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Dic Edwards' open letter to the ACW (22nd Jan 2000) crystallises the feelings of many people, myself included, who have suffered wasted hours of energy, time and commitment during the whole TIE/YPT fiasco. It is well researched, well expressed, and deserves a response from ACW. I have no problem with his sentiments throughout the letter with the exception of paragraph 5 in which he attempts to suggest that I have benefited professionally, financially and unfairly from having a relative in the ACW. It is unfortunate that his misguided and slipshod accusations undermine the credibility of his sentiments - particularly perverse since a single telephone call could have revealed the facts. For the record, Theatr West Glamorgan did indeed face a deficit at one time - a deficit created and hidden for a period by a newly appointed administrator who was immediately dismissed. There was nothing "highly suspicious" about it. Far from bailing the company out, as the letter implies, ACW actually refused further grant aid until a complete deficit repayment strategy had been produced to the satisfaction of accountants, creditors and debtors - a process which took many weeks and during which time the whole company worked without pay. Dic Edwards does those colleagues an enormous disservice with his casual assumptions. Equity loaned the company some money which was repaid. When a deficit repayment strategy had been produced, to the satisfaction of ACW, grant aid was restored to the original level. The company undertook to repay the deficit within three years. In fact, through a combination of hard work, prudence and maximising earned income - and with no loss of output, the company repaid the entire deficit in one year. The accounts are in Companies House. The rest of Dic's carefully worded third party accusation ("it is said that") reveals he himself to be critically influenced by the Welsh baloneyism that he pretends to passionately despise. It is beneath contempt. Clwyd Theatr Cymru is a Welsh company and has employed more Welsh actors in the past three years than the whole of the rest of theatre in Wales put together. The centrepiece of this year's season is the Alexander Cordell Trilogy which has a sixteen strong all Welsh company 80% of whom are Welsh speakers, and many of whom have been with us for a season lasting six months. I invite Dic to state clearly which Welsh companies have suffered at the expense of CTC funding and in what way. I also warmly invite Dic and any of his nameless chattering colleagues to put their heads above the parapet and give public substance to their accusations to give me an opportunity to refute them in a more formal environment. Tim Baker |
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Tuesday, January 25, 2000 |
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