Theatre News

Producer jailed for fraud lands job at new London theatre

10 May 2012

Theatre producer Andrew Fishwick, who was jailed in 2010 for abusing the government’s Gift Aid scheme, has been appointed executive director at the new Park Theatre in Finsbury Park.

The venue, which will comprise a 200-seat main house and 90-seat studio, is due to open in November under the artistic directorship of Jez Bond, who described the appointment of Fishwick as a “major coup”.

A statement from the venue reads: “Park Theatre is proud to announce Andrew Fishwick as our executive director. We welcome him on board with full confidence in his outstanding achievements and experience, whilst simultaneously acknowledging the mistakes from which he has learnt
along the way.”

“To ignore his accomplishments and not to allow him to move onwards in this industry would be a great tragedy for British theatre, for his plaudits are as numerous as they are illustrious.”

Fishwick, whose credits as part of The Fish Partnership include Well, Fanny and Faggot/Stacy, Little Voice and Three Days of Rain, received 20 months after pleading guilty to cheating the public revenue of more than £200,000.

Of his new appointment, he said: “I am thrilled to be joining Jez and the rest of the team at Park Theatre as executive director. The development of Park is one of the most exciting prospects in British Theatre today; to be part of it all from the beginning is an honour. I will work hard to establish it as a nationally and internationally recognised power house which produces world class entertainment.”