After the show there was a reception for the company. In attendance
were:Peter Tyndal, head of Arts Council; Culture Minister Jenny Randerson;
Councillor Marion Drak;, Tom Middlehurst and many others, and of course
Tim Baker and Terry Hands of CTC
Terry made a fulsome speech, thanking New Theatre and all supporters,
especially Jenny Randerson and all those named above, and then offering
to bring first class theatre to Cardiff all year round.
He pointed out that all preliminary work/ plans had been done to
secure the Ebeneezer Chapel building situated behind Marks and Sparks
in Cardiff City Centre.
The speech was quite a long one, very frank/blunt, and basically
said, "When are you going to give us the money to come to Cardiff?"
Next, up jumped Jenny Randerson, who admitted that she too believed
that Cardiff deserved a national theatre of the calibre (or should
that be spending capacity?) of the CTC and really hoped that they
- Clwyd Theatre - would soon be based in Cardiff. We were left in
no doubt as to where her intentions lay.
Not to be out done, Marion Drake hove into view, claiming to speak
on behalf of the Mayor as well as herself. She simply could not wait
to bring Clwyd's theatre company to Cardiff and claim it as her/the
lord mayor's own.
It seemed as though she was going to present Terry with a cheque
then and there. again, the language was plain and unambiguous.
These people, who hold the power, have already decided that Clwyd's
theatre is to become Cardiff's theatre, and will be known as the National
Theatre of Wales.
