It’s rare that a story can get to the core of political turmoil and tell it through the personal resilience of women but that is exactly what Khaled Hosseini’s spectacular novel ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ achieves. Playwright Ursula Rani Sarma has adapted Hosseini’s spiritual sequel with both the emotional power and clarity of the original thus bringing to life the tragically heartbreaking but fantastically brave tale of two Afghan women – Mariam (Rina Fatania) and Laila (Kerena Jagpal). Brought together by their common nemesis in the form of their husband, Rasheed (Jonas Khan), these two women form an unlikely bond which becomes a family tie beyond what is mortal but of that which is at a soul level. Mariam’s part of their soul contract is to become a sacrifice for the sake of the happiness of others but, what she gains through Laila and her family is something she has never experienced before – a profound sense of being loved and wanted. Egos soon become set aside as the women realise that they’re on the same side; that of survival. A Thousand Splendid Suns is gripping, filled with emotional highs and lows – difficult to watch at times and will evoke tears of deep compassion. You won’t be able to take your eyes off the stage for a second because it’s a truly mesmerising production from start to finish.
The two leads at the centre of the play, Mariam and Laila, begin as total opposites in age, looks and upbringing. They appear to have no common ground except for being women in a war-torn country and the captives of an abusive husband and a brutal, political regime. Fatania as Mariam conveys an aching vulnerability, the older wife who has been cast aside for the beautiful and young Laila but, as the play develops, she becomes an inspiring tower of strength. Using her wits, growing determination and courage Mariam transforms into being one of literature’s greatest heroines. Jagpal’s Laila enters the story as a bright and bold teenager who through the tragic loss of her beloved father and mother, becomes the enslaved other wife of Rasheed. Despite all the odds, Laila never loses her unique spirit as her husband and the Taliban don’t manage to break her and with her new found friendship with the ‘other wife’, Laila manages to hold on to her children and her life.
Brilliant director Roxana Silbert shows us domestic violence, public executions and the oppressive edicts of the Taliban in this play and at no point are the audience shielded from the darkness but, it needs to be shown in order to shine the light. The beauty that comes through the shadows in the tender moments are in balance with the horrors and indeed outshine them. We need to see and witness the atrocities to be able to appreciate the love, the bond of solidarity between the two women and the ultimate sacrifice one human makes for another. Rina Fatania and Kerena Jagpal’s performances as Mariam and Laila are outstanding and at the heart of the play but alongside them in the form of Rasheed, Jonas Khan’s must be given the upmost praise for the portrayal of his challenging character. Khan plays Rasheed with a brutal honesty – chilling, cruel and depicts misogyny at its very worst. The highly talented ensemble cast – David Ahmad, Jonny Khan, Noah Manzoor, Peyvand Sadeghian, Tahir shah and Humera Syed play multiple roles with authentic depth and a fluidity which keeps the narrative flowing throughout the unfolding timeline. Humera Syed is exquisite as young Mariam and little Aziza – she makes your heart swell and ache with compassion for both characters.
Bringing Kabul to life on stage was the task of Simon Kenny who achieves this by incorporating authentic Afghan carpet designs on the set which are both rich in colour and culture. The staging is extremely clever in how we can feel at ‘home’, at a train station or up in the mountains all in one frame. Lighting (Matt Haskins), sound (Clive Meldrum) and movement (Kuldip Singh-Barmi) all help create memory flashbacks, time shifts and scene changes with dramatic clarity and smooth transitions. A Thousand Splendid Suns takes one on a journey of the intimate struggles of its characters within the backdrop of an inhumane socio-political context. This story offers hope in desperate times, hope that the human race will survive because even though those who have dark agendas appear to be in control, they can never extinguish the divine light of love that we each hold within us – and that love is the stronger force. Through Mariam and Laila, we are offered a glimpse of what it means to be the light and to share the unbreakable bond of what it is to be human. A Thousand Splendid Suns is truly remarkable theatre – unmissable!
FELICITY KENDAL, TRACY-ANN OBERMAN AND TOM STOPPARD FEATURE IN HAMPSTEAD THEATRE’S AUTUMN 2025 SEASON
Hampstead Theatre today unveils its Autumn 2025 season featuring a compelling mix of premieres and a celebrated revival. The season brings together renowned talent including Felicity Kendal, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tom Stoppard, Richard Greenberg and Jamie Armitage alongside debut writers Nancy Farino and Will Lord. It features three world premieres, a UK premiere and a major revival.
Opening on the Main Stage in October, the UK premiere of Richard Greenberg’s Tony Award-nominated The Assembled Parties stars Tracy-Ann Oberman. A sharply observed portrait of a family grasping for stability at the dawn of a new millennium, it premiered on Broadway to critical acclaim and its run was twice extended. This new production is directed by Blanche McIntyre.
Tom Stoppard returns to Hampstead’s Main Stage, following the recent sell-out successes of Rock ‘n’ Roll and The Invention of Love, with a rare revival of Indian Ink directed by Jonathan Kent. The new staging will star Felicity Kendal who in a poignant turn will take on the role of Mrs Swan, 30 years after originating the role of Flora Crewe for the world premiere. Tom Stoppard wrote the play for Kendal and this will be the play’s first major UK staging since 1995. A Gala performance of Indian Ink will be held on Saturday 24 January to raise funds and help ensure Hampstead Theatre continues to thrive. And following its run at Hampstead Theatre the production will play Theatre Royal Bath.
The Downstairs season showcases three world premieres by two first time playwrights and a returning talent.
Will Lord makes his debut with The Billionaire Inside Your Head, a biting satire questioning the value of motivation and what it may end up costing you. It will be directed by Anna Ledwich, returning to direct her 13th production at Hampstead.
Following his playwriting debut at Hampstead Theatre earlier this year Jamie Armitage returns as writer / director with A Ghost in Your Ear – a chilling and immersive new play using binaural sound technology made in collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham.
Fatherland marks the debut of Nancy Farino, who is about to graduate from Hampstead Theatre’s Inspire programme for emerging playwrights. Directed by Tessa Walker, Fatherland is a sharp, tender and darkly funny new play about the chaos of connection.
Greg Ripley-Duggan, Producer and Chief Executive, Hampstead Theatre said:
“This is a season where legends meet lightning bolts. It places internationally-renowned writers like Tom Stoppard and Richard Greenberg alongside emerging playwrights you’ll be hearing about for years to come, and this underscores Hampstead’s enduring commitment to creative risk and original new work. It’s a joy to welcome Felicity Kendal and Tracy-Ann Oberman back to Hampstead, and I am thrilled that Jamie Armitage will be pushing the boundaries of what is possible in our Downstairs studio with his innovative new show.”
