While there may be a current dearth of good new writing for Irish theatre, there is certainly no shortage of excellent acting talent. Commenting recently on the quality of the productions they had seen in the past year, one of the judges for The Irish Times Theatre Awards singled out the quality and number of "highly skilled actors" treading the boards here at the moment.
There is, therefore, some irony in the fact that Trinity College has decided to discard an acting course that has produced actors who are acknowledged as among our best. The college, on its website, has heretofore been only too happy to highlight the graduates from the course who have gone on to acting honours and success at home and internationally.
The sense of outrage at the decision among theatre professionals therefore comes as no surprise given the role the course has played. But perhaps more shocking is the fact that only last year Trinity, in its strategic plan, put some emphasis on the notion that one of its duties was to "help Ireland to be the most creative and productive place to invent, work and learn, and the most civilised place to live and contribute to local and global society".
The decision to do away with its three-year acting studies course goes against the sentiment of such high-minded jargon. But it does fall in with current third-level restructuring trends that have come under criticism for downplaying the role of the arts and humanities, as well as placing financial concerns at the heart of some of its decision-making on courses and structures.
Explaining the rationale for the decision in a letter to this newspaper, the head of Trinity's school of drama, film and music, Kevin Rockett, says the move will "facilitate the development" of much-needed post-graduate courses. To come to the conclusion that this is merely a financial decision would be understandable - the free Bachelor in Acting Studies course is to be replaced by a fee-paying qualification. While the new option may have it own merits, it is one that seems likely to narrow the diversity and range of students in a position to avail of it - and that, in the long term, will mean a loss for theatre, film and television.
In a week in which as part of the National Development Plan, the Government announced the largest investment in culture in this country - €1.13 billion to support several much-needed infrastructural projects - it seems like a case of false economy, and misjudged priorities, to withdraw from young actors the opportunity to develop their creative talents. As well as which this hardly corresponds with the lofty ideals of Trinity College as expressed in its strategic plan.