Garden Suburb Theatre (Charity Number 1009309) Annual Report for the year ended 31" August 2025 l. Charitable Purposes Amateur theatre group promoting education and training in the theatre through producing at least five staged productions a year, including one outdoor show, as well as rehearsed and unrehearsed play readings. High involvement of local community and fund raising for local charities. 2. Review of Activities Main Productions during the year October 2024: of Whose fe is itAnywayP by Brian Clark directed by Tim Solomons, fulfilling our brief to educate this was a play that deals with the complex moral and legal questions around an individual's rights to decide on the manner and time of their death. The production dealt with these themes in a sensitive way, not shying away from the humour within the text and was brought to life by an exceptional cast, with a bravura performance by Vicki Browning. A tough subject that was well served by all those involved. November 2024: Holding the Man by Tommy Murphy directed by Kayne Mccutcheon. The play tells the love story between Tim Conigrave and John Caleo which started when they were at school in Australia and travels through decades with a multitude of characters. It was expertly staged with a minimal set and about a thousand costume changes and the resulting show was a heart-felt- sometimes sad, sometimes very funny, piece of important theatre, again fulfilling our brief to educate The play was also our entry in the Isle of Man Festival over Easter 2025 where it won, in the Full Length Play category: Best Play. Best Director Best Set Conception, Design and Construction o Best Drama And was also nominated for: Best Male Performance (Daryl Hurst playing Tim) o Besl Use of Sound and Lighting o Best Costume and Make-up. The play was the only full length play invited to perform at the National Drama Festival in August 2025where it won: Best Artor- Jointly for James Clarke and Daryl Hurst And the Adjudicator Award for the Slumber Party award. Kayne Mccutcheon was also nominated for Best Director. February 2025: The scheduled production, Blithe Spirit, had to be cancelled because of the illness of the director, Stephen Lannigan-O'Keefe. Instead we put on Wrltlngfmm Within 2. A professional
writer, Simon Block, ran a series of workshops with members of GST to develop monologues they had written which were then directed and performed by the company. All the monologues were of an incredibly high standard and showcased the amazing talent we have within GST. The breadth of subjects that were covered was extraordinary, from very funny to searing and all done to the highest standard. May 2025: An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde and directed by Mary Groom and Omer Warman. The play was transported to the 1980's and Thatcher's Britain which proved to be a refreshing take on this classic. An ingenious piece of set design by Andy Farrer allowed the play to move seamlessly through the scenes and the play was incredibly well supported and enjoyed by sell out audiences. It also introduced us to new cast members which is lovely to see. July 2025: The Tempest by William Shakespeare directed by Teresa Poland. A fantastic cast brought this perennial favourite to life and, although the weather worked against us somewhat (too hot, not rain this time), audiences really enjoyed this magical offering. Being able to perform in the newly revamped wood setting was a joy. All of our productions rely on the time and dedication of all those people who volunteer to work backstage, set designers, stage managers, lighting and sound designers and operators, costume designers, stage hands and publicists and we are all incredibly grateful for the time. dedication and support they have given us throughout this season. Other productions We had three Studio Productions this year: Aristotle's Wife, directed by Nina Meinzer, a fabulous and thought-provoking show. Party by Tom Basden, directed by Freya Carrol, a very funny look at a group of young students attempts to set up a political party. A Snippets Evening, Fmm Screen to Stage which allowed several director5 to have an opportunity to direct scenes from some well-loved and well-known f*J shows and Films. All the Studio Productions were extremely well done and enjoyed by enthusiastic and appreciative audiences. Social events The Wednesday Socials have been running frequently this year and continue to provide a lovely way for members to meet and enjoy a whole host of themed evenings, so well done to everyone involved with them, especially Colin Gregory for all the hard work he has put into organising them. Other social events we have had this year include Pub visits, a quiz and an Improv night and the Summer Picnic. These are another great way for members to meet up and celebrate the fact that, although we are an Amateur Dramatics Co., we are also a community of people and friends. Special thanks to Jo Moore and Gabi Maddox for all the work they have put into these events this year. 3. Organisation Day to day administration of the group is through an annually elected General Committee. In addition there is an annually elected Casting and Selection Committee which selects plays and directors and assists with casting. 4. Financial Review Last year was a really bad year financially. If we start looking at the Production Accounts, Blithe Spirit was cancelled, and Whose fe Is It anyway? and Holding the Man, while critical successes, were expensive shows that didn't garner big audiences and even The Tempest, another good show, didn't sell well- possibly in a first for the wood,
