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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 20 March 2020
'Downton Abbey' creator turns to the beautiful game

By MARK KENNEDY who wore white tie and tails
NEW YORK (AP) — With for dinner and considered
global soccer shut down the game something only
these days, fans desper- gentlemen participated in.
ate for a fix of the beauti- But it was attracting fans
ful game may find it from across the social spectrum
a rather unlikely source — and especially finding root
the creator of the stately in industrial towns among
"Downton Abbey." factory workers. They were
Julian Fellowes has cre- challenging the elite not
ated and co-written the just on the pitch but also
new Netflix series "The Eng- in the streets, demanding
lish Game," a six-part look better treatment, higher
at the origins of a onetime wages and unions.
British gentleman's game What Fellowes found was
that has become the most that social changes in Brit-
popular sport on the plan- ain at the time mirrored
et. The series begins Friday. the changes in soccer,
"There are certain sports with each reinforcing each
that cut right through soci- other. "I thought this is kind
ety and appeal to people of playing out in miniature
at every level. And that of what was happening in
seems to me to be a wholly Western Europe on a grand
good thing," Fellowes says. This image released by Netflix shows Kevin Guthrie, foreground center, and Edward Holcroft, scale."
The series is set in 1879 and background center, in a scene from "The British Game," a six-part drama charting the origins of On the pitch, working men
focuses on the first full- soccer. from Lancashire teams like
time professional players Associated Press Blackburn Rovers were in-
and how they infused the creasingly beating teams
game with new tactics and Peregrine, is a rabid fan of mean anything — being on Fergus Suter, a Scott re- made up of upper crust
passing strategies. But this Manchester United and, done superbly, it gener- garded as the first full-time Eton College alumni, using
being a Fellowes project, as a boy, decorated his ates an interest even in the professional. He was lured speed and passing to beat
there's plenty of drama off pillowcases, duvet covers hearts of someone who is to the mill town of Darwin their better nourished class
the pitch, too: the rise of and lampshades with the not particularly concerned in England's Lancashire re- rivals.
both the working class and team's crest. Father and with that subject," he says. gion to join the local team, Soccer was also helping
women's rights. son attended games, and "Watching Man U coming the first player to earn a sal- industrial towns bind to-
Fellowes actually knew little the elder Fellowes soon down the pitch, running like ary for his skill. gether, creating a sense of
about the origins of soccer grew to admire the athleti- a sort of Russian ballet, was It was a time in England community and eventually
when he began the proj- cism of the players. extraordinary." when the rules of soccer spurring workers to demand
ect, but he was aware of "When you watch any- "The English Game" is based had been codified by the changes together in the
it's force firsthand: His son, thing — and I do pretty well on real events and centers elite — bankers and lawyers way they were treated.q

Movie theaters request stimulus from Congress due to virus

loan guarantees for exhibi- posed $50 billion for the air- wide, shuttering nearly all
tors, tax benefits for em- lines). For less than the cost of the country’s cinemas
ployees and funds to com- of one airline company, Fi- including its largest chains,
pensate for lost ticket sales thian said, movie theaters AMC Theaters and Regal
and concessions. could be kept afloat. Cinemas. The closures fol-
The organization said the “We want our policy mak- lowed federal guidelines
movie theater industry is ers to know that at the end against gatherings of more
“uniquely vulnerable” to of this thing, when peo- than 10 people. Hollywood
the crisis, and needs assis- ple have been cooped has postponed nearly all
tance to weather a near up in their house for sev- March and April releases,
total shutdown of two to eral months, they’ll need and many May ones, too.
three months. a break to go out and In the meantime, some stu-
“This is an unprecedented do something collective- dios have moved their new
challenge to the business,” ly that’s affordable and releases to on-demand
said John Fithian, presi- fun and away from what platforms, a rare breaking
dent and chief executive they’ve just been through,” of the traditional 90-day
of NATO. “We’re looking to he said. “But we still need theatrical window. Uni-
Signs hang in the ticket window of a movie theater notifying cus-
tomers that it is closed, Monday, March 16, 2020 in New York. Congress and White House to be viable.” versal earlier announced
Associated Press to understand this is a cul- NATO also said it will supply that “The Hunt,” “Invisible
tural institution where peo- $1 million in aid for out-of- Man” and “Emma” will be
By Jake Cole Theater Owners, the trade ple gather.” work movie theater em- released for home viewing
NEW YORK (AP) — Faced group that represents most Fithian didn’t give a specific ployees. The majority of the on Friday. On Wednesday,
with a lengthy shutdown of the industry’s cinemas, dollar amount for what the industry’s workers are paid Sony Pictures said the Vin
due the coronavirus pan- said Wednesday that it’s industry is seeking but said hourly. “Starting tomorrow, Diesel sci-fi thriller “Blood-
demic, movie theaters are asking for immediate fed- theaters could be saved most of them won’t be paid shot,” which opened in
requesting relief from the eral help for its chains and for a fraction of what the anything,” said Fithian. theaters last Friday, will be
U.S. government. its 150,000 employees. The airline industry is requesting Earlier this week, U.S. movie available for digital pur-
The National Association of theaters are requesting (The White House has pro- theaters closed nation- chase Tuesday.q