By Siobhan Clarke
In the past few months multiple theatre productions across the country have seen abrupt cancellations of tours, citing the cost-of-living crisis as playing the main role in the ordeal.
Director, producer and educator Claudia Barrie, who has over 20 years’ experience in the Australian theatre industry working with companies such as Belvoir St Theatre, Hayes Theatre Co, and the Ensemble Theatre, has seen the impacts first-hand.
“Sydney is so expensive that people cannot afford to go to the theatre,” Barrie said. “With the cost of living at the moment, it is really tough.”
On the 19th of June it was announced that the national tour of the musical Beetlejuice, composed by Australian writer Eddie Perfect, would be cancelled early. Just over a week later the Australian run of Waitress would be scrapped, darkening two of Sydney’s main theatres.
It’s not just cancellations that are causing distress, but also job cuts. The production of The Lion King currently playing at the Capitol Theatre cut the pit orchestra from 17 musicians down to 11, instead replacing them with a software program called KeyComp.
“I think it’s tragic, I think it’s devastating,” said Barrie. “A lot of people who said they’ve seen it have noticed the difference … hopefully it’s something that won’t be around forever.”
The future for young performers and creatives is in jeopardy, many wondering if they will be able to pursue a career in the creative arts industry with such uncertainty and instability.
Emily Camp and Sumira Mahoney, both studying an Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media, agreed.
“You always know that it’s going to be a difficult business to get into, it’s super competitive, and not many jobs,” Mahoney said.
“Our generation are coming out and writing, and we have so much to say. So it’s scary that we’ve got less opportunities, less funding, less stages, and more voices that really want to be heard.”
People across the job spectrum in the arts scene are calling for the Australian government to introduce a similar system to the UK Theatre Tax Relief, where theatre productions can get tax rebates on production costs (usually 40 per cent), boosting investment, creating jobs, and supporting the theatre industry.
“That’s definitely a model to start with. Obviously, we don’t have the same make-up in the economy, and we’d have to make our own version of it,” said Barrie. “If we can put a tax in place that encourages people to spend money on the arts, then maybe we might see a little bit of a difference.”
For Australian thespians, there is still a buzz of hope for the future amongst the community.
“We love theatre because it’s the life of stories,” Camp said. “No matter where you are in the world, there is a community, and it connects into one. It’s a universal language.”
To improve the Australian theatrical landscape “There’s the catchphrase going around, fund theatre like you fund sport. It’s not hard,” Barrie said.
“The arts industry generates billions of dollars every year, and yet, it’s still shoved right down the bottom of priorities. Until someone who can make a difference does it, it’s not going to happen.”
Featured image: Australian musicals throughout the years. Photos: Siobhan Clarke