National Youth Theatre (NYT) has unveiled a major new wave of projects as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, including nationwide initiatives, a new writing festival, and a special gala event at the Royal Festival Hall.
Leading the announcement is The Big Play, a year-long creative collaboration engaging thousands of young people across the UK, culminating in a new work by playwright Chris Bush.
Described as a national creative conversation, the project will gather ideas through workshops, scratch nights and masterclasses, with the finished play set for a major premiere in summer 2027.
The anniversary celebrations will also feature Letters to My Younger Future Self on 20 September at the Royal Festival Hall.
The event will bring together stars of stage and screen alongside emerging talent to perform reflective letters, under the creative direction of NYT CEO and Artistic Director Paul Roseby OBE.
StoryFest returns for its third year as StoryFest 2026, running from 7 to 25 July, with ten new plays staged across the NYT Workshop Theatre and an empty retail unit in Holloway Road.
Highlights include Nail Bar by Afsaneh Gray and Kelly Jones, an immersive production set in a disused shop space, as well as new works by Mohamed-Zain Dada, James Fritz and Eleanor Tindall.
All StoryFest performances will operate on a Pay What You Decide basis, continuing NYT’s commitment to accessibility.
Also announced is Electricity by Succession writer Miriam Battye, performed by NYT’s Playing Up Company from 2 to 4 July at the NYT Workshop Theatre.
The production forms part of the organisation’s initiative to support young people into employment and training within the creative industries.
Paul Roseby OBE said: “After all the turmoil and Westminster noise, it’s time to hear from young voices. We’ll be amplifying them around the country as we build a new creative consensus, ending in a big new play by the brilliant Chris Bush. In our 70th year we’re asking big questions from ‘who wants to live forever’ to ‘is hope dead’ and handing the stage to young people to start the story. Part 3 of our 70th celebrations will also see the return of StoryFest, proving that storytelling can be a solution to filling empty spaces on our high streets, and giving a platform to 10 new plays. Thank you to STUDIOCANAL, Urban Myth Films, the Cockayne Foundation and Arts Council for supporting this work, and to the 10,000 young people and audience members who’ve already taken part this year. Without you there is no story.”
Paul Gilbert of STUDIOCANAL added: “We are incredibly excited to continue our partnership with the National Youth Theatre and StoryFest following such a rewarding first year together. What struck us immediately was the sheer originality, ambition and emotional honesty of the work and the extraordinary calibre of young creative voices emerging through the programme.”
He continued: “We see StoryFest not only as an important cultural initiative, but as a vital creative space where new talent can take risks, find confidence and develop work that feels urgent, contemporary and globally resonant. We’re proud to deepen our support and excited about what we can build together in the years ahead.”
The announcements build on a busy anniversary year for NYT, which has already included productions such as Let the Right One In, Handel and Hendrix, and a touring revival of My Brother’s a Genius.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
