amateur to be a lot more nasty in terms of rivalry that anyone else. ! Good luck to everyone doing it, and good luck to all the crews having to witness the "production" in their venue! - I think I might start a therapy group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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