Alongside the autumn programme two accomplished writers will also strengthen Hampstead’s offstage initiatives. Playwright Simon Stephens, newly appointed Programme Director of Hampstead’s Inspire programme, will provide mentorship and development opportunities to emerging playwrights of all ages and backgrounds. And, as part of Hampstead’s Engage programme, playwright Carmen Nasr will lead a creative writing group in collaboration with Wac Arts focused on fostering intergenerational connection – bringing together younger and older participants to explore how theatre can build positive relationships across generations.
Additional shows and casting will be announced in due course.
Tickets for the autumn 2025 season go on sale to Patrons from today, Friday 30 May, and to Friends on Tuesday 3 June. Public booking opens on Friday 6 June.
THE AUTUMN SEASON
MAIN STAGE
UK Premiere
The Assembled Parties By Richard Greenberg Directed by Blanche McIntyre Friday 17 October – Saturday 22 November
‘You would love the apartment – it’s like the sets of those plays you love, with the “breezy dialogue”. They sort of talk that way and everybody’s unbelievably nice and, like, gracious and happy. It’s like you go to New York and you look for New York but it isn’t there? But it’s here…’
Former movie star Julie Bascov insists on taking Christmas seriously – despite her family’s reminders that that they are in fact Jewish. Every year, she and her impossibly well-heeled husband Ben host a feast in their palatial apartment on Central Park West. In December 1980, their son and his best friend Jeff come down from Harvard to join the party, and Jeff is dazzled by the Bascov clan. But when he returns for the same occasion twenty years later he finds that much that was sown in 1980 has been reaped in the intervening years…
Photo by Mark Avery
Richard Greenberg’s virtuosic comedy-drama was such a sensation when it played on Broadway in 2013 that it had to be extended three times. Greenberg, familiar for his plays Three Days of Rain and Take Me Out – both Pulitzer nominees – makes his Hampstead debut.
Blanche McIntyre returns to Hampstead after her productions of Letters from Max, Apex Predator and the record breaking The Invention of Love.
Cast includes: Tracy-Ann Oberman
Indian Ink By Tom Stoppard Directed by Jonathan Kent Wednesday 3 December – Saturday 31 January
‘If you don’t start learning to take you’ll never be shot of us. Nothing else counts. It’s your country, and we’ve got it. Everything else is bosh.’
1930, India. Flora Crewe, a noted Bloomsbury Group poet, undertakes a journey through India for her health. Free-spirited and without social inhibitions she unsettles most people she meets, but secretly captivates Nirad Das, a handsome Indian painter.
1980s England. Flora’s sister, Mrs Swan, is visited by an American biographer trying to uncover exactly what took place on the trip – and then Das’ son appears in her garden with a painting of Flora by his father – a nude…
Satirising the self-importance of both academia and the ruling class, Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink is an evocative meditation on art and love, exploring how creativity can bridge even the most profound cultural barriers.
Tom Stoppard returns to Hampstead after last year’s sell-out success of The Invention of Love. This is the first major revival of Indian Ink since 1995, when Felicity Kendal created the role of Flora Crewe. She returns to play Mrs Swan in Jonathan Kent’s new production.
Jonathan Kent directs in his first collaboration with Stoppard. His Hampstead credits include House of Games, Double Feature, The Forest and Good People.
Cast includes: Felicity Kendal
DOWNSTAIRS
World Premiere The Billionaire Inside Your Head By Will Lord Directed by Anna Ledwich Friday 19 September – Saturday 25 October
‘There’s a very rich man inside you, Richie. Inside that crazy head of yours. A good man. An ambitious man. A man who knows exactly what it is he’s going to do when he wakes up every morning, and a man who does exactly that.’
Rise. Grind. Hustle. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat…
Lifelong best friends Richie and Darwin are on the lowest rung of the corporate ladder, stuck in the basement together with decades of old case files to work through. Darwin’s morning routine is an episode of Seinfeld and a spliff; Richie’s an ice bath, meditation, and Jack Dorsey’s 7-minute workout.
When an opening becomes available as a Junior Associate, it presents the opportunity to fly up the ranks faster than SpaceX’s latest rocket. The only things that might prevent that awesome LinkedIn update? The voice of Richie’s OCD whose demands are getting harder and harder to keep up with, and the fact that Darwin’s mum just happens to be the CEO calling the shots.
Will Lord‘s debut play is a biting satire questioning the value of motivation, and what it may end up costing you. Anna Ledwich returns to Hampstead, where her previous credits include anthropology, Labyrinth and Olivier nominated productions of Dry Powder and Four Minutes Twelve Seconds.
World Premiere Fatherland By Nancy Farino Friday 31 October – Saturday 29 November
‘Best case scenario we all go with the flow and have an amazing time and eat pies and feel connected to the place from whence we came and maybe meet some people with the same nose as us’
Only good things happen to Winston Smith. Or so he keeps telling himself. Winston loves his job as a life coach, and is even hoping to write a book to share his wisdom more widely. There’s just the small matter of a negligence lawsuit to deal with first…
His daughter Joy is tired. Of holding things together. Of pretending to be okay. And of every relationship in her life demanding more than she has to give.
The solution? A spontaneous road trip to County Mayo, in search of their long-lost Irish roots. On a converted school bus with mood lighting, questionable plumbing, and no clear plan; Winston takes Joy on a search for their past by way of hiding from the here and now.
A debut play by Inspire graduate Nancy Farino, Fatherland is a sharp, tender, and darkly funny new play about the chaos of connection, and how sometimes the only way forward is through a snowstorm on the M6. Tessa Walker’s previous productions at Hampstead Downstairs include Biscuits for Breakfast, Big Big Sky and Ravenscourt.
World Premiere
A Ghost in Your Ear Written and directed by Jamie Armitage A collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham Saturday 6 December – Saturday 24 January
‘The ghost is not real, it is only in your ear…’
You watch an actor arrive in a sound-recording studio.
You put on your headphones so you can listen closely as he records the audiobook of a ghost story.
Yet not every sound in your headphones can be explained. You start to fear that the horror is escaping the world of the story and coming closer towards you.
A Ghost In Your Ear is the new play from the writer/director of the sell-out Hampstead hit An Interrogation. The audience wears headphones as binaural sound technology is used to immerse them in the auditory world of the show made in collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham.
