Wood for the Trees: Norwich Puppet Theatre

One thing that everyone in Norwich knows to be true: that the Puppet Theatre is a real treasure that should be protected and supported, whatever the cost.

Of course, when I say ‘everyone’ what I really mean is all the nice middle-class people that you and I hang around with. Golden Triangle types. Green voters. Cyclists. You know the sort.*

Ordinary people – who make up the vast majority of Norwich’s citizens – don’t care much about the Puppet Theatre. How do I know this? Because if they did care, it wouldn’t be struggling.

Earlier this week the theatre was granted yet another chunk of Arts Council (i.e. our) money: £60,000. Now, I’m all in favour of arts funding but the Puppet Theatre seems to me to be doing very little to justify yet another handout.

What I don’t understand is how it fails to sustain itself. If, as we’re supposed to believe, it’s a truly innovative, fun, exciting and unique experience, why aren’t people breaking the doors down? Or forming orderly queues?

I reckon it’s as simple as this: not enough people like puppets. While that may cause consternation among puppet fans (and the Puppet Theatre trustees), it’s kind of tough. If people don’t want to see puppets maybe it’s a bit silly to have a whole theatre – which is quite expensive to run – devoted to them. Maybe the sensible thing, for starters, would be to downscale and find a new venue.

A Punch and Judy booth on Cromer beach maybe.

Of course, the theatre’s lack of success could well be due to the fact that they don’t do enough to get people through the doors. Could it possibly be, for instance, that the people running the theatre are a little bit arrogant? Do they think that what they do is so fabulous that they shouldn’t have to dirty their hands with advertising and marketing? Or do they think it’s enough that they talk exclusively to their interested middle-class audience?

Or is it that age old problem: creative people trying to run a business?

Or maybe it’s something else entirely. (If you haven’t worked it out yet, this is all speculation on my part. But as I’ve never let ignorance stop me from shooting my mouth off before, I’ll continue.)

Whatever the reasons for the theatre’s failings, there’s clearly a problem. At a time when we’re all being told to accept painful cuts, it seems a bit much that the Puppet Theatre continues to receive funding.

I think a big problem is that it doesn’t really know what it is. It’s too esoteric and narrowly focused to appeal to the mainstream; and yet it’s not cutting edge enough to exist within the world of leftfield arts. It’s a rather ungainly coupling of the two.

My (fairly obvious) suggestion: they should get their offering sorted and think about how to appeal to a wider audience. Kids love the theatre. So do parents. Ordinary kids and parents, I mean. If I were running the place, I’d get out there and find out what those (ordinary) people would like to see (I’d bet good money that it wouldn’t be much of what’s featuring on this year’s programme).

And once I’d got the offering sorted, I’d spend a bit of time and money working out a decent marketing/advertising strategy. That is, one that’s designed to get bums on seats. None of your faffing about.

There. Sorted.

* I’m lying, of course: I wouldn’t be seen dead hanging around with Green voters and cyclists.

By the way, I did say above that this is mostly speculation. If you know more about what’s going at the Puppet Theatre, or just want to tell me what a misinformed idiot I am, please leave a (polite but firm) comment below.

Oh, and I failed to get in my two Puppet Theatre gags - that the acting's a bit wooden and that I reckon their funding packages should come with strings attached.

Comments

[MIAMAX]

Hello,everynoe! Our site has a lot of high-quality health care products, competitive price, free shipping with best and timely service, 100% satisfaction. Big discount for big order. Welcome to make your choose.

