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Your Duty of Care
Your Duty of Care
It is your duty of care to report anything that you feel may be jeopardising your safety (both physical and emotional), or that of your peers and colleagues. Please report anything that impinges your ability to perform your duties as soon as an issue is identified.
Your Behaviour
Your Behaviour
Old Nick Company promotes a safe and friendly working environment and has developed a Code of Conduct to reflect this. You must at all times act in accordance with the code as well as obey the directions as given from time to time by Stage Management, the production team and/or Company Management.
Your Duty to Report
Your Duty to Report
If issues arise, report concerns to the Directors (during the rehearsal period) or the Stage Manager (during the show season) in the first instance. If you are not comfortable speaking to the nominated people, or the issue involves matters outside the rehearsal / performance space, please contact the Production Chair (Mel Ransley), or any other member of the Old Nick Committee or our Whistleblower Hotline on 1800 922 559 or by completing the online form.
A Complaints Handling Procedure (available on the first day of rehearsals) will provide alternative pathways for seeking support or advice if necessary.
Consent
Consent
The concept of consent is critical to provide a safe, healthy and productive working and theatre environment. It may be that one immediately thinks that consent refers to intimacy, such as embraces, touching or stage kisses. While that is an important part of consent in the theatre it encompasses much more than that.
Consent creates a safe and respectful environment, and is a big part of how we do things at Old Nick.
Consent, simply put, means permission for something to happen or be done. Consent is specific, informed, and flexible — meaning it can change or be withdrawn.
Bodily Autonomy
Bodily Autonomy
Bodily autonomy refers to an person's ability to decide what happens to their body without outside influence. In theatre, we use our bodies to tell stories. We often engage in hands-on work, using exercises, games, and scenes that involve physical touching, such as holding hands.
Do performers not want others to be near or touch certain parts of their body (or to touch them in general)? They may also feel uncomfortable in a particular costume piece if it is too short, tight, or revealing.
Can you modify the actions of the exercise, the movements of the scene, or the garments to respect performers boundaries?
What are other cast members physical and mental boundaries?
Are they comfortable with the content of the script or the scene you’re performing?
We don’t always know what experiences others have been through that could make certain content upsetting. For example, a cast member who recently had a death in the family may have difficulty performing a play with themes of grief. Or, they may be comfortable reading a scene in which a character dies, but they don’t want to play that role onstage.
Boundaries vary from person to person, and oftentimes we don’t know what our boundaries are until they’re pushed. In these moments, it’s important to be flexible and compassionate, and foster an environment where we can work through our feelings and bes respected.
If you would like to learn more about your individual rights and responsibilities regarding harassment and require assistance, please navigate to the Download Centre where information from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance [MEAA] is provided.
Resources include:
Alternatively, you can navigate to the MEAA website to find out more.
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