Royal Shakespeare Company head honcho Michael Boyd wants the RSC - one of the UK’s flagship professional theatre companies - to get more involved with the amateur sector.
In particular, this has to do with getting Jo Public involved when the Cultural Olympiad and the World Shakespeare Festival, which kicks off in 2012, but - it seems - it is also a more general aim.
He explains that he wants to “take away the crucifix and garlic that we have held up in the profession against the non-professional theatre movement in this country.”
This got me thinking… How big is the gap between the professional and non-professional theatre movements? And - to an extent - how do you judge what is professional and what is amateur?
I’ve seen plenty of professional productions where the actors weren’t being paid (i.e. profit share) and I’ve seen a couple of amateur shows, which quality-wise were certainly an improvement on ‘pro’ performances I’ve seen.
Community performers can add something - I’m thinking of the Young Vic’s superb Christmas shows, which have involved people from the local boroughs - but are they taking up roles which could be going to paid performers?
After all, there are plenty of ‘resting’ actors out there, who might kill for a role at a venue such as the Young Vic - or indeed the RSC.
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