it was said to be too hot! Writingfmm Wlthln 2 made a profit, but it was a much smaller scale show than Blithe Spirit would have been. An Ideol Husband mad a good profit. Show costs this year were £16,000 as against last year's £21,000- half of that bein8 the difference between Writingfrom Within 2 and Blithe Spirit. So last year's shows were more expensive to put on. However, we sold over 500 fewer tickets which equates to £8,000 in ticket sales; and 80 fewer members saw shows than last year. So as against a profit on shows last year of £4,181, this year shows only made £200 profit. Looking at the Income and Expenditure Account, membership revenues were down by £500, although the fewer members who saw shows means slightly more of the membership fees carry into the Income and Expenditure Account than last year; many of the costs were slightly higher than last year but the big increase was in the unallocated Free Church Hall rental which was £1,300 higher- the lack of Blithe Spirit rehearsals helps account for this increase as most of that amount would have been allocated to them. I have been asked why we are now charging each show £950 for rehearsals, and will do so whether or not they use the FCH. It's because we have an annual agreement for the FCH, and since we began that, the rent has only risen by inflation, but we are now paying £643 a month. Six weeks rehearsals is roughly one and a half times this- hence £950. All of this means we made aloss of £5,834 this year- which is largely the £4,000 lower profit on the shows. But it is worth remembering that GST accounts are always swings and roundabouts. Last year we only lost £321, but the year before we made a £7,000 profit; over the last three years, we have made about £1,000 profit. The danger is if low audiences continue, especially as the Gatehouse have told us that they will be charging VAT on the theatre hire soon. Maybe we should be more flexible and look for cheaper locations and shorter runs for plays that are relatively unknown and will not garner large audiences TrEA£(Aoe
JÈ THE GARDEN SUP•URB • THEATRE • Charity NO 1009309 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED ST 31 AUGUST 2025 Index - Balance Sheet - Page 1 Incomo and Expendlture Account - Page 2 Productlon Accounts - Page 3
THE GARDEN SUBURB THEATRE BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 AUGUST 2025 2024-25 202&24 Flx•d A8sets 2,955 3.195 Cufrent Assets Cash al B8nk Cash On Deposit Debtors Front of House & Merchandising Stock Prepaymenls & accxued income 3,402 32.710 3,222 38,870 25 1.725 37.862 85 1,279 43,456 Current Llabllltle• Creditors A¢crua18 Net Cltrrent Assets 37,862 43,456 40,817 46.651 Accumulated Fund 1st September 2024 Costume Fund ProfftllLo881 for the year 31,301 15.350 15 834 j 31.622 15,350 (3211 40,817 46.651 I have carried out an Indepenijent exami¢ialion of Ihese Accounts and In my opinion they give a Irue and fair view ol the financial posib.on of The Garden Suburb Theat as 8131 st August 2025. R. Ashman Indepenil•nt Examlner Vve dedare that these Accounts are correct and have been apwoved by the members of The Garden Suburb Theatre. Polan /6rfd- Chalr Lynn Fldler ]aLu Se¢felary Da¥ld Lano Tr¢asurer
THE GARDEN SUBURB THEATRE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT ST FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 202&25 202>24 Incom• Subscriptions Less Member3 Ticket Sabs 4.635 (2,3841 5,161 (3. 0321 2,251 2.129 980 99 Bank Interest Easy Fundraising Donatrons Grant from HGS Trust Third Party Coswm8 Hire PfofiVIIoss1 on Act>viu8s Production5 Studio Productions socialXmas Party Festsvals 108 379 40 4.181 23 18821 468 {6791 11911 2.938 6,746 Total In¢¢)m• 3,434 Overad expondltur• Fees, Subs¢riptit)n$ and Donations Insurance AGM Mis11ane0u8 Bank Charges Little Wood Hul Rent & Maintenanc Free Church Hall rental after allocation Garage Costs DepcIatIon & write olls Costum• Sloiage 872 1.437 36 j97 60 230 3,953 1,055 1.406 A8 103 61 36 2.676 780 533 370 707 596 9.268 7A167 Total Exwndltur• (321) ProtlUllos81 fof th¢ year Outward Glvlng Money collted in buckets at shows Less Donations to North London Hospice Balance 469 469 86 86
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