A startling new report has exposed a deepening crisis in British theatre, revealing that productions of new plays have plummeted by almost 30% since 2019, even as audience demand for fresh work surges dramatically.
The Contradiction at the Heart of British Theatre
The British Theatre Consortium's report, 'British Theatre Before and After Covid', presents a stark contradiction that has left industry professionals deeply concerned. While media coverage has focused on the sharp decline in new play production, the data reveals a more complex picture that challenges conventional wisdom about what audiences actually want.
Between 2019 and 2023, theatres across the UK staged nearly one-third fewer new plays. This decline represents a greater drop than the overall reduction in theatre production, confirming widespread fears among playwrights about diminishing opportunities to see their work performed.
Audiences Are Hungry for New Work
Despite this production slump, the report authors Dan Rebellato and David Edgar uncovered surprising evidence that should make theatre producers reconsider their conservative programming.
The new plays that did reach the stage enjoyed longer runs, bigger audiences in larger venues, and generated higher box office revenues compared to 2019. Even more compelling, when considering all new work including musicals and devised shows, audience attendance accounted for over 40% of all productions in 2023 – representing a massive 50% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This data directly contradicts the assumption that audiences prefer safe, familiar classics over new, untested material.
Success Stories Prove the Point
Current theatre hits demonstrate exactly where the buzz can be found. Sophia Chetin-Leuner's 'Porn Play' at London's Royal Court theatre, featuring Ambika Mod and Lizzy Connolly, has generated significant excitement.
Other notable successes include Uma Nada-Rajah's NHS fantasia 'Black Hole Sign' and James Graham's West End smash 'Punch'. In Scotland, Éimi Quinn's 'Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin!' at A Play, a Pie and a Pint became the venue's biggest-selling show in its 21-year history.
The feelgood hit 'Dancing Shoes' by Stephen Christopher and Graeme Smith proved so popular during its spring run that it's being revived for Christmas at Edinburgh's Traverse theatre from 4 to 20 December.
A Model for Success
David Greig's A Play, a Pie and a Pint in Glasgow offers a compelling case study in how to make new writing work. The venue stages only world premieres – no old plays allowed – and consistently attracts audiences of 150-200 people six days a week for lunchtime performances.
This demonstrates that when new plays become part of people's everyday cultural diet, similar to reading a book or visiting a food market, audiences will happily embrace them. The success of PPP challenges the notion that new plays are somehow difficult or uncommercial.
The report's classification of all new plays as 'drama', potentially overlooking comedies, may also contribute to misconceptions about new writing being inherently serious or challenging.
The Way Forward for UK Theatre
The evidence clearly shows that theatre producers clinging to Arthur Miller or Anton Chekhov revivals are missing a significant opportunity. Not only does this approach fail audiences hungry for contemporary stories, but it also makes poor business sense given the proven appetite for new work.
What the sector needs now is bolder programming, more confident promotion of new writing, and significantly more opportunities for playwrights to present their work across venues of all sizes. The data provides compelling evidence that when theatres take risks on new plays, audiences will enthusiastically follow.
The current situation represents both a crisis and an opportunity. While the decline in new play production is deeply worrying, the overwhelming evidence of audience demand suggests that with the right approach, British theatre could enter a new golden age of writing and production.
