At Facilities Management Solutions, our relationship with Milton Keynes Theatre goes beyond simply working alongside the venue. FMS is proud to sponsor the FMS Bar in the theatre’s main foyer, as part of our ongoing partnership with one of Milton Keynes’ leading entertainment venues.
That partnership also gave us the opportunity to do something a little different for our clients. We invited a selection of them to join us for an exclusive lunchtime experience at Milton Keynes Theatre, giving everyone the chance to step away from the usual working environment and see a side of the venue that audiences don’t normally get to experience.
Exploring Behind the Scenes
The tour was led by Linda Davies from Milton Keynes Theatre, who did a fantastic job of bringing the building to life and sharing the history, facts and stories behind the venue.
For most visitors, a trip to the theatre means arriving, taking a seat, watching a performance and heading home. There is, however, a huge amount happening behind the scenes to make every show possible.
Linda took the group through areas that are usually out of sight to the public, giving us a completely different perspective of the building and how it operates.
We also learnt more about the theatre’s position within the UK touring circuit. Milton Keynes Theatre welcomes a wide range of West End and touring productions from across the country, from musicals and drama to dance, opera, comedy and family shows. The venue welcomes more than 400,000 visitors each year, with major productions attracting audiences from across the wider region.
One of the interesting things about the theatre is the flexibility of its main auditorium. The seating and ceiling can be adapted depending on the production, allowing the capacity to change from around 900 to 1,400. It is details like these that really highlight just how much planning and technical work goes into putting on a show.
For FMS, there was also a natural connection to the experience. We spend our working lives dealing with the buildings and facilities that businesses rely on every day, so seeing the infrastructure and spaces supporting such a busy venue was particularly interesting.
From the Theatre to Lunch
Once the tour came to an end, we headed into the Ambassadors Lounge to continue the afternoon over lunch.
Our guests were treated to a selection of pizzas from MK Gallery, with plenty of different varieties to choose from. After exploring the theatre and taking in everything Linda had shown us, it was a relaxed way to round off the tour and continue the conversations.
It was also a great opportunity for clients from different businesses to meet one another, exchange ideas and chat outside of the usual working environment.
A Chance to Connect
With no project agenda to follow, the afternoon gave everyone the chance to catch up, talk about what was happening within their businesses and get to know more members of the FMS team.
It was a different setting from our usual day-to-day conversations and a great opportunity to strengthen the relationships we have with the clients we work with.
Thank You
A huge thank you to Linda for taking the time to show our guests around Milton Keynes Theatre and for making the tour so engaging. Her knowledge and enthusiasm gave everyone a fascinating insight into what happens behind the scenes.
Thank you also to Milton Keynes Theatre for helping us make the event possible, and to MK Gallery for providing the pizzas for lunch.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who joined us. We genuinely appreciate the continued support you give FMS, and it was a pleasure to spend some time together away from the usual day-to-day.
We’re looking forward to continuing to build on these relationships and creating more opportunities to bring our clients and wider business community together.