National Theatre Announces Lineup for November 2021 - February 2022

The National Theatre today announces the on-sale dates of upcoming productions Trouble in Mind, Wuthering Heights and Small Island, as well as the return of daytime opening for visitors. Tickets go on sale to the public on 7 October.

For the first time since March 2020, the public spaces at The National Theatre will be open during the day for visitors and audiences alike. The National Theatre has partnered with independent street food pioneers KERB on a completely refreshed food and drink experience. With a focus on locally-sourced produce, KERB will curate an outstanding food offering throughout the 11 spaces and restaurants with their renowned network of street food start-ups and independent restaurateurs. The first phase of this transformation will begin from today with KERB at The Understudy and the opening of the Atrium Café on the ground floor. Further restaurant and bar redevelopments will follow this year and next.

On the stages, Alice Childress' play Trouble in Mind will be performed in the Dorfman theatre from the 2 December. In 1950s America, protests for racial equality erupt in the face of voter suppression. On Broadway, Wiletta Mayer, a talented black actress, begins rehearsals for a new play about racism - written and directed by two white men. When Wiletta finds that her arguments to tell the truth of the story are dismissed, she decides to take action. First staged over 60 years ago, Trouble in Mind is widely considered the masterpiece of actress and playwright Alice Childress.

Nancy Medina directs Tanya Moodie in this wry and radical satire of racism in theatre, alongside Daniel Adeosun, Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Joe Bannister, Emma Canning, John Hollingworth, Rory Keenan, Gary Lilburn and Cyril Nri.

Set and costume design by Rajha Shakiry, lighting design by Nao Nagai, music by Nubiya Brandon and Raffy Bushman, sound design by Elena Peña and Rachael Nanyonjo as movement director.

In the Lyttelton theatre Emma Rice directs a new version of Wuthering Heights with performances from Thursday 3 February. A co-production with Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal, this adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic, opens at Bristol Old Vic next month before a UK wide tour through 2022.

Lucy McCormick is cast as Cathy, Ash Hunter as Heathcliff and Sam Archer, Nandi Bhebhe, Mirabelle Gremaud, TJ Holmes, Craig Johnson, Jordan Laviniere, Kandaka Moore, Katy Owen, Tama Phethean and Witney White complete the company.

Set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer, compositions by Ian Ross, sound and video by Simon Baker, lighting design by Jai Morjaria, movement and choreography by Etta Murfitt and music performed by Sid Goldsmith, Nadine Lee and Renell Shaw.

On the Olivier stage, the critically acclaimed production of Andrea Levy's prize-winning novel, Small Island, returns opening on 24 February 2022 having been postponed by Covid from its planned revival. Adapted by Helen Edmundson and directed by Rufus Norris, Small Island brings to life the tangled history of Jamaica and the UK. Following the intricately connected stories of Hortense, newly arrived in London, landlady Queenie and servicemen Gilbert and Bernard, hope and humanity meet stubborn reality in their epic revival.

Set and costume design by Katrina Lindsay, projection design by Jon Driscoll and associate projection designer Gino Ricardo Green, lighting design by Paul Anderson, composer and rehearsal music direction by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, movement direction by Coral Messam and fight direction by Kate Waters. Associate Director Denzel Wesley-Sanderson with casting by Isabella Odoffin CDG.

The previously announced production The Father and the Assassin by Anupama Chandrasekhar, to be directed by Indhu Rubasingham, will be performed later in 2022.

NT Learning for Young People

Supporting our work with young people and schools across the UK, a second collection of 10 productions has been added to The National Theatre Collection in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing and ProQuest. The new titles added include Inua Ellams' acclaimed Barber Shop Chronicles, Polly Stenham's version of August Strindberg's Julie and Ivo van Hove's production of A View from the Bridge from the Young Vic.

Free for state schools and colleges across the UK, 71% of state secondary schools are now signed up to access this digital resource with a total of 2.4 million streams worldwide since its launch. To sign up visit the NT website.

Films of 10 performances from youth theatre companies nationwide are also now available to watch on the NT's website. They showcase the brilliant work of over 3,000 young people taking part in this year's Connections youth theatre festival, including plays by Vivienne Franzmann, Mojisola Adebayo and John Donnelly, and feature companies from Shetland to Plymouth.

Digital

As announced earlier this month, Under Milk Wood, Home and the Young Vic's A Streetcar Named Desire have been added to the NT's streaming service National Theatre at Home and are available to watch online anywhere in the world at any time. New productions are added each month and since launching in December 2020, there are now 31 productions available to stream on the platform. All productions are available with captions and 19 are also available with audio description.

The National Theatre's acclaimed original film Romeo & Juliet, directed by Simon Godwin, will be screened in cinemas for one night only on Tuesday 28 September. The film stars Josh O'Connor (The Crown, God's Own Country) as Romeo and Jessie Buckley (Chernobyl, Judy) as Juliet, and will be available to screen across the UK and Ireland.

West End

The West End transfer of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, based on the best-selling novel by Neil Gaiman, will extend its run at the Duke of York's Theatre by 10 weeks to 23 April 2022, due to popular demand. Adapted by Joel Horwood and directed by Katy Rudd, The Ocean at the End of the Lane begins previews at the Duke of York's Theatre on 23 October. The first major stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman's work, this fantasy novel is brought to life in a modern myth, where the power of imagination and storytelling transports audiences on a spellbinding and spectacular adventure. Tickets for the final weeks on sale from 7 October.

International

Previewing from Saturday, The Lehman Trilogy returns to Broadway for a limited engagement at the Nederlander Theatre, with an opening set for 14 October. Written by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power with direction by Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy sees Simon Russell Beale and Adam Godley return to their celebrated roles with Adrian Lester joining the cast in his Broadway debut. Following a 14-week run on Broadway, The Lehman Trilogy will visit Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (3 March - 10 April 2022) and American Conservatory Theater's Geary Theater in San Francisco (20 April - 22 May 2022), with casting to be announced for the West Coast dates.

On tour

The internationally acclaimed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time embarks on a third UK and Ireland tour in November 2021. Adapted by Simon Stephens from Mark Haddon's best-selling novel, and directed by Marianne Elliott, the production will celebrate its 10th year in 2022. Opening at London's Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre on 20 November for a seven-week run, the tour will then play will then play at venues across the UK. Visit curiousonstage.com for tour dates, with more venues to be announced.

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