Mary Allen
Encyclopedia
Mary Allen is a British writer, broadcaster, arts administrator and management consultant best known for her controversial and turbulent period as Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House
.
, New Hall, Cambridge
, and at the University of East Anglia
(MA). In the early 1970s worked under the name of Mary Adames as an actress in repertory
theatre and the West End. She appeared in an early London production of The Rocky Horror Show
and toured with Godspell
. After working for private companies as a management trainer and consultant, as well as running Watermans Arts Centre in west London
, Allen worked for the Arts Council of England rising to the position of Secretary General in 1994 just as the organisation took on the responsibility of distributing National Lottery
funds, before becoming Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House in London.
approaching with a year, consideration of a likely successor generated some speculation in the British press. Among the four women named were Genista McIntosh
and Mary Allen, although the latter "publicly stated that she would not be taking the job".
McIntosh became General Director of the Royal Opera House in early 1997, but resigned after five months on the job due to ill health. Allen was immediately approached by "the Royal Opera House's chairman, Lord Chadlington, (who) then appointed Mrs Allen to replace her without advertising the post."
. Although he was not "not happy" with the appointment, the decision was accepted by Chris Smith
as the responsible minister, even though it breached the conditions of the Arts Council's own funding for the organisation. Although Allen took over her new post unaware how close the organisation was to bankruptcy
, she began steering the major refurbishment of the House.
Later that year a Select Committee investigation was led by Gerald Kaufman
MP
. He was critical of Allen's actions and "demanded her removal 'with immediate effect' ". This led to her offering to resign.
The Select Committee's Report was also critical of the actions of the entire Board of the Royal Opera House:
The Board were forced to resign and, in January 1998, "Sir Colin Southgate (EMI chairman) (was) appointed as ROH's chairman and he threatened that ballet and opera performances may have to cease for two years to save money."
It has been noted that Allen was essentially forced out of the position, with the one person coming to her defence unprompted being "Bernard Haitink, the ROH's music director. 'What is desperately needed at the moment is a modicum of stability,' declared Haitink in an open letter last month. 'A third change of leadership within a year is not the answer.' " However, although Allen was formally asked to stay on, she resigned in March 1998.
, covering current events and the arts.
A friend of Douglas Adams
since Cambridge, Allen gave the eulogy at his funeral.
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
.
Early career
She was educated at the School of St Helen and St KatharineSchool of St Helen and St Katharine
The School of St Helen & St Katharine is an English independent girls' school, located in Abingdon.- History :The School of St Helen & St Katharine was originally two separate girls' schools, St Helen's School and St Katharine's School, founded in the early years of the twentieth century...
, New Hall, Cambridge
New Hall, Cambridge
Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded as "New Hall" in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom, and when only two other colleges admitted women...
, and at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
(MA). In the early 1970s worked under the name of Mary Adames as an actress in repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
theatre and the West End. She appeared in an early London production of The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
and toured with Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
. After working for private companies as a management trainer and consultant, as well as running Watermans Arts Centre in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Allen worked for the Arts Council of England rising to the position of Secretary General in 1994 just as the organisation took on the responsibility of distributing National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
funds, before becoming Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House in London.
The Royal Opera House
In mid-1996, with the retirement of then general director Jeremy IsaacsJeremy Isaacs
Sir Jeremy Isaacs is a British television producer and executive, winner of many BAFTA awards and international Emmy Awards. He was also General Director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden .-Early life:...
approaching with a year, consideration of a likely successor generated some speculation in the British press. Among the four women named were Genista McIntosh
Genista McIntosh, Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
Genista Mary "Jenny" McIntosh, Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall is a British arts consultant, theatre executive and Labour politician....
and Mary Allen, although the latter "publicly stated that she would not be taking the job".
McIntosh became General Director of the Royal Opera House in early 1997, but resigned after five months on the job due to ill health. Allen was immediately approached by "the Royal Opera House's chairman, Lord Chadlington, (who) then appointed Mrs Allen to replace her without advertising the post."
. Although he was not "not happy" with the appointment, the decision was accepted by Chris Smith
Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury
Christopher "Chris" Robert Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury PC is a British Labour Party politician, and a former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister...
as the responsible minister, even though it breached the conditions of the Arts Council's own funding for the organisation. Although Allen took over her new post unaware how close the organisation was to bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, she began steering the major refurbishment of the House.
Later that year a Select Committee investigation was led by Gerald Kaufman
Gerald Kaufman
Sir Gerald Bernard Kaufman is a British Labour Party politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1970, first for Manchester Ardwick, and then subsequently for Manchester Gorton...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He was critical of Allen's actions and "demanded her removal 'with immediate effect' ". This led to her offering to resign.
The Select Committee's Report was also critical of the actions of the entire Board of the Royal Opera House:
- "We would prefer to see the house run by a philistine with the requisite financial acumen than by the succession of opera and ballet lovers who have brought a great and valuable institution to its knees," it said.
The Board were forced to resign and, in January 1998, "Sir Colin Southgate (EMI chairman) (was) appointed as ROH's chairman and he threatened that ballet and opera performances may have to cease for two years to save money."
It has been noted that Allen was essentially forced out of the position, with the one person coming to her defence unprompted being "Bernard Haitink, the ROH's music director. 'What is desperately needed at the moment is a modicum of stability,' declared Haitink in an open letter last month. 'A third change of leadership within a year is not the answer.' " However, although Allen was formally asked to stay on, she resigned in March 1998.
Life after the Opera House
Allen published a book, A House Divided, containing her diaries of the period that she was General Manager of the Covent Garden Opera House. Since leaving that post, Allen has presented various programmes on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, covering current events and the arts.
A friend of Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
since Cambridge, Allen gave the eulogy at his funeral.