African superman
Chaojimengnan
V-max
Jiubianli Male Sexual Products
Dragon Power
EXTENZE
Viagra
Gold Cheetah
Super hard
hacker
kangroo sperm
great man
love conquer
Play boy
Prosolution
manking
Strff night
america bull
Traditional Chinese Medicine Vigra
Herbal Viagra
Vim 25
Herb viagra pills
Golden Root
Super dragon 6000
Super Bull
IMPOTENCE
Top Strong Man
Female Libido Coffee
Yingdaodi
one night eight times
nanrenshengbao
Da buwan
Tiger columbia(Yohimbine)
WUYESHEN
African Black ant
Mars for man
VIQ
Green Viagra
LaoPiaoKe Harbal Sex Medicine
Golden viagra
vmax
vastim
Bedroom bully
Cavaliers
Delay king
GOLDEN HERACLES
MAX STAMINA
natural
STIFFY
super desire
Super Hard 2
super hard 1
TOP MAN
V8
WARRIOR
MIAMAX
VIP increase pills
two days diet
7 Day Herbial Slim
8 Slimming Effects
Fruit Body
French Coffee
Zi ranshou
slimming
Leptin Green Coffee
Lida
Loss weight coffee
Maise 1+1 Nutrition Slim Pill
Impeous Man
Meizitang
plant fruit
Super Slim Pomegranate Weight Loss Capsule
sunshine beauty
Slimming toxin
MAXMAN 2
slimming coffee
super slim
Slimming Essence
Basha Qiyi Slimming
Likeshou
The toxin-discharged tea
Jimpness Beauty Fat Weight Loss
Slim Express Tea
Apple Lighting Silm
paiyouguo tea
Paiyouguo Slimming
paiyoushoufu
3 Days Diet
shoufsy
Fruit Beauty Slimming
One day diet slimming capsule
Botanical Slimming
Japan Weight Loss
Weight lose multidimensional
L-Carnitine
P57 Hoodia
Quick Show Slimming Tea
YuDa Brand Pilatory Quick
YUDA hair
Black Gold
YUDY
8.H.R.ENERGY sex medicine
Black Ant
Super Man
Tiger King
Street Overlord
South Africa Viagra Element
Snow Leopard
Satibo Capsule
powerful Viagra
Plant Strong Genital Renewable
Cialis
Cialis 20mg
Erection And Penis Enlarger
Furunbao_Capsule
Golden Viagra
Icerex
India Black Edition
Kamagra 100mg
Kamagra Oral Jelly
Leopara Dint
Levitra
Levitra Capsule 2
Libigrow
Lrvitra Capsule
Man Up
Maxman2000mg
MaxmanIII
Vegetal Vigia
Rock Hard
Samurai-x
Viapro
Vigour300mg
Vigrx Capsule
Vigrx Plus
Vigrx Zengdawan
Wodibo Capsule
Health slimming Coffee
Magic Slim
Super Slim
Shoufutitun

[Viagra]

Health care products on our website side of things. I hope my dear friends to choose our products. so your body to be healthy .the mood will be good . welcome to buy
Sex Blue Pill
Blue Pills
Sex Blue Pill uk
Blue Pills Supplier
Blue Pills Manufacturer
Blue Pills Wholesaler
sex pill
sex pills
sex pills Supplier
sex pills Manufacturer
sex pills Wholesaler
sex pills Factory
buy viagra online
buy cheap viagra online uk
cheapest uk supplier viagra
cialis 20mg
cialis
discount cialis levitra viagra
Sex Blue Pill Supplier
Sex Blue Pill Manufacturer
Sex Blue Pill Wholesaler
Male Sex Pills Wholesaler
Male Sex Pills Suppliers
Male Sex Pills Manufacturer
Herbal Sex Pills Wholesaler
Herbal Sex Pills Suppliers
Herbal Sex Pills Manufacturer
sex pills products Manufacturer
sex pills products Suppliers
sex pills products Wholesalers
male enhancement
male enhancement uk
male enhancement pills
extenze
extenze Wholesalers
black ant
black ant suppliers
libigrow
libigrow Factory
3 day diet
3 day diet Manufacturer
fruta planta
fruta planta suppliers
paiyouguo tea
paiyouguo tea Wholesalers
fruit plant
fruit plant diet pills
fruit plant Manufacturer
male sex enhancer
male sex enhancer pills
male sex enhancer capsule
male sex enhancer suppliers
meizitang
meizitang suppliers
meizitang Wholesalers
condom
condom suppliers
Female Sex Medicine
Female Sex Medicine Wholesalers
Herbal Sex Medicine
Herbal Sex Medicine Manufacturer
Male Sex Medicine
Male Sex Medicine suppliers
Pilatory suppliers
Pilatory Wholesalers
Sex Delay Spray
Sex Delay Spray Manufacturer
Weight Loss Product suppliers
Sex Toys
Sex Toys Wholesaler
kamagra 100mg
kamagra jelly wholesale
kamagra oral jelly
kamagra suppliers
kamagra 100mg Manufacturer
blue pill uk suppliers
blue pill uk Wholesalers
blue pill uk Manufacturer
vmax
vmax suppliers
v-max Manufacturer
dragon power
dragon power Manufacturer
Max man 4
Max man 4 capsules
Max man 4 suppliers
African superman
African superman pills
African superman viagra
African superman tablets
African superman Wholesalers
Golden viagra
Golden viagra Manufacturer
vegetal viagra
vegteal viagra Wholesalers
herbal sex medicine
herbal sex medicine suppliers
sex medicine
sex medicine suppliers
cheap 25mg viagra
Sex Pills increase libido Wholesaler
Male Sex Medicine Suppliers
Adult Sex Pill Manufacturer
male sex pills Suppliers
sex pills for men Wholesalers
Sex Medicine For Man Wholesaler
African Superman
Chaojimengnan
Dragon Power
Herbal Viagra
herbal sex medicine
Herb Viagra Pills
African Black Ant
Green Viagra
Golden Viagra
V-Max
Meizitang
plant fruit
Paiyouguo Tea
3 Days Diet
P57 Hoodia
Black Ant
Cialis
Cialis 20mg
Kamagra 100mg
Kamagra Oral Jelly
Maxman2000mg
MaxmanIII

[slim fast diet]

slim fast diet