Health warning: this play is intentionally looking to scare its audience. If you are of a nervous disposition, then caution is advised…
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE’S PANTOMIME – THE FIRST PRODUCTION TO PLAY IN THEIR NEWLY TRANSFORMED AUDITORIUM THIS WINTER
THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2025 – SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 2026 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Rachel Tackley, Interim Creative Director and Co-CEO, and the whole team at Cambridge Arts Theatre is thrilled to announce that tickets are on sale now for this year’s Christmas pantomime Sleeping Beauty, the first production in their newly transformed auditorium after closing its doors for redevelopment works in January 2025. Sleeping Beauty will play from Thursday 27 November until Sunday 4 January, with a press performance on Tuesday 2 December.
In an enchanted kingdom Princess Rose is cursed on the day of her christening by the wicked Carabosse. The Princess is destined to prick her finger on a spinning wheel before her eighteenth birthday, falling into a deep slumber for 100 years unless awakened by true love’s kiss.
For her own protection Rose is sent to live deep within the Botanic Gardens, only returning to Trumpington Castle on the eve of her eighteenth birthday. However, Carabosse has other ideas… Who will take the perilous journey to save the kingdom from the evil fairy’s spell, once and for all?
Cambridge Arts Theatre is currently undergoing a transformational redevelopment project, made possible by a generous £16 million gift from Lord David and Dame Susie Sainsbury via the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The redevelopment project, designed by architect Ian Chalk, includes a total refurbishment of the current 666 seat auditorium, new seating and a redesigned balcony to improve sight lines and audience comfort, improved acoustic performance and a new technical infrastructure.
Sleeping Beauty is directed by Michael Gattrell, who returns after the award-winning production of Cinderella in 2024, which welcomed over 32,000 people achieving a record breaking pantomime run. Harry Howle and Steven Roberts won the Best Sisters Award at the 2025 UK Pantomime Awards for their performances as the Wicked Stepsisters in Cinderella. Further creative team and casting will be announced in due course.
Rachel Tackley said, “Sleeping Beauty marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Cambridge Arts Theatre. Not only are we bringing this magical story to life with all the sparkle, humour and heart our audiences love, but we’re doing it in our beautifully transformed auditorium for the very first time.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone back through our doors this Christmas to experience a brand-new pantomime in our wonderful new space.
A bold, disabled-led celebration of performance, protest and connection
29 June – 13 July 2025
Camden People’s Theatre is proud to launch Every Body Festival, a two-week celebration of disabled and deaf-led performance, creativity and community. Running from 29 June to 13 July 2025, Artistic Director Rio Matchett’s inaugural programme features a packed line-up of live shows, workshops, digital premieres and panel discussions – all led by disabled and deaf artists pushing at the boundaries of access, artistry and resistance. From one-night-only scratch nights to urgent political debate, the festival is designed to create space for everyone – with access at its heart and artists at the centre.
The festival features new work from FUSE, Deafinitely Theatre, and Paines Plough, alongside streamed performances that extend the programme – and its accessibility – beyond the building. Highlights include For A Palestinian, a ★★★★★ (WhatsonStage) hit performed by Extraordinary’s Bilal Hasna, with a share of the proceeds going to the Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund, and GRILLS, a ★★★★★ show described by The Reviews Hub as “an archive of queer joy,” developed through CPT’s own commissioning scheme. Both are available to stream on demand throughout the festival, reflecting CPT’s ongoing commitment to digital access and community-led storytelling.
Across two weeks, Every Body Festival brings together one-night-only performances, panel discussions, online meet-ups and live cabaret – all led by artists with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence or deaf identity. From Lighting the FUSE, a new BSL-led theatre piece devised in just five days, to The Only Brown Deaf Man in England, a fierce, funny, and unapologetically bold work-in-progress – one Deaf Bengali man’s journey through racism, rebellion, and resilience from 1970s Brick Lane to post-9/11 Britain; written by Nadeem Islam and created with Fuse Theatre. The programme invites audiences to celebrate joy, challenge power, and reimagine the future together.
One of the festival’s most urgent events is Balancing the Books, a panel discussion on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Access to Work, and disability rights. In response to Labour’s proposed PIP and Access to Work reforms – which could see thousands of disabled people lose vital support – the panel was added to the programme to create space for direct, creative resistance. Led by disabled artists and activists, it centres the lived experience of those most affected, offering a necessary counterpoint to policy decisions too often driven by selective data rather than dignity.
Every Body Festival puts access at the heart of its design, not just its delivery. All its events have an element of access, whether that’s BSL, captioning, audio description or a relaxed design. From online meet-ups like Queerdos – a space for queer, disabled and neurodivergent people to connect and create – to digital streams, panel discussions and scratch nights, the festival reflects Camden People’s Theatre’s long standing commitment to platforming underrepresented voices and reimagining who gets to make theatre, and how.
Other highlights include FUSE’s panel discussion and workshop, two electric Scratch Nights of brand new work from disabled and neurodivergent artists, and Deafinitely Theatre’s New Writing Sharing, platforming emerging deaf women’s voices. The programme also features Laika, a sci-fi-inflected story of disability and isolation, Characteristics of a Child Ten Days Old, a lyrical new play about medical choice and motherhood, and A Night in Sign, a vibrant BSL-led cabaret celebrating Deaf talent. The festival closes with an inclusive Every Body Party – complete with snacks, a chill-out space, and possibly even Deaf karaoke.
QUOTE FROM RIO MATCHETT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE “Camden People’s Theatre strives to model the future we want to be part of – where there is equal, intersectional access to the arts for both creatives and audiences. The Summer 2025 programme has been my first opportunity to programme a season since joining CPT in October last year, and despite the many systemic challenges facing the industry, it felt vital to use this festival to make a statement of intent.
Alongside platforming voices and stories that continue to be marginalised – or fetishised – by the theatre industry, every event in the festival includes some form of integrated access: from creative captioning and multilingual BSL/English performance to work curated specifically for neurodivergent audiences and artists.
We’re also really proud that, with support from City Bridge Foundation, we’re paying every live artist a guaranteed fee – not a box office split. That felt like an essential political decision at a time when disabled people are being squeezed harder and harder financially. CPT is carrying the financial risk so artists don’t have to – but we need our community to come on the journey with us and buy those tickets.
We’ve been lucky to collaborate with brilliant partners – including FUSE, Deafinitely Theatre and Paines Plough – and I’m so proud to present this as my first season at CPT. The work is genuinely excellent, and the disabled theatre community has been a huge part of my personal support network. This festival is, in many ways, a thank you. And it’s only the beginning.”
QUOTE FROM HARRY JARDINE AND CHRIS FONSECA OF FUSE THEATRE: “We are so gassed to be collaborating with the amazing team at CPT on Every Body Festival – it couldn’t have come at a better time – now, more than ever, we need to have difficult conversations, support each other, laugh together, cry together and tell our stories. This is going to be extremely special and we’re so proud to be a part of it!”
