Scottish company, Theatre Archipelago which was formerly Communicado until founder and former artistic director Gerry Mulgrew left last year, is to close after losing its £200,000 a year grant from the Scottish Arts Council.
SAC was unhappy with the number of productions scheduled by the company, even after it had resubmitted a revised four year plan.
Said David Taylor, SAC drama director, "The plan fell far short of the agreed level of work and the needs of the touring sector in Scotland... It was therefore with considerable regret that (we) decided (we) could no longer fund the company."
When SAC announced its decision, new artistic director Helena Kaut-Howson, who had only done one show with the company, resigned and the board decided to cease trading.
Actor Peter Jeffrey, one of the stalwarts of TV, radio and theatre for many years, died at his home on Christmas day. Mr Jeffrey (70) was suffering from prostate cancer and had been given a few weeks to live, but even so his death was unexpected.
In his 40 year career he had played many parts, but was best known in recent years for numerous TV roles, including Our Friends in the North, Middlemarch, Lipstick on Your Collar and Jewel in the Crown. He had also appeared in episodes of many popular TV series, ranging from Doctor Who to The Sweeney and Lovejoy.
Give more money to the BBC, government urged
In an open letter to the government, well known figures in the arts world have urged that the BBC's digital plans should be properly funded. The letter was sent within days of MPs on the culture select committee deciding not to allow a £24 extra charge on the BBC licence to pay for digital broadcasting.
The select committee also came out against any tampering with the planned funding arrangements for the BBC which had been devised by the last government and agreed by Labour.
The signatories of the letter, who include Dame Judi Dench, Michael Palin and Sir Simon Rattle, wrote:
"We believe that the fundamental goals of the BBC - to nurture creativity of every kind, to promote public understanding and learning, to draw individuals and communities into the national debate - will be more not less important in the digital world.
"However, without the funding needed to meet the challenges of that new world, there is a real danger that these goals will no longer be met."
Fourth postponement for Royal Court
The Royal Court will not now re-open on 7th January as previously announced. Refurbishment costing £25m is still not complete after three years and no new date has been given. It is now thought that the opening production, the world premiere of Conor McPherson's Dublin Carol, will play at the Old Vic.
This is the fourth postponement: previous deadlines had been May 1998, May 1999, and November 1999.
ACE drama director to manage Citz
The drama director of the Arts Council of England, Anna Stapleton, is to be the new general manager of the Glasgow Citizens Theatre. She takes up her position in March.
ACE was quick to reassure theatre clients that she will be replaced quickly and that her leaving will not affect the review of the roles and functions of regional, building-based producing theatres, which has been eagerly awaited. The report will still, ACE says, be produced in April.
West End backstage morale at an all-time low
A survey by BECTU, SOLT and training organisation Metier has revealed that the morale of back-stage staff in the West End is at an all-time low.
Low pay, long-running shows, inflexible hours, poor training, poor career opportunities were all factors, the survey revealed. More than half those taking part in the survey (40 theatre managers and 500 workers picked at random) said they need more training, and only two fifths of backstage and electrics staff had had health and safety training.
Only two bidders left for Stoll Moss
Only two bidders are still in the race to take over the Stoll Moss chain of theatres. They are Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group and a management buy-out team. An announcement of the winners is expected soon.