TGIF
Capitalism never sleeps
Greetings to you,
I’ve been very well thanks for asking.
The world is, once again, on fire.
Here’s your email.
Thanking you,
Carl W x
Margaret Hodge has warned that Arts Council England must undergo a “radical” overhaul
Hodge made the remarks this week, she added that if not ACE risk losing further confidence across the cultural sector. Speaking to a Department for Culture, Media and Sport select committee, the Labour peer cautioned it would be a “disaster” if leaders failed to act on her recommendations.
Hodge said: “I think there has to be a radical review in the way that the Arts Council works; how they use the money… and their role in the wider arts landscape.”
Hodge cited backlash over English National Opera’s relocation as evidence of concern, urging ACE not to “just pay lip service.”
Kevin Spacey Settles Sexual Assault Claims
Grope accused Kevin Spacey has reached an out-of-court settlement with three British men who accused him of sexual assault, ending civil lawsuits that had been scheduled for trial in October.
The cases were halted earlier this month after all parties reached an undisclosed agreement. A court order dated 13 March, signed by judge Christina Lambert, formally paused proceedings, noting that all sides had agreed to settlement terms.
Lambert ordered that “all further proceedings against the defendant in these actions be stayed” under a confidential schedule attached to the order.
No financial details or other terms have been made public. Hmm.
Gillian Anderson and Billy Crudup lead a new production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
It will be directed by Marianne Elliott at @sohoplace. Staged in-the-round, the revival will also feature Josh Dylan and Phoebe Horn.
The production runs from 21 September to 19 December. Good casting. Proper event theatre.
Oliviers Push Video Design—but Casting Deserves Recognition First
More than 100 industry figures want a video design Olivier. Fine.
But casting—the thing that determines whether a show works at all—still has no category.
The Oscars have fixed this. Theatre hasn’t. If the Oliviers care about inclusivity, start there. Cheers!
End of an Era: Peter Thompson, Legendary West End Publicist, Dies at 81
Thompson, the quintessential old-school West End publicist, has died at 81. Thompson, whose career spanned more than four decades, preferred the analog approach: he never typed, instead dictating to an assistant, and cherished personal connections—telephone calls, lunches, and post-show drinks with clients and journalists.
He orchestrated publicity for some of the biggest stage hits of his time, including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats and The Phantom of the Opera, as well as launching Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. Thompson’s influence extended far beyond press releases. You knew where you stood.
He would often write to me when I first started the blog, offering advice, thoughtful feedback, and the occasional touch of schadenfreude.
Anyway. As Baz Bamigboye noted in Deadline, he was “more than just a PR…advisor, hand-holder, and occasionally show-doctor—a titan of the industry whose brutally honest assessments often angered creatives but could make or save a show.” Old school.
