Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Samuel Hodges, today announces the company’s Spring and Summer 2019 season.
The season, which marks the first anniversary of the opening of NST City, includes Samuel Hodges directing his version of the UK regional première of Peter Morgan’s The Audience. Nuffield Southampton Theatres then present the stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns by Ursula Rani Sarma in a co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Northern Stage. NST also produce a brand-new audio play, The Line, curated by Barney Norris, which will tour Southampton in a Ford Transit Van in association with Up in Arms supported by Padmini Broomfield and Now Heritage CIC.
In January the company welcome the previously announced return of Howard Brenton’s The Shadow Factory which will be accompanied by The Shadow Factory Exhibition, a free immersive installation looking into the stories behind the production. The season continues its celebration of the local community with the annual festival Now-Here: Made in Southampton, a varied programme exploring the theme of industry and manufacturing in Southampton, inspired by the real-life stories of the city’s residents. Then, Make It SO, showcases and celebrates performances by local artists and companies in NST City’s Studio Theatre.
Nuffield Southampton Theatres also welcomes touring productions including Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh, Dan Gordon’s adaptation of Rain Man, Princess & the Hustler, Marie Jones’ Stones in his Pockets, The Remains of the Day adapted by Barney Norris, Kneehigh’s Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs), Jon Brittain’s Olivier Award-winning play Rotterdam and following two sold out runs at the National Theatre, Barber Shop Chronicles from NST Associate Inua Ellams. Alongside this NST host a selection of dance productions with Gecko’s Missing, Boy Blue’s Olivier Award nominated Blak Whyte Gray and NST resident company ZoieLogic Dance Theatre presents Sleuth.
Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Sam Hodges, said today “As we head into our second year at NST City, we return to the theme of making. From Spitfires to Ford Transit vans, from local artists to award-winning designers, this is a year that puts Southampton’s heritage as a city right at the heart of the programme.
This season is a choir of genuinely diverse voices. You’ll hear the rare private thoughts of our Queen. You’ll hear Afghan women straining to be heard against the silencing might of their husbands and government. You’ll hear real-life accounts from Southampton’s former Ford workers.
And it’s fantastic that three of our touring shows are from writers we know well. Barney Norris, writer of The Line, brings his version of Remains of the Day; Jon Brittain, the hilarious writer behind our musical Billionaire Boy, brings his Olivier Award-winning play Rotterdam; and our very own Poetry Associate Inua Ellams brings the spectacular Barber Shop Chronicles.”
