Duty Manager Recruitment (Casual)

JOB ROLE: DUTY MANAGER (CASUAL)
LOCATION: THE LION & UNICORN THEATRE, KENTISH TOWN
SALARY: £10P/H (MINIMUM CALL £30 PER SHIFT)

We are looking to expand our team of Duty Managers for our very busy and expanding fringe theatre team in London. Our Duty Managers are the first point of contact for our audiences and visiting companies and are responsible for running the box office as well as ensuring all our shows in the venue run super smoothly and successfully.

From our regular seasonal programming to Camden Fringe and beyond, we have aims to create a brave and brilliant new fringe theatre destination in London which represents the very best that the fringe has to offer. We want to tell amazing and exciting stories from the amazing theatre makers we are so pleased to work with. and you can be part of our adventure.

So whoever you are and wherever you’re from, The Lion & Unicorn Theatre Is the place where you can #BeWhoYouWantToBe and we’re looking for some great new people to join our family.

Job Responsibilities:

• Welcoming our audiences to The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

• Opening and managing the Box Office

• Ensuring the Health & Safety of our audiences and visiting companies while a show is in progress - which now includes making sure all COVID-Secure guidelines are followed

• Engaging with audiences at the end of a show as part of our ongoing revenue generation strategy.

• Supervising Get ins / Get outs where necessary.

• Ensuring the theatre is clean and tidy, and that everything is in working order.  

• Other jobs in support of the theatre as required.

 About You:

•  Well presented with excellent customer service skills.

• Confident, articulate and outgoing, you’ll be comfortable working with people of all kinds and provide a warm and friendly welcome to The Lion & Unicorn Theatre.

• A good problem solver, be able to think on your feet and resolve issues quickly and effectively.

• You’ll have the ability to multitask and work quickly on your own initiative.

• Understand and be comfortable with basic IT / Box Office system.

• You’ll also ideally have a basic understanding of theatre tech. (Training will be given).

• You’ll also be as passionate about Fringe Theatre (and the brilliant people that make it) as we are and have a love for live performance in all it’ various forms.

In addition to paid shifts, all our Duty Managers receive free tickets to performances at the theatre and also a monthly allocation of free rehearsal space (subject to availability). Full training is also provided. We’re looking for people to commit to ideally at least one shift per week (with a minimum of one weekend show per month).

 For more information or to apply, please send a CV and a covering letter to lionandunicorn@proforca.co.uk - we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

CLOSING DATE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 10th June 2021 - 5.30pm

THANK YOU!

For all of us 2020 and 2021 have been a time of challenge and uncertainty, but the live events industry has been particularly challenged with the financial impact of having to cancel or curtail performances as a result of lockdown and reduced audience sizes - often with plans cancelled at last minute and with little or no support from the government.

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre was supported through our closure through a number of sources, not least our fantastic landlords at Youngs Pubs and the Team at the Lion & Unicorn, but we receive no public funds and did not benefit from any government financial support. Like most fringe theatre venues, the loss of both ticket sales revenue and the cancellation of work from visiting companies presents a challenge to our ongoing survival and we continue to need to adapt to the uncertainty caused by this ever-changing situation so that we can continue the support the brilliant artists and creatives that we work with and continue to work to restore the Lion & Unicorn Theatre to it’s rightful place as a destination fringe theatre venue in London.

With the above in mind, we just wanted to take a moment to say a massive “Thank You” to the following people who supported our open Crowdfunder over the last year or so. These contributions provided much needed support to our venue and were very, very much appreciated.

OUR HUGE THANKS GO TO:
Tom Foreman, Gill Aldred, Laura Shoebottom, Luke Dayhill, Lisa Shelton, Demelza O'Sullivan, Olivia Thompson, 
Cesar Abella, Matthew Jameson, Philip Gill, Ross Kernahan, Alex Bird, Jayne Woodhouse, Tiny Theatre Company Susanne Feldthusen, Carl Fletcher, Kat Rogers, Sarah Beebe, Evelyn Simpson, Alex Britt, Chloe Thorn, Jonathan Chan, Stephen Reimer & All Those who donated but wished to remain anonymous. We really are very grateful for all your support and hope to see you soon.

