Western Mail

Theatre boss warns venues could close for good

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THERE is a “very real danger” that Government failure to provide enough support to the theatre industry will result in venue closures, a theatre boss has said.

Tamara Harvey, artistic director of Theatr Clwyd in Mold, said time is “short” and venues urgently need assistance.

She added that coronaviru­s’ impact has been “absolutely disastrous” for theatres.

“There is a very real danger that unless the Government gives us a timeline and gives us a serious investment package very soon, more theatres and more individual­s will reach the point of no return,” she said.

“We talk about the venues and the buildings because they are more immediatel­y visible because of their size, but this is also about the majority of the people who make the shows work – the freelancer­s.”

They are “the lifeblood of theatre in this country and they are the reason that we are world-class leaders in culture”, Ms Harvey said, adding that freelancer­s are “waiting for any indication as to whether the Government will continue to invest in them”.

She added that there is still time for the Government to prevent theatres from going under.

“It is too late for some... but it is not too late to save the sector,” she said.

Ms Harvey added that Government support would be an “investment”.

“We are not asking for a handout with no return. Our contributi­on as a sector, our economic contributi­on, is massive.

“Our contributi­on in terms of the health and wellbeing of society is equal to that if not greater.”

The sector is well-placed to bounce back because of the creativity and optimism of the workers in it, Ms Harvey said, adding: “We think a bad dress rehearsal means a good first night.

“Step up now and we will recover fast and recover creatively and reach not even the heights we were at before, even greater heights because that is the very nature of the people that we are,” she added.

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> Tamara Harvey

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