U.K. theater banners to go legit

Out-of-context review quotes to be banned

By BOBBIE WHITEMAN

HOLLYWOOD -- British theaters will no longer be able to hoodwink potential audiences with out-of-context review quotes that seem to show the production is a hit, when the review actually conveys something different.

Beginning Monday, it will become a criminal offense when the biggest overhaul of consumer protection law in Blighty for decades takes effect.

The law comes under European Union regulations covering consumer protection from unfair trading designed to protect consumers against misleading or aggressive marketing practices.

Prosecutors must prove theatergoers were misled. If guilty, theater operators could be fined up to £5,000 ($9,900) and/or face a maximum of two years in prison.