Diversity In Critics

Do we need more diversity in our cultural critics in the National Press? Yes. Obviously. Firstly the in-house critics are all white and, mostly, over 35, mostly male, mostly Oxbridge, and nearly all live in London. How can National papers, national being the key word, recommend work to people that they have never met anyone like? That they don't live amoungst?

As long as class, race, gender and geography are ignored in diversity discussions then Theatre will remain exclusive. As long as Critics are all white then BAME members of our society will feel like vampires. As long as men dominate women will be peering in from outside, as long as everyone lives in London and speaks from the capitals perspective the UK will feel Art is only for the Capital. We need to feel like Theatre is for everyone and it stars with hiring BAME critics, committing to 50/50 Gender split, tax deductable travel and accommodation for correspondents from outside the capital and boasting blogs from young people who meet the same Criteria.

Lets starts thinking about about how we reflect our national in our artistic discussion: until EVERYONE is fairly represented then Art and it's discussion and still exclusive. It's f*cking obvious - our critics are mainly middle class white guys from Oxbridge and they don't reflect the taste of the United Kingdom. And sadly: the mainstream critics taste define the course of Theatre.