he Front
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SA b, inal Theatre
Scottish drama would benefit from new Council scheme Words: Mark Fisher
he Scottish Arts Councrl has
backed proposals to establish a
Scottish National Theatre. but has upped the stakes by arguing for more money to be pumped into the theatre sector at large. The (:Ouncrl is to “put a strong case' to the Scottish ExeCuIive to back not only the National Theatre proposal at a cost of €0.5m rrs:ng to nearly 82m over the next fOur years. but also to fund an increase of between it .2m and €2.5m per year for drama as a whole.
James BOer. the Scottish Arts
CounCrl's recently appOrnted chairman,
said: 'The recent repon on proposals for
a Scottish National Theatre confirmed that its success depends on greater Investment in the current provrSion of
"c‘X—s (3's:
Re-making up?
2 THE LIST 2—9 Aug 203‘.
drama — a view we have always supported, Therefore we seek to ra.se drama across Scotland to the International standard required fora first- rate Scottish National Theatre whrch will be a credit to Scotland and its people.. The Scottish National Theatre will have neither a building nor a permanent company. but will represent. develop and promote the exrsting theatre industry. The arm would be to commission a range of artists and companies to produce excellent work. draxvrng on an infrastructure strengthened by the additional funding. John Scott lvloncrrett. chair of the drama committee. said: "I know we have come up with a practical and achievable plan that will make a real difference to drama
in Scotland.’
The bid is part of the SAC's overall bid for 534m extra funding to meet the targets of the Scottish ExeCutrve‘s National Cultural Strategy. as reported in The List last September.
Meanwhile. the SAC has awarded lottery grants of nearly {Sm to theatres rn Aberdeen. Dundee and Narrn. The largest grant of St 856.000 Will go to Hrs Majestys Theatre. Aberdeen, for the construction of a five-level extenSion, incorporating a rehearsal space. a foyer wrth cafe, restaurant and dressing rooms. Dundee Rep rs to get 8660.000 for a purpose-built studio for the Scottish Dance Theatre. and Nairn Drama is in line for 8320.000 to renovate its theatre and extend its activities.
ROBBIE WILL
3 IAMS
Music The man who. like rt or not. is very hard to ignore. sells out the national stadiurri tor two nights of tum-thumping entertainment. See feature.
page 6. Hampden Park. Glasgow.
POSSIBLE
W0 R L 05
Film The great Tilda Swrnton stars in Robert Lepage's unconventional psychological thriller. See reVIew. page 9. Fr/rnhouse, Edinburgh.
THE REINDEER SECTION
Music Indie supergroup wrth members of Mogwar. Snow Patrol. Belle 8 Sebastian, Astrid and Arab Strap on the album entitled Y'all Get Scared Now. Ya Hear. See feature, page 8. Brrght Star Recordings.
RUSSELL
BAN KS
Books Top American writer pulls together a selection of cracking short stories in The Angel on the Roof. See revrew. page 38.
Vintage
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
Video Darren Aroriolsky's unsettling follow-up to Pr is queaSIIy compelling. See reVIew, page 40. Momentum.
Coming quite soon . . .
Trred of basking in the adulatron of recent glories. namer Traffic and Erin Brockovrch. crack maverick drrector Steven Soderbergh is going back to the future with the official ison ofi follow-up to sex. /res and vro'eotape. The sequel to the t989 indie which made hrs
name is described by Soderbergh lTlthSCIT as a ‘sex comedy '. How To Surly/re A Hotel Room Fire starts shooting later this year . . . Meanxztvle the real Erin Brockovich is set to star in a one-oft US show based on the magnificent Challenge Aneka. It rt takes ofr’. rt may
come to UK shores
. . . It was only a matter of time. we suppose. but Madonna and Guy Ritchie are soon to be LECTKITTQ together on a re-make of Swept Away. a sado-masochrstic 70s Italian retset movie . . Another celebrity COupling. thOugh one never thought we'd see
paired again. are Liz Hurley and Hugh Grant who are pencnled in to play souabblrng lovers in another re-make. this trme of the 808 car caper The Cannonbafl Run. Pamela Anderson and Tim Allen are also expected to appear alongside original star Burt Reynolds . . .
Macy Gray has a new album, The /d. due out in September, but more rntrrgurng is the prospect of her starring in a cartOOn series aboot her formative years. It could be a Wind-up. of c0urse. but other unnamed celebrltres are expected to be the voices of her school pals.