Theatres Act 1968

18 Interpretation. E+W+S

(1) In this Act—

• [F1 “licensing authority” means—]

F2 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F2 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F2 (bb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) [F1 in relation to Scotland, [F3 a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994];]

• “play” means—

(a) any dramatic piece, whether involving improvisation or not, which is given wholly or in part by one or more persons actually present and performing and in which the whole or a major proportion of what is done by the person or persons performing, whether by way of speech, singing or action, involves the playing of a role; and

(b) any ballet given wholly or in part by one or more persons actually present and performing, whether or not it falls within paragraph (a) of this definition;

• [F4 “police officer” means a member, or in Scotland a constable, of a police force;[F4 police officer means a constable of the Police Service of Scotland;]]

• “premises” includes any place;

• “public performance” includes any performance in a public place within the meaning of the M1 Public Order Act 1936 F5 any performance which is not open for the public but which is promoted for private gain and any performance which the public or any section thereof are permitted to attend, whether on payment or otherwise;

• “script” has the meaning assigned by section 9(2) of this Act.

(2) For the purposes of this Act—

(a) a person shall not be treated as presenting a performance of a play by reason only of his taking part therein as a performer;

(b) a person taking part as a performer in a performance of a play directed by another person shall be treated as a person who directed the performance if without reasonable excuse he performs otherwise than in accordance with that person’s direction; and

(c) a person shall be taken to have directed a performance of a play given under his direction notwithstanding that he was not present during the performance;

and a person shall not be treated as aiding or abetting the commission of an offence under section 2, 5 or 6 of this Act in respect of a performance of a play by reason only of his taking part in that performance as a performer.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 18(1) repealed (S.) (27.1.2021) by Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 10), ss. 74(5), 88(2); S.S.I. 2019/99, art. 2(2) (with art. 3)

F2 Words in s. 18(1) repealed (24.11.2005) by Licensing Act 2003 (c. 17), s. 201(2), Sch. 6 para. 47, Sch. 7 (with ss. 2(3), 15(2), 195); S.I. 2005/3056, art. 2(2) (with art. 4)

F3 Words in s. 18(1)(c) substituted (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 77; S.I. 1996/323, art. 4(c)

F4 Words in s. 18(1) substituted (S.) (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Modifications and Savings) Order 2013 (S.S.I. 2013/119), art. 1, Sch. 1 para. 5

F5 Words in s. 18(1) added (with application in respective London boroughs as from the day appointed in relation to the borough as mentioned in ss. 3(1), 21(1)) by London Local Authorities Act 1991 (c. xiii), s. 18(1)(2).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 The reference to section 5 repealed by Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64, SIF 39:2), s. 40(3), Sch. 3

Marginal Citations

M1 1936 c. 6. (1 Edw. 8 & Geo. 6).