Nottingham Playhouse announces Spring/Summer 2022 season

Following the triumphant return of live work at Nottingham Playhouse this autumn, the theatre have confirmed their Spring and Summer Season for 2022.  The season comprises a long-awaited programme of work that was postponed from 2020 due to the first COVID 19 lockdown.

Taking audiences up to August next year, the season kicks off with the professional premiere of Simon Reade’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s First World War novel Private Peaceful, which runs from 12 to 26 February before embarking on a national tour.

Director of Pentabus, Elle While directs this tale of a country lad fighting a war he doesn’t understand for people he cannot respect, features the ensemble cast of Daniel Boyd as Charlie Peaceful, Emma Manton as Mother/Grandma Wolf, Daniel Rainford as Thomas 'Tommo' Peaceful and Liyah Summers as Molly/Anna. 

Private Peaceful is followed in by the world premiere of the Nottingham Playhouse, Northern Stage and Royal Lyceum Edinburgh production of Red Ellen by Caroline Bird, which runs from 13 to 30 April.

This remarkable new play, from award winning poet and playwright Caroline Bird, tells the inspiring and epic story of Ellen Wilkinson, Labour MP, who was forever on the right side of history, forever on the wrong side of life.

With casting to be announced, Red Ellen will be directed by Wils Wilson.

Moving into early summer comes the world premiere of Nathaniel Price’s First Touch which runs from 7 to 21 May.

Clayton James, a 17-year-old Nottingham lad, dreams of becoming the next Viv Anderson. With a prodigious talent, the offer of a professional contract at a First Division club and a growing romance with girlfriend Serena, he appears to have the world at his feet.

But life at the beginning of the 1980s isn’t easy for Clayton and his family, trying to make it in an era of racism and hooliganism. And Clayton’s steelworker dad Patterson faces an uncertain future as the Thatcher government faces off against the unions.

When his charismatic and powerful former coach, Lafferty, returns after four years away, Clayton is forced to confront painful memories of the past. Can he protect his loved ones from the truth of what he endured?

Inspired by the recent football abuse scandals, First Touch is a gripping and heartfelt drama about what it takes to fulfil your dreams, by rising screenwriter Nathaniel Price and directed by Jeff James.

Rounding off the season comes the eagerly awaited new musical adaptation Erik Kästner’s novel The Parent Trap, Identical, which runs from 26 July to 14 August. 

This twin-sational world stage musical premiere tells the classic story of twin girls separated at birth, reunited by chance at a summer camp ten years later. In an attempt to get to know their parents and reconcile the two halves of their family, they decide to swap places and live each other’s lives.

Identical is directed by Olivier and Tony award-winning Sir Trevor Nunn, with music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and a book by Stuart Paterson.

Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse Adam Penford says –

“I’m proud that our Spring/Summer season contains four back-to-back world premieres. New writing is the heartbeat of theatre and we wanted to give the space over to living writers and their unique voices.

“Many freelance theatremakers suffered over the last 18 months, and we were determined to honour our commitment to projects which had been interrupted by Covid, celebrating the rich talents of the freelance artists we work with.

”The productions are linked by a search for belonging, identity and family; what is our place in the world and how do we connect with those around us.”

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.