The Stage

Jude Law in Rhyl rescue bid

Published Tuesday 13 September 2005 at 11:20 by Mark Ritchie

Film star Jude Law has added his support to a bid to keep open Wales’ only purpose-built children’s theatre, situated in Rhyl.

Law has signed the petition to save The Little Theatre being circulated among residents and holiday visitors. It calls for the venue to remain open despite a dispute involving the cost of repair work. He heard about its plight after getting to know limousine driver Michael Taylor, nephew of theatre secretary Neil Taylor. He became Law’s regular driver and began discussing events in Wales with the star as both men have roots there.

Said Taylor: “On his visit to New York last Christmas, my uncle told me about the situation at The Little Theatre and as he had obtained signatures in the city, I took some copies. When I talked to Jude about it he was only too pleased to sign.”

Law is not the only Hollywood figure to back the campaign. Former Rhyl high school pupil and Hollywood director and writer Sara Sugerman put her name to the petition backing the theatre.

Set up in 1964, the building is now in need of repair work and Denbighshire County Council want to take control of the facility. Campaigners fear that the authority want to demolish the venue. Theatre bosses are calling for the council to renew the lease, which ran out last March and which the campaign group is taking the council to court to obtain. As yet no court date has been set.

Theatre Chairman Gwynne Williams said: “We honestly don’t know what the future holds. My own feeling is that I don’t think the council know what to do with the theatre. When the lease expired, their own surveyor said that it would cost £44,000 for repairs but our own surveyor said that only cosmetic improvements were needed and it would cost around £6,000.”