CURRENT NEWS

Truffle The Cat - star columnist of Somerfield supermarket's in-house magazine - is missing, believed dead.

Truffle is famous for her (or his, Truffle's sexual identity is unknown) in-depth interviews with other animals and showed an eager readiness to embrace the cross-special divide in her celebrated 12-a-year column Pet Of The Month. And this pc fearlessness to reach out across boundaries may be the cause of her sudden disappearance. Her final column, filed in April 08 starts: 'As a cat, I am not naturally drawn towards dogs. However, even I am inspired to declare what a handsome chap you are, Merlin The Dog.'

Could trusting Truffle have become Merlin's starter, main course and dessert? The interview reveals he came from a bad home - Dumfries & Galloway Rescue Centre. Or is it jealousy from fellow columnists Andy Duncan (literature), Marcel Haydn (coffee), Russell Grant (horoscopes), or Hannah Smith (editor) at Truffles's celebrity profile? Having a private office door (flap) may have ratcheted envy, but it's the pure intellect of Truffle's asides and scorching interview style - she laid bare the inner psyches of a regiment of budgerigars, possums, rabbits, chihuahuas and lizards - that made her column worth her 5-star-cat-food salary. And not even an obituary.

Source - John Park - 23 April 08

Fraser Smith writes:

'Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly are delighted to announce the inaugural Edinburgh Comedy Festival at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Between them the venues are renowned for presenting the very best in British and international comedy and over the years have hosted almost every major name in the live and television industry. French and Saunders, Graham Norton, Eddie Izzard, Lee Evans, Omid Djalili, Lenny Henry, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, Russell Brand and Jimmy Carr are just the tip of the comedy ice-berg that have melted Edinburgh audiences to laughter.

'The Edinburgh Comedy Festival as a new brand will present over 250 comedy shows appearing at the venues during the forthcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe to an estimated audience of over 550,000 people. A key imperative behind the Festival is to improve marketing and the four venues will create a single brochure and website for the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. The brochure will have a 400,000 print run and be distributed around Scotland in association with the Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday. The brochure will be reversible with two separate sections - one section marketing the comedy and the other marketing the venues’ theatre, music and children’s shows on the Fringe.

'With projected sales of over 550,000 tickets, the Edinburgh Comedy Festival will be the largest comedy festival in the world. This festival will be part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with all its shows included within the wider Fringe programme but when coupled with sales for their theatre, music and children’s shows which together account for a further 300,000 tickets sales, the founding members of the Edinburgh Comedy Festival believe they have a perfect opportunity to create a new platform to market Edinburgh to a national and international audience and, therefore, continue the growth of the collective August festivals.

'William Burdett-Coutts, director of Assembly commented: "This is my 30th year on the Fringe and in that time I have seen comedy grow from a few shows to become a major part of what takes place in Edinburgh. I think this is a welcome development that will give comedy the platform it deserves whilst also being a magnificent way of improving marketing for our collective programmes and the festival as a whole.”

'Anthony Alderson, director of Pleasance Theatre commented: "The four venues have always worked very closely together in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Comedy Festival is the next logical step forward for us - we believe that we are stronger together than we are apart, that we can market our programmes more effectively and help attract new audiences to Edinburgh."

'Charlie Wood, co-director of Underbelly commented: "In many ways the real thundering hooves on Edinburgh's heels are the music and comedy festivals springing up everywhere in the UK. If we stakeholders in the Edinburgh Fringe are to meet this challenge and the additional challenges of marketing in the twenty-first century and actually bring more people into the City, then we have to come together to shout about what a great festival we have. The Edinburgh Comedy Festival is the right platform to shout from."

'Karen Koren, director of Gilded Balloon commented: "In this first year of the Edinburgh Comedy Festival we plan to establish the brand with our four venues. In future years we hope other Edinburgh Fringe venues will join the umbrella to market their programmes under this brilliant and exciting new festival."'

Source / more info - Fraser Smith, Hothouse Publicity - 20 March 08

FR NEWS ARCHIVE

The Stage 100 – the industry bible’s annual guide to the 100 most influential people in UK theatre - names Cameron Mackintosh as 2008's number one.

