This section is about the appeal of the ‘old’ arts to the young.
In a foreword that was added to his published diaries in 1999, Sir Peter Hall says:
“New Labour clearly also hates the old performing arts – theatre classical music, dance. Well, perhaps ‘hate’ is too strong a word: they are frightened of them – which is worse.
“I suppose they would say that they have no ready appeal to the young (wrong) and that they therefore merit little political attention (wrong again). Certainly, they are under-nourished and under-encouraged, when they could be the cornerstone of an educational renaissance.”
And…
“All television stations are now, as they constantly state, rules by the ratings.”
But that’s change, Peter! That’s the new grassroots future. So what do we do to get the grassroots wanting theatre? Wanting classical plays?
Everyone still wants stories.
(Maybe they just don’t realise that?)
There are other sections prompted by the intro to Peter Hall's Diaries:
- a section about ‘high-brow’ and ‘low-brow’.
- a section about freedom.
- a section that links into teaching the craft.
- a section about the social value of the arts.
