Does Northern Ireland Need A Professional Theatre?

I am wondering quite honestly whether Northern Ireland, with its great tradition of theatre and literature actually needs a professional theatre at all. When one goes to an amateur show, sure the quality is worse than bad, but the auditorium is full and people have paid good money (sometimes as much as twenty pounds) for a ticket to see the amateur show, so what's the point in making professional theatre for much less money in terms of ticket prices and a hugely reduced amount of bums on seats.

The strength of what we might call the community funded theatre is strong that I'm not sure that anyone actually needs the professional theatre, people who love musics can go to London (and do) or see them if they come to the GRand Opera House in Belfast or the Forum in Derry.

At present, with woeful funding and woeful audience levels, what's the point in wasting more money make shows purely for theatre people to watch!?

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