A recent article for Observer pointed out how many rising stars of the theatre world – notably Tom Hiddleston, Harry Lloyd, Eddie Redmayne and Harry Hadden-Paton – are graduates of a certain public school best-known for its association with the ruling class.
This has, I think, two major implications. Firstly, it tells us that the drama training these men received during their formative years was clearly of a high standard – not surprising considering that students at Eton have access to a fully kitted-out 400-seat theatre and a range of studios (and, for £30,000 a year, parents would surely expect nothing less).
Secondly, it tells us that in order to succeed in this business it helps to have money behind you. A lot of it, preferably. Considering the financial sacrifices that a creative career brings, this is hardly a revelation; when you take into account training fees (£10,000 a year at a top drama school) and the lowly paid “break-in” years, which usually involve doing work for nothing, it can seem a foolish path to tread considering there is no guarantee of return.
But if a young artist can afford to survive the early years of struggle unscathed, the rewards at the top of the industry are significant. What’s troubling is that this is a route being taken by an ever-shrinking pool. I don’t wish to take anything away from the actors cited above – all are fine ambassadors for their craft – and, as other old Etonians such as Dominic West and Damian Lewis have proved, a public school education doesn’t necessarily place limitations on the range of roles you can play.
But it does seem that the politics preached by much of theatreland – those of inclusion, of fairness, of equality – are rarely reflected behind the scenes, where the old hierarchies persist. How can theatre reliably examine, say, Cameron’s cabinet when there are more old school ties among its members than on his front bench?
I make no claim to moral superiority. I too have benefited from support from home to develop my career and I was privately educated to 13. But it’s clear that the thorny issue of class and the arts isn’t going away, and unless more is done to make creative careers a realistic option for all, it seems destined to keep rearing its ugly head.
There is no shortage of talent in this country, but much of it is underrepresented on our stages; when an actor of David Harewood’s stature is encouraging young black performers to build their careers in the States, we should pay attention.
Many companies are working to redress this balance. Angle recently presented its second season of work that had been “found” after an extensive search of six London boroughs. It was an encouraging evening, and I hope the talent they unearthed can go on to bigger and better things.
But despite these continued efforts to widen the circle, it would appear the theatre world is currently more open than it ever has been to the accusation that it’s a club whose door is open only to the well-heeled and well-connected.