Stage Editor Brian Attwood says 'Cameron Mackintosh has never been out of the upper echelons of The Stage 100 but has had to wait nearly a decade to regain top billing. This year he presents an unassailable case for the number one slot. In the West End he has led the way by refurbishing his playhouses at a cost of £35 million, while on television, his production of Oliver! is the BBC’s latest musical theatre talent show. Meanwhile, his agreement with Beijing will introduce his productions to a potential audience of millions and guarantees him an unrivalled global influence.'

Top Twenty are:

1. Cameron Mackintosh
2. Andrew Lloyd Webber
3. Howard Panter/Rosemary Squire (Ambassador Theatre Group)
4. Nicholas Hytner (National Theatre)
5. Nica Burns/Max Weitzenhoffer (Nimax)
6. Bill Kenwright (producer)
7. David Ian (Live Nation)
8. Michael Boyd (Royal Shakespeare Company)
9. Nick Thomas/Jon Conway (Qdos Entertainment)
10. Vicky Featherstone/John Tiffany (National Theatre of Scotland)
11. Sonia Friedman (producer)
12. Dominic Cooke (Royal Court)
13. Michael Grandage (Donmar Warehouse)
14. Kevin Spacey / Sally Greene (Old Vic)
15. Jonathan Church (Chichester Festival Theatres)
16. David Lan (Young Vic)
17. Graham Sheffield (Barbican)
18. Bill Taylor (Stage Entertainment) – New Entry
19. Jude Kelly (Southbank Centre)
20. Rupert Goold (director) – New Entry

Source - Alistair Smith, News Editor, The Stage, 27 December 07. www.thestage.co.uk. Full list is in 28 Dec 07 issue of The Stage.

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In today's finals of The Sitcom Trials at London's Soho Theatre, Sweet As won Best Script. Best Actor went to the male cast of Sweet As. Best Actress went to the female cast of Sweet As.

Sweet As, which features the gross lives of 8 characters from California, Polynesia, Wales, New Zealand, Brazil and Australia, is written by Caro Sharman & Symon Parsons. Actors (alpha order, with character names) are Nick Bacash (Tyler), Abigail Boyd (Brownie), Graham Elwell (The Husband), Rebecca Jo Hanbury, Hannah Harvey (Blanca), Michael Magnet (Mike), Katrina Thompson (Caro), Greg Wohead (Keith). Director is Maggie Inchley. Stage Manager is Jules Richardson.

Creator of Sitcom Trials Kev F Sutherland MCs today's finals. Producers of the current season of Sitcom Trials are Declan Hill and Simon Wright. Judges of the finals are Jamie Glazebrook and Geoff Posner. Family notes: scriptwriters Caro Sharman & Symon Parsons are married to each other; series producer Declan Hill became a father this week - congratulations Declan.

Each entry to Sitcom Trials is 15 minutes long with a requirement for a beginning, middle and end. The judges awarded a first prize and did not place the 3 co-finalists in an order. Listing them in the order shown in the event's programme, the co-finalists (with writer's names) are: The Good Guide by Sara Pascoe, Troubleshooters by John Hill, Monster Biscuits by Kevin Borrass & John Hill.

Fringe Report's fuller report and comment are here

John Park - Soho Theatre 13:30 - (c) Fringe Report www.fringereport.com - Thursday 13 December 07

Wau Wau Sisters Adrienne Truscott and Tanya Gagné excited royal Princes William & Harry in cabaret at aptly-named Bush Hall Wednesday 12 December.

'They swung from trapezes with the words Fuck and Yeah written across their knickers and sensually rubbed each other' says TheLondonPaper's Andy Jones. The Waus not the princes - but who knows?

'William and Harry sat at the front. Tanya cheekily dropped her shoe - a la Cinderella - for either of the Prince Charmings to pick up. She said "I was sure to cast them a wink and a smile and of course they couldn't take their eyes off our bodies. They loved it."'

Adrienne and Tanya - New York's two naughtiest girls on stage. And now princesses in waiting? Have the ladies no shame?

Medium Rare 11-15 December, Bush Hall, £70, www.mediumrare.tv. www.wauwausisters.com. www.bushhallmusic.co.uk.

