5. Cinema

If you want to go to the cinema in Britain today you will have to face two problems. The first is to find a cinema in your locality which is still showing films and which has not been turned into a bowling alley, a bingo hall or a ballroom. The second is to find a film worth seeing.

The large industrial cities used to have five or six cinemas in the centre and about thirty in the suburbs. Even small towns had several cinemas. But since the advent of television, cinemas have been closing down at the alarming rate. The downward curve, although less sharp, is still continuing.

Most cinemas in Britain run continuous performances from about midday to eleven at night. Tickets cannot be booked in advance except at some West End cinemas and a few in provinces. Practically all-new films have a premiere run at one of the big West End cinemas owned by giant cinema companies. The length of the premiere run depends on its financial success, and the tendency, especially with the huge epic spectaculars, longer premiere runs sometimes for several years.

General release cinemas are in the grip of a double monopoly – Rank and ABC. Although this is a numerical minority, it represents all the key cinemas in the country, for while the rest of the cinemas are grouped in small privately owned chains of three, four or perhaps a dozen. The Rank and ABC cinemas form two major networks all over the country and no British film can hope to cover its costs unless one or other of these circuits books it. Moreover, banks will not advance money to film producers unless they have a guarantee of distribution through companies linked with one or other of these circuits.

The problem of finance is a real one to all filmmakers because an initial outlay of several thousands of pounds is not essential even to start a film. Production is so costly that even the major film companies have to borrow part of their capital.

The two big companies, Rank and ABC, not only control exhibition, but also are also powerful production companies themselves. The big American-British companies, e.g. MGM, Paramount, United Artists, have permanent distribution agreements with one or the other of them, and are therefore able to produce whatever they want. Any smaller company is unable to enter production unless it has the backing of one or the other of the big production distribution companies for the particular film it is proposing to make.

6. The british theatre today

Britain is one of the world’s major centres for theatre and has a long and rich dramatic tradition. There are many companies based in London and other cities and towns, as well as numerous touring companies which visit theatres, festivals and other venues, including arts and sports centres and social clubs.

Britain has about 300 theatres intended for professional use, which can seat between 200 and 2,300 people. Some are privately owned, but most are owned either municipally or by non-profit distributing organization. In summer there are also open air theatres, including one in London’s Regent’s Park and the Minack Theatre, which is on an open cliffside near Land’s End in Cornwall.

Subsidized companies permanently occupy 15 of many London’s theatres. These include: the Royal National Theatre, which stages a variety of modern and classical plays; the Royal Shakespeare Company, which presents plays mainly by Shakespeare and his contemporaries as well as more modern works; the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, London, which stages the works of many talented new playwrights.

Most theatres are commercially run and self-financing, relying on popular shows and musicals with long runs to be profitable. By contrast, companies funded by the Arts Council tend to offer a mixed fare of traditional and experimental or innovative productions. Musicals, ranging from one-person shows to large cast extravaganzas, have grown in popularity in the last two decades; today there are more than 200 musical productions in Britain each year.

A major step forward has been the setting up of the National Theatre in 1962. Sir Laurence Olivier was the Director and Kenneth Tynan, the theatre critic, literary adviser. This is the first state theatre Britain has ever had. It has a permanent staff of actors and actresses, scenic designers and advisers. Guest actors and actresses are asked to perform from time to time. The National theatre works along English repertory theatre lines, and a play intends to run for about four weeks, or a short season.