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Dateline: 24th November, 2004 Updated: 25th November
The Bridewell Will Close - Completely On 7th October we reported that the Bridewell Theatre, London's "music theatre laboratory", is to close in January but that they hoped to continue their efforts to develop new work. Now the theatre has announced that, having failed to find core funding, it will be closing down all its operations, which include the music theatre development programme, the Bridewell Youth Theatre (the only one in the City of London), and their Lunchbox Theatre programme. Carol Metcalfe, Artistic Director and Founder of the Bridewell Theatre says, "It is pretty heartbreaking to be facing the closure of the Bridewell Theatre after so many successful years. The performers, writers and audiences who have come here have made this a unique and dynamic venue. It’s been a great privilege to be able to work with so many talented artists and to meet so many people who care passionately about the importance of theatre and music. "I am especially concerned about the new writers with whom we are currently working. These are people whose talents British Theatre needs, but as the Bridewell Theatre Company is the only theatre company specifically devoted to the development of new musical theatre, without us these writers and composers will be left without support." The theatre has operated within its budget for all of its ten years, despite being forced to pay rent in excess of £90,000 for the last year. "Now we feel unable to sustain this for the long-term," says Metcalfe, "as it means relying on our loyal friends to provide the funds. This does not seem reasonable when most of the money they donate must be used in paying the rent." The theatre does have a grant of £32,500 from ACE to continue the development work, but this is project funding and none of it can be spent on core activities, such as paying rent, administration and so on. Approaches have been made both to ACE and the Corporation of London, but neither is able, they say, to help. The closure will cost £35-40,000. £10,000 is needed to return the building to the proper state to be handed back to the landlords and a further £25-£30,000 to settle debts. "Under normal circumstances, this would be paid off over a period of time as debtors settle with us," a spokeswoman told the BTG, "as is the norm in any business, but now we have to find it all at one time." There will be two Farewell Gala Concerts on Sunday 5th and Sunday 12th December 2004 at 6.30. p.m. in which more than forty artists will return to reprise the songs from the shows they starred in. Tickets (£30 and £35) are available from the box office on 020 7936 3456. Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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