NATIONAL THEATRE: APRIL – OCTOBER 2015
Patrick Marber directs his new version of THREE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY, after
Turgenev
Timberlake Wertenbaker’s OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD is directed by Nadia Fall as part of
the Travelex £15 Tickets season
Duncan Macmillan’s new play PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS is directed by Jeremy
Herrin in a co-production with Headlong
Sally Cookson’s staging of JANE EYRE comes to the NT in a co-production with
Bristol Old Vic
wonder.land, a new musical by Damon Albarn and Moira Buffini, is directed by Rufus
Norris in a co-production with Manchester International Festival
The Orange Tree Theatre presents POMONA by Alistair McDowall in the Temporary
Theatre
LONDON ROAD: the film is released nationwide
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE broadcasts Man and Superman, Everyman and The Beaux’
Stratagem from the NT, Hamlet from the Barbican and an encore of the Donmar
Warehouse’s Coriolanus
CONNECTIONS premieres ten new plays performed by schools and youth theatres
Suhayla El-Bushra is appointed Writer in Residence at the NT Studio
Platforms and Clore Learning Centre events, courses and talks
THREE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY
Lyttelton Theatre
Previews from 21 July, press night 28 July, in repertoire until 21 October
Patrick Marber directs his own new version of THREE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY, after
Turgenev, opening in the Lyttelton Theatre on 28 July. The cast includes Amanda Drew,
Gawn Grainger, John Simm and Cherrelle Skeete.
Ivan Turgenev’s passionate, moving comedy, A Month in the Country, has been the source
1
of inspiration for films, a ballet and the plays of Chekhov.
Russia. A beautiful country estate. The mid-nineteenth century. A handsome new tutor
brings reckless, romantic desire to an eccentric household. Over three days one summer the
young and the old will learn lessons in love: first love and forbidden love, maternal love and
platonic love, ridiculous love and last love. The love left unsaid and the love which must out.
Patrick Marber’s previous plays for the National are Dealer’s Choice (Evening Standard
Award for Best Comedy); Closer (Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy, Laurence
Olivier and Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play), for which he also wrote the screenplay;
Howard Katz; and The Musicians for Connections. His latest play, The Red Lion, opens in
the NT’s Dorfman Theatre in June.
John Simm’s extensive screen credits include Code of a Killer, Prey, The Village, Mad Dogs,
Exile, Doctor Who, Life on Mars, Sex Traffic, State of Play and The Lakes. His most recent
stage appearance was in The Hothouse at Trafalgar Studios; previous theatre roles include
Jerry in Betrayal and the title role of Hamlet at Sheffield Theatres, and Elling at the Bush for
which he was nominated for an Olivier Award.
The production will be designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting by Neil Austin, music and
sound by Adam Cork and movement by Polly Bennett; it is produced in association with
Sonia Friedman Productions.
Press night: Tuesday 28 July
Contact: Martin Shippen on 020 7452 3233 / mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk
OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD
Travelex £15 Tickets, Olivier Theatre
Previews from 19 August, press night 26 August, in repertoire until 17 October
Nadia Fall will direct Timberlake Wertenbaker’s OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD, a Travelex £15
Tickets production, opening in the Olivier Theatre on 26 August; with designs by Peter
McKintosh, lighting by Neil Austin, choreography by Arthur Pita and sound by Carolyn
Downing.
Observed by a lone, mystified Aboriginal Australian, the first convict ship arrives in Botany
Bay in 1788, crammed with England’s outcasts. Colony discipline in this vast and alien land
is brutal. Three proposed public hangings incite an argument: how best to keep the criminals
in line, the noose or a more civilised form of entertainment?
2
The ambitious Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark steps forward with a play. But as the mostly
illiterate cast rehearses, and a sense of common purpose begins to take hold, the young
officer’s own transformation is as marked and poignant as that of his prisoners.
A profoundly humane piece of theatre, steeped in suffering yet charged with hope,
Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Olivier Award-winning OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD celebrates the
redemptive power of art.
Timberlake Wertenbaker is the writer and translater of over 40 plays, including The Grace of
Mary Traverse, The Love of the Nightingale, Three Birds Alighting on a Field, The Break of
Day, After Darwin and The Ant and the Cicada.
Nadia Fall’s productions for the NT include Dara, Home, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Chewing
Gum Dreams and Hymn; her other work includes Hobson’s Choice (Regent’s Park Open Air
Theatre), Disgraced (Bush Theatre), and a forthcoming production of Ayckbourn’s Way
Upstream at Chichester.
Thanks to its partnership with Travelex, this year the National Theatre is once again offering
over 100,000 tickets at just £15 for four productions (Everyman, Light Shining in
Buckinghamshire, The Beaux’ Stratagem and Our Country’s Good), with the rest at £25 and
£35.
Press night: Wednesday 26 August
Contact: Mary Parker on 020 7452 3234 / mparker@nationaltheatre.org.uk
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS
Dorfman Theatre
Previews from 25 August, press night 1 September, booking until 10 October with additional
performances to be announced.
