Numerous English regional theatres have reported growth in their audiences in the past twelve months.
Octagon can start producing again
The Bolton Octagon can go back to producing status, ACE has said. In January it was announced that the venue was £500,000 in debt, but a one-off grant of half that amount from ACE, North West Arts, Bolton Council and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, plus business investment and £18,000 raised locally by a public campaign, coupled with a recovery plan which cut in-house productions from nine to three while bringing in touring shows, has reduced the debt considerably and now ACE has approved a business plan which includes seven in-house productions.
The estate of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who lived most of his life in Paris, has given permission for all 19 of his plays to be filmed. The company which will undertake the project is Dublin's Parallel Film Productions, which produced the award-winning Amongst Women, shown recently on BBC and RTE.
Colchester's Mercury has been given a breathing space by Essex County Council. Last week the Eastern Arts Board revealed (in a leaked document by Performing Arts Director, Sue Grace) that the theatre would have insufficient overdrafy facility to meet its debts when they fall due to August and that the theatre would probably have to close. This week the County Council gave a grant of £16,000 to carry the ocmpany through till October when it hopes to have a positive response from ACE to its request for stabilisation funding.