The situation in Bristol, Derby and now Exeter is extremely worrying: there are different reasons for each situation but all of them are in dire trouble.

I am only able to comment with knowledge about Bristol, my favourite theatre in the country, which has been sadly mismanaged for twenty years, culminating in the distasterous rule of Simon Reade and David Farr. The London critics may have loved some of their work, but their reign epitomised the worst aspects of regional mismanagement: they couldn't have cared less for their local audience in Bristol - both men had both eyes firmly fixed on London and were completely uninterested in attracting the vibrant audience that had once flocked to the BOV when I used to visit it monthly. Indeed, I witnessed the end of the glory days in the 80's, when it was sometimes hard to get a seat in the upper gallery. In recent years there was never a reason to even open the upper galary - their stated target was 40% capacity and it was only propped up by Arts Council funding, who seemed oblivious to the catastophe unfolding within their remit.

We are in a very strange situation when it seems no-one within London - and I include the critics as well as the funding strategists - seem to have an inkling about what is really happening regionally. The national newspapers would have told you Bristol was thriving, when everyone in Bristol knew it was on the brink of disaster. Birmingham suffered the same malais under Bill Alexander, a man with no real interest in Birmingham, who while being lauded by the critics, brought the Birmingham Rep to its knees.

It was finally rescued by one of the few men in this business who understands effective programming, Jonathan Church. Jonathan has gone from Salisbury to Birmingham to Chichester, restoring their flagging fortunes within months of his arrival. The key to his success is that his programming never places itself above the local audience: it draws them in, not only with well known titles but rare and unusual plays which have a special appeal. He is the Richard Eyre of regional theatre and one day, one imagines, he may even get a shot at running the big building itself. He has clearly shown that most venues can thrive if only the people running them keep in mind what their theatre is for.

If Bristol, Derby and Exeter are allowed to falter, it would be a catastophe for the industry. The people in charge of these fraught affairs should ensure they get some real knowledge about the local situation, rather than relying on London-lead versions and half-versions of the truth. And they need to get a grip on this fast before more theatres go the same way. Didn't there used to be a theatre in Worcester once too?!

Well what a year it has been! I had to miss the trip to Dubai with KENSUKE'S KINGDOM in order to join the cast of PROOF in the West End (Sally Oliver has gone on to take a leading role in 'Emmerdale' - not a bad debut year for her!). Our tour of HORRIBLE HISTORIES had a wonderfully successful year with two new productions, The Ruthless Romans and The Awful Egyptians. DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD journeyed from its first year into its second year of touring with a great new cast, now in London for Christmas. OTHELLO did amazingly well in Birmingham and then London, just before the Donmar got their act together! And now TREASURE ISLAND is knocking them for six in Birmingham, with a glorious cast, before they head out into the country. Meanwhile GEORGE'S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE returned for another outing and will be back early next year.

And all of this run by five people in the BSC office, who have somehow managed to cope with changing positions and new additions as the year has progressed.

Meanwhile the Arts Council set about its grand new vision of withdrawing its entire funding from two hundred theatre companies (one can only marvel at their expertise and foresight!) and the BSC thanked its lucky stars that it could produce all of the above without requiring their support.

Sincere best wishes to everyone who has been involved in BSC shows this year: it has been twelve months of remarkable achievement and it demanded and received hard work, inspiration and dedication by everyone involved. It couldn't really have turned out much better.