Cheap seat scheme on trial at the National

Nicholas Hytner, the new director of the National Theatre, is expected to slash the prices of all tickets in the complex's biggest auditorium to £10 for a trial season.

Mr Hytner, who takes over from Sir Trevor Nunn in April, will announce his first season of plays on Thursday. He will also say that for one season at least all seats in the Olivier Theatre will be £10, providing sponsorship can be found.

Mr Hytner's initiative follows The Independent's campaign for cheaper theatre tickets – the Lister Experiment – which has advocated winning new audiences by selling good seats at cinema prices for selected performances.

Insiders at the National say The Independent campaign played a part in Mr Hytner's thinking on the need for cheaper seats to attract new and young audiences. Mr Hytner will also announce on Thursday that the playwright David Hare is returning to the National after seven years. His new work is understood to criticise New Labour. It portrays a Britain where public services are not working and people's hopes have been dashed.

A play by Kwame Kwei-Armah, who plays Finlay Newton in the BBC drama Casualty, about Yardie gun culture in east London will also be staged during Mr Hytner's first season.