Theatres

Theatre splits into three economies. National and subsidised houses programme ambitiously and price gently, often with an under-30 scheme that halves the ticket. Commercial houses in London and New York charge what the market bears and defend it with lotteries and rush seats. Fringe rooms, the ones above pubs and in converted shops, cost less than dinner and are where the writers come from.

Language matters less than people fear. Surtitles are now standard at the major European houses, kabuki rents translation devices, and physical and visual theatre needs no translation at all.