Optimists for the future of British theatre have recently had little to
smile at owing to the plethora of articles by smug Fleet Street
journalists who prophesise the imminent downfall of British theatre.
However, they should seek solace in the unforeseen boom in West End
ticket sales, triggered by an influx of Hollywood A-List talent eager
to tread the boards of the London stage. Indeed statistics reveal that
2004 was the West End’s most successful year in terms of revenue since
records began, with smash hits such as Mel Brooks’ The Producers and
Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins playing to full houses nightly.
However, the West End is only a small part of a much wider picture in
which British theatre faces a lack of financial support and distinct audience apathy. Away from the glamour of London’s West
End, with its swarms of tourists and big-budget productions, what is
the true state of affairs for Britain’s everyday theatres in their
perpetual struggle just to stay open?The average local theatre is disadvantaged not only by a lack of funding but also by an unengaged public, which
remains oblivious to the often stimulating range of cultural events on
offer. This ignorance is based on the common misperception of theatre
as an archaic medium, obsessed with Shakespeare and rooted deeply in
elitist high culture. This impression creates an intimidating aura
surrounding the theatre, which prevents a wider understanding of both the value and the joy of the theatrical experience.Herein lies the responsibility of the theatre company to promote its
work in such a way that it will engage the attention of a distracted
potential audience; in particular the younger generation, whom one must
target to ensure the theatre’s survival as a popular art form. It is an unfortunate coincidence that the future of the theatre may
rest on the shoulders of this generation, the generation that has been
most resistant to its call. The reasons for this are many and varied,
but principally stem from those previously mentioned concepts: misconception and
ignorance. As Oxford students it is easy to remain unaware of this
crisis, as our intellectual student community takes advantage of a wide range of theatre. However this is far from
typical, as local theatres rarely receive this level of support from
the younger generation. Pre-conceived notions of the theatre as boring
or uncool form a barrier against its integration into youth culture, as
well as the idea that it is an expensive hobby requiring effort to
dress appropriately and engage in higher culture. These concerns are
often ungrounded, with student tickets generally being reasonably
priced, with a wide range of plays on offer. Perhaps what is missing is
the promotion of theatre as the exciting, engaging medium that it is.
The innovative, challenging work of experimental companies often
remains practically unadvertised or doesn’t reach the
smaller theatres. The quality of work presented at theatres such as the
National – fresh and stimulating pieces – must find their way to local
theatre, to reach younger people and expose the theatre’s potential as
a platform for artistic creation.One of the most overwhelming setbacks for the theatre must surely be
its competition in the form of cinema and television. Sixteenth and
seventeenth century theatre was a social event, well attended by a
broad spectrum of people whose only chance of escapism was to see a
play. Moreover the theatre itself was a meeting point, actors often
struggling to perform over the clamouring rabble of audience members getting drunk
and looking for prostitutes. Although the theatre has thankfully gained
more respect in recent years, it has lost its status as a pillar of
society, a major form of entertainment to be experienced by all.
Ironically, it has been theatre’s social rise that has prompted its
demise, the move from popular to high culture bringing with it notions
of elitism and the reputation for being expensive.It is a common argument that theatre is flagging because of its failure to compete with the technological
wizardry now prominent in film and television. However this is clearly
a flawed assertion, with blockbuster films being reliant on plot detail
and acting ability, as opposed to camera trickery. Even if this were to
be a fair criticism, those involved in theatre must surely strive to
preserve its artistic integrity, since to sacrifice this in favour of gimmicks to attract a
new audience would serve only to corrupt the theatre and to lose the
remaining audience that is has.It is telling of British culture that it has taken the arrival of
Hollywood stars to boost the West End theatre scene. As a society, our
obsession with the celebrity informs us that a production endorsed by a familiar name must be worth seeing, the glamour of
Hollywood blinding our critical eye. Many of these actors have little
experience of live acting and are less adept than most of London’s
drama school graduates, winning parts based on the director’s knowledge
of the relationship between celebrity and ticket sales. This is surely
a dangerous observation, to note the shift from an emphasis on talent
to reputation. Must the theatre degrade itself to survive?Controversially, it is perhaps necessary for the West End, in order to
truly progress, to reject some of the Hollywood help it is receiving.
The underlying reason for this is that it is rare to find a public
figure (such as Kevin Spacey, artistic director of The Old Vic since
2004), who aims to use their status to resurrect theatre, rather than
using theatre to resurrect their own career.Alongside the problems involved with attracting audiences is the lack
of sufficient funding for British theatres. Critics will always argue
that in the face of global warming and terrorist threat, money should
not be spent on frivolous pastimes such as the theatre. This, however,
is an obstinate and poorly constructed argument, based on a
narrow-minded outlook on life. Theatre is an integral part of our
society’s culture, something that is worth fighting for with the
potential to entertain, broaden horizons and even to educate.Despite the problems it faces, there is still hope for British theatre.
Enthusiasm for theatre still exists as does the desire to promote this
live, challenging and engaging medium. Lack of funding and dwindling
audience numbers mean that the theatre is facing an uphill struggle to
maintain itself as a popular art form, but despite problems there is
still time for a revival. However, it will take more than a few
American celebrities to breathe new life into the British stage.ARCHIVE: 2nd week MT 2005
The world is no longer a stage
