Conservative theatre-making will kill the UK industry, says National’s director

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondentFebruary 26, 2026 at 08:47 PM

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National Theatre's artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, warned that conservative theatre-making threatens the UK's theatre industry during the Jennie Lee lecture in London on Thursday. Addressing arts industry representatives, Rubasingham advocated for renewed investment in creative risk and new writing, citing a steep decline in these areas. National Theatre research revealed significant drops between 2014 and 2024, including a 70% decrease in theatres accepting open submissions and declines in new writing festivals and playwriting courses. Rubasingham expressed concern about the shrinking pipeline of new voices and the potential long-term impact on stages nationwide. She emphasized the importance of theatre as a space for facing complexity and warned against prioritizing predictability and profit over innovation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

William Shakespeare 30% London 40% Lisa Nandy 40% Arts Council England 50% Department for Culture, Media and Sport 50% Jennie Lee ×260% United Kingdom 70% National Theatre ×280% Indhu Rubasingham ×490%

Keywords

theatre industry 90% conservative theatre-making 80% new writing 70% creative risk 60% national theatre 50% free speech 50% arts council england 50% indhu rubasingham 40%