The Play’s The Thing winner to close West End run early

Published Monday 17 July 2006 at 13:30 by Alistair Smith

On The Third Day - the winning play from Channel 4’s series The Play’s The Thing - will close after only seven weeks, having played to average houses of around 50% during its time at the New Ambassadors Theatre.

It now finishes its West End run on July 29, not September 2 as originally announced. The production, which received its world premiere on June 15, is produced by Sonia Friedman and written by first-time playwright Kate Betts.

The accompanying four-part series followed the search for a new, first-time, British playwright. Channel 4 received more than 2000 submissions from previously un-produced writers. The panel of judges - Friedman, literary agent Mel Kenyon and actor Neil Pearson - whittled down submissions to one winning play which was eventually produced at the New Ambassadors.

Friedman commented: “Producing a play by a first-time writer in the West End was always going to be a fascinating challenge, which is why I agreed to participate in the Channel 4 series The Play’s The Thing. Plays produced in smaller subsidised theatres which run for six weeks and are seen by smaller audiences than the ones enjoyed by On The Third Day are routinely seen as a success. That is why I believe that a seven-week run for a production of a new play by a first-timer writer in the West End playing to audiences of 51% should be seen as an achievement.

“I would also like to add that The Play’s The Thing has been a very useful exercise in stimulating a debate about new work by new writers in the West End. I am very grateful to Channel 4 for devoting so much of their mainstream schedule to a programme about theatre, the West End and new writing.”

Writer Betts added: “It was an honour to have my play chosen as the winning entry for The Play’s The Thing and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Sonia Friedman, Steven Pimlott, Robert Delamere and with a cast and technical team that were so completely devoted to and enthusiastic about On The Third Day. I have learned a lot from these professionals and this valuable experience will not only help me with my future writing but will, I hope, encourage, inform and stimulate other new writers out there who are passionate about writing for the theatre.”

• Attend a special Q&A evening with Sonia Friedman on July 20 - click here for more details