A controversial writer has been told his play will be running on only two evenings instead of every night for a fortnight.

Brian Behan has accused the New Venture Theatre in Brighton of not being brave enough to stage his graphic play, Animal Terrorists.

He said: "I believe plays should be exciting and provocative to make people think. It is outrageous they have done this so close to opening night."

The decision to cut the play's run was made less than two weeks before its premiere.

The one-act play, which lasts about 12 minutes, explores issues surrounding the animal rights movement and vivisection.

It was scheduled to be performed before a thriller musical, Risk, at the theatre in Bedford Place for a fortnight starting Saturday week.

Mr Behan, brother of the late Irish writer Brendan, said theatre bosses and Toby Collins, director and writer of Risk, had been offered a script to read weeks ago.

But yesterday, a spokesman at the New Venture Theatre said the decision had had nothing to do with the play itself.

He said there had been a misunderstanding about the number of performances of the play originally planned.

He said: "We have short productions before Sunday evening performances which was how this play was put to us.

"It would never have been on for the whole fortnight because it would have caused problems for us getting front of house staff to come in earlier."

The play will still take place at the New Venture Theatre before the two Sunday performances of Risk on November 5 and 12.

David de Pinna, director of Animal Terrorists, is negotiating with the Pavilion Theatre to stage a 90-minute version of the play. Mr Behan is prepared to pay £300 to hire the theatre in New Road.