Camden New Journal - News: Save theatre gems, says actress Lang

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Camden New Journal - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 26 April 2007

Belinda Lang

Save theatre gems, says actress Lang

ACTRESS Belinda Lang has attacked a decision to refuse Hampstead Theatre a £50,000 Lottery grant to set up an archive documenting its history.
Ms Lang, the star of hit sit com 2point4 children, said the theatre vaults contained “forgotten gems” – scripts, programmes and posters – that should be on show.
She added: “It is a weird decision. Hampstead Theatre has played a major role in our cultural heritage. Hampstead is the only theatre in London that has shown new work for 50 years, and this should be recognised.”
The theatre, in Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, had hoped to use the Heritage Lottery Fund grant to put its archive on display to the public.
Among writers who have had early works staged at the theatre are Michael Frayn, Brian Friel, Hanif Kureishi, Mike Leigh and Harold Pinter.
Ms Lang said: “Lots of people are looking for plays to stage and there have been some great plays hidden there – some real forgotten gems.
“It is such a small amount of money. I hope they manage to find it elsewhere.”
Ms Lang appeared at the theatre in My Boy Jack and What The Butler Saw. Her mother, actress Joan Heal, was in a John Bowen play, The Disorderly Woman, at the theatre’s previous home in an old scout hut outside Swiss Cottage Library.
Ms Lang added: “When you think of some of the daft things the Lottery spends money on, this seems a silly decision.”
Theatre bosses now plan to look elsewhere for donations.
A Heritage Lottery Fund spokesman said it recognised the potential of the theatre archive.
But he added: “Both education and access elements in this application were not strong enough. It was felt there would be little general public demand for such a specialist theatre archive.”

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