Source - Andy Jones - TheLondonPaper - 13 December 07 - andy.jones@thelondonpaper.com

Isabelle Georges & Frédérik Steenbrink tour their show Judy And Me in the UK 8 Nov to 8 Dec. Judy And Me featured at Edinburgh in 2005 (review here. Their Rural Arts Tour takes in venues in SW England and Wales. Dates and venues at www.judyandme.net

Source 5 Nov 07 - Sue McKichan

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Journalists Jay Richardson and Kirstin Innes have been awarded the Allen Wright Award for Excellence in Arts Journalism. Now in its tenth year, the award celebrates the work of young journalists and their contribution to arts writing while covering the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Both winners will receive £750 prize money.

Jay Richardson was awarded for his evocative features on Frankie Boyle, Michael McIntyre and Adam Hills in Breaker Morant. Kirstin Innes was praised for her coverage of free shows at Fringe 2007 and for her reviews of Popsicle Departure 1989, Bed and Breakfast. The awards were judged by a panel of leading journalists and arts professionals, including Jon Morgan, director of the Fringe, and Charlie Wood, director of Underbelly. Founded in 1998, the awards were set up to commemorate Allen Wright, a distinguished journalist and arts editor of the Scotsman newspaper for 30 years. During his long career, Allen Wright founded the Fringe First awards and was a strong supporter of young talent.

The full shortlist for the awards included the following journalists: Nana Wereko-Brobby - FEST. Jennifer Shelton - ThreeWeeks. Kirstin Innes - The List. Yasmin Sulaiman - FEST. Roger Cox - Scotsman. James Richardson - Scotsman. Matt Brereton - Scotsman. Maxie Szalwinska - Guardian. Shona Craven - The Herald. Entrants for the award must be aged thirty or younger and are required to submit up to three pieces of published work (minimum 100 words) relating to the current year's Fringe. These could be previews and features as well as reviews, giving emerging writers opportunity to display their talents in a number of styles.

Source 25 August 07 and for more information: Leroy or Duncan at the Fringe Press Office on 0131 240 1919 or press@edfringe.com

Total Theatre award winners announced 23 August 07 are:

• Best Emerging Company - 1927 - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
  
• Best Original Work by a Collective/Ensemble - Rude Mechs in association with Erich Jungwirth and Richard Jordan Productions - Get Your War On
  
• Best Physical Performance - Sadari Movement Laboratory in association with AsiaNow Productions - Woyzeck
  
• Experimentation - Ontroerend Goed - The Smile Off Your Face
  
• Best Small Scale Work - News From Nowhere - England
  
• Significant Contribution - Jos Houben - The Art of Laughter
  
• Wildcard Vote - Precarious - Druthers
  

Casting Call Pro will present its first-ever annual Student Awards on 5 July 07 at 17:00 for 17:30 at Keston Lodge, 131 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 1QP. The 6-strong shortlist is at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/award.php. The two winners will be announced at the event.

Winners will each receive a cheque for £1,000, a head-shot session with John Clark Photography, a voice-reel session with CutGlass Productions and a show-reel session with Actors One Stop Shop.

The Casting Call Pro Student Awards, in association with the National Council of Drama Training (NCDT), are for graduating students. During April and May 2007, all students graduating from NCDT accredited courses were invited to submit an entry, with 6 shortlisted students being interviewed.

Casting Call Pro Website Manager Robbie Dale says 'When you leave drama school, there can be a sudden influx of costs, a scarcity of work - and a feeling that everything may not be as rosy as it seemed when you started out. Earlier this year, we were lucky enough to work with the NCDT in developing the first-ever Casting Call Pro Student Awards. We were delighted to open them to students graduating from NCDT accredited courses.

'We particularly wanted to offer something to young actors. We meet them every day, and wanted to celebrate them. When we first launched the awards, and advertised the opportunity to students, we didn't know what to expect. We didn't know what would make a winning entry. As the applications came back, we were amazed and excited by the variety of projects and interests that drama students were evolving. Whether they had raised money to help fund theatre groups, convinced other students to take their work to festivals, or got involved in production, direction or writing to educate themselves about the creative process, the best students showed a fire, a tenacity, that was absolutely inspirational.'

