WHAT’S ON THIS FESTIVE SEASON
FROM THE NATIONAL THEATRE
This festive season, the National Theatre is offering audiences a variety of experiences to enjoy – from world class theatre and festive dining at our South Bank home, to acclaimed productions in the West End and on tour across the country, alongside exceptional theatre broadcast live in cinemas or streamed directly into the comfort of your own home.
On the South Bank, the first major stage adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s best-selling book Ballet Shoes, adapted by Kendall Feaver, plays at the Olivier theatre. Set in a crumbling house full of dinosaur bones and fossils, three adopted sisters are learning who they are and what they want to be. A family-friendly story for those aged 7+, Ballet Shoes is directed by Katy Rudd, who returns to the National Theatre following her acclaimed production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Tickets are available from £20 at nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Further charming audiences on the South Bank is a reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Max Webster, which follows two gentlemen who find themselves caught in a web of lies whilst assuming false identities, with hilarious consequences. Starring a cast including three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke, Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner, Eliza Scanlen, and Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo. Tickets are available at nationaltheatre.org.uk.
The Importance of Being Earnest will be filmed from its run on the Lyttelton stage for National Theatre Live, screening across the globe from 20 February 2025. The perfect festive gift for family and friends, tickets are available at theimportanceofbeingearnest.ntlive.com.
In the West End, the critically acclaimed, five-time Tony Award® winning production of The Lehman Trilogy is playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Written by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power and directed by Academy Award®, Tony Award®, and Golden Globe winner Sam Mendes, this landmark production has now been seen by over half a million people worldwide. Following recent, highly acclaimed international performances, John Heffernan, Aaron Krohn and Howard W. Overshown reprise their roles, playing the Lehman brothers, their sons and grandsons. Cat Beveridge and Anyssa Neumann reprise their respective performances as principal pianist and alternate pianist. The Lehman Trilogy is a sweeping story of a family spanning generations and a company that changed the world. Tickets are available from £20 at thelehmantrilogy.com.
Also running in the West End is the multi award-winning musical Hadestown. Winner of 8 Tony® Awards and a Grammy® Award for ‘Best Musical Theatre Album’, Hadestown continues its critically acclaimed run at the Lyric Theatre, five years after its sold-out engagement at the National Theatre. Blending modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz, Hadestown takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back, intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. Featuring music, lyrics, and book by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, direction by Rachel Chavkin and a cast that includes Madeline Charlemagne, Melanie La Barrie, Trevor Dion Nicholas , Rachel Tucker and Dylan Wood. Tickets are available from £20 at uk.hadestown.com.
For audiences further afield, War Horse, which is currently touring the UK and Ireland, will be playing at the New Theatre Oxford during the Christmas period. Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse has become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre and has been seen by over 8.3 million people worldwide. Adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, creative development for this new tour has been led by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry and features reimagined designs by Rae Smith with additional music by Adrian Sutton. War Horse is an unforgettable theatrical experience which takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, featuring astonishing life-sized horses by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company. Tickets are available at www.warhorseonstage.com.
Audiences worldwide can enjoy over 90 productions available to stream on National Theatre at Home (NTathome.com). Recent releases include Vanya with Andrew Scott, Macbeth with Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma, and London Tide with Bella Maclean. Upcoming releases this festive season include the joyous Present Laughter with Andrew Scott and Indira Varma, and The Hot Wing King with Kadiff Kirwan. NT at Home subscriptions are available for £9.99 a month, or £99 a year, with gifting options for 1, 3- and 6-month subscriptions. All titles are available with captions and 85% offer Audio Description.
The National Theatre is not only home to the very best in British theatre, but also some incredible dining experiences at Lasdun Restaurant, Forza Wine and the Understudy bar at our home on London’s South Bank. Offerings include delicious pre-theatre menus, or visitors can simply pop in for a feed and a cocktail even if they aren’t seeing a show. Explore the festive dining offerings here: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/your-visit/eat-and-drink/.