The Opera House equipment is “usable and fully functional” and the venue is “quite capable of staging shows”, according to an audit report authored amid a row over the need for technical upgrades at the theatre.
It comes less than a week after the Performing Arts Development Group wrote an open letter to the Chief Minister which claimed that the Opera House, recently refurbished at a cost of £12.7 million, would not be usable for many types of show.
But in the States Assembly yesterday, Deputy Lyndon Farnham said that an audit report presented to Ministers stated that the theatre’s technical equipment, while “quite old”, was “usable and fully functional” and that the venue was “quite capable of staging shows”.
The Chief Minister was answering a question from Deputy Montfort Tadier, who sought a commitment from Deputy Farnham to find a solution to the issue.
Having highlighted the audit report about the venue being able to stage shows, Deputy Farnham criticised the management of Jersey Opera House claiming they are “digging their heels in” and being unwilling to stage shows at the newly-refurbished facility.
He said: “It is a huge disappointment that the current management are not prepared [to stage shows] and have put their heels in the ground and said they’re not prepared to do anything unless they get all of the new equipment – that’s very disappointing given the amount of taxpayers’ money that’s been spent.”
The Chief Minister admitted that in hindsight, the project should have included some of the equipment being asked for, but pointed out that this had been requested at a late stage in the process.
He added: “I’m sure the government will find a contribution towards that equipment in due course, but let’s be clear – the Opera House can open and stage shows.
“We might not be able to get the all-singing, all-dancing West End touring shows over right now but I’d like to see the Opera House open for Liberation 80 with a great concert.”
Deputy Tadier pointed out that several other arts organisations had supported the call for upgraded equipment, including the Jersey Amateur Dramatic Club, Jersey Green Room Theatre Company, The Curtain Up Theatre Group, TimpanAli Productions, Jersey Symphony Orchestra Association and Jersey Island Singers.
“These are not clubs and associations which complain readily,” he said.
Acknowledging that the groups mentioned were “well-respected and contributed a lot” to Jersey, Deputy Farnham said that the solution would need to be a “sensible” one that delivered “best value for the taxpayer”.
“It would be preferable to update the ageing equipment, we’ve just got to sit down and find the right path to do that as quickly as possible,” he said.
“In the meantime I’d urge those in charge to relax their current position and get something going on there – they would have our full support.”
An “urgent” £1.5m public appeal was launched last month to fund technical upgrades to the Opera House ensure that the it could operate as a fully-equipped theatre.
In a statement, Jersey Opera House Ltd said: “Without these upgrades, we have a beautiful building, but the type of productions it can stage is severely limited, affecting local productions and reducing the scale and quality of events we can both present and bring to the island.
“Modern staging and lighting equipment are essential for the Jersey Opera House to meet the standards of a mid-scale receiving theatre.”
Express has asked the Government to confirm when the audit of the Opera House was carried out and who authored the report.
SUPPORT…
Islanders who would like to find out more information on how to support the Opera House appeal can contact Andy Eagle at andrew.eagle@jerseyoperahouse.co.uk.