Effie Crump to close!

In a week during which we've seen Acorn Theatre threatened with demolition, Irish Theatre Players considering winding up and the Mandurah Little Theatre doing goodness knows what, it's very distressing to have to record that Ron Banks has reported in today's West Australian (ArtsToday p.9) that Effie Crump is closing its doors. An inability to afford to stage it's remaining schedule of productions is cited as the principle reason.I've no idea whether Effie's was ever a member of the ITA, but it most certainly fitted the description Independent Theatre. The unfunded company relied at the outset on the goodwill of actors and directors paid at a special Equity-approved, below-award rate. Banks notes that in its nine years of operation Effie Crump has survived on a modest sponsorship from Telstra and a total of $136,000 - mostly used to fund touring of regional centres.Effie's Artistic Director, John Milson, is reported to be hopeful that Effie Crump can rise again with financial assistance from the government or a miracle sponsor.This news also comes in the same week that the new Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF), formerly the Festival of Perth, announces it expects to double its size over the next four years. One month in paradise to spend the rest of the year in a cultural desert?CheersGrant

This Minister for the frozen ARTZ, we have been lumbered with, is a bit of a wombat (Try Wombat Popsicles they are real fruity).The article in Saturdays west stated; "The Government had sought to help the company to overcome those problems with a special grant of $30 000 some years ago but it was not able to overcome them."Thats not even amount to a teaspoon full in this fish pond, probably about 5 years ago and that would only be $6 000 a year - for a pro company this is petty cash - when you consider the amount in bucket loads that is poured in to prop up The meaning-full ARTZ" per year.They have just tendered out the Management of the Maj, Concert Hall, Playhouse and Subiaco Theatre Centre in March this year to Ogdens International Facilities Corporation. This will or should save them a few buckets of gold pressed latinium, they pour into that top heavy Perth Theatre Trust Emporium. It is yet to be seen if the Company can utilise these resources - I would say they will have to in order to survive!The opposition arts spokesman Tom Stephenson, has hit the nail on the head, as he blames the Minister for Effie's closure.I doubt if there would be many pro companies who can work on the tight shoe string that the Crump's have done for so long and less than an average parlimentry minister's postage account!The problem with fairy foss, I have found, it tends to be made of something less than a strong substance, becomes sticky, leaving crap everywhere and when its done "your only left with the stick"( apologises to the Max Bygraves song)Joe

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