National Theatre announces 2024 show season
The National Theatre have announced details of their upcoming 2024 season, with tickets going on sale to the public on 9 November.
In the Olivier theatre, Tim Price’s new play, Nye, will play from 24 February - 11 May, directed by Rufus Norris, which charts the life of Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan. From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the NHS, Nye Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence on our country without ever being Prime Minister. Michael Sheen (Under Milk Wood) will play Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. The cast also includes Remy Beasley, Roger Evans, Jon Furlong, Stephanie Jacob, Kezrena James, Tony Jayawardena, Rebecca Killick, Rhodri Meilir, and Sharon Small.
Nye features set designer by Vicki Mortimer, with costumes by Kinnetia Isidore, lighting by Paule Constable, co-choreography by Steven Hoggett and Jess Willams, composition by Will Stuart, sound by Donato Wharton, projection design by Jon Driscoll, and casting by Alastair Coomer CDG.
Nye will also play at the Wales Millennium Centre from 18 May-1 June, with Michael Sheen continuing his role as Nye Bevan.
In the Lyttelton from 7 February - 27 March will be a revival of Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith, directed by Emily Burns, in its first revival since the 1960s. When a golden wedding anniversary reunites the Randolph family on the eve of WWII, Dora and Charles must reckon with the adults their children have become. Their children, meanwhile, are haunted by the memory of the family they once were. Heartbreaking and joyful, this captivating revival is a moving dissection of family and what it means to grow up and return home. Lindsay Duncan (Hansard) is cast as Dora alongside Malcolm Sinclair, with further casting to be announced.
Dear Octopus features set and costumes by Frankie Bradshaw, with lighting by Oliver Fenwick, composition by Nico Muhly, sound by Tingying Dong, and casting by Bryony Jarvis-Taylor.
This is followed by London Tide from 10 April-22 June, based on Charles Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, which will be directed by Ian Rickson and adapted by Ben Power, with original songs throughout by acclaimed singer-songwriter, PJ Harvey, and Ben Power.
A storm rages and, in the darkest part of the night, a body is pulled from the swirling Thames. Across the city, two young women confront an uncertain future. In Limehouse, Lizzie Hexam struggles to break free of the river and its dark secrets. On the other side of town, Bella Wilfer mourns a lost marriage. The appearance of the mysterious John Rokesmith has the potential to change their lives for ever. Will they sink or swim? This romantic and propulsive thriller is a hymn to the city and the river that runs through it.
The cast includes Brandon Grace, Scott Karim, Bella Maclean, Tom Mothersdale, Ami Tredrea and Peter Wight.
London Tide features set and costume design by Bunny Christie, lighting by Jack Knowles, music direction by Ian Ross, co-sound design Tingying Dong and Christopher Shutt, movement direction by Anna Morrissey, and casting by Bryony Jarvis-Taylor.
In the Dorfman theatre is Till the Stars Come Down from 24 January - 16 March, a passionate, heartbreaking and hilarious portrayal of a larger-than-life family struggling to come to terms with a changing world, written by former writer-in-residence Beth Steel and directed by Bijan Sheibani. The cast includes Lorraine Ashbourne, Lucy Black, Lisa McGrillis, Sinéad Matthews, Derek Riddell, Ruby Stokes, Alan Williams and Marc Wootton.
Till the Stars Come Down features set and costume design by Samal Blak, lighting by Paule Constable, choreography and movement direction by Aline David, sound by Gareth Fry, and casting by Alastair Coomer CDG.
Completing the season is Underdog: The Other Other Brontë, an irreverent retelling of the life and legend of the Brontë sisters written by Sarah Gordon and directed by Natalie Ibu, in a co-production with Northern Stage. The cast includes Rhiannon Clements, Adele James and Gemma Whelan.
The production has set and costume design by Grace Smart, with lghting by Zoe Spurr, sound by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, and casting by Naomi Downham.
From February 2024 the National Theatre will pilot a selected number of early evening performances at 6.30pm. This trial follows a major piece of research undertaken by the National Theatre in recent months to understand more from audiences about their post-Covid lifestyles and habits, including varying working patterns and journey times, particularly for those living outside of London. The early evening performances offer flexibility for audiences to make the most of their evening, with more time after curtain down to eat or to travel. The 6.30pm performances will fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a limited number available for every new production playing on the South Bank in the first half of the year.
Director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris, said: ‘I’m thrilled to have such a rich and diverse slate of shows coming up at the National Theatre for audiences to enjoy. We have a wealth of new plays, alongside an exciting revival of Dodie Smith’s Dear Octopus, a play by one of the UK’s most celebrated novelists, which hasn’t been seen on the stage for over 60 years. Audiences are always at the heart of everything we do, and in direct response to what they have told us, we are excited to be trialling an earlier start time of 6.30pm for selected performances. I am also excited to announce today that Tim Price’s brilliant new play Nye, which I will be directing in the Olivier in February, will be a co-production with Wales Millennium Centre where it will transfer following its run with us. To bring the story to Nye Bevan’s home in Wales feels very special and an appropriate way to further honour his legacy through this production.’
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