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS, a new play by Duncan Macmillan, opens in the Dorfman
Theatre on 1 September. It will be directed by Jeremy Herrin and is the latest collaboration
between Headlong and the National, following Mike Bartlett’s Earthquakes in London and
Lucy Prebble’s The Effect. Set design will be by Bunny Christie, with costumes by Christina
Cunningham, lighting by James Farncombe and sound by Tom Gibbons.
Emma was having the time of her life. Now she’s in rehab. Her first step is to admit that she
has a problem. But the problem isn’t with Emma, it’s with everything else. She needs to tell
the truth. But she’s smart enough to know that there’s no such thing.
3
When intoxication feels like the only way to survive the modern world, how can she ever
sober up?
Duncan Macmillan’s plays include Every Brilliant Thing (Paines Plough/Pentabus,
Edinburgh, UK tour & New York), George Orwell’s 1984 (adapted with Robert Icke,
Headlong/Nottingham Playhouse/Almeida/West End), Lungs (Paines Plough & Sheffield
Theatres, Washington DC), Don Juan Comes Back From the War (Finborough) and Monster
(Royal Exchange, Manchester).
Jeremy Herrin is Artistic Director of Headlong. His recent work includes This House for the
NT, The Absence of War (Sheffield/national tour), Wolf Hall/Bring Up the Bodies for the RSC
and The Nether (Headlong/Royal Court/West End).
The Dorfman Partner is Neptune Investment Management.
Press night: Tuesday 1 September
Contact: Martin Shippen on 020 7452 3233 / mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk or Clióna
Roberts on 020 7704 6224 / cliona@crpr.co.uk
POMONA
Temporary Theatre
Previews from 10 September, press night 14 September, in repertoire until 10 October
POMONA by Alistair McDowall comes to the National’s Temporary Theatre from 10
September – 10 October, presented by the Orange Tree Theatre (where it had an acclaimed
run in 2014) and in association with the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, where it will
play from 29 October – 21 November. The production is directed by Ned Bennett and
designed by Georgia Lowe, with lighting by Elliott Griggs, sound by Giles Thomas and
movement by Polly Bennett. Pomona is suitable for those aged 14+ and contains adult
themes.
Ollie’s sister is missing. Searching Manchester in desperation, she finds all roads lead to
Pomona, an abandoned concrete island at the heart of the city. Here at the centre of
everything, journeys end and nightmares are born.
Pomona is a sinister and surreal thriller from Alistair McDowall, writer of Talk Show (Royal
Court), Brilliant Adventures (Royal Exchange Theatre, Bruntwood Prize-winner) and Captain
Amazing (Live Theatre Newcastle).
4
Ned Bennett has just directed Bruntwood Prize-winner Anna Jordan’s new play Yen at the
Royal Exchange Theatre. He directed the first major revival of Philip Ridley’s Mercury Fur,
which transferred to the West End, and the UK premiere of Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts at
Southwark Playhouse; he will direct Tom Basden’s new play The Crocodile, based on
Dostoevsky, at the Manchester International Festival in July.
Press night: Monday 14 September
Contact: Martin Shippen on 020 7452 3233 / mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk
JANE EYRE
Lyttelton Theatre
Previews from 8 September, press night 17 September, now booking to 25 October with
additional performances to be announced. Bristol Old Vic from January 2016.
Bristol Old Vic’s highly praised staging of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece JANE EYRE,
originally presented in two parts, will come to the National as a single performance, again
directed by Sally Cookson and devised by the company. The cast includes Benji Bower, Will
Bower, Craig Edwards, Felix Hayes, Phil King, Melanie Marshall, Simone Saunders, Maggie
Tagney and Madeleine Worrall. The production has set designs by Michael Vale, costumes
by Katie Sykes, lighting by Aideen Malone, music by Benji Bower, sound by Mike Beer,
movement by Dan Canham and dramaturgy by Mike Akers. JANE EYRE will return to
Bristol Old Vic in January 2016.
Almost 170 years on, Charlotte Brontë’s story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever.
This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on
her own terms.
From her beginnings as a destitute orphan, Jane Eyre’s spirited heroine faces life’s
obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the discovery of bitter betrayal before
taking the ultimate decision to follow her heart.
Sally Cookson is an associate artist of Bristol Old Vic, where her productions include
Treasure Island and Peter Pan; and elsewhere, Boing! (Sadler’s Wells), Cinderella (St
James Theatre), an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather (West End and UK
tour), and Romeo and Juliet at The Rose Theatre, Kingston.
Press night: Thursday 17 September
Contact: Susie Newbery on 020 7452 3061 / snewbery@nationaltheatre.org.uk
5
wonder.land
Olivier Theatre
Currently booking from 27 November, further performances and press night to be announced.
Manchester International Festival 2 – 12 July
wonder.land, a new musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, with music by
Damon Albarn and book and lyrics by Moira Buffini, will be directed by Rufus Norris in a coproduction with Manchester International Festival; commissioned by Manchester
International Festival, the National Theatre and the Théâtre du Châtelet. It will open at MIF
with performances from 2 – 12 July (previews from 29 June), and come to the Olivier
Theatre in November; in June 2016, wonder.land will visit the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
The production will have set designs by Rae Smith, with projections by 59 Productions,
costumes by Katrina Lindsay, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Arditti and
choreography by Javier De Frutos; the music supervisor is David Shrubsole and associate
director, James Bonas.
