It’s often assumed that the performing arts are a liberal, gay-friendly industry where people can be open about their sexuality – as Rupert Everett, pictured, is – without fear of it affecting their careers. But is that really the case? Results of a survey carried out by actors’ union Equity were revealed this week, showing that half of all gay performers still aren’t out to their agents, with many afraid they might be overlooked for certain roles because of their sexuality. Meanwhile, a third claimed to have experienced homophobia in the industry
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The National Theatre had a day to remember at the Critics’ Circle theatre awards this week, where the South Bank venue took home more than half the gongs on offer. Mike Leigh picked up best director for Grief (pictured), Benedict Cumberbatch was recognised for Frankenstein (whose designer Mark Tildesley was also successful) and Richard Bean was presented with the best new play award for One Man, Two Guvnors. Still, there’s no sign of the venue resting on its laurels, with another bumper season of work unveiled, including new adaptations of The Count of Monte Cristo and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Photograph: Tristram Kenton
North of the border, Scottish Ballet had more than just Burns Night to celebrate this week: the company was a double-winner at the National dance awards. Outgoing artistic director Ashley Page (who leaves this year following a contract row) picked up the De Valois award for outstanding achievement, while the company’s principal Sophie Martin was recognised for outstanding classical female performance. The awards also recognised two of dance’s iconic figures – Akram Khan and Sylvie Guillem. Pictured, Sophie Martin as Alice, Quenby Hersh as the Cheshire Cat and Luciana Ravizzi as the Duchess in Ashley Page's Alice Photograph: Andrew Ross/PR
Dramatic goings-on in English dance, too, where another talent – Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin – has left the company reeling after walking out mid-rehearsals and refusing to return. The Ukrainian dancer is one of the hot young stars of the dance world and the youngest ever principal of the Royal Ballet at only 21. Polunin has kept his own counsel about why he made his sudden departure, leaving the dance world to look for clues as to his motives in the rather gnomic mutterings on his twitter feed. Photograph: Teri Pengilley
Another controversial exit – this time in Australia, where Cate Blanchett and her husband, the playwright Andrew Upton, have revealed they will be leaving the Sydney Theatre Company at the end of 2013. Confusion reigns, though, over whether they are making an orderly exit, or have been pushed. The Sydney Morning Herald initially ran a story claiming the board had been unhappy with the pair’s performance, but was soon after forced to run a correction saying they had 'incorrectly implied the company alone decided the couple’s contract should not be extended beyond 2013'
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Mix-ups happening in France as well, with the bizarre story of the politician who quoted the wrong Shakespeare. François Hollande, a frontrunner in the forthcoming presidential elections, made the gaffe during a speech in which he announced his intention to restore egalitarian idealism to French politics. 'And I will quote Shakespeare, who recalls this universal law,' he said. 'They failed because they did not start with a dream.' That’s definitely Shakespeare, but it’s not William – it’s Nicholas (pictured, right), better known as the Daily Telegraph’s chief book reviewer, who used the phrase in his 1989 novel The Vision of Elena Silves. Alas poor François
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Fans of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, upset that the BBC has canned their long-running quiz show Shooting Stars, will no doubt be pleased to hear that they intend to hit the road for the first time in nearly two decades. They have three warm-up shows scheduled for Leeds’s newly refurbished City Varieties Music Hall in March; if these go well, they’ll embark on a full UK tour Photograph: Richard Saker
