Lesley Manville has called for better funding for theatres around the UK, saying her biggest “bugbear” with the stage industry was “there is not enough money thrown into regional theatre”.
Manville was speaking on Sunday night at the Olivier awards in London, where she was named best actress for her performance as Jocasta in Oedipus at Wyndham’s theatre.
The Oliviers honour London productions but, talking to the Guardian, Manville put the focus on theatres outside the capital. Early in her career, she performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and, in 2016, she appeared at Bristol Old Vic with Jeremy Irons in Long Day’s Journey into Night.
“Repertory theatres are not funded properly any more,” she said. “There still is a bit of a north-south divide. I’d love to see regional theatres given more funding. When I was starting out, it was amazing. You could go anywhere. It was a real training ground.”
Oedipus was also named best revival at the awards, and Manville praised adapter and director Robert Icke for his version of Sophocles’ tragedy, about what she called “a complex relationship … to say the least”.
Manville added that she was saddened that “some young actors are not encouraged to go and do plays anywhere. Just do it!”
Theatre, she said, was a vital training ground and offered opportunities unmatched by screen work. “You will learn more by stepping foot on stage, where you can’t be edited,” she said. “Nobody’s going to hold your hand, you’re on your own, and you’ve got to make it work.”
Earlier this year, the charity Theatres Trust published its annual register of buildings “at risk”, with 43 facing threats including closure and severe decay, but which have the potential to be revived for their communities.
In December, analysis by the Campaign for the Arts alliance revealed that local government culture spending per person in England had been cut by more than 50% since 2009-10.
In February, the government announced a £270m Arts Everywhere Fund for arts venues, with more than 85% dedicated to urgent building works and infrastructure upgrades.