Welcome to wonder.land, where you can be exactly who you want to be. Aly, 12, loves this
extraordinary virtual world. Bullied at school and unhappy at home, wonder.land offers an
escape.
Online, Aly becomes Alice: brave, beautiful and in control. But some of the people she meets
– the weird Dum and Dee, the creepy Cheshire Cat, the terrifying Red Queen – seem
strangely familiar. And as hard as Aly tries to keep them apart, real life and wonder.land
begin to collide in ever more curious and dangerous ways.
Damon Albarn is a Grammy and Brit Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and
composer. His first full-length opera composition, Monkey: Journey to the West, created in
collaboration with Jamie Hewlett and Chen Shi Zheng, premiered at Manchester
International Festival in 2007. His second opera Dr Dee, co-created with Rufus Norris,
premiered at MIF in 2011. Albarn has written music for film soundtracks to 101 Reykjavik,
Ravenous and Broken. Releases outside of Blur and Gorillaz also include: Mali Music, The
Good The Bad and The Queen, Rocket Juice & The Moon, Africa Express Presents: Maison
Des Jeunes and his Mercury-nominated debut solo album Everyday Robots. Blur will release
their new album, The Magic Whip, at the end of April and will headline the British Summer
Time Festival in Hyde Park in June.
Moira Buffini’s plays include Welcome to Thebes and Dinner for the National Theatre and A
Vampire Story for NT Connections; Handbagged for the Tricycle Theatre/Vaudeville (Olivier
Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre); Dying For It (adapted from
6
Nikolai Erdman’s The Suicide) and Marianne Dreams (adapted from Catherine Storr’s book)
for the Almeida Theatre; Loveplay for the RSC; and Silence for Birmingham Rep (Susan
Smith Blackburn Prize). Her screenplays include Tamara Drewe, Jane Eyre and Byzantium.
She recently directed her first short film, Father.
Rufus Norris became Director of the National Theatre in April; his NT productions include
Everyman, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Amen Corner, Table, London Road, Death
and the King's Horseman and Market Boy. His other work includes Feast, Vernon God Little
and Tintin for the Young Vic; the Olivier Award-winning Cabaret in the West End and on tour;
Les Liaisons Dangereuses on Broadway; Festen at the Almeida, West End and New York;
and Doctor Dee at the Manchester Festival in 2011 and ENO in 2012. Screen work includes
Broken, which won the British Independent Film Award for Best Film, and the film of London
Road which will be released in June.
Contact: Susie Newbery on 020 7452 3061 / snewbery@nationaltheatre.org.uk; for MIF,
Laura Myers on 020 7831 7657 / Laura@thecornershoppr.com.
A DECLARATION FROM THE PEOPLE
Dorfman Theatre
Sunday 21 June at 7.30pm
What do we want? Who do we trust? Is anyone listening?
Devised and performed by a company of non-professional actors in collaboration with
director Emily Lim and writer Chris Bush, A Declaration From The People is a companion
piece to Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and presents an urgent response to the times we
live in, bringing the voice of the community to the heart of the National.
CONNECTIONS
Olivier and Dorfman Theatres
1 – 6 July
Each year the National Theatre invites ten writers to create new plays for performance by
schools and youth theatres all over the country. Over the past months these plays have
premiered across the UK by 270 companies in 27 leading regional theatres. Ten companies
will be selected to bring their productions to the National Theatre in July.
This year’s plays are new commissions from Jamie Brittain, Katherine Chandler, Elinor
Cook, Ayub Khan Din, Katie Douglas, Cush Jumbo, Ben Ockrent, Eugene O’Hare, Stef
Smith and Sarah Solemani.
Views
Contact: Lucinda Morrison on 020 7452 3232 lmorrison@nationaltheatre.org.uk or Martin
Shippen on 020 7452 3233 mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk
CASTING UPDATES
The cast for Lyndsey Turner’s production of Light Shining in Buckinghamshire by Caryl
Churchill, opening in the Lyttelton on 23 April, includes: Leo Bill, Joe Caffrey, Elizabeth
Chan, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Daniel Flynn, Nicholas Gleaves, Trystan Gravelle, Ash
Hunter, Joshua James, Amanda Lawrence, Adelle Leonce, Ashley McGuire, Simon
7
Manyonda, Ann Ogbomo, Steffan Rhodri, Joseph Rowe, Alan Williams and Sargon Yelda.
Rufus Norris’ production of Everyman, in a new adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy, opens in the
Olivier on 29 April. Led by Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role, the full cast is: Stephen Aintree,
Philip Martin Brown, Paul Bullion, Adam Burton, Michelle Butterly, Sharon D Clarke, Dermot
Crowley, Kate Duchêne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amy Griffiths, Nick Holder, Nicholas Karimi,
Joshua Lacey, Penny Layden, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Coral Messam, Jeshaiah Murray,
Amanda Minihan, Itxaso Moreno, Tumo Reetsang, Kiruna Stamell, Clemmie Sveaas and
Joshua Tikare.
