Politicians in Britain are aiming to reduce the country's massive debts by tightening budgets, and many government-backed arts initiatives face losing money.

Hall, who founded the famed Royal Shakespeare Company, was honoured with the Golden Seagull prize at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his contribution to world theatre, and when he took to the stage, he urged the star-studded audience to make ""loud noises"" against budget cuts.

He said, ""It's insane. I feel really ill at the thought of over 50 years thrown away.""