Harbour Theatre- the latest

Below is reproduced in full the text of an item appearing in the Fremantle Herald, published yesterday.

Seldom have I read a more offensive 'interview'

Fremantle Education Centre CEO  Paul Stenson says expanding the Princess May Building’s use for education is far more important than Harbour Theatre’s “pissing around”

 

With the centre keen to get cracking on expanding its lecture space the 44 year old amateur theatre group was told to pack up and be out by December 1^st.

 

It has since been given a reprieve till December 12 so that it can finish Oliver Twist its major performance for the year.

 

Mr. Stenson admits he had issued the earlier eviction date despite knowing it would slice through the production.

 

“We are given the scheduling at the start of the year” he acknowledged , “but they have known that the tenure of their lease has been month by month”

 

Important

 

 

“We have 450 students that will be using that space which is far more important than a local cultural group”

 

Ms Bond said that despite the reprieve the group had been given two days following the final performance to be out’

 

“he said that if we didn’t have everything out it would be trashed”, she told the Herald

 

 

Harbour has been unable to find alternative accommodation and Ms Bond fears the curtain is coming down for good on the port city’s only community theatre company.

 

Fremantle council has already refused to come to its rescue, she said, noting bitterly that “other local councils support their theatre groups”

 

 

Local Greens MLC Lynn Maclaren  raised the groups plight with local government minister John Castrilli: “I believe it is important  that Fremantle (council) provide them a secure alternative home and assistance with re-locating,” she told him