Hare Tinkers with Permanent Words???

Such are the hazards of ‘factional’ drama. Playwright David Hare has apparently had to amend his play The Permanent Way, about the managerial chaos that's engulfed Britain's railway network, after accusations that he manipulated one of the many interviews conducted when researching the piece. According to the Times, Hare omitted words from a quote made by Christopher Garnett, chief executive of the GNER train company, about the Hatfield accident, with the resulting impression that he cared only about the impact on the company’s reputation. In response, the newspaper reports, Hare has now re-inserted into the playscript two sentences - “Such a terrible experience. Four people were killed that day.” - to Another Senior Operating Executive’s reaction to news that the crash was due to a broken rail rather than a fault with the train – “My God! I thought, ‘Thank Christ it’s not us’.” The critically acclaimed Out of Joint production, directed by Max Stafford-Clark, continues its sell-out season at the National Theatre until 1 May 2004, as part of a wider UK tour.

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