The Week in Light & Sound
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Theatre tax relief, which was introduced in 2014, allows touring shows to claim back 25% on eligible costs. All other productions can be reimbursed for 20%. In the first year of the scheme, £15m was paid out, rising to £46m in the second year and £77m in 2017/18.
Statistics published by HM Revenue and Customs for 2018/19 reveal there were a total of 930 claims, representing 3,380 productions, of which 950 were touring and 2,430 non-touring. A single claim can request tax relief for multiple productions.
Financial secretary to the treasury, Jesse Norman, said: “The arts and creative industries make a vital contribution to the UK economy. These tax reliefs have helped support some astonishing and exciting work again this year, celebrating the very best of British culture.”
Famous Footsteps - Beatlemania returned to Abbey Road, 50 years on from the camera clicking on the image that would go on to become one of the most famous album covers ever created. Tribute act Fab Gear followed in the footsteps of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison to re-enact the zebra crossing photograph as about 2,500 fans cheered them on. Traffic stopped, musicians played and sang Beatles hits.
Fans travelled from all over the world to mark the anniversary, with one man saying he had travelled on a plane for the first time to make the journey from Canada, while others from America, Mexico, Argentina, Japan and Australia also joined the crowds.
Snake, Rattle & Roll - Singer Mike Posner has shared a video from hospital after being bitten by a rattlesnake. The US performer, best known for hits including Cooler Than Me and I Took A Pill In Ibiza, said on his Instagram page that he had been airlifted by helicopter for treatment.
Posner is currently walking across the US and said he crossed from Kansas to Colorado on Wednesday. In his post, shared from Colorado, about the bite, he said: "Crazy day yesterday! I had just crushed 16 miles and was going for eight more when I got bit by a baby rattlesnake!”
(Jim Evans)
13 August 2019
