Show title too rude for the tube
Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues is too rude for travellers on the London Underground, or so the agency which handles advertising posters on the escalators believes. It rejected posters advertising the show, and then proceeded to reject another, on which the word "Vagina" had a "Censored" sticker over it. A third version - with "Four weeks only!" covering part of the offeding word - was finally accepted, but too late for advance advertising, as it is unlikely that the posters will go on display until 8th May, the date of the first preview.
Ralph Richardson's possessions fetch over £700,000
Last week's auction of the possessions of actor Sir Ralph Richardson raised £728,280 for a charity to help elderly actors. The auction was held after the death of Richardson's wife last year.
Applications invited for New Producer Bursary scheme
The Theatre Investment Fund, in association with the Society of London Theatre and the Arts Council of England, is inviting further applications for its New Producer Bursary scheme. Successful applicants will be able to use the bursary, of up to £15,000, to develop and/or present a new production as part of the scheme which aims to progress the careers of aspiring producers. The plan also provides for an established industry figure as a mentor for the project. For further information and an application form, send an A4 SAE to New Producer’s Bursary, Theatre Investment Fund, Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1V 8AY. The closing date for this round of applications is May 21.
Soaps are the new Shakespeare: poll
EastEnders and Coronation Street are the 21st century equivalent of Shakespeare, according to a poll commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to mark the culmination of This England.
It found that many people believe that TV soaps make an important statement about society in the same way that Shakespeare's productions reflected their day. One third (33%) of those questioned opted for EastEnders, while 29% opted for Coronation Street as the dramas which have something to say about today's society.
Researchers from Mori Omnibus also found that there was a strong appetite for Shakespeare with half having seen one of his plays at the theatre. Of those 32% had seen a production in the past six years.
More than twice as many of those polled thought Shakespeare's history plays were relevant to today (40%) than disagreed (16%).