World War 2 saw a surge of interest in the arts. Many civilian and military audiences experienced drama, opera
and ballet for the first time. Unlike audiences in World War 1 who needed escapism, the audiences of the 1940s
were looking for something more.
CEMA, the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, was set up to provide war time entertainment and money was given to ballet, opera and drama companies to
perform in military camps and to civilians.
During the war Sybil Thorndike and her husband Lewis Casson toured the mining villages of Wales performing Shakespeare and Greek tragedy and the Sadler’s Wells Ballet,
Sadler’s Wells Opera and symphony orchestras performed in military camps across the country.
In London’s West End serious plays were performed to full houses and at the Arts Theatre there were four ballet performances a day - Lunch Ballet, After-Lunch Ballet,
Tea Ballet and Sherry Ballet when audiences could eat during the performance and then return to work.
The interest in the arts during World War 2 led to the first government subsidy of the arts in Britain with the founding of the Arts Council in 1946, championed by Jenny
Lee.
Introduction
Granville Barker
