"Terrifying" is how Bart Lee describes his new job. It's also "fantastic" and "exciting". As artistic director, Bart is responsible for putting together the programme of shows for The Castle's 500-seat main auditorium and 100-seat studio theatre. He's the new boy at The Castle after working as artistic director for a theatre company at Bracknell, Berks. "There I was responsible for six or seven weeks of programming," says Bart. "Here it's for the whole year".
Nightmare
 | | The Buddha of Suburbia played at The Castle in April |
Shows are booked up early, so it'll be a year before we see the results of Bart's labours. But he's already planning on changes. "I want to get more community productions up and running," is his aim. In discussion with local groups - such as youth groups - he wants to develop shows for the main house. Next summer he wants to put on a big cast community musical: "I have a history of doing that - a cast of 100; it's a nightmare but good fun!" At 27, Bart is a youthful artistic director. He believes his age is "an advantage in attracting young people". Like many theatres around the country, The Castle is setting it's sights on the twentysomethings.
Alienating
 | | Youthful: Bart Lee |
"Older people can get set in their ways," he explains. "They say: 'This is the way we've always done it and this is the way we're always going to do it'.
"By meeting new people and hopefully being a bit fresher, I can get people in and say: 'all right - go for it' and given them a try."
The difficult thing (something with which all theatres are grappling) is to to pull in a younger audience without alienating the existing, older audience. "I have to cater for everybody and find good drama, good music; create deals with new partnerships and try to get people in here."
Comedy has already been a draw for young people at The Castle. Bart believes there's much more they can do for the audience: "Give them ownership of the work and make it appeal to them. There are plays for younger audiences that you can pick."
Unplugged
 | | Tonight We Fly - a show using masks - came to The Castle in February |
Other projects include 'Unplugged and intimate', a showcase for local acoustic bands and solo artists, and a 'Battle of the Bands' competition culminating in a gig in the main theatre with professional support. "The arts centre is here as a service for everyone to use," he says. He's urging budding performers to contact him. "A lot of people get very precious about their art and think it's something that shouldn't be touched and it's something that you can't get into. "I don't feel like that at all. I think it's something that needs to be expressed: if you write a play it's no good if it stays on your computer filed away - you have to try and perform it in front of an audience because only in performance do you find what a play is about.
"If you're a songwriter, it's no point if you're all the time singing to yourself: you have to sing to other people." The invitation is there - give Bart a ring and he'll try to help you develop your ideas. For Bart, the hard work begins now - finding all those community shows to fill a year's worth of entertainment. | 
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