SCOTLAND: Scotland has snuffed out Winston Churchill's famous cigar at the Edinburgh Fringe arts festival. Actor Mel Smith, playing the British wartime leader in a new play, decided yesterday not to defy Scotland's tough new anti-smoking laws after officials had threatened to close down the theatre if he lit up.
In March, a sweeping new ban on public smoking came into force in Scotland.
Smith, portraying Churchill in Allegiance, complained that he did not want to become a victim of political correctness and actually did light a cigar during a photocall for the play, according to the BBC.
Artistic director William Bourdett-Coutts said Smith had talked about defying the ban, but did not want to see the whole theatre close down. "This is the biggest and oldest festival in the world and the fact that one can't do something like this is crazy."
Theatregoer Sheila Rait said: "It really didn't matter that he didn't light up, it didn't spoil the play for me." - (Reuters)