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O’Loughlin argues that not only is the industry changing, but young people are
too. “The people who are coming to us now are hungry to train and learn technique,
but they also come to us with something to say. They are very able to ask questions
about what we do in a drama school and why we do it. That’s healthy. I’m not
interested in catching up with the industry – it isn’t always following best practice or
setting the highest standards – instead I see our students as being the future
leaders who will set the temperature and set the agenda both in the industry and the
wider world.”

For many, the idea of drama schools as institutions that are aligned with the politics
of social justice and who cherish the idea of actors as artists and activists is a no-
brainer. It is a trend that ensures theatre and the performing arts will be relevant and
engaged with the world. But there are plenty of others who, like Callow, view what is
happening with suspicion, believing it is driven by ideology.

“I have always thought that the great triumph of acting training has been about
liberating yourself by becoming someone else and being able to think their
thoughts,” he says. “I would worry a great deal if the future of acting and theatre are
seen as being about creating social change.”