How much money is being invested in regional theatre

by Nicola Shepherd

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What are the financial prospects for regional theatre

On 7 March regional arts organisations will announce how they are going to carve up their slice of the �25 million, promised last year through the Arts Council, in government grant funding for the arts.

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What will be done with this extra cash

It promises to herald a mini-flowering of new production activity in regional theatre, which has been suffering from standstill funding for as long as it can remember.

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How has regional theatre stuggled through the bad times

Some theatre companies have had to resort to extreme measures in order to get productions off the ground. The NTC Touring Theatre of Alnwick could only respond to more requests for performances of its highly-acclaimed play Mary Barton, by relying on a �10,000 donation from charity.

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What is currently in production in the regions

Despite the obstacles,�the standard of production, cast and direction in regional theatre is very high. Although regional theatre still does not seem able to attract the really big name actors who buzz around the honey pots of Shaftesbury Avenue.

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Are there any big names playing in the regions now

Well, Derek Griffiths, will be playing Truscot of the Yard in a new production of Joe Orton's Loot at The Royal Exchange, Manchester from 16 May�to 23 June. http://www.royalexchange.co.uk.

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Loot at the Royal Exchange Manchester

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Are any of the West End shows going on tour of the regions

Rent, a huge success on Broadway and in the West End, is coming on tour soon.� It is a reworking of Puccini's opera La Boheme and uses jazz, rock, soul and pop to tell its story of illness and poverty, although the illness du jour is not�TB but HIV. Rent is at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle from 17 to�21 April (tel 0191 232 0997); the Theatre Royal, Bath from 30 April to 5 May (tel 01225 448844); the New Theatre, Cardiff (tel 029 2087 8889) from 18 to 23 June, as well as other venues around the country.

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What about some of the famous regional companies

Birmingham has its own ballet troupe, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and it's performing its production of La Fille Mal Gardee from 8-10 March, before taking it on tour to include the Sunderland Empire (13-14 March, tel 0191 514 2517).

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The Birmingham Royal Ballet will also be performing at the Lowry Theatre, Manchester, their epic ballet Arthur, based on the life of King Arthur on�30 May (tel 0161 876 2020).

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Edinburgh has its Fringe Theatre Festival, of course (this year from 5-27 August), but it also has a little gem, The Traverse Theatre. This is hosting The Innovative X Factor modern dance troupe performing Deception�from 30-31 March (tel 0131 228 1404).

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One of the most exciting things about regional theatre is that you can witness the�genesis of some great theatre stars. The Traverse Theatre has a regular Monday night slot called the Monday Lizard where new works from Scottish playwrights are performed.

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