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Dateline:
14th September, 2003
£1 Gift to Young
Vic
London businessman Patrick McKenna, formery of the Really Useful Group
and now founder and chief executive of Ingenious, an entertainment finance
and media group, has given a donation of £1m to the fund for rebuilding
the Young Vic. The total cost of the rebuilding work will be £12.5
and director David Lan is hopeful of raising substantial sums from the
Arts Council and the National Lottery. He hopes that work will start
in June next year, by which time 85% of the funding must be in place.
The work is necessary, says Lan, because the building "is literally
falling down around us."
The Rose Opens for Business
The Rose Theatre in Southwark, the original producer of the plays of
Christopher Marlowe and scene of Shakespeare's early career, this week
opened for business, for the first time since it closed in 1603, with
a production of Marlowe's Tamburlaine The Great. The Rose is
actually an archeological site which is still being excavated after
being discovered in 1989.
The producing company is Cannon's Mouth, a new company (Patron Sir
Peter Hall) made up of young actors who aim to concentrate on the classical
repertoire with the assistance of associate artists such as Samantha
Bond, Greg Hicks, William Houston and Harriet Walter.
SAC May Move
As part of its plans for spreading government departments around the
counrty, the Scottish Executive is considering moving the Scottish Arts
Council (SAC) out of Edinburgh. Arts Minister Frank McAveety said that
no decisions had yet been made but that such a move was a possibility.
SAC may stay in the capital, he told The Scotsman, but only if that
proved to provide "best value".
Brookside
Actress to Play in Phantom Film
Former Brookside actress Jennifer Ellison is to appear in the
film version of Phantom of the Opera, it was announced this week.
The 20-year old is to play Meg Giry, a friend of the heroine, Christine,
who will be played by 17-year old American newcomer Emmy Rossum. Gerard
Butler, the Scottish actor who played opposite Angelina Jolie in the
second Tomb Raider film, will play the Phantom. Also in the cast
are Minnie Driver (playing diva Carlotta), Miranda Richardson and Simon
Callow. The film is produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by
Joel Schumacher.
Harlow Budget Cut by
a Third
Local councillors have cut the grant to the Harlow Playhouse by more
than a third. It now has less than £200,000 for the year, even
though an arts consultant commissioned by the council said that the
theatre could not run on less than £300,000. the council, however,
insists that the theatre is still viable and has made suggstions about
money-saving measures, including increasing ticket prices and reducing
pantomime costs.
TMA Awards to Continue
without Barclays
The annual Theatrical Management Association (TMA) Awards for regional
theatre will go ahead this year, even though sponsor Barclays has pulled
out. A major sponsor is still being sought for next year's Awards. Nominations
for this year's Awards will be announced on 18th September and the Awards
ceremony will be held on 19th Octiber at the Hampstead Theatre.
Wait Until Dark
Revival
Frederick Knott's thriller Wait Until Dark is to be revived at
the Garrick from 15th October (previews from 30th September), after
a twelve day season at the Theatre Royal Windsor (16th to 27th September).
It will star Saskia Wickham, Gary Mavers and Peter Bowles. It was originally
planned that Samantha Janus would star.
Lipman and Webb to
Job-Share in Millie
Maureen Lipman and Marti Webb are to share the part of Mrs Meers in
the West End revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie (Shaftesbury
Theatre: 21st October, previewing from 11th). Lipman is contracted to
do six of the eight performances each week, to give her the flexibility
to care for her husband Jack Rosenthal who is sufering from cancer.
Bale to Be Batman
Welsh actor Christian Bale is to play Batman in a new film which goes
into production next year. It will focus on the character's early years.
Rudolph Walker Gets
Trailblazer Award
Rudoph Walker, currently appearing in EastEnders and star of
the seventies sitcom Love Thy Neighbour, has received the Trailblazer
Award at the Screen Nation Film and Television Awards, known as Britain's
"Black Baftas".
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