A FURTHER shadow has been cast over the future of 18 jobs at the crisis-hit Octagon Theatre.

Almost a third of the workforce at the Howell Croft South theatre are set to lose their jobs in a cost-cutting exercise.

This week, theatre bosses have sent out letters to all those whose jobs are in jeopardy.

One recipient told the BEN the letter was not an official notice of redundancy but that it detailed information about the termination of contracts.

It comes as the theatre continues to battle back from a recent financial crisis and debts which were set to spiral to £500,000.

As part of an agreed two-year rescue plan to save the Octagon, board members confirmed that 18 jobs are on the line.

The production team is set to bear the brunt of the job losses, as plans get underway to slash locally-made productions for two years.

Even the Octagon's artistic director Lawrence Till is set to go in the round of redundancies.

Barry Wood, chairman of the Octagon's board, confirmed the letters had been sent out.

He added: "We are required to give people this notice so that they can come back to us to discuss it with their employers.

"If there are any ways to reduce or minimise the redundancies we will look at them."

It is believed the proposed redundancies will be phased in over the coming months, rather than the 18 people losing their jobs in one sweep.

But despite the latest set-back for theatre staff, an Octagon insider stressed there was a "positive" mood among employees.

The source said: "Everyone is focussed on the plays being produced and there's a very positive campaign to retain the producing standards of the company.

"We believe this is the board's greatest desire and is what funders and staff want."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.