So, with his last production closing early what do we think of Jonathan Kent's efforts to establish a "producing house/company" approach in the commercial sector ? A laudably brave attempt, or a wantonly reckless enterprise doomed from the start by suicidally bad programming (a Restoration comedy, a play by Edward Bond, a new musical) which will ensure no commercial management ever takes the risk again ?

Well, I certainly thought it was laudable. I attended - & enjoyed - all 3 productions. It is something of a surprise that Marguerite - with a pedigree that one would have suspected would make it the most successful of the 3 - was the failure in attendance terms but, hey, thats show business.

A combination of the above, I feel... a brave attempt, but doomed by poor programming.

None of it I found inspiring. If it was at the NT and I could have got 10 squid seats then I think I would of made more of an effort.

Maybe if they followed the Donmar’s pricing policy of £30ish for top price then more punters would of come?

In the end I got comps for Marguerite and it was pretty dire. Lyrics and book a total mess that makes you wonder how it advanced to the production stage. The design and direction was re hash of their very prop and set heavy Turn of the Screw for Glyndebourne from two years ago (which I never liked).

It was an interesting project but if you compare it to the Donmar’s West End project with safe but solid rep, big names and very affordable pricing …

However, it's taken the Donmar some years to reach the point of launching a West End season, so I think a direct comparison might be a little unfair to TRH.

Though I agree that the pricing structure will have had a lot to do with it... but that just ends up in the endless commercial vs subsidised debate all over again.

Too true the Donmar do have an excellent brand name

I admire what Church and TRH have tried to achieve and their choice of rep is much braver then the Donmar’s West End season.

These two leading players (one with commercial arts running experience and the other with not for profit running arts experience) have totally misjudged the whole project. Which is a great shame as the West End will be bogged down with Dude where's my car? The Musical and other such ‘delights’

I tend to agree. I didn't go to any of the productions, but mostly because the Haymarket is such a rotten venue and the only worthwhile seats are too expensive. However, I think the choice of plays could have been a bit more "commercial".

(Even if the rumoured Ian McKellen/Patrick Stewart "Waiting for Godot" turns up there next year I will still not go, as I chose not to go to the Paul Scofield "Heartbreak House" even though I would have seen it in any other venue. They should put a special demolition levy on the ticket price there).

I'm honoured