JUDI DENCH - CURTAIN FALLS FOR LONDON'S THEATRE MUSEUM

London's legendary Theatre Museum has closed down after 20 years because of lack of finances to fund a major refurbishment. Its owner, the Victoria + Albert Museum, decided to shut its doors to the public after high profile campaigns by British actors including DAME JUDI DENCH, VANESSA REDGRAVE and PETER BOWLES failed to raise the GBP5 million ($9.68 million) needed to save the Covent Garden venue. MARTIN BROWN of the British Actors Union, Equity, says, "London is a world-centre of theatre and it's astonishing that the Victoria + Albert Museum hasn't got sufficient commitment to this art form to continue funding." Exhibits on display at the Theatre Museum, such as SIR LAURENCE OLIVIER's costume from RICHARD III and English playwright NOEL COWARD's make-up box, are to be re-housed in a new gallery at the Victoria + Albert Museum in South Kensington.

08/01/2007 17:19