Unwanted money

There are several ways of disposing of unwanted money. Using twenty-pound notes to light your cigar with is uncommon now that smoking is out of fashion. You can always shred it and throw it out the window in a fifty knot gale. You could shred it and use it for cat litter. You could buy a lottery ticket or otherwise gamble it away. Or you can become a theatre producer, as I have done.

Barry Clarke, Carolyn Lyster
and Robin Holden in
Californian Lives

The cost of putting on the six-week run of Californian Lives at the King's Head is somewhere around £11,000. Two-thirds of that goes straight to the theatre. The rest of it goes to the PR agent, the printer, the photographer and so on. A laughably small amount goes to the actors and director. Yes, they are being guaranteed a minimum, but that sum probably works out at about £1 an hour, by the time you include rehearsal and standing-around time.

If the theatre sells out, I will get back my £11,000 plus make a profit, some of which will be shared with the cast and director. But given that we are an unknown quantity in the theatre world, the likelihood of that happening is currently small. Which means that we have to find income from other sources.

Step forward, Supporters! Even if you don't come to the play, you can support the production and increase the likelihood that the actors will be well-rewarded by donating small - or large - amounts of money. £2.50 gets your name on the Californian Lives website. Twice that gets your name on the theatre programme. Larger amounts of money get a you a copy of the book from which the plays were taken - and so on and so on. So, don't be shy. Give money today. Visit californianlives.co.uk/support.htm or click the donate button in the column on the right.