At the White Elephant Enclosure
With the Smalltown holiday season reaching its peak in August, as the schools break up and thousands upon thousands of visitors flock to Smalltown and Bream, you can be forgiven for thinking that this month is the perfect time for the White Elephant Enclosure to be hosting a variety of events to get bums on seats. After all, it is something of a traditional to take in a seaside show when you are on holiday.
Over in Easton-under-Water the PlayTheatre is certainly cashing in on the influx of visitors, with 12 different events ranging from musicals, children’s entertainment, top tribute bands through to has-been comedians.
But what delights will the WEE be showing?
Wednesday 2nd August sees the start of a new season of classic cinema matinées. Under the banner of ‘Fiver Film Club’ audiences can watch a very old film, often available to view for free on television, for only a fiver. Which is still a pound more than the latest blockbuster showing at the Blitz Cinema Club.
The first offering is the classic (i.e. really, really, really old) Pealing comedy, The Ladykillers starring Alec Stout and Peter Buyers, as two Illiberal Party Councillors trying to rid the world of two female Dictators.
In at attempt to save some money Smalltown and Dullbridge Town Council has purchased a Blu-Ray copy of the film from online retail outlet Amazing for the sum of £15.99, as opposed to the previous arrangement, part of the Smalltown Culture and Arts Manager’s (SCAM) ‘Wizard Idea’ to increase the audience at the WEE.
That failed idea saw the WEE enter into an agreement with FilmLicencesRUs which allowed the WEE to purchase a licence to screen each classic (really, really old) film at a cost of £87.00 per film.
FilmLicencesRUs, is a service which covers both the cost of film hire and a licence to allow public screening – something which is necessary for any venue planning to sell tickets, as it is a legal requirement to acquire copyright licensing to screen films outside of the home. The Ladykillers also appears in their list of films available to screen under licence.
It is unclear whether or not this is Deputy Dictator Cllr Sherry’s latest attempt to renege on the BeFuddled Party’s stated claim to be ‘Open, Honest and Transparent’ by dishonestly screening a film without first obtaining the necessary permission.
This could well turn into a similar fiasco to the 2014 WEE Performing Rights Copyright Licence Scandal, when the WEE Mismanagement Committee found themselves in hot water and slapped with an invoice for £3,368 to cover music copyright costs.
At the time WEE Chairman Squire Teflon said “This bill came as a complete surprise, as we are so incompetent when it comes to running an entertainment venue, that we were unaware that we needed to pay for a licence for public performances which include music.”
On the plus side though, having purchased the disc the WEE only needs to sell four tickets to cover the cost however, with only two days to go, even that looks unlikely.
Not to worry, at least SaD Town Council will be able to recoup some of the purchase price by flogging the disc off at a car boot sale in September.
Later in the month Smalltown and Dullbridge residents and visitors to the area can look forward to watch… errrrm… Nothing. That’s it for August. Just the one event.