| The management at the new National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) are
wasting no time in planning to introduce radical and challenging new playwriting to new
audiences - the problem is the audiences are in the States! Yes, barely six months into
the life of the new company, created to take new plays round Scotland, it's travellers
cheque time, as the management plan next year’s free summer holiday.
|
A spokesluvvie told the JT : "With the company planning to tour
a play round the nicer bits of the US, a lot of taxpayers will be wondering about our
commitment to Scottish audiences given that we haven’t actually toured a play at home
yet. In reply, can I just say that theatrical planning is a very complex area involving
taking a lot of factors into account. But mainly it all boils down to a choice for actors
between appearing in an off-Broadway production with all the attendant publicity and |
chance of a film
career or boring the arse of half a dozen catatonic pensioners on a wet Tuesday night in
Millport’s Town Hall. Mmm, tough call". Whatever
the international itinerary, the NTS is already proving a real bargain. With an annual
budget of £4m the company is finally rolling out plans to take plays to 800
non-ticket-buying Scottish punters. At a mere £5k a skull what can you say? This one will
run and run? |
