Tickets for the National Theatre’s upcoming season will go on sale to the public on Thursday 9 November. In the Olivier theatre Nye, Tim Price’s new play directed by Rufus Norris, charts the life of Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan and his battle to create the NHS. Michael Sheen is cast as Nye in this co-production with Wales Millennium Centre.
In the Lyttelton is a revival of Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith, directed by Emily Burns and with a cast that includes Lindsay Duncan. This is followed by London Tide, 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.
In the Dorfman theatre is Till the Stars Come Down, 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. 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.
Also announced today is the transfer of Tim Price’s new play Nye, directed by Rufus Norris, which will play at the Wales Millennium Centre following its world premiere in the Olivier theatre in February. Michael Sheen will continue his role as Nye Bevan in this strictly limited run from 18 May until 1 June 2024.
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.
The Lehman Trilogy, co-produced with Neal Street Productions and, in association with Trafalgar Entertainment, will make its Australian premiere at Theatre Royal Sydney from 21 February for a strictly limited season.
This critically acclaimed, five-time Tony Award®-winning epic play by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power, directed by Academy Award and Tony Award®-winning director Sam Mendes with set design by Es Devlin, is also touring to the American Conservatory Theater’s Toni Rembe Theater in San Francisco, from 25 May until 23 June 2024.
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.’
The following productions will go on sale to the public on Thursday 9 November. To book, visit the National Theatre website: nationaltheatre.org.uk
