IPC Impact Report

In 2022, we published a report into the IPC study led by Tome Levi, The Impact of Injury on Theatre Performers. Against the backdrop of existing standard practice, whereby injury prevention remains largely absent, this study gives an insight into the impact of injury on the physical and mental health of performers, and the ripple effect that the occurrence of injury can have on other departments.

The findings presented were based on the responses to a digital survey, completed in Q4 2021 by 229 performers working across stage and screen productions. The sample was representative of a broad spectrum of performers, with over 72% working in the industry for over 5 years. While the primary intention of this study was to gain a deeper insight into the degree to which injury impacts this community, the findings also identify a number of themes which surpass the direct physical consequences for the injured individual. Collectively, they demonstrate how company injury can create a domino effect which negatively impacts the wider production framework. The purpose of this report is to highlight the extent to which inaction and reliance on reactivity jeopardises the physical and mental welfare of performers, and to deliver proactive solutions to tackle this in practice, supporting production companies in their ongoing efforts to embrace best practice.