Change Of Plan - Microsoft's plan to compete with Netflix and Amazon by producing its own TV shows has come to an early end, as the firm announces 18,000 job cuts. Xbox Entertainment Studio will close by the end of the year, Xbox chief Phil Spencer told employees in an email. The studio launched to great fanfare in 2012, having secured Steven Spielberg to produce a spin-off of the military-themed sci-fi video game, Halo. That show will go ahead, despite the studio's closure, Microsoft said. Five other shows had been given the green light, and a further 11 were in development.
Fun Palace Fiesta - A free festival of arts and science, which will be held in celebration of theatre director Joan Littlewood's 100th birthday, was officially launched in London. Fun Palaces takes place on 4 and 5 October 4 and will bring to fruition an idea conceived by Littlewood in the early 60s but never realised, of creating spaces for the arts and science that would welcome entire communities.
More than 100 Fun Palaces have so far been announced across the UK and abroad, which will bring together communities via participatory projects from across the fields of arts and science. Activities held at venues such as the Royal Shakespeare Company's base in Stratford-upon-Avon, Liverpool's Everyman and Theatre Royal Stratford East, will include transforming a theatre into a campsite, physics lectures in an outdoor swimming pool and a 24-hour takeover of Farnham Museum.
Fringe News - Productions from the Edinburgh fringe - including a one-man show from Steven Berkoff - are to be broadcast live to Odeon cinemas. The cinema chain has teamed up with online arts service Hibrow to bring live performances from the festival to cinemagoers in August. Hibrow launched in 2012 as an online video-on-demand site that brings plays, dance productions and concerts to users. At this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe the company will produce Hibrow Hour, a series of daily performances at the Summerhall venue. From these, eight performances will be broadcast live to cinemas around the UK.
Country File - Garth Brooks' concert promoter has said he is considering legal action for compensation, claiming he and the country music star have lost millions after five shows were cancelled. Peter Aiken is consulting lawyers about potentially suing those he blames for the collapse of the concerts at Dublin's Croke Park. Thousands of fans were left devastated after council chiefs refused a licence for all of the shows, which were scheduled for later this month. Brooks turned down a deal which would have seen him play three evening shows and two matinees.
By Royal Appointment - Composer Judith Weir is to become the first female Master of the Queen's Music. Weir, who succeeds Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, will be appointed for a fixed term of 10 years. The Queen will receive Weir when she takes up her appointment today. The Master of the Queen's Music is an honorary position conferred on an eminent musician. There are no fixed duties involved although the Master may compose pieces for Royal or State occasions.
On The Bright Side - Monty Python performed the last of its farewell shows on Sunday night, on stage at London's O2 Arena and also at more than 2,000 cinemas around the world. It was the last show in
