We caught up with our new CEO, Scott Ramsay to talk all about his greatest achievements and his plans for the future of NTR!

  • What has been your biggest achievement as a theatre director?

In recent years it has been the development of Harlow Playhouse as a key theatre within the Eastern Region, as a commissioner of new work, and as a big draw for visitors into the town. When I took on the Playhouse in 2008, there was rain pouring in through the ceilings, the artistic profile was poor, and the economy was about to go into recession. We set about redeveloping the building alongside an improved programme, and redefined our marketing strategies to attract new patrons. Financially, one of our biggest success stories has been producing our own Christmas shows, which has seen a 111% increase over the years and provided funds to invest in new writing.

  • What excited you the most about working at New Theatre Royal?

I’m a big history fan, so living and working in Portsmouth and the New Theatre Royal is intoxicating. I very much see Portsmouth as an International city, with culture running through it’s veins: It’s our job to help inspire confidence in our communities, and promote creativity in all walks of life. That means engaging with our communities and, of course, making the most of bringing work to our stages in Portsmouth’s wonderful revitalised New Theatre Royal. We’ve got a wonderful team here, and great partnerships across the city.

  • What is your all time favourite show?

That’s a difficult one, as there are different reasons for favouring theatre productions, and what they stimulate in you. I’m a big David Hare fan, and have loved watching and working on some of his contemporary pieces, grabbing moments of political and social history as they happen, but they’re often of their time and therefore not easy to re-stage. Pieces such as Racing Demon, which we took to Los Angeles, The Permanent Way, or Stuff Happens. I’m also a big supporter of immersive theatre, using stages in imaginative ways or taking audiences to unexpected locations. In the last year I’ve commissioned pieces in pubs, storage containers and empty shops.

  • Are there any other directors or writers you’ve enjoyed working with?

I’ve been very lucky in my career to work alongside some great directors, writers and designers. People like Trevor Nunn, Peter Brook, Sam Mendes, and writers like the late Arthur Miller and Harold Pinter. The more I do in this industry however, the more it becomes about supporting new talent, and new ideas, and there’s a bigger thrill in seeing people you’ve contributed to developing going onto great things.

  • Who would play you in the story of your life?

Hah! Well, in the unlikely event that were to happen, it would have to be one of my contemporaries, who started out with me in Scotland- perhaps Ewan McGregor or Kevin McKidd- same accents and age, though I can’t say I match Ewan or Kevin’s Hollywood looks!

  • How familiar are you with the theatre scene in Portsmouth?

I’ve been a theatre-goer to Portsmouth, and took an RSC show here to the Mountbatten Centre some years ago. I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do on the community, visual arts, and music scenes in the city, and can’t wait to take up residence in Southsea in March. I have a seven year old son who loves spending time here, and keeps asking when we are moving. Although my time in Harlow has been successful, the town is very close to London, which can skew how people behave, particularly with drama. Portsmouth’s a good distance away from the capital, so is much more interesting in maintaining its own cultural gravity.

  • What do you hope to achieve at New Theatre Royal?

It’s inspiring that the tenacity of individuals led to the New Theatre Royal being saved, and also invested in to create this wonderful revitalised resource. The building gives us a great base to continue developing a strong programme of work onstage, and in engaging our communities. We’re also fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with the University of Portsmouth, and we’ll be working with them to explore how we bring theatre and creative technologies together in the future. With the outward-facing team that we have in place, audiences can look forward to some wonderful partnerships with artists, theatre companies, and other UK venues. We’ve also got some more heritage work to be done in older parts of the building too, protecting architectural features for future generations in this extraordinary historical city.

Read more about new Chief Executive, Scott Ramsay here