Jack Thorne: Lisa Nandy's approach to theatre is ‘problematic'

Writer Jack Thorne has criticised culture secretary Lisa Nandy, suggesting the arts might have benefited more under former shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire in the role instead.

He said Nandy lacked Debbonaire’s understanding of the creative industries and was yet to match her own rhetoric about making the arts more inclusive with appropriate action.

He said: "I do think we need to be camping on her doorstep. She talks of wanting a certain type of industry, but the numbers that she’s putting into that industry and her understanding of theatre as part of that industry is problematic.

"The fact that we didn’t get Thangam [Debbonaire] as our culture secretary I do think is a big shame, because I think she understood our cultural industries and I don’t feel the same understanding from Lisa Nandy."

Many expected Debbonaire to become culture secretary under Keir Starmer’s government before the former Labour MP lost her battle for a Bristol Central seat to the Green Party in last year’s general election.
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Thorne, who has penned shows such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and The Motive and the Cue, as well as recent Netflix smash-hit Adolescence, was speaking at the Society for London Theatre and UK Theatre’s annual conference at London’s Southbank Centre on June 24.

Delivering the conference’s keynote, Thorne said that investment in regional and grassroots theatre was a way towards achieving the professed goals of Nandy and chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has declared her intention to leverage creative industries as a key engine of economic growth over the next decade.

"Rachel Reeves wants our country to grow. Lisa Nandy wants [culture] be inclusive and nationwide. Neither is possible if we let the regions die," Thorne said.

Later on in the speech, suggesting ways to fight back against cuts to the arts, including real-terms reductions in the DCMS’ budget in this month’s spending review, he continued: "Maybe we should be saying to Lisa Nandy and Rachel Reeves we have to do better.

"If you truly believe in growth and inclusivity, then you have to focus on the grassroots. Otherwise, theatre is going to be ever more dominated by private schools, ever more by the bank of mum and dad, ever more by those can afford to live in London and pay theatre prices, ever more exclusive and – frankly – ever more limited as a result.

"Lisa and Rachel, if you let this happen, the money you make from theatre, film and TV will dwindle to nothing. The future looks bleak unless we act now."

Nandy’s tenure has so far attracted praise from numerous quarters, with £85 million in new funding for urgent capital works to keep cultural venues running hailed by leading lights in theatre from playwright James Graham to director Kwame Kwei-Armah. National Theatre co-chief executive Kate Varah claimed the boost demonstrated that the Labour government "keenly understands the arts".

However, others, including SOLT and UK Theatre, suggested Nandy’s investments so far have not been enough to alleviate theatres’ plight, and numerous reports have suggested the culture secretary could be in the firing line in an upcoming rejig of Starmer’s team.

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Treasury commented: "The culture secretary has been consistently clear that our creative industries are one of our country’s greatest assets.

"They shape who we are, how we understand one another, and have a key role in telling our national story.

"Earlier this year, she launched the Arts Everywhere Fund, targeted specifically at making culture more accessible in towns and regions in all parts of our country.

"Our Creative Industries Sector Plan, published this week, supports growth in creative sectors across the entire UK, delivering jobs, skills and innovation from the grassroots to the global stage."