London 'Most Significant Theatre Capital In The World', Says New Report

The London Theatre Report, the first quantitative analysis of the capital's multi-faceted theatre ecology, indicates that London is the most significant theatre capital in the world, with a huge variety of types and sizes of theatre across London's boroughs.

The report has been commissioned by the National Theatre and the Society of London Theatre and is authored by Alistair Smith.

The author worked closely with key figures from the London theatre industry - Nick Starr (National Theatre Executive Director), Julian Bird (Chief Executive of SOLT), Mark Rubinstein (Independent producer and former SOLT President), Kate Horton (Independent producer and former National Theatre Deputy Executive Director), Matthew Byam Shaw (Independent producer) and David Brownlee (UK Theatre Executive Director).

The London Theatre Report has, for the first time, confirmed the size and shape, health and vibrancy of the London theatre sector and provides a baseline for future analysis.

Nick Starr, Executive Director of the National Theatre, said: "While there has been for some time an awareness that London is a world city for theatre, we've hitherto lacked the data to see just how big it is; and how the inter-connected sectors of commercial, subsidised - and the very significant further non-profit sector that works without subsidy - combine to form a vast audience for theatre. These are valuable insights not only for the capital, but also nationally and internationally - and valuable too, I hope, for policy makers across government."

Mark Rubinstein, Independent producer and SOLT Vice President, commented: "Following on from the 2012 Cultural Cities Report, we believed that a more robust and thorough examination of the activity of all professional theatre and theatres across London was needed. The Report provided us with an opportunity to really map their size, range and engagement. This is the first time we have had the opportunity to consider the activity of all professional theatre and theatres across London and really map their size, range and engagement. This is a fantastic resource which acts as a snapshot of the theatrical ecology today and provides a benchmark for charting the evolution of London's theatre scene in years to come."

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "London is without doubt the theatre capital of the world. From the bright lights of the West End and our thriving fringe, to the rise of immersive theatre in the unlikeliest of places, the quality, variety and breadth on offer here is unrivalled. Employing thousands and bringing in almost £620 million a year, theatre is also hugely important to our economy. This timely report puts the spotlight on the economics of the sector and provides food for thought about what is needed to ensure we enjoy many more encores for years to come."

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