London Plays It Safe?

Several theatres in London, including The National and Donmar, are revisiting the same plays over and over. Phedre, Hamlet, and King Lear seem to be popping up in consecutive seasons.

Does this indicate anything notable about the vitality of new and risky work? What is it about plays like Phedre, Hamlet, etc, that theatres believe audiences need/want to see repeatedly? What do the audiences make of this?

Visual Art Auctions lag in London

London was once ahead of New York in art sales, but not this year. The buyers are more interested in Renoir's still-lifes and Miró's stick figures, instead of scenes of men in anguish as done by last year's huge success, Francis Bacon. People now seek comfort.

Ravenhill takes on $$

Playwright Mark Ravenhill (who has a regular blog on the Guardian's website) talks money and theatre, here.  UK-centric, but perhaps useful.