The Equity No Pay/Low Pay Debate: Our Response

It has taken us a while to post a response to this because we're actually in the midst of rehearsals for our show (we open on Monday!) but it's VERY important. So here goes: A week ago, Phil Willmott wrote an article against the minimum wage for performers. He did say that he thought we should all be paid lots but the article talked about how it's difficult for young directors to make theatre. And it blamed Equity for the problems plaguing this industry. It promotes profit share and collaborative work for free and even suggests we should be doing that.

So we wanted to respond. But we had rehearsal.

And then Adam Spreadbury-Maher published this article: https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/2015/adam-spreadbury-maher-phil-willmott-wrong-fringe-theatres-must-pay/

And he asked us (via our email) if we'd respond whether or not we agreed with him.

We do.

So we asked our actors to get back to us with their thoughts so we could include them because otherwise it would just be a bunch of producers talking about how to deal with this. (For the record, our “producers” are trained actors as well but we also wanted to ask the people we employ their opinions. We are fairly collaborative you see. But we also pay.)

While we were waiting for their answers, Lyn Gardner published this article:

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2015/jul/13/love-your-arts-job-it-doesnt-mean-you-shouldnt-be-properly-paid

We can't say it better than the last two but we did want to throw our two cents into the ring as a new company who are struggling to make theatre.

So here goes:

First. Mr. Willmott, we did not have an unpleasant experience with Equity. In fact, we approached them (they don't approach people unless someone in the union asks them to). We asked about what the going rates were so we could work up to that when we could afford it and they told us about the Fringe Agreement. We wanted to sign up. They didn't force us. And they sometimes help promote us.

Secondly, yes, Mr. Willmott, you are correct that it makes it difficult for directors/producers. We don't get funding from the Arts Council as we are so new so we have to figure things out. We don't make money commercially as we are still growing our audience so we have to figure things out. What we DO however is avoid paying for rehearsal space where possible by finding free spaces, make our own costumes or use our own clothes, and try to get box office splits where venues will let us. This way any money we do have goes to the actors first and foremost. Then the producer. Then the company (for future shows). It's hard. We're new. We're running at a loss. But it means we have to figure out how to sustain it and that's fine.

Finally, Mr. Willmott, it is important for us to operate ethically. We are trying to build a reputation for working well with people so that people want to work with us. This helps us attract a higher caliber of talent than we otherwise would get at this stage and it helps us keep people. It means our shows are good. (We did a show on profit-share in 2012. We had a great cast but they had to work while rehearsing and consequently we have had better reviews since paying actors. We also have seen companies that pay and the shows are better—not worse. Yes rehearsal time is sometimes shortened but the actors are invested, want to be there, and can devote the days we ask them to be there to us. The cast bonds better and the show works better. It just does.)

But here's what some of our actors had to say:

“Can you imagine having trained for over 60 hours a week for 3 years to be told you cannot get any paid work in the field you have trained so hard in? That's the reality for thousands of people working in the arts. Being paid in 'experience', 'expenses' or 'exposure' unfortunately does not pay the bills, and the real losers are the consumers. There has been a debate in the media recently about 'posh actors', which is all we will get if we allow this culture to continue. We will be even more inundated with creatives who have substantial financial backing while the rest of us are left in the dirt fighting to keep up. I love the Tom Hiddlestons and Benedict Cumberbatchs as much as anyone else, but are they really a representation of Britain today? Does this really show the diversity of life around the UK and the world? I know what my answer is; the only way to encourage diversity is to pay creatives, be they actors, stage managers, designers, administrators or anyone working in the creative industries, the fair wage that they deserve. Maybe then the creative industries will be a viable career path for people of all backgrounds.” Hannah Jayne-Elliott

“As I have progressed within my career and I found myself pulled away from performances that are no pay and profit share. I do think it's both beneficial to actors and fringes theatre if they pay their performers as the open themselves to a better quality of actor and performers feel appreciated by their industry and continue to happily work within theatre.” Rachel Summers