LISTINGS INFO Every Body Festival 29 June – 13 July 2025 Camden People’s Theatre, 58–60 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PY www.cptheatre.co.uk/festivals/EveryBody Accessible venue | BSL-led and interpreted shows | Relaxed performances | Digital streams available
ABOUT CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE Founded 30 years ago, Camden People’s Theatre is one of Britain’s most influential studio theatres. Its mission is to champion different ways of thinking about the world by supporting emerging artists making adventurous theatre – particularly about issues that matter to people now. Its work is rooted in the communities of Camden and London. Through it, they celebrate the bold, the spirited and the unconventional.
The three-time Olivier Award winning new British musical THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is delighted to launch two brand new audience initiatives at The Ambassadors Theatre.
One third of audience members (33.3%) attending The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are solo theatregoers, which is 60% higher than the average West End musical (across ATG Entertainment Venues). To ensure every solo theatregoer feels at home, ‘The Curious Corner’ is a brand-new area within the custom-built pub adjacent to the theatre, The Pickled Crab, acting as a meeting point for anyone attending the show by themselves. The signposted space provides an opportunity to strike up a conversation and meet fellow theatre-lovers.
1,800 audience members are now ‘regulars’ to the show, having attended at least twice (with well over 100 returning five times or more). The second initiative announced today is a new ‘Loyalty Card’, available upon request at The Ambassadors Theatre box office. Starting today, audience members can present their card to receive one stamp for every future visit. Five stamps will secure audience members a ‘letter in a bottle’ from the production, and ten stamps will secure a limited-edition full cast signed poster.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON won three Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Outstanding Musical Contribution for Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements, and Best Actor in a Musical for John Dagleish.
The Original West End Cast Recording was recently released across all streaming platforms and has already amassed 310,499 streams and counting.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is currently booking until Saturday 30 August 2025. Please check the website for updated availability. www.benjaminbuttonmusical.com
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON stars two-time Olivier Award winner John Dagleish as Benjamin Button and two-time Olivier Award nominee, most recently for this role, Clare Foster as Elowen Keene. They star alongside Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Katy Ellis, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Elliot Mackenzie, Ann Marcuson, Emily Panes, Nuwan Hugh Perera, Jack Quarton and Benedict Salter.
An electrifying journey through the timeless tale of a love that defies all odds, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is an enchantingly beautiful and truly unordinary musical that reminds us to make every second count. The productionfirst captured hearts in 2019, followed by a sold-out Southwark Playhouserun in 2023 – winning Best Musical Theatre Production at the 2024 Off West End Awards. It was recently nominated for two WhatsOnStage Awards – Best New Musical and Best Musical Direction/Supervision.
With a breathtaking soundtrack brought to life by an extraordinary actor-musician ensemble, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic short story is relocated to a fishing village on the north coast of Cornwall by writing team Jethro Compton and Darren Clark.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is based on the short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby and The Beautiful and Damned. With Book & Lyrics by Jethro Compton and Music & Lyrics by Darren Clark. It is directed by Jethro Compton who also designs the stage, with co-music supervision, orchestration and arrangements by Mark Aspinall and Darren Clark, choreography by Chi-San Howard, costumes and associate stage design by Anna Kelsey, sound by Luke Swaffield, lighting by Zoe Spurr, musical direction by Mark Aspinall and casting by Ginny Schiller.
It is produced by ATG Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Gary Beestone Associates, Eilene Davidson Productions, Susan Edelstein & Teresa Tsai, Umeda Arts Theater, Rupert Gavin & Mallory Factor, Winkler & Smalberg, Thomas Steven Perakos and Jethro Compton Productions.
FULL CAST JOINS ROSAMUND PIKE IN REHEARSALS FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SUZIE MILLER’S INTER ALIA
Full casting for acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller’s (Prima Facie) National Theatre debut –Inter Alia – is announced today as rehearsals begin on the South Bank. As previously announced, Golden Globe Award-winner Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) will also make her National Theatre debut in this searing examination of motherhood and modern masculinity as London Crown Court Judge Jessica Parks. Directed by Justin Martin (Stranger Things: The First Shadow), Inter Alia will run in the Lyttelton theatre from 10 July to 13 September. It will also be broadcast live through National Theatre Live on 4 September, and release to cinemas worldwide from 25 September.
Joining Pike will be Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road) and Jasper Talbot (Redlands) as Jessica’s husband Michael and son Harry respectively. Understudies Louisa Clein (Emmerdale), Luke Garner-Greene (The Road Trip) and Thomas Michaelson (The Father) round out the cast.
Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin, who reunite following the resounding global success ofPrima Facie, are joined in the creative team by set and costume designer Miriam Buether, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, movement and intimacy director Lucy Hind, sound designers Ben and Max Ringham, video designer Willie Williams for Treatment Studio, composers Erin LeCount and James Jacob, casting directors Alastair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham and voice coach William Conacher.
Jessica Parks is smart, compassionate, a true maverick at the top of her career as an eminent London Crown Court Judge. At work she’s changing and challenging the system one case at a time. But behind the robe, Jessica is a karaoke fiend, a loving wife and a supportive parent.
While managing the impossible juggling act faced by every working mother, an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance. Can she hold her family upright?
Inter Alia will play the Lyttelton theatre from 10 July to 13 September, with a press night on Wednesday 23 July. Audiences can find their nearest cinema screening at interalia.ntlive.com.
The full creative team is today announced for the West End Transfer of The Menier Chocolate Factory’s critically acclaimed sell-out production of The Producerswith book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and music & lyrics by Mel Brooks. Tony Award winning director for Leopoldstadt Patrick Marber returns to direct.
Patrick Marber leads a creative team with Choreography by Lorin Letarro, Set Design by Scott Pask, Costume Design by Paul Farnsworth,Lighting Design by Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Paul Groothius, Wigs, Hair & Makeup Design by Betty Martini, Musical Supervision and Dance Arrangement by Gareth Valentine, Musical Direction by Matthew Samer, Orchestrations by Larry Blank and Mark Cumberland, Associate Director is Lily Dyble, Associate Choreographer (US) is Michaeljon Slinger, Associate Choreographer (UK) is Anna Woodside, Assistant Director is John Reddel and Resident Director is Mark Gillet.
Marber directs cast including Andy Nyman, Marc Antolin, Trevor Ashley, Raj Ghatak, Harry Morrison and Joanna Woodward all reprising their roles from the original Menier run. Full cast to be announced shortly.
