The Stage

Sinden ‘spitting mad’ at demise of Theatre Museum

Published Tuesday 17 April 2007 at 13:00 by Alistair Smith

Donald Sinden, a leading figure in the fight to launch the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden in the eighties, has spoken of his anger at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s decision to close the site.

Speaking at the Society for Theatre Research’s Theatre Book Prize Award - one of the final events to be held at the Theatre Museum - he complained of the behaviour of museum’s parent institution the V&A. He also called on members of the theatre industry to support the Guardians of the Theatre Museum, which has been launched in an attempt to save the museum’s West End base and is seeking donations.

“I’m afraid I am spitting mad about the demise of the Theatre Museum,” complained Sinden. “It’s disgraceful. We have heard about the exhibition of Kylie Minogue [at the V&A] - why is that not here? That should have been here. The theatre designers exhibition and the Diaghilev exhibition should have been here. All these things would have improved the take out of the front door immeasurably, but we’re in this dire situation now.

“The V&A make me spitting mad - when one thinks of how we struggled to get this place here and they can close it just like that.”

Sinden’s comments came shortly after Theatre Museum director Geoffrey Marsh revealed that the Minogue exhibition, which had been curated by Theatre Museum staff, had become the second most popular exhibition in the history of the V&A. He also revealed that a 600 sq m permanent gallery space had now been set aside for a permanent performing arts gallery at the V&A’s Kensington base, but that it was unlikely to be in place before 2009/10.