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Dateline: 9th June, 2005 Gateway Closes: Fringe Shows Homeless Edinburgh's Gateway Theatre, part of Queen Margaret College, has had to close down its main auditorium because of fire safety concerns, leaving three major companies homeless for the Fringe. Scottish Dance Theatre, Theatre Cryptic and Vanishing Point were all due to perform in the the space and fear huge financial loss. Matthew Lenton, artistic director of Vanishing Point, who says that they have made financial commitments of up to £40,000, describes the affair as "a bit of a shambles", while Janet Smith, artitsic director of the Scottish Dance Theatre, said that they had taken out a £1,000 ad in the Fringe programme (due to be published today) and now have nowhere to perform. "Despite our very best efforts, which have gone far beyond contractual obligation, QMUC has been unable to secure suitable alternative accommodation for three theatre companies," Richard Kerley, the dean of the faculty of business and arts, told The Scotsman. "It is deeply regrettable." Fringe director Paul Gudgin promised to make every effort to find the companies a suitable space. "The big thing from our point view is that they are able to perform," he said. The four smaller spaces in the Gateway complex will remain open. This is the second problem to hit Fringe venues this year. In April Gudgin refused official recognition to Wilkie House (a.k.a. Cowgate Central) after it emerged that performers from last year had not been paid. (See our news story of 17th April.) Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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