Save the Northcott

The deadline has passed for submissions to the Arts Council in protest at its intention to withdraw its grant from the Exeter Northcott in 2009.

The Northcott, the only professional producing theatre currently open between Plymouth and Salisbury, will find out its future on Friday February 1^st.

A 26,374 signature petition was presented to the Arts Council Board – over 1,000 of these signatures were generated by Devon County Council Libraries users in just over a week.

A decision will now have been made by the Board, and must first go up to Arts Council England in London for approval. The Arts Council's decision will be made public on 1 February.

Andy Sinclair, the press officer for the Northcott Theatre, is keen to point out that even if there is bad news on 1 February, it is still business as usual at Exeter Northcott, and that customers should not worry about booking for events in the current season, all of which are going ahead as planned. The next two professional productions at the theatre are Invisible Bonfires from south west based company Forkbeard Fantasy which opens on 28 January, and the Northcott Theatre Company UK professional premiere of The Notebook of Trigorin, an adaptation by Tennessee Williams of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull which runs from 15 February - 1 March. More information about these and other productions in the spring season can be found at www.exeternorthcott.com, where you can also buy tickets online.

Invisible Bonfires combines a strong message about climate change with its eye-goggling and mind-boggling combination of live action, puppetry and film projection. The Notebook of Trigorin stars Mary Tamm who, amongst many other stage and screen roles, played Dr Who's assistant Romana opposite Tom Baker as The Doctor in the late 1970's.

"We have been overwhelmed and greatly reassured by the massive public support we have recently received," says Andy, "And now we'd like everyone who hasn't yet come to see the improvements we've made at Exeter Northcott to come and have a look, and to come and see a show in our completely refurbished auditorium."

The latest on the Northcott is available from Save Exeter Northcott Dot Com