In the Autumn of 2004 Equity was approached by members working on a tour of Picture Perfect, produced by Sheffield-based Dreamweavers Theatre Company, writes Equity's North East Organiser Nigel Jones. Salary and fee cheques had bounced and tensions had arisen with Producer/Director Rebecca Perry. The tour collapsed and Equity presented claims for the balance of tour wages, final designer fee and unpaid expenses for accommodation and travel on tour. All of these claims remain unsatisfied.Ms Perry's response was to issue Court Summonses against one of the actors, Louise Mai Newberry, and the designer, Jamie Warner, claiming that the former had caused the collapse of the tour and that the latter had retained company property. Equity considered the claims 'both for four-figure sums ' to be spurious and vexatious and instructed solicitors Douglas-Mann and Co to defend the actions and present counter claims. Despite last-minute attempts from Dreamweavers to persuade the artists to abandon the proceedings, the two cases went ahead at Lambeth County Court in December 2005 and January 2006. Neither Ms Perry nor anyone from the company turned up. The Judge dismissed the claims against the Equity members and found in their favour on both counter claims. The Judge also, unusually on claims involving less than £5,000, awarded full costs to reflect the 'unreasonable behaviour' of the company and Ms Perry. None of the £7,600 awarded to the two members has been paid. Louise Mai Newberry, who is owed £2,364, said that her association with Ms Perry had been "a hideous experience, 18 months of hell". The full story and more details can be read on the Equity web site below |
| Equity web site: www.equity.org.uk/journal/display_journal.asp?PageClick=10 |
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Tuesday, March 7, 2006 |
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