AT THE heart of much of the success and recognition accorded to Irish theatre in recent years has been the excellence of the performances that our actors have presented around the world, from Broadway to Beijing. Theatre, film and television have all benefited greatly from the quality of the talent that has been available here and at an international level Ireland has more than made its mark with a roll-call of actors who have brought distinction to their stage careers or achieved stardom on the screen.
It is therefore timely, if not long overdue, that serious consideration be given to the establishment of an academy of theatre arts. This proposal, which has emerged out of the forum on acting set up by Trinity College, Dublin, merits the kind of meaningful support that will now be necessary if this imaginative idea is to be advanced beyond the talking-shop stage.
Certainly the conservatory model which the forum is advocating is one which offers a more radical approach to acting studies than the course which the college decided to drop in the midst of much controversy and protest last year. Trinity, having steadfastly refused to reverse its decision, is now willing "to investigate the possibility of delivering a new revised, and expanded acting training course comparable to best international practice . . . that would serve the desired academy". It promises that its course would be modelled on Rada's exemplary study programme in London, but its commitment is contingent on "dedicated and adequate resources" being put in place. Endorsement and implementation of the academy proposal seems to now rest with the Department of Arts, which may be just as well given the poor record of the Department of Education when it comes to putting effort and funding into arts education in general.
While there is not yet any estimate of how much such a project would cost — and obviously it does require substantial Government investment — the forum's report is not comforting when it cites the provision of State support for acting students here compared to Britain. Neither does the notion that the future running costs of the academy would be met through a public- private partnership hold out much promise that we will actually see such an academy in the short term. In these circumstances, the announcement that the Gaiety School of Acting hopes to rebrand itself as the National Theatre School and offer a full-time degree in acting through the CAO system, and accredited by Dublin City University, is good news for Irish theatre.