Everyone at the table came from a working-class background, and the conversation drew on their own experiences of trying to get into the industry. Several themes came up again and again: not enough young people know backstage roles exist in the first place, careers advice rarely covers them, and freelance work is hard to sustain without some kind of financial safety net.

The biggest barrier, though, was networking. Theatre still relies heavily on who you know to open doors, and that puts working-class people at a real disadvantage if they’re not already plugged into those circles.

Liz Sillett, ABTT CEO, said:

Theatre only works because of the people behind the scenes, and that workforce should reflect the full breadth of talent this country has to offer. Right now, it doesn’t.

If working-class people don’t see a way in, we lose them, and the industry loses something it can’t afford to lose: their perspective, their skill, their voice. This isn’t a side issue for theatre. It’s central to what kind of industry we are and want to be.

ABTT exists to support the people who make theatre happen. We’re committed to working alongside Vicky and others to make sure that opportunity is genuinely open to everyone, not just those who already know how to find it.

Vicky Foxcroft added:

Everyone should have equal access to a career in the creative industries, and it’s vital that working-class people are represented at all levels — not just on stage or in front of the camera, but in backstage roles too.

Today’s conversation underlined the fact that the creative industries still rely heavily on networking. But how can you play the game when you don’t know the rules?