Nuffield Southampton Theatres (NST) has gone into administration as a result of the increasingly severe financial impact caused by coronavirus.
NST, which has run for more than 50 years, comprises venues at the University of Southampton’s Highfield campus and at a new £32m hub in Guildhall Square in the city centre. The severe drop in ticket sales from its closure and uncertainty about its reopening date have proved devastating.
On 3 April, NST announced the cancellation of all performances until 31 May. The majority of its 80 staff have been furloughed. Buyers are being sought by joint administrators Greg Palfrey and Steve Adshead, from the south coast office of Smith & Williamson. Palfrey said it was “a sad day not only for Southampton, of which NST has been a venerable part of the city’s cultural fabric for more than half a century, but for the country’s theatreland in general”.
NST has become a major cultural force in the region and beyond, particularly with dramas based on local stories such as Howard Brenton’s The Shadow Factory, about the production of Spitfires, and SS Mendi, about the sinking of a South African ship in Southampton waters. That production received a five-star review from the Guardian.
Palfrey stated: “We will do our best to sell the business and its assets, albeit in testing commercial conditions which have no parallel in modern British history … NST is a well-respected theatre company, with a range of assets, that could survive and thrive. A buyer would need to be patient because no one yet knows when theatres will reopen, or how social distancing measures would impact upon seating and stage and therefore revenues. However, for the right person or company, this presents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the leading and long-established theatre brands in southern England.”
In 2015, NST was named “regional theatre of the year” by the Stage newspaper. Its recent commissions include a play about a local pub, The Hobbit, and its legal battle with a Hollywood film company over copyright infringement. The theatre plays an important role in Southampton’s bid to become UK city of culture in 2025. Its campus site, which has a 500-seat auditorium, cafe and bar, temporarily closed earlier this year as part of an extensive university refurbishment programme.
NST is led by Samuel Hodges. It is one of Arts Council England’s national portfolio organisations and a registered charity, receiving additional core funding from the University of Southampton and Southampton city council.
The playwright James Graham was among those to react to the news on Twitter: “So sad and senseless. A theatre loved locally, well attended, but ticket refunds due to the necessary shutdown means it has no cash and no sign of a cash injection from government. There’ll be many more soon without theatres receiving extra public support as seen in other sectors.”
