The director of the National Theatre will be stepping down in 2025. I’ve written to the chairman offering a new vision for Britain’s leading playhouse.
Dear Sir Damon Buffini, I’m a reviewer of plays and a part-time theatre producer. In the past 20 years I’ve seen more than 2,000 shows, hundreds of them at your venue, and here is my plan to transform the NT.
Britain’s dramatic heritage is the best in the world and our national theatre should meet that standard of excellence. Three simple reforms to start with.
US stars crave the prestige offered by the NT. Each year we will hire half a dozen Oscar-winning actors
One: cancel the annual £16 million subsidy from the Arts Council. Britain’s leading theatre doesn’t need a donation or the advice that accompanies it.
Two: fresh blood. Limit the number of productions offered to a single author. David Hare (sorry to single him out) has had 27 shows staged at the NT since 1978. If Sir David can’t thrive in the commercial sector, that’s tough.
Three: streamline rehearsals. Actors usually prepare a play in three weeks, sometimes in two. The NT allows up to six weeks of rehearsal, which wastes money and fosters laziness.
Seat prices should be adjusted to reflect demand. Establish links with commercial producers and bring in stars at the market rate. Andrew Scott recently sold out his one-man show, Vanya, in the West End where top seats went for £172.50. The National might have staged this show had it dropped its ‘affordable tickets’ fetish. ‘Affordable’ is another word for ‘cheap’.
My programme will offer a mix of classic and modern plays, some produced in the UK, some abroad. An International Director will find excellent new productions overseas (using the internet as a research tool – the international travel budget will be zero).
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