Ian Wood rightly draws attention to the high cost and travel problems of accessing the National Theatre for people who don’t live in or close to London (Letters, 17 December). Yet all taxpayers contribute to its upkeep through the annual £16.2m grant from Arts Council England. So it should genuinely be seen as a theatre for everyone, “not just for one privileged echelon”.
Many people prefer to see live productions, and so touring widely should be an essential part of the NT’s annual programme, bringing benefit to struggling regional theatres. However, the NT Live initiative, which has streamed many major productions into local cinemas since it started in 2009, has the potential to reach millions of people who couldn’t otherwise afford to go to any theatre. It should be extended to include all NT productions, and these should be available as “encore” showings.
