Weapons of Happiness

[5] Weapons of Happiness became the first commissioned play to be performed at the reopened National Theatre when it premièred on the Lyttelton stage on 14 July 1976.

It was designed by Hayden Griffin and directed by David Hare,[1] a collaborator of Brenton from Portable Theatre Company and co-writer with him of Brassneck and Pravda, itself staged at the National.

Given the subject of the play, it is ironic that its first production took place against the backdrop of the National Theatre itself undergoing a good deal of difficulties with trade unions.

[7] However, Michael Coveney was enthusiastic, describing in the Financial Times "highly charged scenes that speak directly about the quality of life in England today".

[1] The play was sufficiently successful that after it opened Peter Hall asked Brenton for another, which would be the controversial The Romans in Britain.