Theatre isn’t just London!
It really isn’t.
We are justifiably proud of British Theatre: it makes a massive contribution to the GDP; it is widely regarded as the best in the world; we have more 'best in the world' playwrights, plays, actors and directors than anywhere else; historically British theatre is second only to classical Greek theatre in its worldwide influence, but if we put this to the test by asking the interested man in the street in almost any country, he would probably mention Shakespeare and the West End.
And that would very likely be that, for, if you were to drop Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange, Birmingham Rep, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal & Derngate Northampton, Sheffield Theatres, Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Hull Truck, Northern Stage, Live Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Cheltenham Everyman, Liverpool Theatres, Oxford Playhouse, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, Leeds Playhouse, The Octagon Bolton, Chichester Festival or many, many, many more—and that’s without even considering producing theatres in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—into the conversation, probably all you’d get would be a blank look.
And why is that, I wonder?
It’s because if it’s not London-based, it’s not considered to be worthy of mention.
In fact, except in his local area, the average English man in the street wouldn’t recognise them either, although the mention of the National Theatre and the RSC would probably stir some recognition.
In fact, how many national newspaper critics ever step outside the London / Stratford-upon-Avon bubble? Lyn Gardner used to during her 23 years on The Guardian but they “let her go” in 2018.
The effect of this is to make theatre outside of London appear to be of little importance and even second-rate, and, as a result, people look upon playwrights, actors and directors from the regions in the same way.
The regions—and boy, do we find this infuriating!—are perceived as a training ground for London. You obviously can’t be a proper actor, singer, dancer etc if you only work in the regions (or the provinces as some of the patronising metropolitan luvvies still persist in calling them). A knock-on effect of this is that when TV production companies are planning a one-off drama or even a series set almost anywhere, they will cast a well-known 'face' rather than a local actor—regardless of the fact that the local actor is just as good (or even better) than the 'face'.
I live in the North East and there are constant complaints, not just from actors but actually from viewers, about the casting of non-locals in the larger parts in Vera, many of whose grasp of the accent is a little unsure (and occasionally hopeless). One local actor told me it took her ten years to be seen. When at long last she was seen, they used her straightaway in a significant role. But ten years…!
And that’s just one aspect of the dominance of London.