ANGER has been expressed at district council funds being given to a Basingstoke theatre company to put on a show in Bordon instead of the town's resident theatrical group. Proteus will perform The Wedding Present twice at the Forest Community Centre, tomorrow and Sunday, without any involvement of Bordon's Phoenix Theatre or its professional actors - the Phoenix Players. At an East Hampshire District Council community forum meeting at the theatre last Tuesday, Whitehill town councillors Bill Wain and Adam Carew said they looked forward to the day the Phoenix would enjoy key status with the council. Mr Carew added: "The Phoenix Theatre is a real asset to this community and I don't think it should be undermined in this way." Theatre director Jane Dawes gave a presentation to the forum highlighting the different activities the theatre organises. These include professional productions, art and drama workshops and work-experience placements. She said the theatre was carrying out very important work and could do much more with more local authority funding. Mrs Dawes revealed the theatre would need an injection of £30,000 to £50,000 to stay afloat in the medium term, adding that funding for specific projects was easier to obtain than revenue funding. Despite its financial restrictions, the Phoenix is planning to launch a new drama group in September to deal with a waiting list for its thriving youth theatre. The "Dramability" group aims to offer an acting class in which able-bodied and disabled young people, age 14 to 19, can develop their interest together. Experienced professionals will lead the group in drama games, improvisation and working towards performances at sessions on Tuesday evenings, 6-30 pm to 8 pm, during term time. For more information, contact Gabrielle Ring at the Phoenix Theatre on 01420 472664 or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected].
