Royal Court Announces Autumn/Winter 2017-18 Season

Royal Court Theatre announces new season of work. The programme includes five world premieres, five international playwrights from Argentina, Chile, Syria, Ukraine & US, the return of a landmark Royal Court play, a body of work in Tottenham and Pimlico, series two of Playwright's Podcasts and a major 5 year scheme for 25 trainees funded by The Sackler Trust.

In chronological order;

MINEFIELD by Lola Arias returns to the Royal Court in a Royal Court Theatre/LIFT co-production after a sold out run at the theatre in 2016. It will run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Thursday 2 November 2017 - Saturday 11 November 2017.

Ukrainian playwright Natal'ya Vorozhbit returns to the Royal Court with the world premiere of BAD ROADS, translated by Sasha Dugdale directed by Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Wednesday 15 November 2017 - Saturday 23 December 2017.

World premiere of GOATS by Syrian playwright Liwaa Yazji, translated by Katharine Halls and directed by Royal Court Associate Director Hamish Pirie in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Friday 24 November 2017 - Saturday 30 December 2017.

American playwright Julia Jarcho makes her Royal Court debut with the UK premiere of award-winning play GRIMLY HANDSOME. Production created by Royal Court Associate Director (International) Sam Pritchard and Royal Court Associate Designer Chloe Lamford in The Site, Wednesday 6 December 2017 - Saturday 23 December 2017.

MY MUM'S A TWAT the debut play by Anoushka Warden, directed by Vicky Featherstone in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs Monday 8 January 2018 - Saturday 20 January 2018.

Following a UK tour, Andrea Dunbar's landmark play RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO, directed by Max Stafford-Clark, will run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Tuesday 9 January 2018 - Saturday 27 January 2018. In collaboration with Out of Joint and Octagon Theatre Bolton.

Simon Longman makes his debut at the Royal Court with GUNDOG directed by Vicky Featherstone in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Wednesday 31 January 2018 - Saturday 10 March 2018.

Dennis Kelly returns to the Royal Court with the world premiere of GIRLS & BOYS directed by Lyndsey Turner in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Thursday 8 February 2018 - Saturday 10 March 2018.

BLACK MEN WALKING by Testament directed by Dawn Walton in an Eclipse Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Wednesday 21 March 2018 - Saturday 7 April 2018.

After three years of collaboration, The Royal Court Theatre's BEYOND THE COURT programme working in Tottenham and Pimlico concludes with events across the boroughs and in Sloane Square this autumn.

This autumn Royal Court Theatre will release the second series of PLAYWRIGHT'S PODCAST with playwrights interviewed by Royal Court Associate Playwright Simon Stephens.

The Sackler Trust has renewed its support for a further five years to secure 25 individuals with year-long behind-the-scenes trainee placements at the Royal Court as part of the theatre's ongoing commitment to create fair, open entry routes to arts employment.

The body of international work, which also includes previously announced Chilean playwright Guillermo Calderón's B translated by William Gregory in September 2017 has been commissioned and developed through the Royal Court's longstanding work with writers in countries across the world.

Casting to be announced.

Tickets for the new season go on sale to Friends on Tuesday 11 July 2017 at noon and to the general public on Thursday 13 July at 10am 2017 at www.royalcourttheatre.com.

Commenting on the new season Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone said;

"Having had an extraordinary first half of 2017 at the Royal Court where some of Britain's major world class theatre artists have made remarkable, landmark work, this autumn we invite emerging writers from across the world to make radical new work for Britain.

From Syria, Ukraine, Argentina and the US, these writers - all women - are writing about conflict, radicalism and justice. Whether it is the impact of war on women as in Bad Roads by Natal'ya Vorozhbit or the lies and bribes used to quieten the families losing their sons in Syria in Liwaa Yazji's Goats, these plays are hewn from the need to magnify, to tell, and to deepen our understanding of the often closed off stories and lives that we only witness filtered through news channels.

These plays are the result of the unique long term relationships that have been built through the ground breaking work of the Royal Court's International Department.

It is impossible not to work in both a global and local context in these complex times. This season aspires to give audiences voices from both.

In the New Year, British writers make their debuts on our stages, including Simon Longman voicing rural England in Gundog with extraordinary poetry and wit. The mighty Dennis Kelly returns to the Court with Girls and Boys - a devastating new work directed by Lyndsey Turner. We are thrilled to be co-producing Andrea Dunbar's Rita Sue and Bob Too with Out of Joint, welcoming Max Stafford-Clark back to direct; and to have Black Men Walking by Testament directed by Dawn Walton from Eclipse Theatre on stage at the Court. Both productions are coming to the Royal Court as part of their nationwide tours.

Beyond the Court, our 3 year engagement with the communities of Tottenham and Pimlico, will culminate with work across both boroughs as well as in Sloane Square - three years of new conversation, unearthed talent and new relationships that have changed us forever."

To post a comment, you must register and login.