West End theatre producers have such “an obsession with celebrity” that they are turning down acclaimed productions with unknown actors because they lack a star from television or film. It is “the merely famous” that attracts them.

The damning cricitism was voiced to The Times by Sir Jonathan Miller, one of the world’s eminent directors, who said that audiences in the capital were missing out on seeing much praised productions from the provinces.

Sir Jonathan, 73, was made an associate director at the National Theatre by Laurence Olivier and showered with Olivier awards for his Old Vic productions. Two of his recent productions, Hamlet in Bristol and The Cherry Orchard in Sheffield, received rave reviews yet he could not get a London producer interested because his cast had no famous names.

Yet Jamie Ballard in the title role of Hamlet at the Tobacco Factory in March prompted critics to hail him as an “exceptional talent” and the entire cast, down to the walk-ons, as excellent. The Times described Ballard as “intelligent and incisive” while The Mail on Sunday called him “the most moving, sexy and sensitive young Hamlet since Jonathan Pryce in 1980”.

Its director said: “Producers might have been swayed if I’d been prepared to put in for more luminous names. But I wanted my original cast, who were absolutely first-class.

Ballard, who graduated from the Bristol Old Vic School in 2001, spoke to The Times yesterday of his disappointment. Although he has appeared at the RSC and the National, this was his biggest role. As the reviews were so extraordinary, why, he asked, “don’t producers think, let’s do it and blow the ‘you need a big star to make a show work’?”

Instead, the West End has come up with a couple of “celebrity” Hamlets. David Tennant - “that man from Doctor Who,” as Sir Jonathan referred to him - has been cast by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Jude Law, the film star, will play the prince for the Donmar Warehouse.

Although Law’s matinee-idol looks have earned him Hollywood roles, films such as Alfie have attracted some damning reviews. As to his casting as Hamlet, Sir Jonathan said: “I suspect he can’t act better than the young unknown who played him for me who was quite extraordinary.”

Last year Sir Jonathan staged The Cherry Orchard in the Sheffield Crucible with Joanna Lumley, whose portrayal of a radiant Madame Ranevskaya was described by the critics as “absolutely fabulous”. London producers were keen to transfer it the West End until they heard that Lumley could not commit herself to a long run. Their interest died immediately.

Ten years ago producers were more adventurous, Sir Jonathan believes. It is now assumed that putting big stars on stage attracts big stars in the audience, and therefore publicity, he said: “You know that you’ve got a big hit if you get Lauren Bacall in the audience. When it has a certain sort of showbiz lustre, the paparazzi will be there.”

On being told of Sir Jonathan’s criticisms, Sir Arnold Wesker, the playwright, also lamented that celebrity has now become “the state of the play”. He said: “This has been growing over the past decade or 15 years. I don’t know whose fault it is, whether it’s the producers or the public.”

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010