Equity had ‘serious concerns’ about Turbine Theatre prior to closure announcement

Performers’ Union Equity raised “serious concerns” about how employees were being engaged at Turbine Theatre less than a week before its artistic director, Paul Taylor-Mills, announced that the commercial Battersea venue was to close due to a challenging funding landscape.

In a newsletter sent last Thursday (10 October), Equity asked members to get in touch if they currently or had recently worked for Turbine.

A spokesperson told Arts Professional that the call out followed a number of current cases with members, which are being handled by union officials.

“We have serious concerns with how Turbine Theatre (Turbine Creatives Ltd) engages performers and stage management,” wrote Equity.

“If you are currently engaged for a show or have recently been engaged, contact [Equity] with a copy of your contract and schedules to explore the matters further.

“You may have been denied important rights that could be of significant monetary value.

Four days after the newsletter was sent, Taylor-Mills announced on Instagram that the venue would be shutting after five years of operation.

He said: “As the landscape of making theatre shifts, without serious investment and philanthropy, a 92-seat space just can’t work, and it’s time for me to focus my efforts elsewhere.”

An Equity spokesperson said: “A number of Equity members have come forward with concerns which the union is providing support on. We hope we can resolve the issues of concern constructively with the Turbine Theatre and Paul Taylor-Mills, and we are in contact with them to that end.”

Taylor-Mills is also the artistic director of Bill Kenwright-owned venue The Other Palace and director of production company Turbine Creatives.

Turbine Theatre was launched with backing from Bill Kenwright, but the space is owned by Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), which said it had supported the venture “financially and operationally”.

In a statement to The Stage, BPSDC said, “After five successful years of producing award-winning shows at Battersea Power Station, the operators of the Turbine Theatre have decided to close the venue.”

It added, “We are currently looking at a number of different options for the space.”

Taylor-Mills has been contacted for comment.