The Whitehall Theatre Trust has held confidential talks in a bid to secure the future of the popular Dundee venue.
Chairman Derek Shaw said the trust also plans to regain possession of the theatre for the first time since its management company went into liquidation.
He said the trust has voluntarily allowed the liquidator free access to the building and agreed to meet his fees, in a bid to move matters along.
The theatre is owned by the trust but its day-to-day operations were handled by a charitable company, Whitehall Theatre (Dundee) Ltd, which collapsed 10 days ago. Taking back the theatre was simply a formality, Mr Shaw said.
“We do own the building and could have gone in at any time but we are doing it this way to get things moving,” he said. “The other reason is that by doing it this way former employees of the company will get a better deal because it is all registered with the appropriate government departments.
“There are moveable assets and stocks which belong to the company and have to be valued and we have gone along with that,” he continued. “The liquidator works for the creditors and has to make sure to get the best value and hopefully we will agree on the costs.
“Whatever happens, the show must go on and the Dundee Schools Music Theatre production of Me and My Girl will definitely open at the Whitehall on September 1.”‘Delicate’Though cautiously optimistic about the outcome, Mr Shaw said he could not reveal the identities of the parties taking part in Wednesday’s rescue talks.
“It’s quite a delicate thing at the moment,” he added.
An energetic campaign to save the Whitehall Theatre was set up almost as soon as the shock news of the management company’s insolvency was made public.
The cause has attracted considerable support locally as well as winning the backing of high-profile fans of the venue, including comedian Jim Davidson who pledged to perform his scheduled show at the theatre next month for free if need be.
The company’s difficulties have been put down to escalating costs coupled with a decline in the number of quality touring shows and the falling popularity of amateur productions, such as Sounds Spectacular and The Gang Show, which were previously the theatre’s bread and butter.