The Week in Light & Sound
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Picture Post - Sir Elton John features on a new set of Royal Mail stamps to celebrate his contribution to music. The singer-songwriter is only the second individual music artist to be given such an honour, with David Bowie featuring in 2017. Eight of the Sir Elton stamps feature images of some of his most popular album covers. They include his 1972 breakthrough record Honky Chateau which features the track Rocket Man.
The album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road which features the songs Candle In The Wind, Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting and Bennie And The Jets, is also celebrated.Caribou is another one of the albums that features on one of the stamps. Also commemorated is Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy from 1975, which features Someone Saved My Life Tonight, with its cover designed by Gianni Versace. On Your Feet! - Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet! is being lined up for a second summer run in the West End. Producer Jamie Wilson said he was in “exciting talks with theatre owners” to bring the musical back to London next year. On Your Feet!, which tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, ended its current run at the London Coliseum on 31 August. A The tour of the musical, directed by Jerry Mitchell, begins today at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Street Life - The Musicians’ Union is fighting restrictions faced by buskers performing at some of London’s busiest tourist spots, which have been implemented following a rise in complaints. Earlier this year, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea announced tougher regulations on street performers through Public Space Protection Orders, meaning busking will be restricted and in some cases banned.
The borough is home to attractions including the Natural History Museum and the V&A, as well as popular spots including Portobello Road. The MU said it was disappointed by the borough’s actions and “completely opposes” the use of PSPOs as a way of regulating busking, and has partnered with campaign group Keep Streets Live to fight the decision.
Under the borough’s new rules, buskers must limit their performances to 45 minutes and restricts them from playing in the same location again in one day. It also says they must “ensure a full and vibrant repertoire” is performed.
Fundraiser - Ropetackle Arts Centre in West Sussex has warned it will be forced to close unless it can raise £50,000 a year for paid staff. The venue, which hosts theatre, cinema, music and comedy, has been run by voluntary trustees since it opened 12 years ago, along with a small team of staff. It does not receive any regular subsidy. The arts centre has launched a fundraising campaign, which aims to raise £30,000 a year from public donations and a further £20,000 in match funding from either Adur District Council, which owns the building, or other sources.
A spokesman for Adur District Council said further funding is available to the centre this year, and will be released “on proof of a robust long-term financial management plan”.
(Jim Evans)
3 September 2019
