Could Reform to Child Labour Laws Benefit West End Musicals

This week on the Simon Morris blog, I ask whether proposed reforms to child labour laws could benefit West End musicals.

Child Stars are Pivotal to West End Theatre

Many of our favourite West End musicals either have a significant child character or a child character as the star. Look at Billy Elliot or Matilda, for example. Without their child stars, these shows would fall part quicker than a Soufflé that’s failed to rise.

Yet, shows prominently featuring child stars often opt to open on Broadway rather than the West End, meaning New York’s musical theatre scenes sees the benefits these productions bring, rather than London’s.

Andrew Lloyd Weber Explains Why He Might Open His Next Production in New York

Notably, Andrew Lloyd-Weber commented on this recently, as he revealed that he is likely to debut his next production across the pond due to restrictive child labour laws. Lloyd Weber commented that "it's much easier to cast children in New York than it is here."

He elaborated by saying that "you don't have to do all this triple casting, you can cast them as if they're adults and then you can have them for a six–month or a year contract if you want to, without these endless changes. And with a show that is so dependent on the children really being able to play, I think that's important."

What Are the Proposed Reforms to Child Labour Laws?

Yet recent proposed reforms to child labour laws could draw musical theatre producers such as Lloyd-Weber back to London. I came across an article on this subject in the Telegraph recently, which went on to make a compelling case for why moves to reform child labours laws could benefit the West End.

The article went on to point out that the reforms would give child actors shorter breaks, and allow them to work longer hours. Specifically, these plans would allow children under five to do live television and radio broadcasts until 10pm, whilst they would allow children over five to do so up until 11pm. This would cut down the red tape productions face when staging a musical on the West End, making it easier, and more cost effective, for them to do so.

What Do You Think, Simon Morris Readers?

Therefore, the argument goes that reforming child labour laws would draw new productions to London, rather than New York. Yet the move certainly has its detractors. What do you think, Simon Morris readers? Would reforms to child labour laws benefit the West End and even if they would, would they be the best thing for the West End going forward?