The Award winning British actor Mark Rylance has said he is unlike to perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company while it accepts sponsorship from the oil giant BP. Earlier this year, BP promised nine million dollars in funding over five years to the RSC, the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Opera House. The deal has been criticized by campaigners unhappy about the effect of fossil fuels on climate change. BP says it wants to make a contribution to society. This report is by Luc Jones.

I am as mad as he, if sad and merry madness equal be.

Mark Rylance on stage at the Globe Theatre which he used to run.

How now Malvolio!

The Oscar winner is also an associate artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford.

He is deadly serious about one of the RSC’s sponsors. It’s a calculated advertising ploy to present themselves as a respectable society loving organization which I don’t believe they are.

Would you accept a job from the RSC at the moment with the current funding arrangements that it has?

No, probably not.

Can you see it from the points of view of people who benefit?

We do have ethics. Everyone does. I think if there was someone around here selling revolvers in my neighbourhood or the knives to young people and so make some extra money, I’d like to sponsor your theatrical show. I’d say “No, thank you very much”.

BP is one of the country’s biggest sponsors of the arts. They recently signed up another five-year deal worth 7.5 million pounds. Alex Beard is the Opera House’s chief executive.

I think that BP actually are doing a great service to the arts by supporting tuitions to do things that otherwise that simply we’ll not be able to do.

But outside the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, does anyone take notices?

It is a very clear sign of the corporate takeover.

But you’ve just been in for free.

I attribute that to the British government. You are telling me that the corporations paid for my admission?

Well, there is a big logo over there that says “Credit Swiss” so I imagine they have something to do with it.

Well. I do go in and of course I value the cheep ticket like everybody else.