Trouble at Xanadu

There are problems backstage at Xanadu, according to The Weekend Australian newspaper.

There are problems backstage at Xanadu, according to The Weekend Australian newspaper.

Here’s an article that has appeared in the paper today:

Its title is meant to conjure a place of great beauty, luxury and contentment, yet backstage on the musical Xanadu the atmosphere is anything but.
A fortnight ago, a national tour of the show staged in a tent in Melbourne’s Docklands was cancelled.

Three final performances are scheduled for this weekend but in the build-up to last night’s show, there was uncertainty about whether the lighting would function after a disgruntled contractor removed the mixing desk.

In addition, technical crew discovered accommodation expenses amounting to thousands of dollars due to be paid by the production had in fact been added to their own credit cards.

Contractors told The Weekend Australian that fees and expenses had been paid early in the show’s run but the cheques had stopped coming.

On Monday, Worrells solvency accountants were appointed to administrate the finances of the failed show. Worrells partner Con Kokkinos told The Weekend Australian funds were available to meet employee entitlements.

Actors union spokesman Simon Whipp confirmed “the producer has given the cast an iron-clad guarantee that he’s got enough money to cover all their entitlements.”

But contractors such as the show’s publicist, choreographer Kelley Abbey, rigging company Tri-point and other suppliers have been invited to attend a creditors meeting on Wednesday.

The Weekend Australian understands that Chameleon Touring Systems took matters into its own hands yesterday and repossessed the lighting console it leased to the production, because of bills unpaid for the 10-week run and rehearsal period.

Chameleon’s managing director Tony Davies was unavailable late yesterday but one of Xanadu’s two producers, Mark Pennell, said the desk had been returned and last night’s show would go on