If you would like to continue to support the work of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre - you can either visit our Crowdfunder at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/landutheatre OR we’d love to see you at one of our performances of “AAAAA [FiveA"] by Proforca Theatre Company which opens Tuesday May 18th.

We’ d also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in our brilliant fringe theatre community that’ supported us during lockdown and beyond, in so many ways - and we look forward to welcoming you back to the theatre when we reopen for our new season this week.

Many Thanks

Team L&U x

Welcome Awkward Productions - New Associate Artists for 2021!

We are delighted to welcome Awkward Productions to the Lion & Unicorn Theatre as Associate Artists for 2021:

Awkward Productions create work that is fun, exciting and slightly uncomfortable. It was founded by a Swedish immigrant (Linus Karp) and his gay lover (Joseph Martin) in 2017.

The company's two biggest (and only) shows "Awkward Conversations With Animals I've F*cked" and "how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit movie musical 'cats'" both have long titles. They have both also received critical acclaim - the productions have been covered in The Guardian, The Stage, Time Out, Wonderland, Gay Times and P4 Sjuhärad (the local radio station of the Swedish forest Linus is from) and have recieved praise from Mark Gatiss, Edgar Wright and Linus' parents.

Awkward Productions have very jellicle plans for 2021 that we can't wait to share with you once the world opens up a bit again.

Awkward Productions join the other brilliant Associate Artists as part of our programme for 2021, all of whom have plans to bring some great new work to the Lion & Unicorn Theatre this year. Find out more about them at our website!

You can follow Awkward Productions on Twitter: @awkwardprods

2021 - Theatre Reopening - SUBMISSIONS OPEN NOW

We’re aiming to be ahead of the game and programming the best of London’s Fringe Theatre Work for as soon as as it is safely possible after restrictions are released and the theatre is allowed to reopen.
We are currently looking for work for the following:

• SEASON 4 & 5 - 2021 (Jun - December 2021)

• CAMDEN FRINGE - (APPLICATIONS OPEN Mar 1st 2021)

In addition to the above we also accept speculative programming throughout the year -please email your show details following the process below and we’ll be in touch if we can fit you in!

So whether you’re making work based on new writing, gig theatre, children’s shows, physical theatre, one person shows, improv or an interesting take on an old classic, we want to help you BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE.

We’re always happy to support theatremakers who tell stories about under-represented facets of society.

We know how intimidating it can be to put on a performance, so we want to help make you feel as welcome as supported as possible!

WHAT WE PROGRAMME:

One of the best things about fringe theatre in London is the massive and diverse range of stories that are told every day in venues like The Lion & Unicorn Theatre.

• Long Run (2/3 Weeks) for promising brand new work.

• Short Runs

• Scratch Nights & one-off performances

• R&D, Ed Fringe previews and other short works

• Anything weird and wonderful - come send us your ideas!

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU:

• Space to make and perform your work in a prestigious Zone 1 location.

• Favourable hire terms

• Speedy reconciliation of Box Office funds once a show is closed

• Free rehearsal space (for longer runs) - by arrangement

• FOH & Box Office Support

• Production support and creative feedback on your project.

• Support with Marketing & PR

• Advice, Guidance and Mentoring on staging your work from industry experts.

• Supportive relationships with industry partners who can help produce your work and make it happen

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

We want producing a show at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre to be a fantastic experience for you and your team. We make our own work too, and we understand all the perils, pitfalls and responsibilities involved in making a show - and we want to go on the adventure with you too!

We’re looking for people like us who are INVESTED, ENGAGED and the best fun to be with!

• Dynamic, enthusiastic theatre-makers with GREAT stories to tell.

