Drama? It faces a crisis

ONE area that desperately needs support is the creative industry. Actor Christopher Eccleston’s comments highlight what peril it is in. From his 30-year career, Mr Eccleston knows about the importance of business from regional theatres to big budget films having made his professional acting debut on stage in a Bristol Old Vic production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

As he says: “Theatre often provides the first glimpse into the arts for many young people who then choose to pursue a career in the creative industries as a result.”

Added to that, if our world-leading theatres start to shut down, then we will lose both culturally as a country but also something that attracts visitors from around the world as well as being a major export.

We suspect that theatres, concert halls or indeed film-making and music recording cannot wait too long before they can get going again.And we could all do with the entertainment as well.