The GLC position
Sir: The riposte from Alexander Chancellor (14 March) to my letter has fallen right into the pit. For his information, and Your readers', the facts are: (a) I did not walk out of The Romans in Britain — I saw it all through, which is rather more than many of the freedomof-expression brigade have done; (b) the GLC has not taken a view on the play leading to a standstill in our rg ant to the National Theatre, nor has any statement been made to this effect; (c) at no time have I threatened to withdraw the GLC's grant; and (d) I have made no pronouncement '°11 issues of public morality', whether in connection with this play or anything else. What I did say was that the play was, lousy and a disgrace to the National Theatre. You have made the fundamental error of attributing motives based on your alis" understanding of the issues involved. As regards the grant I am assured that the committee concerned revised its priorities in the light both of available funds and of other factors, not the least of which was the Arts Council's retrenchment. Some gal's had to be filled, and they were, at the cost of reductions elsewhere. But if it were the case that this one Pig predisposed members of the committe!, against an increase in the grant to the 1'.1 why should that be reprehensible? They are all elected and are bound to have regard to the views of their constituents and to public opinion generally — of the direction of which there is no doubt. What is more, the plaY is still running, apparently to packed house,s' so that censorship hardly enters into it. Either way, I made no attempt to influence the committee. The basic issue, though, is this. For ns long as theatre, or any other art form, is funded at public expense there attaches right and duty to the trustees of public funds, whether elected or not to act as stewards. There is no such thing as al!, uncritical approach — if there were, could merely make fixed annual allocations of funds without the bothersome ParaPh,er nalia of the democratic process: in °to' words, why bother to have elected repre' sentatives at all?
Horace Cutler
Greater London Council, County Hall, London SE1
Previous page