Source - Robbie Dale - 3/4 July 07 - http://uk.castingcallpro.com

The legendary and much-loved comedy editor Malcolm Hay is to leave Time Out. Malcolm has a eye condition called Doyne's choroiditis, first diagnosed in his 30s. 'It's degenerative but in spurts, often with huge stretches of time without any worsening of the eyesight,' says Malcolm. 'But it's been getting appreciably worse recently', and is one of the more pressing reasons for his decision.

There's to be a spectacular tribute show - Comedy Hayday- at Hackney Empire on Tuesday 17 July 07 – details below.

The exact date of Malcolm's departure from Time Out depends on when a replacement is appointed. It's likely to be between end July and end August 07. 'I'm no less fired-up and fascinated by comedy than I was when I first started the job' says Malcolm. 'But that was back in September 1986 and it's probably high time that I handed over to someone else. Apart from any other factors, the task of getting the weekly listings is one that I won't miss!'

Malcolm is married to director Toni Arthur-Hay. He adds 'It's genuinely been a great privilege to be involved on the fringes of the business. I've loved it. The plan now is to head off into semi-retirement and to work with Toni on developing some of our own writing and other projects.'

Will the great man be silent on comedy in the future? Not necessarily. 'I'm hoping that I'll continue to write occasionally about comedy,' he says, cautiously. So hopefully we can look forward to Malcolm's expert comment and analysis for many years to come.

Malcolm Hay Tribute Show - Comedy Hayday – 17 July 07

A special thank-you tribute show, has been organised in appreciation of the retiring comedy editor of Time Out, Malcolm Hay. The line-up includes Pub Landlord Al Murray, Anglo-Iranian film and TV star Omid Djalili, ace political satirist Mark Thomas, Radio 4 stars Milton Jones and Mitch Benn, outrageous San Francisco gay comic Scott Capurro and award winning stand-up Josie Long. Introductions are by the UK's most renowned compere Arthur Smith.

The show, titled Comedy Hayday takes place at the Hackney Empire on Tuesday 17 July and tickets are £15. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts 8pm. Late bar. Tickets now on sale on 020 8985 2424 or online at www.hackneyempire.co.uk/show_details.php?show=108

Source - Malcolm Hay 26 June 07

Acts include Icarus (UK) and from Denmark: Karsten Pflum, Bjørn Svin, Rumpistol (aka Jens Berents Christiansen). Rump Recordings was founded in 2003 to release 'uncompromising electronic and electro-acoustic music' - what emerges when artists start to experiment and push the existing boundaries of music. The showcase includes minimal ambient pieces, jungle, drum'n'bass, no-wave, free jazz, psychedelic rock, minimal techno and avant-garde classical music.

More information at http://www.amblondon.um.dk/en/menu/TheEmbassy/News/LondonEventForRumpRecordings.htm

Source - Lone Britt Molloy / Danish Embassy / 12 April 07

More details of Solar Bear's work with Deaf and hearing audiences, their work with adults and children - and their new physical theatre piece Broken (Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland, 6-9 June 07, 19:30; matinee 8 June 07 13:00; £3/£6 - at www.solarbear.org.uk

Deborah Andrews and Gerry Ramage founded Solar Bear in 2002. The company does social commitment theatre and national education and training programmes, in-house apprenticeships, and stage productions for Deaf and hearing audiences. They aim for 'inclusion, integration and access'. Solar Bear translated Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream into British Sign Language (BSL), and performed extracts of it at Glasgow (Scotland)'s Citizens’ Theatre in 2006.

Further details and interviews from PR Lynn McAdam. lynn@mcadam.info. 07967 804 257. 0141 548 8675. www.solarbear.org.uk. Solar Bear's director is Deborah Andrews.

Source - Lynn McAdam - 28 March 07

Actors include Richard Griffiths, Simon Russell Beale, Phoebe Nicholls, Patrick Malahide, Jemma Redgrave and Martin Shaw. Together with barristers they will perform the Bardell v Pickwick trial from Charles Dickens’s The Pickwick Papers.

