The Stage

Christian Voice thwarted by regional resistance over Springer tour

Published Tuesday 20 September 2005 at 09:55 by Nuala Calvi

Jerry Springer - the Opera’s national tour has been rescued by a group of 21 theatres, led by the Birmingham Hippodrome, His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen and Plymouth Theatre Royal, which have agreed to cover its marketing costs in order for it to go ahead.

The new agreement enables production company Avalon to recoup £150,000 of the shortfall of £200,000 it was left with after seven venues pulled out of the tour, following pressure from campaign group Christian Voice. The show initially applied to Arts Council England for help to cover the loss but was unsuccessful, leaving a question mark over its future. Producer Jon Thoday praised the theatres for achieving what he called a victory for freedom of speech. “When the arts council pulled out, we gave up all hope,” he said. “But a group of theatres, led by Stuart Griffiths at Birmingham, really wanted it to happen and they distributed the marketing costs for the tour, which went most of the way towards what we were looking for. I think they thought the show should be seen around the country and that we shouldn’t be stopped by Christian Voice, who are a tiny organisation who shouldn’t have that kind of power. I can only applaud them. Given the creative team and the venues were behind it, we decided the opportunity was too important to pass up.”

The production’s creative team has also offered to defer their royalties and the tour will now begin on January 23 in Plymouth, running for 22 of the 36 weeks originally planned.

Griffiths, chief executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “The fact that regional theatre has responded so positively illustrates its support for new musical theatre and freedom of expression. I know that the audiences of Birmingham will be keen to make up their own minds after [the show] has provoked such a debate. “

Jerry Springer - the Opera has been seen by 425,000 theatregoers since being workshopped at the Battersea Arts Centre in 2001. It was watched by 2.4 million viewers on BBC2 in January - a record viewing figure for a musical or opera. Following this, Christian Voice is thought to have written to every theatre in the country, warning that hosting the production could lead to legal action and to picketing of performances because of what the group regards as its blasphemous subject matter.

But Jerry Springer co-writer and director Stewart Lee insisted the show aimed to provide good entertainment. “This political dimension has been thrust upon us - the show is not about blasphemy and swearing,” he said. “If people become too frightened to put on a show like this, what are we meant to do as artists? Are we are doomed to put on pantomimes and bad rock musicals forever?”