• Fun, hardworking and focused individuals and companies who are committed to producing great work and to putting every effort into promoting their shows, selling tickets, and bringing the best audiences they can.

• Commercially aware theatre makers who understand the challenges of making work in a fringe theatre environment.

TO APPLY:

1. Complete and return our SUBMISSIONS FORM which outlines full details of the show you would like to perform (Link to form HERE:) (NB - Camden Fringe Applications are taken via Eventotron - please apply via the Camden Fringe website.

2. Include full details of your marketing plan and any other information you think we might need.

3. Once we’ve reviewed your submission, we’ll come back to you and arrange a meeting. (NB: We always invite companies to come in and “pitch” their project to us too!)

4. We always provide an acknowledgement that we’ve received your submission and then feedback on whether it will be a good fit, but please be patient while we review the applications. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

5. Once we’ve reviewed the information and programmed a season, we’ll include you in our season announcements and go through next steps with you!

QUESTIONS? GOT SOME WORK YOU WANT US TO SEE?

The best way to “get involved” is to send us an email, invite us to come see you perform or simply give us a shout and we’ll go for a coffee - we know a really brilliant place to meet for a drink!

Good Luck - We can’t wait to meet you!

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre announces new collaboration with London Playwrights

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre announces new collaboration with London Playwrights

We are delighted to announce a new collaboration with London Playwrights as they join The Lion & Unicorn Theatre as one of our Associate Companies for 2021.

London Playwrights is a resource for emerging writers in London and beyond. Bringing together opportunities, resources, and good advice - our aim is to support the next generation of playwrights, promoting a level playing field to empower writers to get their work on stage. As part of our work, we offer workshops and dramaturgical support, showcase new writing through live events, and provide a weekly round-up of the latest playwriting opportunities. 

“We're thrilled to be joining the Lion & Unicorn as an associate company. Over the past few years, we've been busy building our community both through our online work and live events, with the aim of bringing emerging writers together. However, in order for us to grow, and to allow us to create even more opportunities for writers - we really needed to find somewhere to call home! Joining the L&U will help us to take our work to the next level and support us in our quest to develop the next generation of playwrights, and we're really excited about the possibilities. We've long admired the work of the Lion & Unicorn as a venue for new writing so we couldn't be happier about this opportunity.“ 

KIMBERLEY ANDREWS,
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR LONDON PLAYWRIGHTS

The Lion and Unicorn Theatre will provide a physical home in London for London Playwrights and their team and this partnership will open a number of opportunities for both parties to grow, develop, and champion new and established writing talent.

“I’m delighted to announce our partnership with London Playwrights which will not only increase the level of support that the Lion & Unicorn Theatre is able to offer to the writing community but also provide them with a brand new home in London. Together this will allow us to curate and develop storytelling from a fantastic range of new and established writers, and continue in our mission to champion the best new and emerging theatre makers who tell great stories and the brilliant people that write them. I’m really excited by this collaboration and can’t wait for the London Playwrights team to join the Lion & Unicorn Theatre family.” 

DAVID BRADY,
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, LION & UNICORN THEATRE. 

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre is a 60 - seat black box theatre in the heart of Kentish Town, proudly above the Lion & Unicorn Pub. London Playwrights joins our roster of exciting fringe theatre Associate Artists who include Proforca Theatre Company, Bloom Theatre, Chalk Line, ChewBoy Productions, Fantastic Garlands, Far Cry Theatre Company, Fight or Flight Productions, Mad Wolf Theatre and Sycorax Collective. Our mission remains to create a destination fringe theatre venue for London which offers a platform to new & emerging theatre artists, champion fringe theatre and allow people to #BeWhoYouWantToBe.

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To find out more about the work of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre visit our website, which is www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @landutheatre. To find out more about London Playwrights, visit www.londonplaywrightsblog.com or on social media @LDNPlaywrights.