© Alastair Muir
English Touring Theatre is marking its 21st anniversary next year by launching a survey to find the ‘nation’s favourite play’.
Audiences are invited to vote for the play of their choice via a dedicated website, with the top choices being staged by the company next year.
The rules state you may vote for “any original, English language play from any period of time. Musicals, translations or adaptions will not be counted in the voting. Any member of the public will be able to vote online but will only be able to vote once for their favourite play.”
Favourites are likely to include Hamlet by William Shakespeare, often cited as the greatest play ever written, and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, once voted the most important play of the 20th century in a National Theatre poll.
Voting closes on 8 December 2013, with English Touring Theatre promising to include “as many of the favourites as possible” into its 2014 touring schedule as “either fully produced productions or public rehearsed readings”.
ETT’s director Rachel Tackley said, “We want to make 2014 a birthday year to remember. Since the company has made its name taking high quality productions to theatres across the country we felt the country had to be at the heart of our celebrations. It’s a surprisingly simple yet tricky question: What is your favourite play? We’re very excited and curious to see what the nation votes for.”
