Why the future of theatre cannot be planned
In short: John Maynard Keynes famously claimed that the future is made, not seen. Yet, Professor Anthony Field argues that when it comes to the theatre, this logic fails. Because drama is born of passion and faith rather than mere utility, it defies the standard mechanics of industrial planning.
Professor Anthony Field explores the paradox of predicting an art form that has survived for millennia. He notes that while drama has outlived the very civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, it remains inherently unpredictable. This is because theatre is a product of passion; unlike infrastructure or commerce, it represents a 'substance of faith' that resists the rigid frameworks of long-term planning.
Field illustrates this unpredictability through his own career, reflecting on a 1944 production of Peter Ustinov’s 'The Banbury Nose.' The play’s program noted that while life is lived forward, it is only understood backward. This serves as a metaphor for his seventy-year career in show business: looking back provides the only reliable map for a profession that refuses to be forecasted with certainty.
While art remains volatile, Field emphasises the concrete financial processes of the theatre sector while he served as The Arts Council of Great Britain's Finance Director throughout the 1950s. He witnessed the Treasury’s Grant-In-Aid rise from £500,000 in 1950 to £100 million by 1985. However, he warns that these years of growth taught a difficult lesson: spending new money wisely is a prerequisite for surviving the inevitable cycles of austerity.
To stabilize the industry, Field implemented specific structural interventions. He established the Theatre Investment Fund with £1.5 million in capital to invest up to 10% in new productions. He also pioneered the world's first Arts Management Training courses and created pathways for commercial producers to adopt regional and subsidized works, such as moving 'Salad Days' from Bristol Old Vic to the Vaudeville Theatre.
theme perspective
mood reflective
difficulty 2 topics [
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Future of London Theatre - Professor Anthony Field
- Also: The Future of London Theatre
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