THREAD
I’ve been thinking about this idea of protesting for theatre. I’m not convinced for several reasons (please bear with me)
1) Covid has ruined several businesses from hospitality to travel to retail. As long as we keep peddling this narrative about theatre deserving funds/

because it produces great revenue, the general public will look at us like self centred luvvies (especially after such important protests like BLM), wondering why our “businesses” should get more attention than, say, barbers. The Les Mis title totally plays into that./

2) To have credibility we need to change the main narrative. We’re not businesses we‘re essential for the community. Problem is theatre in this country is mostly seen as expensive entertainment for middle classes or tourists, Famous directors saying theatre needs saving because/

actors can then go and play leads on Netflix really doesn’t help.
3) Of course we can protest without explaining ourselves to the general public but since A LOT of public cash is needed we must be able to justify our demands. Have a clear united message. A strategy and a vision/

4) to achieve such vision major stake holders in the industry must stop hiding behind exclusive zoom calls and open up to the whole of the workforce in a public consultation, transparent, accountable and accessible to anyone who works in theatre. Stop meeting in small circles/

Basically if we are protesting we must agree on what our demands are. What are we protesting about? Funds? For whom? Theatre isn’t buildings, there are hundreds of companies that don’t have spaces. And how about artists and freelancers? Is the way work is commissioned, produced/

and programmed going to change? Or are we protesting so that things can go back to “normal”, with the same people getting funds and the rest of us begging for crumbs?

WE NEED TO TALK.
All of us.

Then, we can protest

Thanks for coming to my TED talk