The event is to raise money to help poor people become barristers. The scheme is the Kalisher Scholarship, named after the late Queen’s Counsel Michael Kalisher.

Tickets are £50 from Julian Bradley tel 020 7242 1289 or from the Criminal Bar Association website http//www.criminalbar.com/kalisher2007. Event details from Camilla Barker tel 020 7067 0330.

Source – Criminal Bar Association – 29 March 07

Tickets are £12. Booking 020 8940 3633. www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk

The occasion is a debate celebrating ‘Charter 77 - The 30th Anniversary Of The Petition That Gave A Voice To Opposition In Czechoslovakia’. The discussion is chaired by Prof Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies, University of Oxford.

Speakers: Vaclav Havel, playwright, former President of the Czech Republic, Charter 77 co-founder and spokesman, dissident. Jirí Dienstbier - Director of Reuters, former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, dissident, former spokesman of Charter 77. Pavel Landovsky - actor, Charter 77 founding signatory, dissident. Pavel Seifter - Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the LSE, former Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the UK, former adviser to President Vaclav Havel, Charter 77 signatory. Zdena Tomin - writer, Charter 77 signatory and spokeswoman, dissident. Guests of honour: Barbara Day, Sir Anthony Kenny, Sir Tom Stoppard, Jessica Douglas-Home and Prof. Roger Scruton

Vaclav Havel joins the evening celebrating the 30th anniversary of the petition that followed the police clampdown on the group The Plastic People Of The Universe in 1976, and started a movement representing the leading platform for opposition in Czechoslovakia under the Communist regime. After its start in January 1977, the petition - Charter 77 - gained international support. Many events were held internationally to draw attention to the Chartists and their call for freedom of speech and expression and respect of human rights.

It was at the Orange Tree Theatre where in 1975 - 1980 Vaclav Havel's plays directed by Sam Walters and adapted by Sir Tom Stoppard were premiered. It was also at the Orange Tree Theatre where a number of events organized to support Charter 77 took place and where British intellectuals established strong links with Czechoslovak dissidents.

After 30 years, many of those who were personally involved in the events and Charter 77 movement from both Czechoslovakia and the UK have come back together for the evening’s debate. They will look back and share their experience and memories of key events of modern European history, and discuss the legacy of Charter 77 in promoting its values and supporting basic human rights.

The evening will open with a short extract from Vaclav Havel's play Audience - read by Vaclav Havel and Pavel Landovsky - as a reminder of its English language premiere at the Orange Tree Theatre in 1977. Sam Walters, founder and artistic director of Orange Tree Theatre, will afterwards introduce distinguished guests and speakers as well as related history of the Orange Tree Theatre.

An accompanying exhibition from the National Museum in Prague - including documentary photographs by Ivan Kyncl - in the theatre foyer - will introduce documents and some of the history of Charter 77. On display also are rare photographs of Vaclav Havel provided by the Leica Gallery, Prague.

The evening is organised by the Czech Centre London and Orange Tree Theatre in collaboration with the Czech Embassy in London. Supported by Charter 77 Foundation and the National Museum in Prague.

‘Charter 77 - The 30th Anniversary Of The Petition That Gave A Voice To Opposition In Czechoslovakia’ is the second of two major events celebrating Charter 77 in London. The first was a concert of The Plastic People Of The Universe which took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 25 January 2007.

Source – Renata Clark - Czech Centre, London – 23 March 07

New Edinburgh Festival Fringe Director is Jon Morgan – 26 March 07

'The (Wandsworth) Council extended BAC’s lease until March 2008,' says Alicia Gelassakis, BAC Press and Communications Officer. 'During this time BAC will work towards setting up the Building Preservation Trust. The aim of the Trust is to take over full responsibility for repairs and maintenance. If it is successfully established, the (Wandsworth) Council will grant us a longer lease. BAC is in a good position.'

