The Almeida Theatre announces a new season for 2024, including the UK premiere of The Comeuppance by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Eric Ting and featuring Yolanda Kettle, Ferdinand Kingsley, Tamara Lawrance, Katie Leung and Anthony Welsh.
Genesis Almeida New Playwright Kendall Feaver presents her new play, Alma Mater, with a cast including Nathalie Armin, Phoebe Campbell, Liv Hill, Liam Lau-Fernandez, Lia Williams and Susannah Wise. Directed by Polly Findlay.
Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux’s novel, The Years, adapted and directed by Internationaal Theater Amsterdam’s Artistic Director Eline Arbo.
The Almeida’s first repertory season Angry and Young featuring Arnold Wesker’s Roots, directed by Diyan Zora and John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, directed by Atri Banerjee.
Also announced today, Almeida Young Company present Lear is Not Okay and Lessons in response to Yaël Farber’s production of King Lear.
A record number of Almeida productions transferring to the West End and New York in one year. A Mirror has opened in the West End, whilst Artistic Director Rupert Goold is set to direct The Hunt at St. Ann’s Warehouse, New York and both Patriots and Tammy Faye on Broadway this year.
Sarah Gordon is the second recipient of The Roger Michell Commissioning Fund.
Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold said, “Today we announce a new season for 2024, welcoming five new directors to the Almeida. Three extraordinary new plays are followed by two canonical revivals, but all the work is made in celebration of the unique intimacy and atmosphere of the Almeida stage.
“We start with The Comeuppance. Through his many acclaimed plays, including Appropriate and An Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has already displayed an incredible sensitivity and bravura wit in formally inventive, completely contemporary new writing. His new play, The Comeuppance, in my opinion his masterpiece, absolutely continues that lineage.
“Having been part of our inaugural cohort of Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays Programme, it feels particularly special to be producing Kendall Feaver’s Alma Mater in Polly Findlay’s gripping production. Kendall’s virtuoso play explores the nuances and volcanoes of inter-generational feminism and will be one of the water-cooler events of London theatre in 2024.
“Last year, I was mesmerised by Eline Arbo’s adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s extraordinary novel The Years in Amsterdam. Eline is one of Europe’s most visionary directors and has succeeded Ivo van Hove as Artistic Director of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. We’re thrilled that she makes her UK debut at the Almeida this summer.
“In the autumn, we present one company in two seminal, British plays running in rep (a first for the Almeida) as part of our Angry and Young season, directed by two exciting artists. Former Almeida Resident Director Atri Banerjee returns to helm John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, and Diyan Zora directs Arnold Wesker’s Roots, following her fantastic work with our Almeida Young Company. Performed by a single company of actors, we examine what these plays that had such a seismic impact in the 1950s, can tell us about Britain in 2024.
“We also announce two new Almeida Young Company productions, running alongside and in response to Yaël Farber’s new production of King Lear, which opens this week. It’s always exciting to see the dynamic responses of emerging theatre talents as they engage with our material, reflecting the evolving energy and creativity of the next generation.
“We look forward to welcoming you to the Almeida in 2024.”
