A British Muslim group, the Shari'ah Court of the UK, has issued a Fatwa against American playwright Terrence McNally over his "Gay Christ" play Corpus Christi which opened at the London Pleasance this week. Sheik Omar Bakri Muhammed, the Court's Judge, said the Fatwa was issued as "those who are insulting to Allah and his messengers must learn that it is a crime."
The Fatwa - a death sentence, such as that issued against British author Salman Rushdie by the Ayatollah Khomeini - can only be carried out in a Muslim state and Sheik Bakri Muhammed warned British Muslims not to attempt to carry out the sentence. However if McNally were to visit a Muslim state, he would be liable to immediate arrest and execution. Police in new York have told him of the Fatwa.
Welsh National Assembly arts investigation
The Welsh National Assembly, the new devolved "parliament" for Wales, is to launch an investigation into the arts and the activities of arts funding bodies in the principality. The inquiry, which is expected to last for six months, will begin with close questioning of the Arts Council of Wales.
Recent decisions of ACW, particularly in relation to the funding of theatre, have been widely criticised. Last week the decision to cease funding Theatr Gwent (Abergavenny) was attacked by the chairman of the Wesl Association for the Performing Arts, who said that it was time that the ACW was subjected to outside accountability.
Will Weston, General Manager of the Royal Shakespeare Copany, has resigned and will leave the company at the end of the year. He was recently offered the job of overseeing Stratford's £100m development programme after learning that the post of General Manager would be lost on the creation of a new post of Managing Director.
A recruitment consultancy has been hired to "headhunt" a suitable candidate, who may not even be from the theatre world.
Steven Berkoff has told The Stage that he has used his own money to subsidise the continuing run of East at the Vaudeville. He said that the low ticket price set to attract a younger audience meant that it is very difficult to break even and so he had paid an undisclosed sum to ensure that the play runs until 9th November.
AMP to produce all-male Carmen
Adventures in Motion Pictures, the company behind Matthew Bourne's dance hit, the all-male Swan Lake, is planning an all male version of Carmen, set in a body shop and entitled The Car Men.
The Artc Council of England is to give more than a hundred venues grants varying from £2,300 to £100,000 for the development of new audiences.