Further details at http://www.bac.org.uk/about_press.php

Source - Alicia Gelassakis (BAC) - 23 March 07

Prizes are given annually to ‘women who deserve recognition for having written works of outstanding quality for the English-speaking theatre’. Judges in New York this year gave Special Commendation Awards of $4,000 each to London-based Lucy Caldwell for her play Leaves, New York-based Sheila Callaghan for Dead City, Irish playwright Stella Feehily for O Go My Man, and Irish playwright Abbie Spallen for Pumpgirl.

Leaves premieres at the Druid Theatre, Galway, Ireland, directed by Garry Hynes, a former Blackburn Prize judge. The production will move to the Royal Court Theatre, London, 14 March - 7 April 7 07. Lucy Caldwell is currently under commission to write for the main stage at the Royal Court Theatre. Sheila Callaghan’s Dead City was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, included in the Public Theater’s New Work Now series, and produced in New York in 2006 by New Georges. O Go My Man premiered in 2006 at the Royal Court Theatre with Out of Joint Theatre Company, directed by Max Stafford-Clark - a previous Blackburn Prize judge - and toured the UK. Stella Feehily is under commission to write for Soho Theatre, London, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, and Out Of Joint. Pumpgirl’s world premiere was at the Bush Theatre, London, 2006 and played at the Traverse, Edinburgh Festival. Abbie Spallen is currently working on a commission for Fishamble Theatre Company, Dublin, and has recently finished a screenplay - Seven Drunken Knights.

Eight other finalists received $1,000 each - Julia Cho, US, for The Piano Teacher - Katie Douglas, Scotland, for Rust - Amy Fox , US, for One Thing I Like To Say Is - Julia Jordan, US, for Dark Yellow - C Michèle Kaplan, US, for Bot - Nell Leyshon, UK, for Comfort Me With Apples - Tamsin Oglesby, UK, for The War Next Door - Francine Volpe, US, for The Given.

Judges for the 29th annual Susan Smith Blackburn Awards were American actor Jill Clayburgh; New York playwright John Guare; Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theatre, New York; Alastair Macauley, chief theatre critic, Financial Times, London; British actor Deborah Findlay; UK director Anna Mackmin.

Each year theatre professionals throughout the English-speaking world are invited to submit plays. Countries include the UK, Canada, Australia, US, New Zealand, India, Irish Republic, South Africa. There were approximately 90 submissions this year. All final nominations are read by all six judges. To date there have been 332 finalist plays. 118 of these have been from the UK and Irish Republic, 205 from the US, 4 from Canada, 3 from Australia, 1 from India, 1 from New Zealand.

Women Writing Plays - Three Decades Of The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is available in the UK and US, published by University of Texas Press. Edited by Alexis Greene, with an introduction by Marsha Norman, the volume offers a comprehensive overview of women’s playwriting, combining critical essays, playwrights’ memoirs, and conversations and interviews with playwrights to explore how women’s playwriting evolved in relation to the women’s movement and how it continues to map new territory and find fresh modes of expression. See www.amazon.com.

Directors - Emilie Kilgore, president; Michael Attenborough, Adam Blackburn, William Blackburn, Blair Brown, Bertrand Davezac, Cabanné Gilbreath, John Guare, Ann Gussow, Lady Hale, Alexander Kilgore, Marsha Norman, Charles Perlitz, Pauline Pinto, Meg Poole, Lucy Reid, Amber Rudd, Edwin Wilson, Matt Wolf.

The Prize reflects the values and interests of Susan Smith Blackburn, an American actor and writer who lived in London for the last 15 years of her life. She died in 1977, age 42.

Further information – America - Emilie Kilgore, President - (713) 308-2842, blackburnprize@yahoo.com. UK - Caroline Keely – 020 8969 2759, caroline@nitrox.demon.co.uk.

Source – Alexandra Gammie - AGPR Theatre Publicity - www.agpr.co.uk - alex@agpr.co.uk – 8 March 07

Free Festival joins Underbelly for Edinburgh 07 - 1 March 07

Laughing Horse Comedy and The Free Festival have secured two slots at The Underbelly for free performances throughout the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2007.

Underbelly co-director Charlie Wood said: 'The Free Festival has been a remarkable phenomenon in the last few years and we feel privileged at Underbelly to be getting involved. The costs of performing at the Fringe continue to grow year on year and Underbelly wants to do all it can to help reduce the costs and support artists.'

