Memorandum submitted by Jodi Myers, Director
of Performing Arts, South Bank Centre
I am writing in support of the case for public
investment in new musical theatre expressed by the Bridewell Theatre
to the Committee at its evidence session on 14 October.
Most industries invest extensively in research
and development in order to ensure that some if not all, ideas
can grow into major projects. However, while "R and D"
in the arts industry often struggles to attract significant support,
it is the case that some artforms have been more successful in
attracting funds for small-scale experimentation from public sources
than others. This is for a variety of reasons, some historical,
some financial; for example, by their nature musical theatre and
opera are usually more expensive than say, drama or dance, but
that doesn't mean that they are less in need of support.
While there are a number of publically-funded
opera companies in the UK operating primarily on the large and
medium scale, some of which are actively engaged in the development
of new work, new work is not their core business. In the case
of musical theatre there are no regularly supported organisations
and this may be because of an impression that this is primarily
a commercial activity. However, in the late 1970s the Arts Council
of Great Britain recognised that large regional theatres needed
more than plays, ballet and opera to survive, so it established
an important touring musical partnership with Cameron Mackintosh
which helped keep major venues open and fuelled interest amongst
new generations of audiences. Since then public funding for musical
theatre has been sporadic at best. While large-scale musicals
can earn significant amount of revenue for their producers, the
economy and the Treasury, they are the tip of an iceberg which
needs a strong base if it is to avoid meltdown and stay afloat.
New work is essential to the development of
any artform, but it doesn't appear fully formed as if by magic.
As well as the result of original thinking, imagination and talent,
shows are the product of a team of people working long and hard
to create and refine something, and in order to change and grow
new work can benefit hugely from being seen and responded to by
audiences in intimate venues. If the development of composers,
lyricists, directors, music directors and performers is important,
it is a risky strategy to rely on the producers of long-running,
commercially successful large-scale shows to take responsibility
for developing new work which can be labour and time intensive.
Of course organisations such as the National
Theatre, the Royal Opera House and the South Bank Centre and some
repertory theatres mount the occasional musical, but none are
in a position of commissioning and nurturing significant amounts
of new musical theatre. In any case given that musical theatre
is as diverse a field as drama or music, it is arguable that it
would benefit from a variety of organisations involved in the
development of new work.
Over the last decade The Bridewell has begun
to have a significant impact on the development of new musical
theatre and on a new generation of musical artists. Being the
only small theatre dedicated to this genre it is playing an increasingly
important role, and if its future is not secured it will be a
major loss, not just to London but also to the future of musical
theatre in the UK.
25 November 2003
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