An improbable fiction

It's good news that Theatr Colwyn is getting a much-needed revamp.  Theatre and entertainment, music and singing are essential components in the fabric of any community or society and Theatr Colwyn has seen a lot in the past.  About 20 years ago, the World Harmonica Championships were held there, so the place is no stranger to important events. The Arts Council provides with unimaginable largess for London opera-goers, yet comparatively little - if at all - for the bedrock of the theatrical industry - the provincial theatre. This sort of fiscal snobbery misses several points, but the important one is that talent doesn't recognise social class or wealth.  Some of our best entertainers - true geniuses - hail from North of the M25, yet the big government quangos seem to be remarkably myopic when it comes to funding the very operations that would bring these geniuses to a wider audience.

Too much is often invested in the capabilities of the individual manger, also; ITV's unbelievable stupidity in cancelling Foyle's War some years ago and Greg Dyson's instant re-scheduling of Neighbours to suit his daughter's school are just two examples. Perhaps it's time we had just a little more accountability in the entertainment industry - and a few more comedians that were actually funny.