The number of original plays staged in the West End has tripled over the last ten years, according to a new survey.
Research conducted by The Stage reveals that original plays now account for more than a fifth of all productions.
They took a survey of plays running in 2019, 2014, 2009 and 1999, charting the number of original productions, adaptations, revivals and jukebox musicals were running at the time of counting.
Nine original plays were running consecutively when the 2019 survey was taken (on July 17) including The Lehman Trilogy, The Starry Messenger, Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, Bitter Wheat by David Mamet, The Mousetrap, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, The Play That Goes Wrong and two plays by Jack Thorne: The End of History and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Ten years ago, just three plays running in the West End were not based on existing material, such as films or books. In 1999, the number was more similar to today, with eight plays and four musicals running on the West End.
Kenny Wax, who produced both of Mischief Theatre’s The Comedy About a Bank Robbery and The Play That Goes Wrong, told The Stage: “On the face of it, [the percentage of original plays] is a surprising statistic because it’s a commonly held belief that producers are more risk-averse than ever. Social media, streaming of music, online reviews and YouTube footage have all made it easier to find out about new productions.”
