My pal and former colleague the theatre supervisor Ruth Eastwood, who has died aged 62 shortly after a analysis of breast most cancers, reinvigorated a variety of regional theatres via her means to handle change whereas retaining and creating new expertise.
Ruth was born in Watford, the youngest of the 4 youngsters of Harold Eastwood, a compositor, and Betty (nee Edwards), and it was clear from a younger age that theatre was her ardour. She began as a entrance of home volunteer at Watford Palace theatre in her teenagers and, following her English literature diploma at Sheffield, shaped the Splash Theatre Firm in Hull, a “pop-up” supported by the Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Whereas working as head of promoting with Hull Truck Theatre, she met Roger McCann, and so they bonded over the ingenious promotion of the play Bouncers in 1989, which concerned taster performances in Blackpool nightclubs. The play might have bombed in Blackpool however the relationship fortunately survived.
The Nationwide Theatre, Bradford Theatres and Darlington Civic Theatre and Arts Centre have been all to profit from Ruth’s expertise and fervour earlier than, in 1997, as the brand new CEO, she bounced in to Poole Arts Centre, a drained municipal constructing with lottery funding in want of regeneration. Ruth established an everlasting relationship for the centre with the Arts Council and a brand new identify, Lighthouse, and relaunch adopted in 2002.
In my position as a trustee there, I labored alongside Ruth for eight years, and it was inspirational to observe her reinvigorate the constructing and the employees. Humorous, principled and massively clever, she at all times steered a compassionate course.
Mentoring and supporting appeared to guide naturally to fostering and in 2003 Ruth and Roger adopted Tawana, an Iraqi Kurdish refugee. Extra just lately they hosted a Ukrainian household for greater than a 12 months as they fled from conflict.
Her love of a brand new problem took her in 2006 from Poole to Leicester and the £60m Curve theatre new construct. She oversaw its completion and launch in 2008, then spent just a few years as a advisor earlier than shifting in 2013 to the very outdated and failing Blackpool Grand. Credited with saving it from closure, Ruth steered it via Covid, turning it from an area useful resource to certainly one of nationwide significance.
She was enthusiastic about her appointment in February this 12 months to the position of theatres adviser to the Theatres Belief, the nationwide public advisory and advocacy physique. She had served as a trustee for 9 years, the final six of them as vice-chair.
Ruth introduced pleasure to a legion of associates and colleagues. She is survived by Roger and Tawana, and by her sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, and brother, Tim.