Simon Godwin’s production of George Farquhar’s late Restoration comedy The Beaux’
Stratagem opens in the Olivier on 26 May, and will be broadcast by NT Live on 3
September. The cast is: Esh Alladi, Samuel Barnett (as Aimwell), Jamie Beamish, Pippa
Bennett-Warner (as Dorinda), Jane Booker, Cornelius Clarke, Susannah Fielding (as Mrs
Sullen), Molly Gromadzki, John Hastings, Richard Henders, Lloyd Hutchinson, Chris
Kelham, Nicholas Khan, Barbara Kirby, Ana-Maria Maskell, Amy Morgan, Pearce Quigley,
Ana-Maria Maskell, Amy Morgan, Mark Rose, Chook Sibtain, Geoffrey Streatfeild (as
Archer) and Timothy Watson.
Samuel Barnett’s credits include the original cast of The History Boys at the NT, in the West
End and Broadway, Twelfth Night and Richard III (Shakespeare’s Globe, West End and
Broadway, Tony Award nomination) and on screen, Twenty Twelve and The History Boys.
Pippa Bennett-Warner’s theatre work includes The Swan and Caroline or Change for the NT,
The Witness (Royal Court), and Richard II and King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse.
Susannah Fielding’s work includes Much Ado About Nothing, Philistines and The Rose
Tattoo at the NT, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice for the RSC and at the Almeida
Theatre.
Geoffrey Streatfeild’s credits include Children of the Sun, Earthquakes in London, The Pains
of Youth and The History Boys at the NT, My Night With Reg (Donmar Warehouse and West
End), Macbeth (Sheffield Crucible Theatre) and for television, The Hollow Crown, The Thick
of It and Spooks.
The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis, directed by Indhu Rubasingham
and opening in the Lyttelton on 17 June, will have a cast including Nathalie Armin, Lisa
Caruccio Came, Ricardo Chavira, Alec Newman, Flor De Liz Perez and Yul Vazquez.
Ricardo Chavira’s television credits include Desperate Housewives, Castle, The Grubbs and
Six Feet Under.
Flor De Liz Perez has appeared in The Good Wife, Made in Jersey and NYC 22. Her recent
stage credits include Pericles at the Public Theatre, New York.
Friday Rush Tickets
Following a successful trial during Here Lies Love, the Friday Rush ticketing scheme has
been extended to all productions in the Olivier, Lyttelton, Dorfman and temporary theatre.
Every Friday at 1pm, an allocation of £20 tickets for the each of following week’s
performances will be released to buy online. A limited number of £15 Day Tickets will
continue to be available in person on the day of the performance (excluding the temporary
theatre).
8
BEYOND THE SOUTH BANK
LONDON ROAD: the film
LONDON ROAD was hailed as a remarkable, ground-breaking work during its two sell-out
runs at the National Theatre. The feature film adaptation reunites the award-winning team,
with script by Alecky Blythe and music by Adam Cork, directed by Rufus Norris. Broadcast to
cinemas nationwide on Tuesday 9 June, the live film premiere will feature an exclusive Q&A
with the key cast and crew following the screening of the film. London Road will also be on
general release in selected cinemas from 12 June.
With an ensemble cast that includes Olivia Colman, Anita Dobson, Tom Hardy and all the
original cast members from the National Theatre runs, London Road documents the events
that shook Suffolk in 2006, when the quiet rural town of Ipswich was shattered by the
discovery of the bodies of five women. The residents of London Road had struggled for
years with frequent soliciting and kerb-crawling on their street. The film follows the
community who found themselves at the epicentre of the tragic events. Using their own
words set to an innovative musical score, London Road tells a moving story of ordinary
people coming together during the darkest of experiences.
A Cuba Pictures / National Theatre production, presented by BBC Films, the British Film
Institute and National Theatre in association with Lip Sync and Arts Council England.
Distributed by Picturehouse Entertainment and National Theatre.
Contact: Jo Fernihough: Jo.Fernihough@freuds.com / 020 3003 6386 or Hannah Golanski:
Hannah.Golanski@freuds.com / 020 3003 6623
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE
Simon Godwin’s production of Shaw’s MAN AND SUPERMAN, with a cast led by Ralph
Fiennes, is broadcast on 14 May.
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the title role in EVERYMAN, adapted by Carol Ann Duffy and directed
by Rufus Norris; it will be broadcast from the Olivier Theatre on 16 July.
Farquhar’s late Restoration comedy THE BEAUX’ STRATAGEM, directed by Simon
Godwin, will be broadcast live to the UK and Europe on 3 September (and to the rest of the
world on 24 September).
The Donmar Warehouse production of Shakespeare’s CORIOLANUS, directed by Josie
Rourke, with Tom Hiddleston in the title role, will have an encore screening in the UK on 24
September (and in the rest of the world from 12 November).
Benedict Cumberbatch plays the title role in HAMLET, directed by Lyndsey Turner,
produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and broadcast live from the Barbican on 15
October (varying dates internationally).
