News, reviews, features and podcast on theatre across the UK
The British Theatre Guide Newsletter
No 1213: 25 May 2025
Editorial
Happy Towel Day.*
I received a press release this week for a production in this year’s Edinburgh festivals that said simply, “please review my play at The Fringe” with an attached press release, which I found quite refreshing.
I get a lot of press releases every week, especially in the run-up to the Edinburgh festivals—I have over a hundred already for this year, and the programmes are not officially released until next month. I would like to be able to tell at a glance what each one is for so I know whether to deal with it, where to file it or to whom to pass it. The longer it takes me to find that information, the more likely it is to get filed in “bin” (that’s “trash” for our American readers).
A trend has grown of starting such e-mails with a chatty paragraph, which is fine for someone with whom I’ve had a regular two-way correspondence for a while or even met in person, but as part of a mail-shot to dozens or hundreds of journalists from someone I don’t know, it communicates about as much sincerity as a grumpy teenage employee of a fast food outlet telling me to “have a nice day”.
Common openings are “I hope you had a great weekend” (from someone who presumably doesn’t teach or compile e-mail newsletters at weekend), “I hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday” (who has a wonderful Tuesday?) or “I hope you are enjoying the sun in London” (I live in Manchester, and it’s raining).
One I find a particular turn-off is the American-sounding “I wanted to reach out to you…”. As a straight, British male, my first instinct when someone I don’t know reaches out to me is to back away in embarrassment.
For one of our features this week Keith Mckenna has examined a few productions coming to London which have a connection to Palestine.
Philip Fisher has had a look at Arts Council England’s new concept of ‘Crowding In’ for using public investment to encourage private sector donations, which appears on the surface like a rebranding exercise, adapting a modern term (‘crowdfunding’) to describe something that many theatres have been doing for years, but Philip looks at it in rather more detail.
As Philip explains, it’s fine to say that public funding can attract private investment, but then what happens when the public money dries up? If a politician decides that organisations getting a certain amount of private funding no longer need help from the taxpayer, will the private investors pull out as well?
These policies are apt to change quickly at the whim of ambitious politicians. I remember in the ‘90s being told by representatives of the new National Lottery that they were committed to the concept of ‘additionality’ with their funding of good causes—in other words that it would never replace any existing public funding (how long did that last?)—and the ‘arms-length’ status of the Arts Council was shattered when a short-lived Culture Secretary effectively blackmailed ACE into abruptly casting some London-based organisations adrift in order to fulfil the government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda.
But it’s bank holiday weekend, so I hope you enjoy whatever weather you are experiencing. Our garden is certainly enjoying the first proper rain we’ve had here in Manchester for several weeks, despite our reputation.
*25 May was the birthday of the late, great author Douglas Adams, still a hero of and influence to many of us. If you’ve heard the radio series or read the books or watched the TV series (I suppose the film would do at a pinch) of The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, you will understand the importance of knowing where your towel is.
Hayman tours as Miller's Willy Loman Actor David Hayman and director Andy Arnold on the current touring production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
Shellshocked Richard Jordan Productions and 412 with Lawrence Batley Theatre, Harrogate Theatre in association with Pleasance at 59e59 Theatres, Brits OffBroadway, New York
The Fifth Step Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions and National Theatre of Scotland at @sohoplace
Shucked Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in association with Mike Bosner, Jason Owen, AEG Presents/Jay Marciano and Michael Harrison. at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Kim's Convenience Adam Blanshay Productions and Park Theatre at Curve Theatre, Leicester