The production opens at the Garrick Theatre on 15 September, with previews from 30 August, and is booking until 21 February 2026.
Patrick Marber said today “It has been a great joy to direct this new production of The Producers. Mel Brooks is one of my all-time heroes and in this musical the range of his genius is extraordinary; what mighty characters, what jokes, what songs and lyrics! What flair to find the place where the funny and the offensive meet in delight. It has been such a pleasure to do the show with Andy, Marc and our incredible cast and creative team. I’m thrilled we can now do it all again at the beautiful Garrick Theatre where I hope our production will be even bigger, louder and funnier.”
Producer Nica Burns added, “It is an absolute joy to welcome Patrick Marber’s hilarious, pitch perfect production to the Garrick Theatre. Patrick has assembled a top notch cast and creative team finding every single joke and comedy moment in Mel Brooks’ sublime, much-loved musical. You’ll enjoy the most gloriously entertaining night. Absolutely not to be missed.”
David Babani and Nica Burns & Max Weitzenhoffer, Kevin Salter
Seaview, Creative Partners Productions and 2ontheaisleBDWY
present
The Menier Chocolate Factory production of
THE PRODUCERS
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Original Direction and Choreography Susan Stroman
By special arrangement with StudioCanal
At the Garrick Theatre
30 August 2025 – 21 February 2026
Director: Patrick Marber; Choreographer: Lorin Latarro;Set Designer: Scott Pask; Costume Designer: Paul Farnsworth; Lighting Designer: Tim Lutkin; Sound Designer: Paul Groothius; Wigs, Hair & Makeup Designer: Betty Martini; Musical Supervisor & Dance Arranger: Gareth Valentine; Musical Director – Matthew Samer; Orchestrators: Larry Blank and Mark Cumberland; Associate Director: Lily Dyble; Associate Choreographer (US): Michaeljon Slinger; Associate Choreographer (UK): Anna Woodside; Assistant Musical Director: John Reddel; Resident Director: Matt Gillett
Cast includes: Andy Nyman, Marc Antolin, Trevor Ashley, Raj Ghatak, Harry Morrison and Joanna Woodward
The first major London revival of Mel Brooks’ musical adaptation of The Producers transfers to the Garrick Theatre this Autumn following a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Based on the classic cult film, the original Broadway production won a record twelve Tony Awards. Teeming with Mel Brooks’ signature humour, The Producers takes no prisoners as it proudly proclaims itself an “equal opportunity offender!”.
Down-on-his-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock schemes with timid accountant Leo Bloom to create the biggest flop in theatre history – only to have it backfire spectacularly, and with thunderous applause.
Critically acclaimed principals Andy Nyman, Marc Antolin, Trevor Ashley, Raj Ghatak, Harry Morrison and Joanna Woodward all return triumphantly for the West End production, which opens on 15 September, with previews from 30 August.
As a director, Patrick Marber’s work includes Glengarry Glen Ross (Palace Theatre, New York), Habeas Corpus (Menier Chocolate Factory), Leopoldstadt (Wyndham’s Theatre and Broadway – Tony Award for Best Director of a Play and Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Play), Travesties (Menier Chocolate Factory/Apollo Theatre/Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre, NYC), Steve Coogan/John Thompson in Characters (Edinburgh/Purcell Room/Touring), and his own plays Dealer’s Choice (National Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre), Closer (National Theatre/Lyric Theatre/Broadway), Howard Katz and Three Days In the Country (both National Theatre). Other productions include 1953 (Almeida Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (National Theatre), The Old Neighborhood (Royal Court at Duke of York’s Theatre), The Caretaker (Comedy Theatre) and I Remember (devised piece at Royal Court). For television, he directed After Miss Julie and The Curator (both for the BBC). As a writer, his other work includes The Musicians (NT Connections) After Miss Julie,Don Juan in Soho, Dealer’s Choice (Donmar Warehouse/Wyndham’s) and The Red Lion (National Theatre). For television, his work includes: co-writer of The Day Today,Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge, Paul Calf Video Diaries, The Curator, Natural Born Quizzers (all BBC); for film, The Critic (dir. Anand Tucker), Closer (dir. Mike Nichols), Notes on a Scandal (dir. Richard Eyre) and Love You More (dir. Sam Taylor-Wood); and for radio, Hoop Lane (BBC Radio 3) and Bunk Bed with Peter Curran (BBC Radio 4).
Lorin Latarro choreographed Broadway’s recent Once Upon a Mattress (currently at the Hudson Theatre), The Who’s Tommy, TheHeart of Rock and Roll, Oliver!, Into The Woods, Waitress, Mrs. Doubtfire (also in the West End), Les Liaisons Dangereuse, Waiting For Godot. Her other theatre work includes Merrily We Roll Along (Roundabout); Assassins; Fanny and God Bless You, Mr Rosewater (New York City Center Encores); La Traviata and Rigoletto (The Metropolitan Opera); Chess (The Kennedy Center); Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 21 Chump Street for “This American Life” (Brooklyn Academy of Music); The Visitor (The Public Theater); Twelfth Night;The Odyssey (Public Works, Delacorte Theater) and A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre).
Producers ROYO, Revolution Studios, Wendy Federman, Phil Kenny and executive producer Jennifer Garner are delighted to announce that West End stars, David Hunter and Grace Mouat, will star as Matt Flamhaff and Lucy Wyman respectively in the world premiere production of 13 GOING ON 30 – THE MUSICAL, opening at Manchester Opera House for a limited season from 21 September 2025.
David Hunter is best known for his leading roles in the West End productions of Kinky Boots, Waitress and Once. In 2020 he was nominated for Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Musical for his role of Doctor Pomatter in Waitress. He originated the role of Henry in the world premiere production of The Time Traveller’s Wife The Musical at Chester Storyhouse and West End productions and can be heard on the Original Cast Recording.
Grace Mouat has starred in West End productions of SIX, & Juliet and The Great British Bake-Off Musical. This year she was nominated for the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical for her role of Karen in the West End production of Mean Girls.