Since 2004 Laughing Horse Comedy have managed venues and produced Free Fringe shows at its venues across Edinburgh, offering an alternative to the costs usually associated with the Fringe for both performers and audiences. In 2006 it comprised 69 shows, and in 2007 will feature at least 90 shows in eight locations across Edinburgh.

Performances in the two Underbelly slots will be free entry to the public. The first slot will feature a daily comedy-club style show, with a different selection of comedians from across the Free Festival Venues each day.

The second will be offered to a performer or group who wishes to perform free at the Underbelly. This performance will become part of both the Underbelly and Free Festival programmes, and will not be charged to hire the space - in exactly the same way as all other shows that are part of the Free Festival. Entry to this show will be free, and the performer will take a collection at the end of the performance.

Performers who wish to apply for this slot, should email info@freefestival.co.uk with details of their proposed show. Underbelly directors Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam will decide which performer will take the slot.

For details of how Free Festival shows work see http://www.freefestival.co.uk

For further information contact:

Alex Petty - Laughing Horse Comedy, 57 Nelson Road, Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 7AR. Email alex@laughinghorse.co.uk. Tel 020 8894 3676. Mobile 07768 584 881. Fax 0208 894 3676.

Charlie Wood - Director, Underbelly Limited, 3rd Floor, 83 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 4PR. Email charlie@underbelly.co.uk. Tel 0207 580 0560. Mobile 07974 130 912. Fax 0207 580 0155.

Source - Alex Petty - Laughing Horse Comedy - 1 March 07

Jennifer Bosomworth in Genet's The Maids - Wolverhampton Arena - 15 Feb 07

Midlands-based company Gist Productions are doing a production of The Maids by Jean Genet at the Wolverhampton Arena for 1 night only after it ran at the Waterside Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon - writes Jennifer Bosomworth, who plays Madame.

Wolverhampton Arena at 7:30pm - 15 Feb 07 - £9 (£7). Wolverhampton Arena webpage is http://www2.wlv.ac.uk/arena/Spring_2007/Maids.htm. MySpace page http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=148109411

Source - Jennifer Bosomworth - 16 Jan 07

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Brighton Festival Fringe - Registration Deadline - Friday 9 Feb 07

Brighton Festival Fringe - 5-28 May 2007. Be a part of England’s Biggest Art festival. Get your event into the Brighton Festival Fringe.

• Email- info@brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk
• Tel - 01273 260832

• Log on to http://www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk
• Get yourself a Venue
• Fill out the registration form
• Put your event on

Download our Venue Guide to see an extensive list of new and exciting venues in Brighton looking to fill their spaces:

http://www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk/registration/regvenueguide.asp

Check out the OHSO Social on the seafront, Komedia’s new Cabaret bar and stage and the Brighton Media Centre’s huge basement with the potential for 2 theatres and more. Brighton Fringe presents you with the opportunity to do whatever you want. Our music section is huge. Our theatre section is getting bigger by the year – make sure your performance is seen in 2007.

Source - Holly Payton - Operations Manager / Nick Stockman - Development Manager/ Jess Huffman - Fringe Coordinator - 26 January 07

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Storm closes Jacksons Lane - for a month – 2 Feb 07

One of North London’s busiest arts centres, Jacksons Lane, has closed for at least a month due to structural damage to the building caused by the recent storms.

The high winds and stormy weather caused masonry, concrete and the cross from the roof of the converted church to crash to the ground rendering the building unsafe. Jacksons Lane Management Committee and Haringey Council therefore closed the building on Tuesday 23 January to ensure the safety of its staff and users.

Building work is to start as soon as possible in order to erect scaffolding and conduct a full structural inspection. The necessary repairs will then be undertaken to restore Jacksons Lane for the use of the local community. Haringey Neighbourhood Management teams are now looking at providing alternative office space and other venues for the centre's activities whilst the building remains closed.

