Britain clamps down on fringe and profit share theatre.

Fri, 3 July 2009, 09:48 am

grantwatson34 posts in thread

There's a bit of a ruckus in the UK at the moment, due to Equity campaigning to force a national minimum wage for actors onto all fringe and profit share theatre productions. They argue any companies or performance groups who can't afford the thousands of pounds per week in wages most shows would require is to (a) magically source government funding and sponsorship, or (b) become amateur companies. More info here (assuming this link works better than the last one).

Not fair!

Sun, 5 July 2009, 11:00 am

Rebecca Jo

There are so many "so-called" Theatre Producers who will spin you a yarn about profit share...and it simply doesn't happen. Nobody knows where money goes... I did a play at the Greenwich Playhouse last year. 2 Weeks, the cast built the set out of some wine crates...minimal...costumes were our own, it was a small cast of three, all crew were volounteer/apprentice types who needed a pro gig on their resume as part of their tech (drama college)course. We were assured "something" at the end of it. We didn't even get expenses. "Working" as an actor sometimes means sacrificing your "Job", allbeit bar work or being an admin bitch... it still pays the bills. Working as an actor in this way COSTS YOU MONEY. Something needs to be done. People have families, bills, mortgages, just because we're actors as opposed to anything else shouldn't put us in this sort of position. After investing thousands and so much time in training and all aspects of our art, we're forced with a question... Career or money...it's simply not fair.

Thread (34 posts)

Threaded Flat

Britain clamps down on fringe and profit share theatre.— grantwatson3 July 2009

Interesting— Labrug3 July 2009
- Penny— Leon Ousby4 July 2009
Fringe in the UK— Walter Plinge3 July 2009
contracts— mike raine3 July 2009
- Expanding on a Contract— crgwllms5 July 2009
  - Well— Logos5 July 2009
    - Read the original article. — crgwllms5 July 2009
      - ···
        Voice of Reason— Labrug5 July 2009
      - ···
        Well— Logos5 July 2009
        ···
        Running the co-op— crgwllms5 July 2009
After ten years in the— Logos3 July 2009
Ah, the fringe.— Leon Ousby4 July 2009
Not fair!— Rebecca Jo5 July 2009
- Agree— Leon Ousby5 July 2009
IF we're not getting— Rebecca Jo5 July 2009
- Of course the problem with— grantwatson6 July 2009
  - Absolutely— Logos6 July 2009
My wife did 3 Shakespeares— Logos5 July 2009
What annoys me IS Profit— Rebecca Jo5 July 2009
No More Broken Promises — Walter Plinge5 July 2009
Rebecca (and the Michael— Na5 July 2009
Irate about rates— crgwllms8 July 2009
- Oh...— Labrug8 July 2009
Agreed— Walter Plinge9 July 2009
fringe, profit share, the grey area— Helen Brett11 July 2009
- All good points,— crgwllms12 July 2009
  - Guilt As Charged— Labrug12 July 2009
  - fringe— mike raine13 July 2009
    - Cringe— crgwllms14 July 2009
Agreement— Logos13 July 2009
Amateur and professional... a definition— Walter Plinge27 July 2009
- Yes, it is....but it's not that simple.— crgwllms28 July 2009
  - Analysis in Theatre— Labrug28 July 2009

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