The UK theatre industry has urged the government to resolve uncertainties related to post-Brexit touring provisions and appealed for funding to overcome added costs and lost work.
Performing arts in the UK are in a precarious state because of Covid-19. Productions that were able to reopen in the UK were only able to do so briefly in the autumn before new restrictions were introduced to stop the spread of the virus.
The industry highlighted issues and restrictions with visas and work permits that have been introduced in the European Union's 27 countries because of Brexit. It also noted additional pressures and costs involved in transporting items such as props and musical equipment.
Julian Bird, the chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, said Europe was a hugely important market for performing arts.
Kash Bennett, the managing director of National Theatre Productions, which delivers all live productions performed outside the NT, said international tours took a long time to organise.
“We are often planning tours 18 months to two years out. It’s the same with all touring really, trying to line up venues and trying to get everything cohesive takes an enormous amount of time and energy,” she said.
Ms Bennett said the lack of clarity meant she was unable to plan future tours to Europe because issues such as visas, social security and transportation were unresolved.
“That doesn’t mean we won’t be able to at some point in the future and we really, really hope to be able to as soon as we can. But at the moment we simply cannot plan and that is what’s really holding us back.
"While playing in Europe is only a part of what we do at the NT, a lot of our colleagues across the performing arts industry rely on international touring and especially touring in Europe to survive."
A letter sent last week to the UK government by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Theatre highlighted that the arts and culture industry usually contributes about £10.8 billion ($14.7bn) a year to the UK economy.
But arts and culture “provide more than just economic value to the Treasury. They create a sense of pride and belonging in, and bring joy to, our communities,” the letter reads.
“They are also a significant contributor to soft power, promoting the United Kingdom, including its values and international trade, to the rest of the world, through the exchange of human capital, ideas, culture and language,” it adds.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
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Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
MATCH INFO
Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
