My ‘Pirates’ is a show that you can watch time and time again
Sasha Regan first established herself as an actor, then a producer and now she is an in-demand director; her All-Male Gilbert & Sullivan operettas are legendary, writes Michael Holland.
Factor in that Sasha has built the Union Theatre from the shell of a derelict factory and brought up two successful daughters, and you will get an idea of what a hard-working and driven women she is.
She is currently touring her award-winning All-Male Pirates of Penzance. This is a show that has been a regular part of UK theatre for many years and does not look like that ship will be stopping any time soon. Since its first sailing 15 years ago it has toured the world. I asked what its attraction was:
‘People who first enjoyed Pirates then brought their children, then their grandkids, so it gets passed along… Plus, it is a show that you can watch time and time again and each time you watch it you see something new, because each new cast brings new humour or a different love story with the different pairings we have.’
Because the script doesn’t change, I asked Sasha to clarify: ‘The actors bring their individual take on their characters, they deliver their lines differently; I see what makes them unique and direct accordingly’.
Does it have a cult following? ‘There are some people who come back year after year because they love the show, but there’s definitely an ever-changing audience.’
Sasha has turned almost half of the thirteen Gilbert & Sullivan operettas into all-male productions but has no immediate plans to complete the set, but is never saying never. ‘Mikado, Pirates, HMS Pinafore, Iolanthe, Patience, are the main ones that bring audiences in, which has to be an important aspect because, with a cast of 18 and a production crew, doing Gilbert & Sullivan isn’t cheap.’
With its yearly outings, some cast members return but this is the first time that there isn’t a 50-50 split between old and new actors mixing and blending. ‘This year there is only two returning cast to show the newbies the way I work’ she says. ‘So that’s exciting.’
Just as exciting is the news that after years of the same set and costumes the new production is ‘getting a bit of a facelift’. Sasha would not reveal any more other than to say that they hope to include ‘a bit of technology to bring it into 2024’…
The tour takes in Winchester and Cambridge then to the iconic Wilton’s Music Hall in Stepney, before finishing at the Theatre Royal in Bath. ‘That’s a nice place to end as the cast can all go and relax in the spa,’ she explains.
Next year, Sasha will be directing Puccini’s La Bohème, a traditional Italian opera, although she has none of the language except to order dishes off a menu. ‘At the interview they said they’d liked my Mikado so I accepted the challenge.’
Right there is an example of the status Sasha Regan has reached in theatre and the go-getting attitude that got her to that place. She exudes the air of a woman that is not fazed in the slightest. In fact, she looks raring to go! She even laughs as she says ‘If I fail miserably then I won’t do another one.’
La Bohème will tour English country houses in 2025 before going across the Channel to play in French chateaux.
With Ms Regan at the top of her game in the world of theatre there are problems that have devastated all other walks of life – Covid. When the theatres had to close there was no way the Union could make money, but landowners still put their hands out for rent. When life settled down, Sasha owed way over £100,000. And then the rent went up.
This is not just a Union Theatre problem, much of the nation’s service industry went under when greed overwhelmed them. I asked how she kept going: ‘I’ve had so many sleepless nights; I asked myself what would happen if I just walked away – And I’ve never felt like that in the 27 years since I first opened the Union. I began looking at jobs, wondering if I could be a receptionist, or something like that. I then asked myself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen if I shut down? Me and my girls would have our health, no stress, and we’d be happy without the Union. When you tell yourself that then you can be a little bit braver in moving forward, so I am going to do my utmost to give it a damn good try to stay open.’
With the free space available at the theatre and the task ahead, Sasha talks of having ‘a business model now being more corporate (‘Companies pay more than a theatre company’), with more weddings, birthday and engagement parties (‘50th are the best birthdays as no one has to go home to the kids, while 18th parties means cleaning up a lot of vomit!’). So it’s now all about juggling that, really.’
There are two youth drama groups based in the Union, with several of the members going off to the Brit School this year, and the plays focus more on musicals and LGBTQ productions: ‘That community know us, trust us and feel safe here.’
What have been your highlights at the Union? ‘The people who have worked here, the memories and so much laughter, the tears and the great productions.’
Nellie and Bea, her girls, grew up with the Union Theatre so I asked how it impacted on their lives: ‘I’ve shown that has a woman you can have a business and have children and that it’s going to be tough, with sacrifices and compromises, but I think they admire what I do… I’ve inspired Bea to go and work in anything other than theatre, which she has done, but Nellie is loving being at the Brit School, so she followed me,’ concluded Sasha with a motherly smile.
Perhaps the Union Theatre may one day be broken by the greed of commerce but Sasha Regan, the mother of it all, who first created her theatre in a part of Southwark when it wasn’t trendy and was a ghost town after 5 o’clock on a Friday, will never be broken, she will never be a receptionist. She will be directing and producing great works forever.
The Pirates of Penzance, Wilton’s Music Hall, Grace’s Alley, London E1 8JB from 29th October – 23rd November. Admission: £10.50 – £32.50.
Times and Booking Details: https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/the-pirates-of-penzance-autumn24/
Watch the full interview: https://youtu.be/ZOZTeR-2sZo
