ETT ANNOUNCES THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
CATHERINE DYSON’S THE LAST PICTURE
EMBARKING ON UK TOUR
English Touring Theatre (ETT), York Theatre Royal and An Tobar and Mull Theatre today announce the UK tour of The Last Picture, a brand-new play by Catherine Dyson, known for her evocative storytelling and sharp insight into human connection. Renewing his collaboration with ETT, John R. Wilkinson directs. The production opens at York Theatre Royal on 6 February 2026, with previews from 5 February, and runs until 14 February 2026, before touring to HOME Manchester, Bristol Old Vic, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, before concluding its run at An Tobar and Mull Theatre.
The Last Pictureis a thought-provoking exploration of empathy, imagination, and collective memory – a play about what connects us across time, place, and experience. On a school trip in 2026, a group of Year 9 students – with Sam, their emotional support dog – are drawn into the story of 1939 Europe. As past and present blur, the play asks what it means to care, to remember, and connect across time.
Catherine Dyson today said, “At a time when empathy and imagination feel more necessary than ever, The Last Picture asks us to come together – to witness, to listen, and to reflect. It’s a piece where the audience is at the heart, and I can’t wait to see it come to life across the country.”
Director John R. Wilkinson: “Working once again with ETT, alongside York Theatre Royal and An Tobar and Mull Theatre, is a real privilege. Catherine’s writing has a quiet intensity – precise, poetic, and deeply resonant. The Last Picture leads audiences through time and space, from classrooms to museums, to moments when history shifts. It’s a profoundly human and immersive journey.”
Artistic Director and Joint CEO Richard Twyman andExecutive Producer and Joint CEO Sophie Scull:
“The Last Picture is a moving and innovative new work that speaks to the power of witness. Catherine Dyson’s writing invites us to re-examine the past and confront the present with honesty and compassion. We’re thrilled to be working with John R. Wilkinson again, bringing this extraordinary play to audiences across the UK alongside our valued partners: York Theatre Royal and An Tobar and Mull Theatre.”
CEO of York Theatre Royal Paul Crewes: “We’re proud to produce this bold new play with ETT and An Tobar and Mull Theatre. Catherine Dyson’s writing challenges us to think differently about empathy, history, and how we tell stories. We’re excited to present it to our York audiences – and to see it reach communities across the UK.”
Artistic Director and Chief Executive ofAn Tobar and MullTheatre Rebecca Atkinson-Lord:
“Catherine Dyson’s writing glows with emotional intelligence. The Last Picture is a vital reminder of the need for empathy in a world that often feels fractured. The play becomes something rare – generous, haunting, and full of hope. We’re proud to share this work with audiences nationwide.”
ETT, York Theatre Royal and An Tobar and Mull Theatre present
THE LAST PICTURE
By Catherine Dyson
Director: John R. Wilkinson
5 February – 14 March 2026
Imagine yourself in a theatre in 2026. Now picture yourself as a Year 9 student on a school trip. And then as a citizen of Europe in 1939 as history takes its darkest turn.
While you imagine, Sam will be by your side. Sam is an emotional support dog. Sam is here to look after you. Sam will keep everyone safe.
This play is about empathy – its power, its limits, and what it asks of us. It’s about our shared past, our present, and the choices we face today.
Catherine Dyson is a writer and performer. Her writing credits include The Luminous, On Track, Thunder Road (UK tours), Peter Pan (Sherman Theatre), Bitcoin Boi (Riverfront Theatre), Believers (South Street Arts Centre), and Transporter (Theatr Iolo, UK and Kolkata tour – also produced in Austria); and for audio, The Egg Man (BBC Radio 4) and Mansfield Park (eight-part adaptation for Audible). She is an Associate Artist with RedCape Theatre, Theatr Iolo and Paptertrail, currently on attachment at the National Theatre, and a member of the 2025 Orange Tree Theatre Writers Collective.
John R. Wilkinson is a multi-award-winning director with Cerebral Palsy. Wilkinson reunites with ETT following his direction of Tonderai Munyevu’s Mugabe, My Dad and Me, which won Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards. He was named the 2024 Clore Fellow and is the tenth recipient of the Genesis Future Director Award at the Young Vic. Wilkinson is an Associate Director at York Theatre Royal, and a Trustee of Middle Child, the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and Pilot Theatre.
LISTINGS
THE LAST PICTURE
York Theatre Royal
5 February – 14 February
Box Office: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk / 01904 623568
HOME, Manchester
18 – 21 February 2026
Box Office: www.homemcr.org / 0161 200 1500
Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
24 – 28 February 2026
Box Office:www.bristololdvic.org.uk / 0117 987 7877
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
5 – 7 March 2026
Box Office: www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk / 01483 440000
An Tobar and Mull Theatre
Mull Theatre – 11 and 12 March 2026
Bunessan Village Hall – 13 March 2026
Iona Village Hall, Isle of Iona – 14 March 2026
Box Office: www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk / 01688 302211