“Let me first state that the production I'm currently working on is my first fringe project and therefore the fact that it's being produced under an equity fringe contact could be seen as biased; however, I am currently working on my own company's first production and before the first word of the script was written, myself and the two other members of the company decided that we would pay our actors. The reasons for this our two fold; first we believe actors should be paid for their time and talent and secondly we are all aware of the difficulty of affording to stay in the industry. In regards to the recent articles on this subject, I understand both Phill Willmott and Adam Spreadbury-Maher's views, but I lean more toward the latter.” Peter Lewis

“Fringe theatre should not equal voluntary work. It is paramount that companies which strive for artistic excellence also stand to fight for fairly valuing the incredible professionals who make this strive not an unreachable dram but a palpable goal.” Almiro Andrade

“Unpaid work makes what we do feel worthless, like it has no significance. This significance was actually recognised by the public. In the recession, The Arts had economic growth; If (in a time when we were all tightening our belts,) the public felt that the arts was something worth spending on, surely the professionals providing them with that service should be recognised for it.” Rosie Aylward

“I've done unpaid and paid work on the fringe and the most important difference is the feeling of respect because you're being paid for your hard work, just like any other professional in other fields would be. It also means you're not working multiple other jobs alongside full time rehearsals so you have more focus and energy.” Elly Lowney

“I strongly believe that professional actors should be paid for the work they do. In other professions, people would refuse to work for little or no pay. Actors are regularly exploited as they are willing to perform for free to make new connections within the industry and to have the opportunity to perform. Many talented actors are therefore denied their rightly deserved wage. “ Faye Maughan

“If you aren't willing to risk everything for your actors, and spend the time and money to make your production the best it can be, how can you ask them to do the same on stage every night?” Elizabeth Mary Williams

“Fringe theatre is an important part of the industry, it's often a sounding board for exciting, new and experimental theatre and a great launching pad for young actors such as myself to hone their skills post-drama school in a professional environment and get noticed by casting directors and agents alike. A great deal of fringe shows do not pay actors for the time and effort they put in to creating their work, and it is hard work, the physical and emotional demands of acting is often forgotten as a good actor will make their performance seem effortless. It is not. An actor will often feel forced to take an unpaid job in order "to be seen" or because "it looks good on a cv", but this stretches an actor thin as it forces us to take second jobs in other sectors to keep a roof over our heads, clothes on our back, food in our bellies, and afford the ever increasing transport costs that take us to rehearsals, etc. These second jobs we take are often just as hard work and often are for barely minimum wage, as the kind of work we can get is limited to things that afford us the flexibility to work at the fringe at the same time, and employers are often happy to exploit this need by offering only low pay. If all fringe work became paid, the quality of the work would doubtlessly improve, as each actor could devote all their energy into crafting a fully rounded performance, rather than have their focus split by worrying about how to pay the electric bill. At the end of the day, acting work is work and deserves to be paid justly. Just because an actor enjoys their vocation, does not mean they should be expected to offer their time, effort and devotion for free. Acting is a job, not a hobby, and people can overlook this. I understand with fringe productions the money is often hard to come by, and an actor wants to perform, wants to create and would rather suffer through financial hardship than see no new theatre created at all, so will work for free. This is not, however a sustainable lifestyle and it sees countless talents forced out of the industry each year, narrowing the diversity of the people we see on stage to those who can afford to work for extensive periods for free without struggling to meet ends meat. Professionally made. Professionally paid.” Kaiden DuBois

These are major problems. This industry can work to fix them. More venues should work on box office splits and assume some of the risk of a production (this will make it more difficult for productions to get through BUT it will mean the best ones are the ones that make it). It will mean that not just anyone can put on a play because venues will be more picky. It will mean they need to help up and coming theatre companies with marketing and growing audiences. It won't mean that people can't put on a show—if the concept is amazing they'll still be able to do it.

Some of our actors have said this but we all want diversity in the theatre. There's another debate about how everyone coming up in the industry seems to be the same social class. And let's not even talk about diverse characters. Aequtias is aiming to work on that. To change that. And if we can't pay people, we can't change that. We just can't. So if you want the same stories being told from the same perspectives by all means shoot for a fringe theatre that works for free (even if it is collaboratively). We'd rather have a fringe theatre that reflects society and brings in new and different perspectives.