For venue information and booking details, please visit www.ntlive.com
Contact: Mary Parker on mparker@nationaltheatre.org.uk or Martin Shippen on
mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME is now on a 31-city tour of
the UK and Ireland until November 2015, with forthcoming visits to Cardiff, Bradford,
Edinburgh, Canterbury, Birmingham, Leicester, Southampton, Truro, Oxford, Liverpool,
9
Bristol, Sunderland, Glasgow, Leeds, Aberdeen, Norwich, Sheffield, Dublin, Belfast, Bath,
Milton Keynes and a return visit to Salford. Curious Incident also continues its runs at the
Gielgud Theatre in the West End and at the Barrymore Theatre in New York. Its official card
partner is American Express.
WAR HORSE at the New London Theatre is now booking until February 2016. A Dutchlanguage production, currently touring Holland, opens in Belgium in May. A Chineselanguage production will open in September in Beijing and in November in Shanghai, as part
of the NT’s new partnership with the National Theatre of China.
Suhayla El-Bushra appointed Writer in Residence
Suhayla El-Bushra has been appointed Writer in Residence at the National Theatre Studio,
succeeding April de Angelis from May. The post of Writer in Residence offers the incumbent
the opportunity to immerse herself in NT Studio and National Theatre life for a year, focus on
commissioned work and explore new project ideas.
Suhayla El-Bushra is a Brighton-based screenwriter and playwright. Her plays include
Pigeons at the Royal Court, Cuckoo at the Unicorn,The Kilburn Passion at the Tricycle
and Fingertips for Clean Break at Latitude. She is currently under commission from the
National Theatre, The Gate and Out Of Joint, and is working on a play for secondary schools
with UNTitled Theatre and The Everyday Sexism Project. Suhayla was a core writer on the
TV series Hollyoaks and has various film and TV projects in development.
National Theatre Future
The Sherling High-Level Walkway is now open daily and free to visit; offering views into
the National’s busy backstage production workshops for set construction and assembly,
scenic painting and prop-making. Access to the Walkway is from the Dorfman Theatre Foyer
Gallery Level. Opening in May is the Lyttelton Lounge: a place to explore the NT’s past and
present, where visitors can browse exclusive digital content from the NT Archive, including
interviews, prompt scripts and early recordings; and see related exhibitions of props,
costumes and other objects from past and present productions. The opening exhibition is on
the plays of Tom Stoppard. Situated on the Lyttelton Circle level, the Lounge is free and
open all day.
PLATFORMS
An eclectic programme of talks, discussions and interviews, offering the chance to learn
more about the National’s work and the arts in general.
6pm (45 mins), £4/£3 unless stated; BS = Platform followed by book signing
Lyndsey Turner on Light Shining in Buckinghamshire Thu 30 April, 6pm, Lyttelton
The director talks to Libby Purves about the new production.
Michael Rudman
Fri 1 May, 6pm, Dorfman BS
The American director’s 50-year career includes running the Lyttelton and Hampstead
theatres. He discusses his book, I Joke Too Much, with Paul Allen.
Antony Sher
Wed 6 May, 2.30pm (1hr), Dorfman BS
The actor talks to Sue MacGregor about Year of the Fat Knight, on his experience of playing
Falstaff.
10
Stanley Wells
Wed 6 May, 6pm, Dorfman BS
Stanley Wells offers an actor-centred history of theatrical performance in Great Shakespeare
Actors, examining their most notable performances in the key roles. Chaired by Sue
MacGregor.
The Putney Debates
Thu 7 May, 1pm & 6pm (1hr), Temporary Theatre
On Election Day, actors read from the historic 1647 debates about how this country should
be run for the benefit of all. Cast includes Amanda Drew, Kate O’Flynn and Tom VaughanLawlor.
On Beyond Caring
Thu 14 May, post-show (30mins), Temporary Theatre, free
With director Alexander Zeldin and Jay Miller, Artistic Director of The Yard Theatre.
Ralph Fiennes on Man and Superman
Fri 15 May, 3pm (1hr), Lyttelton, £5/£4
The actor reflects on the challenges and rewards of playing Jack Tanner in Man and
Superman.
Civil War: ancient and modern
Thu 21 May, 6pm, Lyttelton
Alongside Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, an examination of events in England in the
1640s and more recent parallels and resonances; guests include historian Diane Purkiss
and political activist John Rees.
Javier De Frutos and Rufus Norris on Everyman Tue 2 June, 6pm, Olivier
The choreographer and director discuss this new production.
Paul Merton
Wed 3 June, 6pm, Lyttelton BS
Only When I Laugh charts the comedian’s journey from working-class Fulham childhood to
TV’s Have I Got News for You. He discusses his memoir with fellow Comedy Store Player,
Lee Simpson.
Simon Godwin on The Beaux’ Stratagem
Mon 15 June, 6pm, Olivier
The director talks to Fiona Mountford about his new production of Farquhar’s comedy.
Stephen Adly Guirgis and Indhu Rubasingham on The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Thu 18 June, 6pm, Lyttelton
The writer and director talk about this new production.
On We Want You To Watch Thu 18 June, post-show (30mins), Temporary Theatre, free
With Helen Goalen and Abbi Greenland from RashDash, writer Alice Birch and director
Caroline Steinbeis.
