Funding Threat as theatre company starts its second quarter-century.

Birmingham Rep are building up to their production of Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS.

In the version by Nicholas Wright, the production opens on Friday 13th March and runs till April 18th.

This is a huge undertaking for the Rep but should be exciting in the Rep's large acting space. Details below are from the Rep's press release.

The consortium of the UK’s leading street arts festivals, confirms significant Arts Council England backing for a third year

First premiere 25 May in Castles in the Air, Penrith.

Ambassador Theatre Grup (ATG) owns some of the premium touring theatres round the country, including theatres in Woking, Richmond, Brighton, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow. They're a major presence in London too, with the Donmar Warehouse, Trafalgar Studios, Duke of Yorks and Comedy Theatres among others.

In a new deal costing some £90 million pounds ATG has acquired Live Nation's UK Theatres. This includes some capacious auditoria - Edinburgh Playhouse; The Auditorium, Grimsby; Liverpool Empire; Bristol Hippodrome; The Palace Theatre and The Opera House, Manchester; Southport Theatre; Sunderland Empire; Grand Opera House, York; Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham; Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone; The New Theatre and The Old Fire Station, Oxford; the Princess Theatre, Torquay and The Lyceum and Apollo Victoria Theatres, London.

OK, the Old Fire Station isn't that big. But when the new ATG-operated Waterside Theatre opens in Aylesbury next year the new company will be running 40 theatres in England and Scotland.

Former BBC Director General Greg Dyke will be joining the company in the new role of Executive Chairman. Sir Eddie Kulukundis OBE will remain as Life President.

ATG certainly has a strong 17-year track record for well-cast revivals and new work. And, with the combined company valued at £150 million, it make you wonder if they'll be able to drop those dratted booking and transaction fees at last.

Dublin
MACBETH: William Shakespeare.

Abbey Theatre, 26/27 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, until 15th May 2010
Mon-Sat Evening 7.30pm
Sat Matinee 2pm
Audio-described Sat 15 May 2pm.

Runs 2hr 30min including interval.

TICKETS: + 353 (0) 1 87 87 222 .
www.abbeytheatre.ie

Review: John McKeown April 21st .

Dark tale with cheek and subtlety

After 58 years, at last they're letting is know what's been going on out of sight.

Before the Library Theatre leaves for a peripatetic phase and ultimate installation in a new central Manchester home, they're holding a couple of Open (Half-)Days with a chance to view areas where a production is made and a performance controlled. These are the details: