Lyric life

There is a shift in the theatre industry right now. You can feel it. You can see the changing of the guard (soon here at the Lyric we will welcome our new Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan). For some it’s not coming fast enough, for others it’s just at the speed it needs to be.

For me, I want to make sure that change keeps happening. Fast or slow. For most of the time I’ve worked in theatre and the arts in the UK (I am foreign – anybody for Trinidad hands up?!…..no just me ……cool). I’ve wanted to be part of that change – in the stories we tell and who gets to tell those stories.

At the Lyric, I have seen some brilliant young minds discover their passion and work their socks off to make it in the industry. They have come from all different backgrounds but what defines them is their drive and their commitment to their craft. These young people work in whatever art-form they choose. They mine every bit of experience and knowledge they can get their hands on. Its impressive to see their ingenuity and perseverance.

It’s been a real joy to see them change the industry for the better – to be winning awards, create shows in huge venues, go onto more training and amazing jobs and all kinds of glory.

I am really proud to be part of their journeys. I am also really aware that when you do that, when you seek to empower and make space for new people it might mean that they will take your space.

Scary thought, right? That the thing you are doing will put you out of a job one day. But that’s going to happen anyway – all things change. The one constant is that things change.

I guess it’s easier to make peace with it when you know that going in. It’s easier to see the change coming and welcome it, and hope that the ones you made space for will do it for those that come after them.

We who are in the business of making space for the next generation, have a tricky balancing act. A scary balancing act. Nonetheless I want to be part of making that change, I want to leave the industry a little different to how I found it. Even if I just get to watch.

This is why we run programmes like Next Generation at the Lyric. To change the industry. This week we are taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge to support our Next Generation work which allows young people from all backgrounds to make a sustainable career in theatre.

If you would like to make a donation to support us it will be doubled if made before Tuesday 04 December at Midday here: https://secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/30491. Please help us to change the industry for the better. Let’s make space for the next generation.

Thank you

Nicholai La Barrie
Director of Young People and Emerging Artists at the Lyric