London loses a museum
And an iconic one as well.
The Victoria and Albert Museum has announced today that the Theatre Museum is likely to close for good, after the proposed partnership between the V&A and the Royal Opera House fell through due to funding issues . . .it has been confirmed that the closure, now scheduled for January, will probably be permanent. The organisations were unable to find the investment necessary to transform the building into a suitable space for the future or cover the ongoing running costs.
Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the ROH, expressed his regret: “We spent a lot of time seeing whether we could devise an exciting plan for the Museum, and secure the funding to make it work. All that effort and energy was worthwhile, but sadly the conclusion we have come to is that it is not going to work. Though there has been a huge amount of moral support for the Theatre Museum, money for the most part has not been forthcoming.” He added that they were unable to find other collaborators and that the costs to revamp the building were higher than originally thought.
It is at these moments that I wish I had millions at my disposal. Such a shame that playing savior requires so much in the way of cash. Those are the days in which we live, sadly. Must make sure that I get over there for a visit before the holidays.
In other news, I'm applying to be a member of a theatre awards panel, which would require me to see 20-60 shows in the course of a year, at no expense to me. What's a theatre lover to do? Nothing is finalised yet, but keep your fingers crossed!!
The Victoria and Albert Museum has announced today that the Theatre Museum is likely to close for good, after the proposed partnership between the V&A and the Royal Opera House fell through due to funding issues . . .it has been confirmed that the closure, now scheduled for January, will probably be permanent. The organisations were unable to find the investment necessary to transform the building into a suitable space for the future or cover the ongoing running costs.
Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the ROH, expressed his regret: “We spent a lot of time seeing whether we could devise an exciting plan for the Museum, and secure the funding to make it work. All that effort and energy was worthwhile, but sadly the conclusion we have come to is that it is not going to work. Though there has been a huge amount of moral support for the Theatre Museum, money for the most part has not been forthcoming.” He added that they were unable to find other collaborators and that the costs to revamp the building were higher than originally thought.
It is at these moments that I wish I had millions at my disposal. Such a shame that playing savior requires so much in the way of cash. Those are the days in which we live, sadly. Must make sure that I get over there for a visit before the holidays.
In other news, I'm applying to be a member of a theatre awards panel, which would require me to see 20-60 shows in the course of a year, at no expense to me. What's a theatre lover to do? Nothing is finalised yet, but keep your fingers crossed!!