3 July 2024

Five Minutes With Gavin Shuman

Home / News / Five Minutes With Gavin Shuman

It’s time to pop the kettle on and settle down for the latest in our ‘5-minutes with…’ series, and this week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Gavin Shuman, Fareham Live’s new Venue Director.

Gavin brings a wealth of experience to our venue,

Can you describe Fareham Live and its significance in the local arts and entertainment community?

Fareham Live will be Fareham’s new cultural hub, Hosting variety of private events, shows and community hires. It will benefit the local area with jobs opportunity’s, a wide range of culture and income generation for local business.

Please describe your role. What does a typical day look like for you as the venue director?

As a Venue Director the only thing that stays the same is getting up and eating breakfast, after that the day will take you in a variety of directions, from discussions with local producers and community hires, meetings with the heads of departments, meeting the cast of the next weeks or nights show, Health and safety meetings and the list goes on.

What inspired you to pursue a career in theatre?

Before theatre I worked for a cinema chain leading on film premiers in Leicester square. Whilst in London I got the opportunity to see some fantastic live shows and that experience inspired me to start looking for a role in theatre. 14 years later and I’m still loving every single day.

What would you recommend to others wishing to pursue a career in theatre?

If it's something you really want to do, decide what area you want to get into or what transferrable skills that you could utilize. For example, I moved across from cinema management to manage a theatre box office and gained experience that way.

What excites you most about the launch of Fareham Live?

Building a new team and seeing them develop and grow into their roles. Also the first show when we look out and see the audience settle into their seats, blissfully unaware of the army of people involved in making this venue happen.

What are some key activities and preparations involved in getting Fareham Live ready for its grand opening?

Getting a venue ready for opening takes a huge amount of co-ordination and requires the new team to really hit the ground running. We have selected a very experienced management team and we are very excited to bring this wonderful building alive and transform it into a lively and animated venue.

What is your favourite show that you have watched?

My Daughter would like me to say frozen. However, for me its Les Misérables, as that’s the show that really made my mind up and pushed me to change careers.

Who would be your dream performer at Fareham Live?

That’s tough, I have seen some amazing acts and performers. I think I would like to have Rufus Wainwright at Fareham as he played my previous venue and was fantastic.

As the launch approaches, what message would you like to share with future patrons and supporters of Fareham Live?

Come in and see us, have a coffee, maybe even a spot of lunch. soak up the relaxed atmosphere in the café while you decide which of the fantastic current and future shows you want to watch. The program is a real mix of genres and has something for all tastes.

Thank you for spending 5 minutes with us, Gavin! We can’t wait to see what magic you help bring to audiences at Fareham Live.