Liza Mayer - Pantheatre, France

Dear Judie, Richard, Joan, and everyone at CPR,

We found your message about the funding cuts saddening, sobering, for sure - and also difficult to understand. The massive amounts of work that you have invested over the years in the making of wonderful, interesting, year round projects which involve performances, lectures, workshops - to say nothing of multi-cultural exchanges, bringing people from the other ends of the earth to a small town in Wales -and the link between the CPR and the University. All this is now being jeopardised for something called: 'front-line projects' - what is a 'front-line project' anyway? Perhaps whoever dreamed this one up at the ACW is in the wrong line of business (as they say in Indiana. )

I've been to about 4 or 5 "Giving Voice" events over the last 15 years or more, and every time came away with new perspectives, having learned of and about new and other forms of singing, theatre, voice and theatre teaching - things which have fed my own work, that of other people, and in turn that of others. I've also met people I'm still in touch with - and who in turn keep us in touch with the CPR, and what they've learned, experienced there.

"Giving Voice" is only one of the activities of the CPR - an organization which I'd have thought is ideally placed, to say nothing of experienced, to help and advise and collaborate with an eventual English language National Theatre for Wales plus other young companies. I'd have thought/assumed/hoped that the ACW would realize that ANY good theatre, national or otherwise, needs this kind of rooted expertise

-As for 'Project Funding' - well, projects are lovely and all, but they take time and for them to be any good and have any real and sustaining value, they need competent staff and time. I also find it pretty appalling to learn that: " ...arguments of merit, artistic or otherwise, would appear to be disallowed as grounds for appeal within the formal terms of the ACW's appeals procedure, wherein whether there is a case for appeal is, in the first instance, judged solely by ACW Chief Executive (currently Peter Tyndall), who was of course involved in the original decision-making process." Arguments of merit? Appeals? What about consultation ?? Discussion ?? Collaboration ?? Putting the heads together?? A meeting between the ACW (plus the Chief Executive.) and the CPR, to discuss past policies, under-funding, the need for revitalizing independent theatre - some give and take?? Hopefully it's not too late for something along these lines to happen.My Pantheatre colleagues and I send you all, all it's support and best of wishes, and multi-thanks for your past, present and future.

With love and wishes,

Liza Mayer
Pantheatre, France
http://www.pantheatre.com/