Byrne still fuming about 'censorship' of smoking ban in theatres

Published on Saturday 19 April 2008 19:44

SCOTS playwright John Byrne has continued his campaign for an exemption to the smoking ban for theatres.

Byrne claims that the ban on lighting up on the stage is "censorship" and makes performances of plays unrealistic.

Although the smoking ban was brought in by the Labour-Lib Dem coalition more than a year before the SNP came to power, the legislation had cross-party support.

Byrne, whose partner is Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, said: "One of the things which they have not acted on is reversing the ban on smoking on stage during plays. I wrote to Alex Salmond after the election asking him to change the law and I received a reply from a civil servant saying they were not going to change. It's a form of censorship and it's wrong."

In Ireland, which brought in its smoking ban before Scotland, performers are allowed to light up with herbal cigarettes on stage, but no such exemption applies in Scotland.

Ministers rejected herbal cigarettes claiming that some theatres in Ireland had been forced to abandon them as the overpowering smell meant actors could not concentrate. They have suggested alternatives which involved stunt cigarettes and talcum powder, but these have been derided by actors.

During the golden age of Hollywood, smoking played a part in some of cinema's most romantic scenes, such as Bette Davis receiving a cigarette from Paul Henreid in Now, Voyager.

Smoking in public places and the workplace is banned in California, but film and TV companies have obtained "industrial exemptions" to depict characters who smoke. In theatres on the west and east coasts of the United States, however, warnings must be put up in the foyer if an actor is to smoke on stage.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The ban on smoking has proved overwhelmingly popular and beneficial to the health of the nation. John Byrne is absolutely entitled to put forward his point of view, but the law has to treat everyone fairly and equally, so there are no plans to amend it to allow smoking on stage."