Nicholas Hytner has led the National Theatre to a success that is the envy of American theatres. Photograph: Linda Nylind
So I saw a post on the Guardian’s website that reminded me greatly of one of our initial “what is dramaturgy” talks. Having worked for a small theatre back home, I am extremely interested in what makes audiences want to support a theatre? And how in the hell do we get people out seeing shows without patronizing them? So in class we were talking about a national theatre, or a lack of one in the United States rather. This article, which addresses why a national theatre works so well in Britain yet has failed to do any sort of ANYTHING in the U.S. got me both angered and quite frankly, ready to start my career in the UK. The article talks a lot about how the National Theatre doesn’t try so damn hard to appeal to the common marketplace, and in doing so, original, bold works like “War Horse” have been created. Every time I think about a U.S. show like Shrek the Musical or Billy Elliot, all I can think is that they’re probably turning a lot of the public AWAY from theatre because these shows end up being so ridiculously pointless. Thus, a cycle is created… the more commercial we get, the more the public hates it, so we go even more commercial. But here, blogger David Cote talks about how the National Theatre’s success stems not from trying to appeal to the public, but from taking genuine artistic leaps.
I’ve always wondered why it seems like the British are so much more invested in their theatre than Americans are. I really do believe we produce some comparable stuff, but it’s just so inaccessible. It seems as if their culture continues to accept theatre because it is so rooted in the tradition, where in America it feels like every artistic form is just so fleeting. But all I can do is keep grappling with the question — WHAT can I do to make theatre more of a lasting tradition in America’s roots? How in the hell can I get my country to care about it the way Britain does??!?! I feel very committed to this cause, and dying to offer myself to any leadership position that may initiate change.
And my last thought is that I wonder if it all goes back to government. It reminds me of our whole non-profit discussion, and the difference in funding between British and American theatre. I think it’s a big big BIIIGGG issue in the progress of theatre, how our country goes about supporting things and spending it’s money. Ugh. Almost as if whatever the government decides to spend it’s money on is the only thing that matters at all anymore.
