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Interviews
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Bryan Savery Philip Fisher interviews the General Manager of the Tamasha Theatre Company Philip Fisher was lucky enough to catch up with Bryan Savery at The Traverse Theatre and persuade him to grant an interview to British Theatre Guide. He is in Edinburgh helping to promote Tamasha's World Premiere (after an initial run at the Contact Theatre in Manchester) production of Ryman and the Sheikh at the Pleasance Dome, transferring to Soho Theatre in September. This is an attempt to return the company to its family-run root, connecting with audiences and working with raw new writing. It features a collaboration with Comedy Store star, Richard Vranch, but has more serious intentions than this might suggest. Tamasha was set up 12 years ago with the specific intention of giving a voice to the British Asian theatrical community. It produces one full-scale, new British Asian (Hinglish) influenced play each year. Its biggest success to date is Ayub Khan-Din's East is East, which subsequently transferred to the Royal Court and was made into a hit film. This was a first play, written by an actor and sent in on the off-chance that it might work. It was then developed in association with the Tamasha artistic team. Tamasha is also very proud that it has played a major part in the careers of several people who are now stars. These include Nina Wadhia from Goodness Gracious Me and Parminder Nagra who starred in Bend it Like Beckham, which also featured another Tamasha star, Shaheen Khan (who co-wrote last year's Tamasha hit Balti Kings) as the mother. All of the company's work is newly commissioned with detailed research that often involves the company in trips to the relevant locations which could as easily be in Lancashire as the Punjab. The work is collaborative, with the creative team and the actors having input into the final version. Tamasha will commission a work and provide dramaturgical support as it develops. This will usually come from the two Artistic Directors, Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith. The latter has directed every show that the company has produced to date. Alternatively, they may commission an outsider such as the Young Vic's David Lan, who assisted with the development of East is East. Bryan Savery joined Tamasha as an administrator two years ago and was promoted to General Manager within a couple of months, a major compliment to a man in his mid-20s who was not that far out of an Arts Managerial course at Plymouth University's Dartington College. His role is very much at the business end of the company. He has to organise a team of seven people, not all of whom are full-time. While the Artistic Directors have the final say in their area, when it comes to financial decisions and administrative matters Bryan is in charge. His financial duties involve dealing and negotiating with venues, keeping the accounts and operating the payroll. As Tamasha is a registered charity, he also gets heavily involved in funding issues. The money to run the company is pretty substantia,l as to put on a big production such as Ryman or their hit Bollywood musical 14 Songs, 2 Weddings and a Funeral can cost over £100,000. In addition, there is an educational ethos that, for example Tamasha is to put on intensive an two-week Design Direct workshop for young Asian designers and directors at Goldsmiths College. They are also looking at assisting new writers to put on ten minute one-act plays that will form a showcase for professional production. These things don't come cheap. The money comes from a variety of sources, both public and private. The Arts Council is the core funding body and London Arts and ALG also help. The company is really keen to develop more commercial links such as that with restaurant chain, Cafe Lazeez. Bryan is at pains to point out that this could be a fantastic, high profile artistic sponsorship for the right organisation and that the company's Marketing Manager is always keen to meet people and talk about ways of working together. There is also a Friends scheme that starts from as little as £20 p.a. To make it even more tempting, any donation of £100 or more will qualify for Gift Aid tax relief. It is great to meet an enthusiast like Bryan Savery. He clearly loves doing his dream job and the involvement with theatre. He is a theatre addict who goes to up to 100 shows a year. His pick of Edinburgh 2002 to date - Stitching by Anthony Neilson at the Traverse. If you want to find out more about Tamasha, go and see Ryman and
the Sheikh on tour - in Edinburgh, London, Birmingham or Denmark
or take look at their website - www.tamasha.org.uk
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