Forced Entertainment The experimental theatre company reflects on four decades of mischief, improvisation and never sitting still

Long Read, pages 12-14

SHUTTERSTOCK

Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals

details of new musical The Illusionist

News, page 3

Golden age of critics? We shouldn’t be intimidated by the titans of the past and overlook the great theatre writing of recent years, says Andrzej Lukowski

Opinion, pages 10-11

‘As I get older, I’m more drawn to the disgusting, old, ugly, criminal roles’ Gavin Lee Interview, page 29

DA N N Y K A A N

THESTAGE.CO.UK

HESTAGE.CO.UK

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Fighting for the future of theatre since 1880

OCTOBER

J O H A N P E R S S O N

Othello

Rev iewed this week in The Stage

Our reviewers on the latest openings, including the RSC’s Othello, Romeo + Juliet on Broadway and the London return of Ruth Negga in Quiet Songs p15-21

I M M E R M A N

M AT T H E W M U R P H Y/ E VA N Z

Romeo + Juliet

H E L E N M U R R AY

Quiet Songs

‘Need to act now’ – Freelancers on workforce crisis

GEORGIA LUCKHURST

Freelancers have said the “time to act is now” on a crisis for workers’ pay, security and well-being, following the first Arts Council England study into creative and cultural freelancers.

Advocacy group Freelancers Make Theatre Work told The Stage the “thorough” and “hard-hitting” research, which found that almost three quarters of freelancers working in the arts earn less than £25,000 a year, proved the sector’s accumulating problems required urgent action.

A spokesperson said: “We consistently see the clearest evidence of a freelance workforce that faces huge and intensifying issues including low pay, career insecurity, vulnerability to ill treatment and barriers to access.

“These studies repeatedly demonstrate the urgent need for action, increased support and systemic reform by governments, funding bodies and the industry itself. The crisis in the freelance workforce is undeniable – and the time to act is now.”

Responding to the study on X/Twitter, freelance theatremaker Sarah Argent had stressed that some were struggling to make even £25,000 – suggesting many directors were earning only around £10,000 from their freelance work.

She told The Stage that despite working in theatre since 1989, she had never seen so many people conclude that their career was no longer tenable, and argued that the industry had missed the opportunity to build back better after the Covid-pandemic lockdowns.

Argent explained: “During the pandemic, the instability and insecurity of the freelance life, which we had long known about and experienced, was brought into sharp relief, with many freelancers falling through the net of government support schemes such as Self Employed Income Support.”

But despite “positive” conversations with arts organisations about supporting freelancers more comprehensively, the economic downturn since the Covid lockdowns meant theatres have not made the changes.

Continued, p2; Editor’s View, p6

Terrorism law to pass security onus on to venues

GEORGIA LUCKHURST

Theatres are braced for the introduction of a law created in response to the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, which will transfer significant extra security responsibilities on to live entertainment venues.

Named after Martyn Hett, one of 22 people killed at an Ariana Grande concert

in May 2017 by suicide bomber Salman Abedi, Martyn’s Law will expect venues to undertake measures including training, information sharing and completion of a preparedness plan to protect the public from similar incidents.

“Standard duty” premises – those that can hold 200-799 people – will have to put in place procedures for evacuation, moving people to a safe part of the venue and locking down the site. They will also need to have communication protocols to alert people on the premises so that they can move away from any dangerous situations.

Continued, p2

I A M E N T

/ U K PA R L

I S M C A N D R E W

C H R

Budget 2025 For full details of how it affects theatre, visit thestage.co.uk

David Benedict Why do so many theatre trailers get it wrong? Page 7

Theatr Na nÓg Is this theatre company Wales’ best-kept secret? Pages 24-25

Emma Rice On adapting The Buddha of Suburbia Page 28

Want a new job? Vacancies in Sunderland, Dubai and London Pages 26-27