So David Hare is bringing his new work to America first, rather than to London and the National. “The bitter irony is that for years American dramatists have been looking to Britain – and specifically the National Theatre – to showcase their work. Now the boot seems to be on the other foot. Although Hare cites pragmatic reasons for staging his new play in New York, he is not exactly gruntled – as another British exile, PG Wodehouse, said – by his treatment by the National. And in this he is not alone.”