THE SMALL theatre at the Institure of Contemporary Arts in London is at present under occupation. That is to say, the full-time waff of three are still doing their normal jobs, although they were sacked on 31 December.
But since the new year the ICA switchboard has been instructed not to put calls through to any of them. Mike Laye, Theatre Programmer, has had his desk emptied and removed. And the petty cash tin in the theatre bar has been broken into by the management and the proceeds taken.
Undaunted, the three have carnca on by paying Enemselves out of the Fighting Fund launched last ycar to stop theatre being ins onatre suuanon nas arisen as a result of the ICA Council accision aeine ene oasi Novemnber that the theatre should close in back ine projected deficit of £25,000 by half.
whole of the ICA - which includes galleries, a cinema, and small conference facilities but the incatre (wnien is on budget largel) was singled out for the chop.
A bit harsh? More extraordinary Zimbabwe today has become one of the most important arenas in une develooment or mne revoluprocess Soulmern Africa. It is also a major focus of the manoeuvres of imperialism is that the ICA Council stuck to its decision even after the theatre staff had raised enough money through their Fighting Fund (donations benefit theatre performances and те ке) to keep une incatre oper until the end of March without one Denny s cost to merca. hence une occupation.
theatre has housed 54 theatre companies Britain abroad in front of 22,000 people i sue one venue l London where less well-known theatre companies can play. since the theatre is not hired at exorbilant rates but operates a straight box-office split with the visiting CUll Daly Until now, that is.
Council has decided that theatre will instead be available for hire - to those companies whe can afford it. This strikes at the very heart of the ICA's traditional policy.
So the three occupiers went to the company who were about to do The Fosdyke Saga at the ICA on the management's new terms and told them what was going on. The company tore up their agreement and are playing at the ICA at the all the same and the Labour Britain to stave off the social and Dollical Crisis mat nreatens the interests OT capitalism As spread on the question of Zimmoment on a box-office split basis.
This complicated situation has much to do attacks on the ICA dominated by Marxists and showing subversive propaganda. Clearly pressure was put on the ICA Council from the Arts Council to "quieten things down' - and how better than theatre, or make it for hire only?
The Government axe on expenane diture on the arts, with the Arts Council as the axeman, centra much wider than the ICA, however. The inflation rate for theatre expenditure is running at 21 per cent. at DeeD restrict its increased expenditure to Ju percent na means a cur or The ICA per cent for subsidised theatre.
Moreover. means divided ane bie resumious companies une National Theatre, Shakespeare Company.
National Opera, etc.), with annual budgets well into six tigures. will suffer relatively minor cutbacks; but the much smaller companies. especially those that tour, face savarc curs it not neudanon It is also clear that the more ponucar or te sman tourng comGovernment in babwe (Red Weekly, 13 January) is to be welcomed because the Anti-Apartheid Moveserious activitles on this issue for Tear or uoserine meir cosy tonsnip witn statenile I agree with the general sentiments expressed in your editorial commen with Ignatius Chigwendere, lar a very omission was mace. did the editors make it clear that in recent for being question of even cine simply to close the has gone a time when the Arts (theatre proportionately. Journalists, Royal the campaign theatre workers to lake CALLIST coming months.
01-249 3066.
ANDREW DE LA TOUR Danies are uncer he cravest unrea of all - although the Arts Coun cil, of course, will claim that it is a artistic merit. But suDsicIsed repertory theatres in the provincial towns are navine to cur down ine size or en staff, close for short periods in the vear. and plav it even safer in thei choice of material in order to gain A campaign to fight the cuts in subsidised theatre was successfully launched at a 150-strong meetin in the ICA theatre on 9 January. Involving mainly theatre workers but also representatives of organisations such as Equity, NATTKE technicians' union).
Regional Aris Association drama officers, the National Union of and various others connected with subsidised theatre, will encourage arec action if their jobs are threatened, and organise lobbies and pickets of local councils and MPs over the For more information abour the campaign contact Marion Pike at -ICA nOW. THE FOSDYKE SAGA by Bill Tidy and Alan Plater, showing at the