Focus on Football
Fri 19 June, 6.30pm, Dorfman BS
Sports journalists and former players discuss the ideas raised in Patrick Marber’s The Red
Lion; guests include Amy Lawrence and Stuart Fuller. Chaired by Michael Calvin.
Patrick Marber and Ian Rickson on The Red Lion Thu 25 June, 6.30pm, Dorfman BS
The writer and director discuss this new play.
The Jocelyn Herbert Lecture: Walter Asmus – The Art of Beckett
Mon 29 June, 6pm, Lyttelton
Samuel Beckett called designer Jocelyn Herbert ‘my closest friend in England’, and they
worked together many times. The distinguished German director Walter Asmus reflects on
his own working relationship with Beckett, which began in the Schiller-Theatre in Berlin in
1974 and continued until 1989, the year of the playwright´s death.
11
Tim Crouch on An Oak Tree
Thu 2 July, 4.30pm, Temporary Theatre, free
With writer/director/performer Tim Crouch.
Connections Writers
Mon 6 July, 6pm, Lyttelton
The writers of this year’s Connections plays talk about their experiences of the festival.
We Want You To Talk
Wed 8 July, post-show (1hr), Temporary Theatre
A lively discussion about the modern-day impact of pornography on people’s physical and
emotional relationships.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Wed 22 July, 3pm (1hr), Olivier
The actor reflects on the challenges and rewards of playing the title role in Everyman.
Patrick Marber on Three Days in the Country
Thu 30 July, 6pm, Lyttelton
The director talks about his new version of Turgenev’s play.
Philippa Gregory
Thu 13 August, 6pm, Lyttelton BS
Philippa Gregory discusses her new novel The Taming of the Queen: the story of Kateryn
Parr, Henry VIII’s final wife, and the play from her time at court as Regent that may have
inspired Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.
Turgenev’s Countryside
Mon 17 August, 6pm, Lyttelton
Stephen Lovell, Professor of Modern History at King’s College, and Cynthia Marsh, Emeritus
Professor of Russian Drama and Literature at Nottingham, explore the influence of the
Russian countryside and landscape on the playwright’s work.
Michael Billington
Fri 4 September, 6.30pm, Dorfman BS
The theatre critic discusses The 101 Greatest Plays, a personal selection from Ancient
Greece to the present day, and asks if greatness changes with time and circumstance.
Chaired by Benedict Nightingale.
Lasdun’s Legacy
Fri 11 September, 5.45pm (1hr), Olivier BS
Alongside the exhibition and a new book about the building, historian Barnabas Calder,
architect Paddy Dillon and writer Catherine Croft reflect on Denys Lasdun’s work on the
National Theatre.
Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan on People, Places and Things
Fri 18 September, 6pm, Dorfman
The director and playwright discuss this new play.
On Pomona
Thu 24 September, post-show (30mins), Temporary Theatre, free
Director Ned Bennett and playwright Alistair McDowall talk to Dan Rebellato about the
production.
Bound for Australia
Wed 30 September, 6pm, Olivier
Legal and social science historians, Michael Lobban and Deborah Oxley, discuss the
convicts on the First Fleet in 1787, as depicted in Our Country’s Good, and the impact of
penal transportation.
Sally Cookson on Jane Eyre
Mon 5 October, 5.30pm, Lyttelton
Director Sally Cookson talks to Angus MacKechnie about her adaptation of Charlotte
Brontë’s novel.
12
Nadia Fall and Timberlake Wertenbaker on Our Country’s Good
Tue 6 October, 6pm, Olivier
The director and playwright discuss the new production.
David Hare
Mon 12 October, 6pm, Lyttelton BS
David Hare discusses his memoir The Blue Touch Paper, which interweaves the history of
the period from 1947 to Margaret Thatcher’s election, with the story of how he first became a
writer for film and theatre.
AfterWords
In an informal atmosphere, a series of lively post-show discussions bring together people
from the production with people from the real world of the play.
Clore Learning Centre /Cottesloe Room; £4/£3 includes wine and soft drinks
The Hard Problem
Fri 15 May
With actor Anthony Calf, and neuroscientists Daniel Glaser and Catherine Loveday.
Rules for Living
Fri 12 June
With psychologist Anjula Mutanda and writer Tom Hodgkinson.
The Red Lion
Fri 10 July
With playwright Patrick Marber, journalist Paul Hayward, and broadcaster Caroline Barker.
Contact: Malika Isles on 020 7452 3236; misles@nationaltheatre.org.uk
LEARNING
Nationaltheatre.org.uk/learn
The Clore Learning Centre is a dedicated centre at the heart of the NT for people of all
ages to get involved in theatre and learn about every aspect of theatre-making, often direct
from the artists and staff of the National Theatre. There are new courses and events for
adults; regular activities for families; and new programmes for schools and young people: all
designed to inspire participants with the skills of our backstage production departments and
the work on our stages.
The huge range of courses and workshops includes:
For Adults:
In Depth & In Context
An eclectic programme for everyone from the first-timer to the expert. Develop a deeper
understanding of the NT repertoire or try your hand at a practical aspect of theatre-making.
