If there is no communication, no show.... if you do something wrong, they [the HoD and other members
of the Department] just tell you - ‘why are you doing that for? Think about it. What’s going to happen?
What does it look like?’ Or, they will let you make a mistake, and ask, ‘why did that mess up?’
(Interview, September 2006).
Apart from developing the technical aspects of vocational practice, the learning curriculum
also developed the confidence and insight to communicate with all professionals working in
the theatre. As the Stage Management apprentice observed:
Books don’t teach how to deal with people - when you’ve got actors and designers who are not happy
(Interview, September 2006).
Another feature of the learning curriculum was a programme of limited work rotation and
visits to other theatres and events across the country, for instance, apprentices visited the
Association of British Theatre Technicians exhibition which exhibited lighting and sound
equipment as well as front and back stage in other theatres. John believes that such rotations
and visits enable apprentices to locate their understanding of vocational practice in a wider
context and lay the foundation for them to transfer their knowledge and skill into other
theatrical contexts:
I want to give them the widest scope possible - some transferable skills and to have the knowledge to be
able to cope, as well as being a specialist in their own field. They will have some practice - the Lighting
apprentice will go to Sound for two weeks to learn how it works. There is and will continue to be quite a
lot of internal cross-fertilisation going on.... Once apprentices gain the balance between practice and
theories and between specialisation and transferability, they will be industry-ready as a freelancer with
confidence (John Pitt, Interview, April 2006).
‘Specialisation and transferability’ are, for John, the prerequisites as regards securing
permanent or temporary employment in the contemporary theatre industry:
the REP is one of the biggest producing theatres in the country. There aren’t many places like it, which is
why again, this recognition we have to give them through those transferable skills to be able to go into a
very very diverse industry from the start, i.e. television, exhibitions, events, small-scale touring, and
theatres of course! (Interview, October 2006)
The importance and appropriateness of on-the-job training based on the principles of
vocationality, work flow and team-working was also affirmed by the HoDs. This kind of
scheme is suited for theatre as ‘most areas in theatre are hands-on experience and on-going’
(Head of Stage management, interview, September 2006)’.
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