David Jason has added yet another award to the raft of them he has already collected this year. Yesterday he was named Best Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards ceremony for his performances in Only Fools and Horses, beating his screen brother, Nicholas Lyndhurst, to the award. Only Fools and Horses was voted the People's Choice as best comedy show in a phone vote, polling 41%, 25 percentage points ahead of the nearest rival.
For more on David Jason's awards, see our feature article for 22nd May.
The Stage is to launch its new Web site in the first week of January.
The Theatre Royal, Stratford East, will go dark in the new year for eighteen months. During this period there will be extensive refurbishment and the theatre will tour.
RABs' meddling and interference attacked
Regional Arts Boards are guilty of "meddling and interference" and trying to control theatre management boards' actions, according to Adrian Reynolds, director of the Haymarket, Basingstoke. He alleges that Southern Arts had insisted his post and all other three-year contracts for senior offices be advertised, and has said he will not be reapplying.
Greenwich Theatre to go dark - redundancies expected
The Greenwich Theatre, already threatened by funding cutbacks by the London Arts Board, is to go dark for six months, beginning in March, for refurbishment. The theatre will operate with a much slimmed down staff during that period and redundancy notices are expected to be issued soon.
Culture Dept. cash shortfall expected
Because of overspending by the European Regional Development Fund, to which the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has to contribute, a £6 shortfull in the budget is expected. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that there will be no bidding from departments for extra money this year, the DCMS will have to make up the shortfall from within its own budget.