Michael Billington wonders if West End theatre is at its lowest ebb ever. So he does a little research on what was offered decades ago compared to today. “After comparing what is on offer today with the same week over the past four decades, I have come to the melancholy conclusion that the West End is dwindling into neon-lit irrelevance. What seems to have gone out of the window is the idea that the commercial sector should offer a kaleidoscope of possibilities: musicals, comedies, farces, thrillers, straight plays and classic revivals. The irony is that it is probably better run than at any time in recent memory.”