Among the most difficult jobs in modern Britain is running a historic regional ­theatre. A steady downward curve in ­audiences – due to a preference among the young for other entertainment forms – has, according to some urban playhouse accountants, also recently been accelerated by the success of the NT Live scheme, which transmits the biggest National and other hits into cinemas around Britain. Many regional ­consumers, it’s argued, prefer to spend their limited entertainment budget on London stuff in a cinema than local work in their ­nearest theatre.Against this background, James Dacre, one of the most talented of the younger generation of theatre directors, has taken over the Royal & Derngate – and launched his opening season under the banne