>I went to Birmingham yesterday to prepare for teaching which starts in a couple of weeks. All trains were speed-limited, so it took longer than usual to get there. The journey back was even worse – longer, overcrowded and failing to reach home (P picked me up from Gerrards Cross).
Theatre closures seem to be piling up. Our local (privatised) arts centre went broke and closed a few weeks ago. Lyn Gardner writes about the Wandsworth Tory council doing the dirty on Battersea Arts Centre and Alfred Hickling writes about Leicester Haymarket and Chester’s Gateway theatres here. According to one comment on LG’s article the Northampton theatres are under threat as well. With funding cuts looming over touring, things are looking bleak again.
Plumber calling this afternoon to quote. Builders have finished.
Update: More on Battersea, Northampton and, unfortunately, Basingstoke as well here. For a more general article on theatre funding (with reference to the Brighton Gardner Centre’s closure), see here.
Lance Woodman 