Dame Helen Mirren has warned that the coronavirus pandemic could leave out-of-work theatre industry workers facing homelessness.
Many of those who work in the sector normally live “wage packet to wage packet” and may not be able to pay their rent, the 75-year-old Oscar winner said.
Speaking about the issue in support of a Christmas meal appeal charity campaign, the actress said she feels there will be lots of people struggling over the next two years as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
The Phantom Of The Opera closed in the West End due to the crisis
While she is optimistic that theatre will “come back”, Dame Helen said the arts are “really suffering” and that those who work in the industry need support.
“The worry is simply people not being able to pay their rent,” she said.
“When those wage packets aren’t there, which has been the case for the last year, it is very, very, very problematic and I’m sure a lot of them are looking at homelessness.”
The actress highlighted all workers in the sector – from ushers and costume designers to cleaners and stagehands, as well as actors.
“They have bills to pay, they have rent to pay and they very often are not the kind of people who have been able to create a nice little security fund for themselves,” she said.
The government announced a £1.57 billion funding package for the arts in July and is currently distributing the cash, with many theatres receiving financial support. The venues have also been able to make use of the furlough scheme for staff members.
But arts organisations such as the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre have warned that many freelancers have been excluded from support schemes.
Many arts workers have been getting creative online to highlight their talents, and Dame Helen said it had been “amazing” to see the “inventiveness” of young actors during the pandemic.
Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
She said that “incredible creative juices are still flowing so well within the young people with their contribution on the internet, whether it is on TikTok, on YouTube”.
The actress is supporting the Christmas meal appeal by Social Bite and FoodCycle, which is being run in conjunction with the food delivery company Just Eat.
The initiative aims to provide up to 200,000 meals for homeless and vulnerable people over the festive period.