British Theatre Repertoire 2013
Following the impact of its Writ Large report, BTC approached UK Theatre (then the Theatrical Management Association, TMA) and the Society of London Theatres (SOLT), both of which collected data on all the shows presented by their member organisations. By sorting the shows into repertoire categories, BTC was able to access data on 2,196 shows presented in 273 venues, thus giving a much more comprehensive picture of repertoire than ever before.
In 2015, BTC, UKT and SOLT produced its first repertoire report, covering 2013, supported by Arts Council England. The headline finding was that, for the first time since records began, new work had overtaken revivals in the repertoire, constituting 59% of all productions and 63% of all seats sold. In straight theatre (excluding musicals, pantomimes and opera), 55% of all productions were new writing. The report also presented detailed findings on different types of new plays and new work, other forms, and gender.
The report received extensive coverage, in the Times, the Independent, the Guardian, the Stage and the New York Times.
All three repertoire reports are available on a dedicated website HERE.
British Theatre Repertoire 2014
As a result of the success of the 2013 British Theatre Repertoire report, BTC conducted a similar report on 2014, again as a collaboration with UKT/SOLT and with ACE support. The main headline was that the breakdown of new and old work remained roughly the same (showing that 2013 was not an aberration). Although new plays represented over half of all straight shows produced, devised theatre had increased as a proportion of the repertoire. The proportion of new plays written by women remained at 31% of all plays produced. The 2014 report explored some aspects of the repertoire in more detailed (for example, the gender breakdown of authorship of revivals).The report was launched in the opening plenary of the conference Theatre 2016 (held in London in May) and was the front page lead in The Stage.
All three repertoire reports are available on a dedicated website HERE.
British Theatre Before & After Covid
Following our reports into British theatre repertoire in 2013 and 2014, the British Theatre Consortium produced a report on British theatre either side of the Covid pandemic, based on figures for 2019 and 2023.
Based on aggregated box office data from 139 commercial, not-for-profit and subsidised theatres throughout the country, the report asked what really happened to theatre before and after Covid.
The main findings included:
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of productions and performances declined but attendances rose.
Musicals increased but drama declined substantially. New musicals increased considerably as a category after lockdown
By 2023 the majority of theatre productions consisted of new work again. There were fewer new plays but those there were had longer runs in fuller theatre. The share of adaptations increased.
London’s already overwhelming share of national theatre activity increased.
The report was published in November 2025 and received extensive coverage in the theatre press, on London radio and on television. Once again, the Stage led with the report, which inspired think-pieces by Lyn Gardner and Will Young.
All three repertoire reports are available on a dedicated website HERE.