So Jerry Springer - the Opera is back on the road. But was it really ever off? True, seven (out of 28) venues that originally expressed an interest in taking it withdrew, apparently bowing to pressure from Christian Voice, the organisation who orchestrated a campaign against the show in the West End (but only after it had been broadcast on television, not before). And no, ACE didn’t agree to fund it to make up the shortfall – but then why should they? Cut free of the subsidised organisations that generously originally helped to develop it – first BAC, then the National Theatre – it long ago became a purely commercial venture, promoted by a rich independent production company, Avalon.
But the fact that the remaining 21 venues have banded together – and a consortium of them have agreed to aggregate marketing costs between them – to put the show back on the road suggests that they think there’s still a commercial life for it. Theatres do not act altruistically purely for the sake of art; they know they also want a slice of the box office. And with four Olivier Awards behind it, and an ever- shrinking pool of good touring product, of course they wanted a slice of this. The controversy, indeed, doesn’t hurt either – it helps tell the world that the show is happening.
Also using the media to get the town talking is a projected production of Hedda Gabler that may star Nicole Kidman in the title role. Pardon me for asking, but didn’t we just have a Hedda Gabler in the West End a few months ago, with Eve Best? In any case, the Standard have already reported yesterday – and the Independent have followed it up with a picture caption story today – that Kidman is “in talks” to do so. No producer has been named in either story – though the Evening Standard suggests Daniel Kramer – whose production of Hair opens at the Gate Theatre this week – being attached as director of the project.
