Redgrave fury as V&A puts stage props under threat

ACELEBRATED star of screen and stage, Vanessa Redgrave has accused the Victoria and Albert Museum of a ‘fearful lack of knowledge’ over cuts planned by its director, the former Labour minister Tristram Hunt.

The actress is furious that Hunt plans to axe its theatre and performance department, which is home to her father Sir Michael Redgrave’s archive.

‘ I believe that the V& A rightly received Covid furlough money for wages and vital expenditures during this prolonged lockdown,’ says the Call The Midwife narrator.

‘ I am shocked to learn that the museum is now actively considering [making redundant] many of the staff who have curated and cared for the costumes, posters, stage properties and videos that are in the theatre department.’

The museum, based in South Kensington, London, plans to abolish the department as part of a staffing restructure in response to the financial impact of Covid- 19. It would join the furniture, textiles and fashion department.

Redgrave, 84 ( right), adds: ‘Unless these artefacts are curated and cared for prior to or following their transfer [to V&A East at Queen

Elizabeth Olympic Park], this unique and priceless heritage will be damaged and can disappear. ‘The very idea of making this skilled V&A staff redundant reveals a fearful lack of knowledge.’ Her father was a distinguished actor, director and author who died in 1985. Last month, the Public and Commercial Services Union said 50 out of 200 jobs across the organisation’s curatorial and research departments, library and archive were at risk.

A V&A spokesman says: ‘While we have received some emergency support, the catastrophic financial situation means we have no choice but to explore all routes to reduce costs across the museum.

‘However, preserving the National Collection of Theatre and Performance remains fundamental to the V&A’s mission as the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.’