Dame Helen Mirren echoes threat to beleaguered arts sector

Following recent reports of Cirque du Soleil filing for bankruptcy, Cameron Mackintosh suspending all his major West End musicals and the arts sector on the brink of collapse, Dame Helen Mirren recently spoke with BBC’s Radio 4 programme expressing her concern for the potential loss of Britain’s cultural identity.

The 74 year old Oscar winner said the following:

“What is at stake … is the loss of a cultural history and an identity of our nation that is embedded in what it means to be British.

“One of the great contributions that our country has made to the world is through theatre, through writing and performing.

“It’s one of the reasons that many tourists come to Britain … It is a multibillion-dollar industry, but to me it’s so much more than that…

“It’s like what Venice is to Italy – that incredible beauty, history … and when Venice becomes flooded, Italy really pulls together to save Venice because they understand the importance of Venice culturally to Italy.

“And I feel the same about the theatre in Britain.”

Credit Source: BBC Radio 4 Today Programme