The Week in Light & Sound
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BRITs chairman Jason Iley said: “I’m very excited to confirm such a strong British line-up as our first four live acts for the main show in 2018: Ed Sheeran has had an exceptional year, across the world and we are thrilled to have him back on the show. Then we have previous Critics’ Choice winner Sam Smith returning to our stage following the incredible success of yet another No.1 album this year. Stormzy has had a phenomenal 2017, putting grime firmly on the map with his No. 1 album Gang Signs & Prayer and Dua Lipa has been the biggest British female breakthrough story of the year.”
West End Return - Chicago is to return to the West End next year following a five-year absence. The Kander and Ebb musical will run at the Phoenix Theatre from 26 March, and is booking until 30 June.
Chicago originally ran in London for 15 years, closing in 2012. It has been presented in London, New York and on international and UK tours, produced by Barry and Fran Weissler. They said: “This year we celebrated the production’s 21st anniversary and had our most successful year to date. Chicago is as relevant and timely as the day we opened. After spending the last several years touring throughout the UK it feels like we never really left, but we are thrilled to bring the razzle dazzle back to the West End.”
Northern Lights - The Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2018/19 has set out measures to protect funding for arts organisations, despite earlier warnings that subsidy was likely to be cut. Under proposals announced by cabinet secretary for finance and the constitution Derek Mackay, the overall culture budget for will be £166.8m, an increase of almost 10% on 2017/18 figures.
Creative Scotland’s budget will include an extra £6.6m every year, specifically aimed at maintaining support for its regularly funded organisations in the face significant declines in UK National Lottery receipts.
Dramatic Error - Emma Rice has claimed the board of Shakespeare’s Globe made a “mistake” in appointing her and that her working-class background went against her in the role as artistic director. Rice, who announced in October 2016 she would be stepping down from the theatre following creative differences, also said her departure came after the theatre’s board introduced a “new mission” for the venue, which did not tie in with her approach to theatre-making.
“It was a very simple decision, in that my creative process wasn’t really up for negotiation,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Front Row programme. When asked if a man would have been treated differently by the board, she said it would be hard to “quantify that” but added: “I think it’s possibly to do with my education. It’s possibly more down to class than gender. I got two A Levels and went to a comprehensive in Nottingham.”
(Jim Evans)
19 December 2017
