Editor’s View: Theatre must make a strong case for support beyond the end of lockdown

And we could do a lot worse than point to the TV series Quiz to illustrate the absolutely pivotal role that theatre plays in other creative art forms, such as TV and film.

It is, as David Benedict observes, quite remarkable to what extent this hit television series – arguably the most-talked about TV show during the lockdown – owes its existence to theatre. The cast and creative team are a beautiful exemplar of the way that UK theatre’s ecosystem develops talent.

I remember first seeing one of Graham’s plays, Little Madam, at the Finborough Theatre in Earl’s Court, west London, in 2007.

In 2004, you would have found Mark Bonnar playing Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at Salisbury Playhouse, and in 2012 he appeared at London’s Old Vic in the Duchess of Malfi.

Meanwhile, Sian Clifford has also been a regular at some of London’s fringe theatres and more recently appeared in Gloria at Hampstead Theatre and Consent in the West End. She is also probably best known to the general public for her role in Fleabag – another world-beating TV show that started its life in theatre, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Michael Sheen performed in the first production for National Theatre Wales; Matthew Macfadyen was a regular in Cheek by Jowl productions before he became known for Spooks; Helen McCrory broke through at the National Theatre when she appeared in Trelawny of the ‘Wells’.

All these places that were crucial stepping stones in these careers are precisely the kind of theatres and companies that are under threat without sustained support.

To quote Graham, who has recently been impressively banging the drum for the importance of arts and culture: “We like to think of ourselves as being the best in the world at this, it’s why even A-list Hollywood movies like Star Wars get made here, because we have the skills base.

“That skills base won’t exist in three months’ time without help, because people will have to leave the industry and go and do something else.

“This is one of the last areas where the British still excel all over the world. We are still the ones who win the awards and get to share the work, and that will go without really radical government intervention.”

Given the demands that the public purse is going to face, this is going to be a difficult argument to make, so we are going to have to get very good at making it.