The Stage

Walk-on debate for equal rights

Published Tuesday 31 May 2005 at 15:45 by Alistair Smith

Walk-on and background actors are not being given sufficient support by Equity and their professions are being threatened by the increasingly frequent use of amateurs in professional performances.

Proposing a motion on behalf of the Walk-on and Supporting Artists’ Committee, Michael Earl said that the group was horrified at the union’s seeming inability to protect its members in large-scale theatrical productions, such as the recent staging of Julius Caesar at the Barbican Centre, in which non-professionals were employed for crowd scenes.

He said: “I first came into the Equity council room in 1970 and I’ve been there on and off ever since. I returned there after a break of four years and I was shocked at some of the views being expressed. I began to suspect that some of the council’s hearts are not in supporting my members. In Equity we may all be equal, but some are less equal than others. We must always oppose the use of any amateur in any professional production at any time.”

The motion was passed with an amendment which made clear that the rule would not apply to full-time drama, dance or music students whose use at times is encouraged by the union.

However, Frances Rifkin from the Small Scale Theatre Committee, speaking in opposition to the motion, warned: “There are a lot of situations where non-professionals work with professionals. It is necessary to unpack the issues surrounding this motion. We should continue the debate.”

Those opposing the motion are worried that it could prevent regional theatres from collaborating with local community groups, which often enable such theatres to stage larger scale works than they would have without amateur involvement.