The Stage

Aria of controversy

Published Tuesday 16 March 2010 at 11:45

I really cannot allow Stephen Spence to get away with stating that I am wrong in saying that Equity has stopped protecting its members and other professional performers (Professional protection, Stage Talk, March 4, page 8).

If your reporter had been allowed to attend Friday (March 5)’s London Area Members Open Meeting, he would have heard a heated debate on my motion condemning council for allowing 42 unpaid amateurs to replace professional performers in the recent ENO Messiah at the London Coliseum, without going to the London Theatre Council for arbitration.

The ENO’s funding on condition of involving amateurs and community groups is their worry, not Equity’s. I have searched the websites of the arts council and City of Westminster, and can find no trace of them stating that their participation must include amateurs and community groups treading the boards of the Coliseum stage in a professional opera performance.

Council policy is to use our best endeavours to take action against employers who wish to use amateurs and/or members of the public to take part as walk-ons or extras in any professionally mounted production (council report November 2005). I can find no record of this policy being abandoned to allow staff permission in this case to be given to the ENO without protest.

Michael Earl

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