Joining David, Grace and the previously announced Lucie Jones, who stars as Jenna Rink, will be Caleb Roberts (Passing Strange, Old Vic) as Richard, Andrew Berlin (Muriel’s Wedding, Leicester Curve) as Kyle Grandy, Dominic Andersen (Heathers, West End) as Alex, Ross Dawes (The Time Traveller’s Wife, West End) as Wayne, Suzie McAdam (Much Ado About Nothing, West End) as Bev and Iván Fernández Gonzáles (Heathers, Soho Place/UK Tour) as Darius Mark. The cast is completed by Tia Antione-Charles (Mean Girls, West End), George Bray (Crazy For You, West End), Elliot David Parkes (Pretty Woman, UK & Ireland Tour/Zurich), Sarah Drake (MAMMA MIA! The Party, The O2), Rose Galbraith (Cruel Intentions, The Other Palace), Jenna Innes (Heathers, Soho Place/UK Tour), Henry Lawes (Cluedo 2 – The Next Chapter, UK Tour), Rachel Moran (The Lightning Thief, The Other Palace), Amy Parker (MinerBirds, New Vic Theatre), Jack Rowell (Hello Again, Union Theatre), Rebecca-Daisy Wellington (The Book of Mormon, West End) and Kevin Yates (Cruel Intentions, UK Tour).
Children’s casting includes Max Bispham, Cyrus Campbell, Melody Caruana, Keira Chansa, Emmeline D’arcy-Walsh, Anna De Oliveira, Azaelea Zona Harris, Hughie Higginson, Bella Hockaday, Clare Keeley, Fearne Lily King I’anson, Amelia Minto, Florence Moluluo, Nyomi Okoro, Marlis Robson, Star Lily Shentall-Lee, Joel Tennant, Maddison Thew, Florrie May Wilkinson, Clark Young, and Hanya Zhang.
Jenna Rink is an adorably awkward 13-year-old girl who wishes she could skip over the misery of high school. When her birthday wish comes true, Jenna magically wakes up as an adult to find herself “thirty, flirty and thriving” as the editor of a fashion magazine with a seemingly perfect life. But as she gradually unravels the mystery of what kind of person she has become, she goes on a journey to work out what — and who — really matters.
13 GOING ON 30 – THE MUSICAL will have songs by Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary (First Date (Broadway), High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+). It is directed by Andy Fickman (Heathers, She’s The Man).
13 GOING ON 30 – THE MUSICAL is based onthe 2004 rom-com classic from Revolution Studios starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, the musical is written by the film writers Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa with songs by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (First Date (Broadway), High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+). It will be directed by the award winning Andy Fickman (Heathers, She’s The Man) with choreography by Jennifer Weber (& Juliet West End, Broadway and UK and Ireland tour), set design by Colin Richmond (The Red Shoes, RSC, The Wizard of Oz, UK tour and West End), musical supervision, dance, vocal and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams (Sunset Boulevard, West End and Broadway), orchestrations by Alan Williams, Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary, lighting design by Howard Hudson (Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, & Juliet West End, Broadway and UK and Ireland tour), sound design by Adam Fisher (Kinky Boots UK and Ireland tour, Sunset Boulevard West End and Broadway), video design by George Reeve (Hercules the Musical and OLIVER! West End), costume design by Gabriela Tylesova (Bad Cinderella, West End; Love Never Dies, West End), wigs, hair and make-up design by Sam Cox (Moulin Rouge, West End, Broadway and International Tour; HERE & NOW, Birmingham Alexandra Theatre, UK & Ireland Tour), casting by Will Burton (HERE & NOW, Birmingham Alexandra and UK tour, Evita West End), children’s casting & children’s general management by Keston & Keston (The Lion King, West End; Winnie the Pooh, UK & Ireland tour), musical direction by Amy Shackcloth (HERE & NOW, Birmingham Alexandra Theatre) and production management by Simon Gooding & Matt Jones for Gooding Jones Production Management (Sister Act UK tour).
13 GOING ON 30 – THE MUSICAL is produced by ROYO, Revolution Studios, Wendy Federman and Phil Kenny, with Todd Garner, Marla Levine, Dean Stolber and executive producer Jennifer Garner.
The Almeida Theatre announces Rupert Goold’s final season as Artistic Director
The final season of Goold’s tenure as Artistic Director: 10 productions, including four world premieres, a musical revival, and reimaginings of classic plays.
The world premiere of Romans: a novel, a new play by award-winning writer Alice Birch, featuring Kyle Soller and directed by Sam Pritchard.
Tony Award winner Michael Grandage directs the world premiere of The Line of Beauty, adapted by Olivier Award nominee Jack Holden from Alan Hollinghurst’s Booker Prize-winning novel.
Olivier Award winner Sam Grabiner presents the world premiere of Christmas Day, directed by James Macdonald.
In his final production as Almeida Artistic Director, Rupert Goold revisits his acclaimed production of musical thriller American Psycho.
Following her Olivier Award-winning performance in The Years, Romola Garai returns to the Almeida in HenrikIbsen’s A Doll’s House, in a new version by Anya Reiss, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins.
An adaptation of Babak Anvari’s BAFTA-winning film Under the Shadow by Carmen Nasr, featuring Leila Farzad and directed by Nadia Latif.
Rebecca Frecknall directs Sarah Kane’s masterpiece Cleansed, her final production as Almeida Associate Director.
Sam Yates directs BAFTA winner Josh O’Connor in Clifford Odets’ American classic, Golden Boy.
Former Almeida Resident Director Ebenezer Bamgboye returns to direct Zackary Momoh in a revival of Desire Under the Elms by Eugene O’Neill.
Also announced
81 (Life) the second in a trilogy of plays exploring what it means to live, work, love, pray, celebrate and mourn in Islington, co-created by Rhianna Ilube with 81 local people and presented in partnership with All Change and Cardboard Citizens.
The Almeida Theatre is one of six theatres to join the newly launched National Youth Advisory Board, established to unite discussions about change in the industry.
The Almeida’s office and rehearsal space will undergo significant refurbishment to improve accessibility, sustainability, and artistic potential.
Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold said, “Today we announce my final season as Artistic Director at the Almeida. A season that, I hope, captures the spirit and values of our past 12 years. We present 10 productions including four world premieres, four revivals of classic plays and a revisit of the musical from my first season at the Almeida.
“New writing has always been a central pillar of our work so I’m proud to be premiering brand new plays from four of the most exciting voices in the country. Three of the writers are new to us in Alice Birch, Jack Holden and Sam Grabiner, while Carmen Nasr returns following her Almeida Young Company production The Maladies in 2022.
“Another artist continuing their journey with us is Ebenezer Bamgboye who was on our Resident Director Scheme in 2018 and now gives his take on Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms, featuring Zackary Momoh. This great American play joins Joe Hill-Gibbins and Anya Reiss’ new version of A Doll’s House, with Romola Garai following up her Olivier Award-winning performance in The Years; Rebecca Frecknall’s production of Sarah Kane’s infamous Cleansed; and Josh O’Connor featuring in Clifford Odets’ Golden Boy, directed by Sam Yates.
“I will be revisiting my production of American Psycho, the show with which I launched my tenure back in 2013 – partly to explore what may have changed since then.
