I WAS A RAT!, THE KITE RUNNER, JACK AND THE BEANSTALK and More Set for Nottingham Playhouse's 50th Season

Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse, Giles Croft, has today revealed plans for the fiftieth anniversary of its iconic building, which was opened by Lord Snowdon on 11 December 1963 under the leadership of John Neville, Frank Dunlop and Peter Ustinov. Reflecting the rich array of work produced there over the last half century, this year's programme contains the wide range of ambitious and high quality drama that has established The Playhouse as one of the leading regional theatres in the UK.

Giles Croft says: 'I am delighted to introduce a season of work in our 50th anniversary year which exemplifies all that Nottingham Playhouse is, and has been, about. A classic book adaptation new to Europe, an international festival visit, and a national tour, for two works we have produced in Nottingham, a world premiere by a distinguished regionally based writer, co-productions with exciting and innovative partners, the revival of works not seen anywhere since our early years, showcasing a great actor such as Ian Bartholomew in a new Shakespeare production, and the 30th pantomime by Kenneth Alan Taylor, one of the country's legendary Dames; all these are in the best traditions of The Playhouse, since the days John Neville proclaimed it would be a 'theatre that belongs to everybody'.

That spirit continues to this day, and is bolstered by the ground-breaking work delivered by our Youth Theatres, ensembles, education and outreach work. In this climate of funding reductions and the overall pressure on spending, we are proud of our ability to present this robust, engaging and diverse range of work.'

Kicking it all off is a critically acclaimed world premiere of a new adaptation of Phillip Pullman's I Was A Rat!, in a co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company, The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and Teatro Kismet (Bari, Italy), which runs at The Playhouse from 26th March to 13th April.

Immediately following this, is Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse's co-production of the European premiere of Matthew Spangler's stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's international best seller The Kite Runner. When it was first produced by The San Jose Repertory in 2009, the work picked up five San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle Awards. This eagerly awaited production, directed by Giles Croft, opens on 26th April and runs to the 18th May. It has also been handpicked to feature in The Brighton Festival in late May and then goes on to Liverpool for June.

The Kite Runner is quickly followed by the magical children's show Grandpa in My Pocket - Teamwork! in late May. This first-ever stage version inspired by the hugely popular CBeebies series, brings the Sunnysands characters and places to life with songs, dance, puppetry and a brand new story told by a young ensemble cast. The colourful pirate adventure with hero Grandpa and his Shrinking Cap, is written by Mellie Buse and Jan Page, directed by Rosamunde Hutt, and runs from 23rd to 31st May before heading on an 18 week nationwide tour.

This summer, another Nottingham Playhouse production tours to the Spoleto Festival in the US. Following our acclaimed presentation of The Burial at Thebes at the 2008 Festival, Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company returns to Charleston with celebrated actor/director Steven Berkoff's distinctive adaptation of Sophocles' classic Greek tragedy Oedipus, from 4th- 8th June.

Hot on the heels of this comes The Ashes by critically-acclaimed writer Michael Pinchbeck. Returning by popular demand, after its hugely successful premiere in autumn 2011, the play recounts the tale of Nottinghamshire cricket hero Harold Larwood, his feud with Australian batting legend Don Bradman and the infamous Bodyline tour of 1932. This is a dramatic tale of conflict between two countries, two classes and two men played out on the pitch and in the pavilion. The production, directed by Giles Croft, runs from 27th June to 6th July to coincide with the Ashes Test Match at Trent Bridge.

Autumn begins with George Orwell's dark vision of the future, Nineteen Eighty-Four, a co-production with Headlong, in a new adaptation created by Robert Icke and Duncan MacMillan. The definitive book of the 20th century is re-examined in this radical new staging by one of the country's most exciting touring companies. This major new co-production explores the world inside Winston Smith's head, as well as the world without, and catches the euphoria and bliss buried deep underneath the cold face of Big Brother. Directed by Robert Icke, the production runs from 13th to 28th September.

October sees the world premiere of a new play by celebrated Nottingham writer, Michael Eaton. Charlie Peace: His Amazing Life and Astounding Legend tells the tale of the greatest celebrity villain of the Victorian age. Charlie Peace was a master of disguise, an accomplished musician and irresistibly attractive to women. On the run, having murdered his lover's husband and holed up in the warrens of Nottingham's Narrow Marsh, Peace's story is told in this modern musical melodrama directed by Giles Croft, and designed by Barney George, including the work of internationally renowned graphic artist, Eddie Campbell. The co-production with The Belgrade Theatre Coventry runs from October 4th to 19th

Shakespeare's Richard III continues the year in a co-production with York Theatre Royal. Playing the role of the last Plantagenet king will be Ian Bartholomew, who was previously seen at Nottingham Playhouse in his critically acclaimed performance as Arturo Ui in autumn 2011. This mirrors the precedent of Leonard Rossiter playing the part of Arturo Ui at Nottingham Playhouse in 1969 and following it up two years later with his portrayal of Richard III. The 2013 production is directed by Loveday Ingram and will play at the theatre from 25th October to 16th November before transferring to York Theatre Royal.

Celebrations are topped off with a very special gala of Nottingham Playhouse's always enthusiastically anticipated pantomime. This year it's Jack and The Beanstalk written and directed, as ever, by the king of pantos, former Nottingham Playhouse Artistic Director, Kenneth Alan Taylor, who will don his frock, dust off his wig and apply his rouge and mascara to play his legendary dame for the very last time. Jack and the Beanstalk runs from 29th November 2013 to 18th January 2014. Details of the gala on 11th December, 50 years to the day that the theatre opened, will be announced at a later date.

In conjunction with the productions on the main stage, Nottingham Playhouse is running a number of special fiftieth anniversary initiatives that tie into the building's history. The Neville Prize, named in memory of Nottingham Playhouse's former Artistic Director, John Neville, who died in 2011 - is an open competition for budding playwrights. The winner will have his/her short play produced as part of Nottingham Playhouse's special Lost Plays Revue event, taking place in the recently re-named Neville Studio from 16th to 18th May. In its early days the theatre commissioned short plays and sketches from contemporary writers including Harold Pinter, N F Simpson, Shelagh Delaney, John Mortimer and local writer Emrys Bryson, all of whom will feature as part of Lost Plays Revue, alongside new commissions from regionally-based writers including Michelle Vacciana, Stephen Lowe, Michael Eaton, Mufaro Makubika and Amanda Whittington

In January 2013 Nottingham Playhouse launched a special 50th anniversary fundraising appeal to ensure that its birthday celebrations will be shared with as wide an audience as possible - Playhouse 50:50. The aim of Playhouse 50:50 is to raise enough money to be able to give away 50 free tickets at 50 performances throughout 2013, and initial fundraising success means that the first batches of tickets are already being allocated. These tickets are being donated to groups across the region whose social and economic circumstances mean that a trip to the theatre is not ordinarily possible.

In celebration of the skills and work of Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and recognising that the work of the theatre is a two way process between what is happening on stage and the audience, five From Page to Stage sessions are being staged over Friday lunchtimes, between July and November 2013. These will explore the art and craft of putting on a play. In just an hour, a director will explore a scene from a play or short sketch and invite the audience to contribute to the creative process. From how the actors should use the text, to their positioning on stage, the costumes, props, lighting and sound, the five sessions will invite comment and opinions from the audience, to illustrate the way in which professional theatre is made in Nottingham.

Details can be found on the Nottingham Playhouse website: www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or on Twitter: @skymirror #np50.

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