RSC to lure movie stars?

The Royal Shakespeare Company is attempting to lure big film stars into its productions by restructuring actors' contracts. Artistic director Adrian Noble will launch a campaign this week. "We must exist in the real world," he said. Proposed changes mean that in future actors will only be required to commit to a minimum period of 12 months or less, instead of the usual 18 months - a direct response to the reluctance of the acting world's biggest box office draws to commit to the RSC for long periods. The shorter contracts will also apply to younger actors in the early stages of their careers, enabling them to balance lucrative television and film performances with work for the RSC. The proposal has won the backing of none other than Kate Winslet, who said: "It's a really good idea. It would be an extraordinary challenge to work with the RSC, although not necessarily one I would want to do for 18 months. But six months would be great."