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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>Dear
Colleagues,</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>The future of the (British) Theatre
Museum is (again) in jeopardy. The Heritage Lottery Fund just rejected its
second application for funding. Rumours abound: one of them is that the V
& A will close the Theatre Museum site in Covent Garden and put everything
into storage. We are being urged to write letters and / or emails of concern to
Mark Jones, Director of the V & A (co-ordinates are listed below). The
opening days and hours of the Museum for research are already very limited and
the staff is overworked. Much of their collection remains uncatalogued: I
met a retiring staff member last summer who told me that they have enough
backlogged material to fill a football field. In addition to getting in
touch with Mark Jones, you can make your views known on a public site. Go
to <A
href="http://theatremuseum.org/news_and_views/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=3">http://theatremuseum.org/news_and_views/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=3</A></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>This site also has very useful links
to comments by the public and quotations from the critics (with links to their
full articles) about current and recent productions throughout the U.K. (with a
concentration on London). The information is not only helpful in figuring
out which productions to see, but provides, from a scholarly perspective, what
are often well-informed and articulate insights about recurrent issues in the
creation and reception of British theatre.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>--Denis Salter</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=postbody><SPAN style="COLOR: red"><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18px; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What does the future hold for the Theatre
Museum...</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=2> <BR><BR>Nearly 20 years after it
opened, the future of the Theatre Museum is now uncertain following rejection by
the Heritage Lottery Fund of its second application for funding. <BR>Recent
press speculation has suggested that the V&A is likely to close the site in
Covent Garden in order to save money, putting most of the collection into
storage. <BR><BR>A review is underway to examine all options for the future
existence of the Theatre Museum in terms of the following: <BR></FONT><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">- the dedicated site in Covent Garden
<BR>- the V&A site at South Kensington <BR>- the V&A store and study
centre in Olympia <BR>- the Theatre Museum and V&A websites</SPAN>
<BR><BR></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18px; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What are your views?</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
class=gensmall><BR><BR><FONT size=1>Last edited by admin on Thu Mar 02, 2006
5:05 pm; edited 2 times in total</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN class=postbody><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18px; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN style="COLOR: red">This
discussion thread is intended for Theatre Museum and other V&A staff to air
their reactions to the following internal announcement:</SPAN></SPAN><FONT
color=#000000 size=2> <BR><BR></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT
color=#000000 size=2>Future of the Theatre Museum <BR>23 February 2006 <BR>To
all staff at the Theatre Museum</FONT></SPAN><FONT color=#000000 size=2>
<BR><BR>We thought that colleagues might appreciate an update on issues
concerning the Theatre Museum, in the light of the recent decision by the
Heritage Lottery Fund not to award a capital grant for redevelopment of the
Covent Garden site. This decision has created some uncertainty for staff and
there is also bound to be a degree of speculation in the press and other places.
<BR><BR>The Trustees discussed the future of the Museum at their meeting on 19
January (and the issue was also discussed by the Theatre Museum Committee on 14
February). The Trustees asked us to prepare a paper outlining options for the
Museum, in the light of the HLF decision, noting that the Museum has now been
turned down twice for capital funding. <BR><BR>The review needs to report on a
number of issues, including ideas as to how the Museum might be able to expand
its exhibition programme (particularly touring); build on the success of
PeoplePlay UK to accelerate the digitisation of the collections and improve
on-line access; the right role for the education programme in the context of the
forthcoming development of the Education Centre at South Kensington; and the
potential for permanent displays at South Kensington. All of these areas, but
particularly exhibitions and education, need to take account of the potential
for partnerships with other major players in the performing arts (eg. National
Theatre and the Royal Opera House) and our existing regional partners.
<BR><BR>This review will be looking at several options and one of those would be
to leave Covent Garden. However, it should be stressed that the Trustees want
information on several options and that no decision has been made. <BR><BR>The
review will probably be discussed at the Trustees meeting on 23 March.
<BR><BR>Ian Blatchford, Deputy Director <BR>Geoffrey Marsh, Director, Theatre
Museum</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
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width=12 border=0></A><SPAN class=postdetails><FONT size=1>Posted: Thu Mar
02, 2006 11:38 am</FONT><SPAN class=gen><FONT
size=2> </FONT></SPAN><FONT size=1> Post subject: SAVE
THE THEATRE MUSEUM</FONT></SPAN></DIV></TD>
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Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:38 am</FONT><SPAN class=gen><FONT
size=2> </FONT></SPAN><FONT size=1> Post subject:
SAVE THE THEATRE MUSEUM</FONT></SPAN></TD>
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<DIV><SPAN class=postbody><FONT size=2>Dear Friends and Colleagues,
<BR><BR>Some of you may have seen the disturbing gossip column piece in
last Sunday's Sunday Times concerning the future of London's Theatre
Museum. <BR><BR>This shocking and completely unexpected news has taken the
museum staff completely by surprise, and the future now looks grim for the
world's greatest collection of British theatrical memorabilia. The notion
that Britain, of all countries, does not have a place in it's capital city
for a museum devoted to the performing arts is incomprehensible. It is a
national disgrace for a museum of such international standing to be closed
in such a way, and I would urge you and/or anyone else you know who feels
strongly about the future of the museum to write and protest to the
Director of the V&A (who's decision this is) at the following address:
<BR>Mark Jones <BR>Director <BR>Victoria & Albert Museum <BR>Cromwell
Road <BR>South Kensington <BR>London SW7 2RL <BR>email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:mark.jones@vam.ac.uk"><FONT color=#0049bc
size=2>mark.jones@vam.ac.uk</FONT></A><FONT size=2> <BR><BR><BR>Regards
<BR>Patricia Daly <BR>Dancing Times <BR>45-47 Clerkenwell Green <BR>London
EC1R 0EB <BR>UK <BR>Tel: + 44 (0)20 7250 3006 <BR>Fax: + 44 (0)207253 6679
<BR>Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:patricia.daly@dancing-times.co.uk"><FONT
color=#0049bc
size=2>patricia.daly@dancing-times.co.uk</FONT></A></SPAN><SPAN
class=gensmall><BR><BR><FONT size=1>Last edited by TM Supporters on Fri
Mar 03, 2006 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=gensmall><FONT
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>__________________________________________________________<BR>"When
a people forget a language, they forfeit the heart of who they <BR>are and
the ability to comprehend the stories that are central to their <BR>cultural,
spiritual and emotional health."--Keren
Rice.<BR>____________________________________________________________________<BR>"That's
what hybrids were invented for: survival in changing ecologies."--Lisa Doolittle
<BR>_______________________________________________________________________<BR>"To
celebrate this award, and the work it recognizes of those around the world, let
me recall the words of Gandhi: 'My life is my message.' Also, plant a
tree." Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize for
Peace.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>__________________________________________________<BR>Denis
Salter<BR>Professor of Theatre<BR>McGill University<BR>853 Sherbrooke St.
West<BR>Montréal, QC<BR>H3A 2T6<BR>Tel (514) 398 6550<BR>Regular Fax (514) 398
8146<BR>Computer Fax (309) 294 0444<BR><A
href="mailto:denis.salter@mcgill.ca">denis.salter@mcgill.ca</A><BR><A
href="mailto:d.salter@videotron.ca">d.salter@videotron.ca</A><BR>__________________</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>