£20/£15 concessions (unless stated). Clore Learning Centre.
nationaltheatre.org.uk/adultlearning
In Context: Everyman: Medieval Theatre and Morality Plays
Mon 11 May, 2 – 5pm and Thur 18 June, 2-5pm
With Dr Philip Crispin, Lecturer in Drama, Hull University, Carl Heap (former ArtisticDirector
of The Medieval Players Theatre Company) and Dr Sue Niebrzydowski, Senior Lecturer in
Medieval English Literature, Bangor University.
In Context: Caryl Churchill
Tues 26 May, 2 – 5pm
Explore the work of the celebrated playwright, with playwright April de Angelis (Jumpy and
Playhouse Creatures), director Dominic Cooke, Elaine Aston (Professor of Contemporary
13
Performance at Lancaster University) and Siân Adiseshiah (Reader in English Literature and
Drama, University of Lincoln).
Black Plays Series
Sat 13, 20 & 27 June, 10.30am – 1pm £12/£10
Rehearsed readings of plays by Mojisola Adebayo, Tunde Ikoli and Michael Abbensetts.
In Depth: Women of Restoration Theatre
Wed 24 June, 10am – 4.30pm £45/£35
Plays and playwrights: beyond Nell Gwynn to the Female Wits. Led by Lucy Kerbel (Tonic
Theatre) and Professor Gilli Bush-Bailey (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama).
In Context: Tim Crouch
Thu 25 June, 2 – 5pm
Dan Rebellato (Head of Drama and Theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London) in
conversation with Tim Crouch and his long-time collaborators Andy Smith and Karl James.
In Context: Stephen Adly Guirgis
Mon 29 June, 2.30 – 5pm
With directors Indhu Rubasingham (Tricycle Theatre and director of the NT production of
The Motherf**ker with the Hat) and Esther Baker (Synergy Theatre Project).
Everyman – Creating Music for Theatre
Thur 16 July, 5.30 – 6.30pm, £5/£4
With William Lyons, composer and Medieval music specialist.
Jane Eyre on Stage and Screen
Fri 11 September, 4 – 5.30pm
Dr Hila Shachar (De Montfort University) on the many adaptations of this classic novel.
Russian Plays at the National Theatre
14, 15, 21, 22 Sept, 6.30 – 9pm, £70/£55
An in-depth look at the NT’s rich history of staging Russian drama.
In Context: Our Country’s Good
Fri 9 October, 2 – 4.30pm
Explores the genesis of the production, the themes and historical background. Speakers will
include the play’s original director, Max Stafford-Clark (Out of Joint).
Puppet-Making Course
12, 19 May and 2, 9 June, 10am – 4pm £320/£260
Discover the art of making puppets, led by Mervyn Millar, award-winning puppetry director
and a member of the original creative team for War Horse.
Free events
Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund; booking required.
Political Drama at the NT
Wed 27 May, 3 June & 10 June, 11am – 12.30pm
How new writing at the NT has held a mirror up to British politics and society.
Restoration Theatre at the NT
Wed 3 June, 4.30 – 6pm
Delve into the NT Archive to explore past productions.
On Lasdun
Sat 27 June, 3pm
Barnabas Calder (University of Liverpool) discusses the architect’s achievements.
For Families:
Family Days will run on Saturdays 2 May, 6 June, 4 July and on weekends in the school
holidays. They are designed for children aged 6–12 and adults to enjoy together.
Discover the skills and secrets behind productions at the National Theatre; have a go at
designing a costume or making a prop; or meet some of the team who work behind the
scenes to bring NT productions to life. Further details on the website.
14
For Young People (16-21-year-olds):
An exciting mix of Q&As, short courses, skills workshops, talks and events.
Q&A: How to get into ….Video Design
12 May, 5pm – 6pm £5
A careers-focused Q & A with an NT Video Designer
Workshop: Light Shining in Buckinghamshire 20 May, 5pm – 8pm £10
From concept to production; led by director Lyndsey Turner.
Coming soon:
Workshop: An introduction to the NT Armoury
A look at how to create brilliant stage effects
Q&A: Patrick Marber
Workshop: Everyman
Explore how the production was developed
Creative Development Weekends
Work with leading theatre artists to explore different styles of theatre-making. Artists include
Tim Crouch, RashDash and Alexander Zeldin.
For Secondary Schools and Colleges:
National Theatre: On Demand in Schools will launch this autumn, with three acclaimed,
NT productions made available free in every secondary school classroom in the UK. Danny
Boyle’s production of Frankenstein by Nick Dear, based on the novel by Mary Shelley, with
Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating the roles of Frankenstein and the
Creature; and Nicholas Hytner’s productions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with Rory Kinnear,
and Othello with Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear, will be free to stream on demand in the
classroom for three years from September 2015. Comprehensive learning resources will
support each play, and the recordings will be chaptered so teachers can find key scenes or
show the full production over a number of lessons. The project is delivered in partnership
with Frog Education Ltd, and supported by Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Sidney E.
Frank Foundation.
New Views, the National Theatre’s Playwriting Programme and Competition for 15-19-yearolds, gives young people across the country the chance to write a play – and one student
each year sees their play produced at the National Theatre.
