1,000 signatures reached
To: Dr David Crilly, Artistic Director
End Wage Theft at Cambridge Shakespeare Festival!
Cambridge Shakespeare Festival was found guilty by an Employment Tribunal of withholding wages and holiday pay from performers working at the 2022 event, because the Festival claimed they were volunteers.
Two years on from that 2023 Tribunal, and Dr Crilly the director of the Festival, refuses to employ his actors as workers. We demand he pay his workers at the 2025 Cambridge Shakespeare Festival and complies with the ruling of the tribunal judge.
Two years on from that 2023 Tribunal, and Dr Crilly the director of the Festival, refuses to employ his actors as workers. We demand he pay his workers at the 2025 Cambridge Shakespeare Festival and complies with the ruling of the tribunal judge.
Why is this important?
Dr Crilly continues to advertise theatrical roles at this prestigious event yet refuses to pay even the National Minimum Wage to his actors. This is despite charging up to £20 per ticket, selling programs and attracting an annual audience of 25,000 all with very low productions overheads.
The 2023 Employment Tribunal agreed with Equity that the actors were in fact workers entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage, Holiday Pay, and other basic employment rights; which the Festival unlawfully withheld.
The future of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival is uncertain.
Despite the judgment, Cambridge Shakespeare Festival continues to hire actors and denying them National Minimum Wage and other statutory rights. If the Festival continues to ignore employment law they are at risk of further legal action which could endanger the future of the festival.
At least one Cambridge College has withdrawn its support for the 2026 Festival with the other colleges watching developments with interest.
We call on the Festival and its director, Dr Crilly, to end this wage theft, and respect our members and professional performers by complying with employment law.
The 2023 Employment Tribunal agreed with Equity that the actors were in fact workers entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage, Holiday Pay, and other basic employment rights; which the Festival unlawfully withheld.
The future of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival is uncertain.
Despite the judgment, Cambridge Shakespeare Festival continues to hire actors and denying them National Minimum Wage and other statutory rights. If the Festival continues to ignore employment law they are at risk of further legal action which could endanger the future of the festival.
At least one Cambridge College has withdrawn its support for the 2026 Festival with the other colleges watching developments with interest.
We call on the Festival and its director, Dr Crilly, to end this wage theft, and respect our members and professional performers by complying with employment law.