“It’s a complex feeling to leave Islington and this unique theatre for a new challenge south of the river so it’s particularly pleasing that before I go, we will also present the second instalment of our Islington Trilogy community productions – a project that celebrates Islington and everyone who lives and works here. While we have looked to the world for our stories, our artists and our influence, our identity has remained as a local theatre.
“I look forward to seeing you over the next 18 months and thank you to everyone – artists, makers, supporters and above all audiences – for your support over the last decade.”
The Almeida Theatre, in partnership with All Change and Cardboard Citizens, presents
81 (LIFE)
Co-Created by Rhianna Ilube with 81 local people
Creative Direction by Dani Parr and Stephanie Bain
Thursday 21 August – Saturday 23 August 2025
Highbury Fields. Islington. A day in August 2025. 8.13pm.
60 strangers gather at a park at sunset. They don’t know why they are here, or who invited them, but here they are.
Here you are, too.
They arrive, and they settle into a rhythm. A woman lies alone on the grass. Three old friends catch each other’s eye. A tai-chi teacher sets up shop.
Each of these people are grappling with something big. A turning point, a sliding door, a question without an answer. And tonight they are all going to take their next big step. You’re welcome to join. In fact, we’d love for you to join.
Part poem, part game-show and part play, with original music by Alev Lenz, 81 (Life) is the second instalment of the Almeida’s ‘Islington Trilogy’, following 24 (Day) in 2023. Co-created by playwright Rhianna Ilube, in collaboration with associate artists Darragh O’Leary, Francesca Beard, Ella Zgorska, Jordana Golbourn and over 60 people from three community groups, 81 (Life) is an epic and heartfelt investigation into what it means to be human.
The final instalment of the community trilogy, 1000 (Millennia), will take place in 2026.
81 (Life) is supported by Big Give – Arts for Impact, Islington Giving and Islington Council’s Community Festivals Fund.
World Premiere
ROMANS
A NOVEL
by Alice Birch
Director: Sam Pritchard; Set & Costume Designer: Merle Hensel; Lighting Designer: Lee Curran; Sound Designer: Benjamin Grant; Casting Director: Amy Ball CDG
Tuesday 9 September – Saturday 11 October 2025
Adventure and Truth. Sacrifice everything for it. It is worth it.
HE is a motherless child. A bullied schoolboy. An adventurer scaling mountains. A coloniser of land, of people. Brother. Father. Soldier. Cult leader. He is sipping champagne at his book launch. He is up by 4am for weights, cardio, ice bath. He is recording a podcast. He is living as a badger.
Award-winning writer Alice Birch’s (Anatomy of a Suicide; Normal People) monumental, kaleidoscopic portrait of masculinity from the nineteenth century to the present day explores how male narratives have shaped the world we know, featuring Olivier Award winner Kyle Soller (The Inheritance; Andor) anddirected by former Royal Court Associate Director Sam Pritchard.
World Premiere
THE LINE OF BEAUTY
Based on the novel by Alan Hollinghurst
Adapted by Jack Holden
Director: Michael Grandage; Set & Costume Designer: Christopher Oram;Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson;Sound Designer & Composer: Adam Cork;Movement & Intimacy Director: Ben Wright; Casting Director: Sophie Holland CDG
Tuesday 21 October – Saturday 29 November 2025
I can’t explain it. I can’t explain any of it to you. The line of beauty which led me to him… to here.
London. Summer, 1983.
Nick Guest moves into the grand Notting Hill home of his university friend Toby — and into the dazzling world of Toby’s father Gerald, a newly elected Tory MP, his elegant wife Rachel, and their troubled daughter Cat. From private gardens to country estates, glittering parties to political dinners, Nick is swept up in a world of money, power and privilege. A world that promises everything — and exacts a cost.
As he pursues beauty in all its forms — aesthetic, erotic, aspirational — Nick finds himself caught between the freedoms of desire and the rigid boundaries of class, sexuality and public image in a rapidly changing Britain.
The Line of Beauty is a captivating portrait of Thatcher’s Britain at its most decadent and divisive, based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by “one of the greatest writers of our time” (The Guardian) Alan Hollinghurst. Olivier Award nominee Jack Holden’s (Cruise; Kenrex) new adaptation of this poignant book is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Grandage.
The Line of Beauty is generously supported by The Charlotte Aitken Trust.
World Premiere
CHRISTMAS DAY
by Sam Grabiner
Director: James Macdonald;Set Designer: Miriam Buether;Casting Director: Amy Ball CDG
Tuesday 9 December 2025 – Saturday 10 January 2026
There’s something perverted about a Christmas tree.
They’ve got an aura.
It looks perverted and it gives me the creeps.
In an abandoned building somewhere above the Northern Line, with foxes prowling the deserted streets outside, a Jewish family gathers on Christmas Day.
A viciously funny new play about identity, belonging, and the rituals we perform with the people we love.
James Macdonald (Infinite Life; The Children) directs a darkly comic world premiere from Olivier Award-winning playwright Sam Grabiner (Boys on the Verge of Tears).
AMERICAN PSYCHO
Book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Music and Lyrics by Duncan Sheik
Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis
Directed by Rupert Goold
Saturday 24 January – Saturday 14 March 2026
There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory.
Patrick Bateman has it all – looks, money, style and status. Engaged to the beautiful Evelyn Williams, he is about to win the prestigious Fischer account for his investment bank and celebrate by dining at Dorsia. But there’s another side to his life that Patrick keeps secret. And people – including those closest to him – keep disappearing…
Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold revives his ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “stunning” (WhatsOnStage) musical, from the composer of Spring Awakening. An Almeida sell-out success, this darkly satirical commentary on capitalism “leaves us all dangerously entertained” (TheGuardian).
A DOLL’S HOUSE
by Henrik Ibsen
In a new version by Anya Reiss
Directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins
Tuesday 31 March – Saturday 16 May 2026
If I get run over tomorrow, how are you paying off the Amex?
If you get run over tomorrow, I’ll fling myself in the road after you.
Nora and Torvald’s marriage vows are a binding contract, but when scandal threatens to wreck their lives, it’s time to renegotiate the terms. Money, sex, power – this time nothing’s off the table.
Romola Garai returns to the Almeida, following her Olivier Award-winning performance in The Years, to play Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s subversive domestic tragedy. In a new version by Critics’ Circle Award winner Anya Reiss (Becoming Elizabeth; The Seagull), Joe Hill-Gibbins (The Tragedy of King Richard the Second; Ghosts) directs this provocative drama about the lies we tell to keep things sweet at home.