The 2015 winning play performances will be on 8, 9 & 10 July at 6pm in the Temporary
Theatre. nationaltheatre.org.uk/newviews
Our Country’s Good Sixth Form Conference
Tuesday 29 September, Olivier Theatre
A series of on-stage talks and masterclasses with members of the company, the creative
team and academic speakers.
Next Stage Days: a chance for students bring a piece of work in progress to the NT and get
specialist input on voice and movement or set and costume design from NT staff and artists.
Workshops, designed to support drama and theatre studies at KS3, KS4 and post-16, are
available on acting, directing or design and can focus on any production in the current NT
repertoire.
Archive Learning Days: free sessions exploring key NT productions and genres.
For Primary Schools:
Make Theatre Days
An active and exciting introduction to theatre making and the backstage world of the National
Theatre for Years 4 – 6
15
ENDS
13 April 2015
Booking information:
Public booking for Three Days in the Country, Our Country’s Good, Jane Eyre, wonder.land
and Pomona opens on 1 May, and for People, Places and Things on 19 June.
Book tickets online at nationaltheatre.org.uk Box Office: 020 7452 3000
Twitter: @nationaltheatre #NTnewseason
Facebook: national.theatre.london
YouTube: NationalTheatre
THE NATIONAL’S SPONSORS
The National Theatre would appreciate an acknowledgement in the body of the text and/or
as a separate footnote following editorial copy.
Travelex £15 Tickets sponsored by
The National Theatre is working in partnership with American Express
NT Future is supported by Bank of America Merrill Lynch
The National Theatre’s photographic images partner is Corbis
National Theatre Learning is supported by Goldman Sachs
The National Theatre’s UK touring hotel partner is Intercontinental Hotels Group
The National Theatre is supported by J.P. Morgan
The Dorfman Partner is Neptune Investment Management
A National Theatre IT partner is Nimble Storage
The National Theatre’s pouring partner is Nyetimber
The National Theatre’s partner for Lighting and Energy is Philips
The official hotel partner of the National Theatre is Radisson Blu Edwardian
National Theatre Live’s 4K Technology Partner is Sony Digital Cinema
The National Theatre wishes to acknowledge its partner National Angels Limited
The National Theatre is supported using public funding by
Arts Council England.
16
THE NATIONAL’S REPERTOIRE as of 13 April 2015
NATIONAL THEATRE PRESS OFFICE
Tel: 020 7452 3235 Fax: 020 7452 3230 Email press@nationaltheatre.org.uk
PLAY
THE HARD
PROBLEM
MAN AND
SUPERMAN
RULES FOR LIVING
LIGHT SHINING IN
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
EVERYMAN
BEYOND CARING
THE BEAUX’
STRATAGEM
THE RED LION
WE WANT YOU TO
WATCH
THE
MOTHERF**KER
WITH THE HAT
AN OAK TREE
BRAINSTORM
THREE DAYS IN THE
COUNTRY
OUR COUNTRY’S
GOOD
PEOPLE, PLACES
AND THINGS
POMONA
JANE EYRE
wonder.land
WAR HORSE
THEATRE
Dorfman
PRESS NIGHT
28 January
CONTACT
Mary Parker
Lyttelton
25 February
Martin Shippen
Dorfman
Lyttelton
24 March
23 April
Susie Newbery
Martin Shippen
Olivier
Temporary Theatre
Olivier
29 April
1 May
26 May
Mary Parker
Susie Newbery
Susie Newbery
Dorfman
Temporary Theatre
10 June
15 June
Mary Parker
Susie Newbery
Lyttelton
17 June
Martin Shippen
Temporary Theatre
Temporary Theatre
Lyttelton Theatre
From 23 June
22 July
28 July
Susie Newbery
Susie Newbery
Martin Shippen
Olivier Theatre
26 August
Mary Parker
Dorfman Theatre
1 September
Temporary Theatre
Lyttelton Theatre
Olivier Theatre
New London Theatre
14 September
17 September
Date tbc December
THE CURIOUS
INCIDENT OF THE
DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME
PLATFORMS
CLORE LEARNING
CENTRE
Gielgud Theatre
Martin Shippen /
Clióna Roberts
Martin Shippen
Susie Newbery
Susie Newbery
Janine Shalom &
Dan Macarthur,
Premier
Janine Shalom &
Dan Macarthur,
Premier
Nada Zakula
Malika Isles
Lucinda Morrison &
Martin Shippen
UK tour
Lucinda Morrison, Head of Press: lmorrison@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452 3232
Mary Parker, Senior Press Officer: mparker@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452 3234
Martin Shippen, Press Manager: mshippen@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452 3233
Susie Newbery, Press Officer: snewbery@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452 3061
Malika Isles, Press Assistant: misles@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452 3236.
Nada Zakula, Head of Press War Horse/Curious Incident nzakula@nationaltheatre.org.uk 020 7452
3046
Janine Shalom & Dan Macarthur, Premier: janine.shalom@premiercomms.com;
dan.macarthur@premiercomms.com; 020 7292 8330
Clióna Roberts: cliona@crpr.co.uk 020 7704 6224
17