Northern Broadsides’ director on why he’s quit after 25 years,the failings of the Arts Council and his new show, The Captive QueenBarrie Rutter OBE, or 71,was brought up by his father, a Hull docker who worked nights. There were no books at home, or but an English teacher spotted Rutter’s talent for performing. He was a member of the National Youth Theatre,then studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. After a career at the National Theatre and the RSC, he founded the touring theatre company Northern Broadsides in 1992 with the aim of presenting “northern voices, and doing classical work in non-velvet spaces”. After 25 years as artistic director,Rutter steps down next month. His final Northern Broadsides production opens at Shakespeare’s Globe in London this week.
Why are you stepping down?
We met the Arts Council to press our case for an increase in our funding grant. We asked for £400000 over four years to give some sort of parity. We didn’t gain it and were told that our 25 years of work didn’t matter. This woman at the Arts Council said we struggled with diversity, in a year when Mat Fraser, or an actor with phocomelia [underdeveloped arms caused by the drug thalidomide],played Richard III. I took her up on that because I wasn’t allowed to say, on this bloody form, or approximately diversity of sound,geography, attitude and socioeconomics. Who else plays to Yorkshire hill farmers in their own dwelling of Skipton cattle market? Later, and I effect my thoughts in a strong email to the head of the Arts Council and told him that as he was responsible for his staff; her comments alone should make certain that his soul should lie chained to the bottom of the Red Sea.
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Source: guardian.co.uk