Dench, Gambon & Co Lobby for Regional Cash

Echoing the sentiments last week of Arts Council chairman Gerry Robinson, a group of eminent stage actors have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, to plea for more money to save regional theatre from an impending crisis. Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman and Prunella Scales all signed their name to the letter.

In a speech held in London last Tuesday, the Robinson declared that the current 'crisis' in theatre could be diverted by an injection of cash by the Government into the Arts Council. Robinson called for an extra £100m arts funding, £25m of which would be specifically dedicated to reinvigorating British theatre, creating 200 new productions and 450 new touring weeks annually.

In their letter, sanctioned by actors' union Equity, the actors too have settled on the figure of £25m, saying 'this would be a small price to provide stability in the theatre sector, and the social, economic, educational and cultural returns which would result'.

Several of the stars have worked recently in regional productions where, they say, they've witnessed many unknown actors forced into accepting low wages and poor conditions, which left them worse off at the end of the engagement than when they started it. 'We feel that for far too long lack of adequate funding has led to a decline in working opportunities, to fewer new productions and to smaller casts,' the actors write.

They go on to warn that unless an appropriate investment is made soon 'we could well face a two-tiered system of quality of theatre provision between London and the regions, which would appear to be directly contrary to the Government's desire of providing access to high quality performances throughout the country.' The actors have asked that Brown address the arts funding crisis in his forthcoming spending review.

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