Unwelcome first for playwright as the National Theatre re-opens and closes on the same night

Writer Roy Williams admitted it was “gutting” after his play opened and closed at the National Theatre on the same night.

The theatre formally re-opened last night with a socially distanced performance of Death of England: Delroy only to close as the second lockdown came in.

The play, co-written with Clint Dyer, should have run until November 28.

Williams said : “That’s definitely a first for me, I think it’s going to be a pub quiz question in years to come.

"I try to remain as positive as I can and yes it was gutting we had to finish the run early but it’s not just the way of the country it’s the way of the world at the moment and I sensed there was always a risk this might happen but I was glad we all went for it”.

The 90-minute show, a follow up to the critically acclaimed Death of England which starred Rafe Spall, played to about 500 people in the Olivier Theatre which normally holds more than 1,100.

Williams said the atmosphere on the night was “eerie” with the audience knowing the theatre was about to close.

The performance was filmed with the National hoping to show it online at some point.