Essential services at Jacksons Lane, which support the more vulnerable members of the community, include a pensioners’ Lunch Club with over 60 members, an After Schools Club and a Parents & Toddlers Group. Each week, around 2,000 participants benefit from a choice of over 50 arts courses and classes and a vibrant theatre programme of 280 performances a year, which attracts audiences from all over London to the borough and welcomes world-class performances from artists such as Russell Brand, Benjamin Zephaniah and Theatre Alibi.

Over recent years the deteriorating fabric of the 18th century building has become a massive drain on the centre’s resources and the storm damage has highlighted the severity of the problem. There is simply no other facility like Jacksons Lane on this side of the borough and in order to ensure its future survival, Jacksons Lane and Haringey Council are committed to the rectifying the building’s problems so it can continue as a beacon of excellence.

Fiona Mallin–Robinson, Chair of Jacksons Lane Management Committee says ‘As a registered charity, the team at Jacksons Lane are dedicated to serving their local community, providing a vital home for the creative arts in London. It is, of course, hugely disappointing to us to have to close, albeit temporarily, as we know that many people rely on and enjoy using the centre. The team are currently working under very difficult conditions and we thank everyone in the community for their patience and support at this time of emergency.’

Councillor Lorna Reith, Executive Member for Community Involvement, Haringey Council said: ‘The Council is responsible for the Jacksons Lane building, and following this recent storm damage we will be getting the necessary repairs done as quickly as we can.’

Jacksons Lane’s phone number - 020 8340 5226 - is on divert message with details on how to contact the Jacksons Lane Health and Safety department. The website www.jacksonslane.org.uk will be updated regularly with all details of Jacksons Lane’s activities. The venue will contact all those who have purchased tickets for upcoming performances to update them on their individual bookings and refund where appropriate. To make a donation in support of Jacksons Lane, registered charity 270934, make cheques payable to Jacksons Lane and send to - The Appeal, 269a Archway Road, London N6 5AA.

Source - Written by Janina Mundy, Marketing Manager, Jacksons Lane – 2 Feb 07

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Ronnie Scott’s re-opens 26 June 06

28 Acts In 28 Minutes goes to radio – 21 June 06

Perrier Awards abolished - become Eddies (key date - 14 June 06)

Roundhouse re-opens 1 June 06

Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show - Radio 4 - 23 Dec 05 - 27 Jan 06 (key date - 27 Jan 06)

Halloween Short Film Festival - Awards - 9 Jan 06 (key date 9 Jan 06)

Halloween Short Film Festival 5–9 Jan 06 - (key date 5 Jan 06)

Rachael Booth leaves ICA - (key date Fri 18 Nov 05)

House Music Awards 2005 - (key date Thur 17 Nov 05)

Bill Findlay Readership in Stage Translation - £32k+ - (key date 3 October 05)

Samantha Jayne Hulston leaves BAC - (key date Friday 16 Sep 05)

Christopher Richardson steps down - (key date Monday 29 August 05)

Canal Café discount hire rates - (key date - Sun 28 Aug 05)

Laura Solon wins Perrier - (key date Sat 27 Aug 05)

Steve Furst Wins Performer's Jacket - (key date 26 August 05)

Total Theatre Awards - (key date 26 August 05)

Guy Adams wins Best-Dressed Male Journalist - (key date 18 August 05)

Sarah Millican wins Amused Moose - (key date Tuesday 23 August 05)

60 Acts In 60 Minutes - Edinburgh - (key date 15 August 05)

Ladies Monthly (key date 4 August 05)

Oval House Staff Changes (key date 28 July 05)

Film Making Crash Course 23-24 July 05 (key date 24 July 05)

Arts Marketing Association 20-22 July 05 (key date 22 July 05)

Prospekt Film Shorts - 16 July 05 (key date 16 July 05)

Sound Theatre opens Leicester Square 21 June 05 (key date 21 June 05)

New forum for Black business - 21 June 05 - (key date 21 June 05)

Jobs (key date 19 June 05)

Davison, Miller, Telfer win award (key date - 18 June 05)

Performers needed for new show (key date 6 June 05)

Auditions 4/5 June 05 - Van Badham's Edinburgh 05 play (key date 5 June 05)

New Venue Storm in Leicester Square - (key date 5 May 05)

www.edfringe.com wins marketing excellence award (key date 27 April 05)

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008