When Shakespeare was alive and writing, the lowest-priced tickets cost a penny and people of all backgrounds flocked to the Globe. But in the centuries since, a trip to the theatre has acquired a reputation for being only for the gilded few.
However, in recent decades theatre has been making a concerted effort to open up, reach out and tell new stories again. Sadly, any chance of success is being thwarted not only by a tumultuous economic climate, but also by a society that finds it hard to value the arts when they’re not seen through a screen, and by unsustainable funding models. And, as a result, theatre has sometimes caved to its less exciting instincts — to repeat shows or cast celebrities.
