Adam Speers - Theatre Production
Have you ever wondered what a theatre producer does? So did we, so we sent a unicornjobs.com Contributor into the heart of London’s West End to speak to Adam Speers, one of the producers of ‘Into The Hoods’
By Lucy Miles
What exactly does a theatre producer do?
That depends on the type of show and where a producer becomes involved in it. It can be as simple as administrating everything that goes on behind the scenes and it can be as complicated as trying to find an idea, a creative team, a cast and the finance from scratch. That’s when it’s really satisfying!
How did you become involved in theatre production?
At university I got involved in a lot of student theatre. Then I worked at the Edinburgh Festival, and then progressively moved on to bigger theatres in London.
Have you always known you wanted to work in the theatre?
Yes. Originally I thought I would be involved more onstage, as an actor. But I found that offstage work is actually more fulfilling.
How do you spend your time?
I spend about half of my time in the office, and the rest in the theatre.
What did you study at university?
I studied Classical Civilisation.
Would you say a degree is important for a career in the theatre?
I wouldn’t say a degree is particularly important. It depends what you want to do really, but I would say that hard work and application are both very important. And obviously talent.
Is it easier to get a job in commercial theatre or subsidised theatre?
I’ve only ever worked in commercial theatre, but it’s very hard to get a job in either.
What is the biggest misconception about the theatre business?
That it’s very glamorous and fun and not hard work. It can be glamorous sometimes but it’s not all fun and games. There is actually quite a lot of office work involved.
What kind of problems can you encounter while working on a production?
All sorts of problems really, there’s a very long list. Obviously it’s a very personality-driven industry, with a lot of strong egos. The challenge is really what you can achieve with the amount of creative force behind a production against the financial restrictions of a budget.
Tell us about ‘Into the Hoods’.
It’s basically a street-dance, hip-hop musical, based on ‘Into the Woods’ by Stephen Sondheim. It’s an urban fairytale about two kids who come across a tower and they meet all sorts of people who are based on traditional fairytale characters. For example there’s Spinderella, Rap-on-zel and Lil’ Red – as in Riding Hood. It’s a fun and exciting combination of hip-hop and a musical.
If you weren’t a theatre producer what do you think you would be doing?
I’d be a ski instructor, or at least that’s what I’d like to be. But other than that if I wasn’t a producer I think I’d still stay in the theatre business, probably as a drama teacher or a director.
When you’re working on a production, the hours must be very demanding. How does this affect your social life?
It affects it a lot. I don’t finish work until about 10pm, so if I’m meeting people afterwards it’s always very late. I also don’t see as many friends who don’t work in the theatre as much as I’d like. However I see friends who do work in the theatre all the time.
What aspects of your job do you like the most?
The satisfaction of having completed something and knowing you were part of something, and when a production gets 4 or 5-star reviews.
What do you like least about your job?
The amount of office work.
What kind of qualities would you say are important for someone working in theatre?
Again, hard work and application are very important, and you have to be able to get along with people well. The ability to cut through whatever problem arises is also very important.
‘Into the Hoods’ at the Novello theatre – www.intothehoods.com