World Premiere
UNDER THE SHADOW
Based on the film by Babak Anvari
Adapted by Carmen Nasr
Directed by Nadia Latif
Tuesday 2 June – Saturday 4 July 2026
They travel on the wind, just like that missile, and they only land once they find someone to possess.
When Shideh’s husband is conscripted to serve on the frontline, she is left alone with her young daughter as Tehran is bombed. The missile strikes bring terror and destruction and something more ancient and malevolent carried on the wind.
Nadia Latif (Fairview; Marys Seacole) directs Leila Farzad (I Hate Suzie; Kaos) in Carmen Nasr’s (The Maladies; The Climbers) eerie adaptation of Babak Anvari’s BAFTA-winning horror film. Set amid the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, Under the Shadow explores the boundary between the rational and the irrational, and the question of whether to leave or stay.
CLEANSED
by Sarah Kane
Directed by Rebecca Frecknall
Tuesday 21 July – Saturday 22 August 2026
I love you now.
I’m with you now.
I’ll do my best, moment to moment, not to betray you. Now.
That’s it. No more. Don’t make me lie to you.
Two lovers and two siblings.
How far are they prepared to go to prove their devotion? And will their love survive when subjected to the most extreme violence?
Sarah Kane was one of the most original and controversial voices in British playwriting history. Rebecca Frecknall (A Streetcar Named Desire; Cabaret)directs Kane’s masterpiece which explores the brutality of desire and asks what happens to love when there’s nothing else worth living for?
GOLDEN BOY
by Clifford Odets
Directed by Sam Yates
Tuesday 8 September – Saturday 31 October 2026
I’m out for fame and fortune, not to be different or artistic! I don’t intend to be ashamed of my life!
1930s New York, at the height of the Depression.
Joe Bonaparte is a gifted young violinist with extraordinary talent and a future in music, until a chance at fame and fortune lures him into the brutal world of professional boxing. Pressured by a ruthless manager, tempted by a forbidden love, and bound by the expectations of his Italian-American family, Joe is a young man torn between the seductive promise of the American Dream and the quiet honour of a decent life. He must confront what he’s willing to sacrifice, who he’s willing to become, and how to find his place in a world that demands he choose a side.
Olivier Award winner Sam Yates (VANYA; Magpie) directs BAFTA winner Josh O’Connor (The Crown; Challengers) in this searing revival of Clifford Odets’ knockout American classic. Brought to life with a live string quartet, this propulsive drama explores ambition, identity, and the high price of success.
DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS
by Eugene O’Neill
Directed by Ebenezer Bamgboye
Tuesday 10 November – Saturday 19 December 2026
Ye can’t beat Nature, didn’t ye say?
As Eben and his half-brothers toil on their family farm, they dream of the future.
Peter and Simeon are lured by California and the promise of gold, while Eben longs to have the farm all to himself.
Any fantasies are on hold until the return of their patriarch Ephraim, who disappeared without a word two months ago. And when he does finally resurface, he is not alone. An unexpected companion instantly explodes both the status quo and their imagined futures.
Former Almeida Resident Director Ebenezer Bamgboye (The Lonely Londoners) directs Zackary Momoh (Seven Seconds; Harriet) in four-time Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene O’Neill’s shattering twentieth-century classic, inspired by Greek tragedy, about a raging battle between the passion of the heart and the reason of the mind.
NATIONAL ADVISORY YOUTH BOARD
Young people representing six theatres from across the UK have launched a national network of Youth Advisory Boards, to unite discussions about change in the industry.
Youth Advisory Board members from the Almeida Theatre, Capital Theatres Edinburgh, Chichester Festival Theatre, Curve Theatre,Leicester, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, and the RSC are spearheading the initiative to launch a National Youth Advisory Board (NYAB). Organisations nationwide have been invited to collaborate, to ensure regions across the country are represented.
The aim of NYAB is to generate positive change by:
Combining collective energy to advocate for a more inclusive industry
Promoting the representation of young people and under-represented groups both on and off stage, in programming and decision-making
Sharing resources, ideas, and opportunities between organisations
An exploratory meeting was hosted by the Almeida Theatre in 2024, and a first formal meeting is scheduled to be held in June, chaired and hosted by the RSC.
ACCESS AND SUSTAINABILITY
From May to July, the Almeida’s office and rehearsal space will undergo significant refurbishment to improve accessibility, sustainability, and artistic potential.
Key upgrades include:
A new, fully accessible entrance for wheelchair users
Enhanced technical and structural facilities in the rehearsal room
Replacement of all windows to improve insulation and energy efficiency
These improvements are designed to reduce our energy consumption by 15%, supporting our commitment to full decarbonisation by 2030. As a participant in Julie’s Bicycle’s Capital Investment Programme, we’re proud to be taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future.
We are grateful to Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme and Garfield Weston Foundation whose support has made this work possible.
LIBERATOR FILM SERVICES presents a DAVID STONE and DONMAR WAREHOUSE production
THE ACCLAIMED WEST END AND BROADWAY MUSICAL
NEXT TO NORMAL
TO RECEIVE UK-WIDE CINEMA RELEASE ON
SEPTEMBER 11 AND 14 2025
The screenings follow Ghostlight Records
Next To Normal: London Cast Recording
digital and streaming album release on May 30 2025
Music by Pulitzer, Tony, Emmyand Grammy Award-winning composer Tom Kitt
Book and Lyrics by Pulitzer PrizeandTony Award-winning writer Brian Yorkey
Filmed at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the summer of 2024, the broadcast features the acclaimed cast of the Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham Theatre productions, including Caissie Levy, Jamie Parker, Jack Wolfe, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Trevor Dion Nicholas and Jack Ofrecio.
Following celebrated seasons at London’s Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham’s Theatre under the direction of Michael Longhurst, Tom Kitt (Music) and Brian Yorkey’s (Book and Lyrics) powerful and emotionally charged rock musical Next To Normal is set to receive a UK screening across select Vue, Cineworld and Independent Cinema screens this autumn. Audiences can find their nearest screening at www.nexttonormal.com.
Nominated in the UK for four Olivier Awards, includingBest New Musical, Next To Normal is an intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief. At its heart is Diana Goodman, a suburban wife and mother living with bipolar disorder and haunted by her past.
When the landmark musical debuted on Broadway in 2010, Ben Brantley of The New York Times called it “Brave and breathtaking. It is something much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical.” And Peter Marks of The Washington Post called it “a moving, blisteringly honest, and inordinately powerful new musical stocked with beautiful songs that get to the heart of the story – and simply get to the heart.” Next to Normal went on to win three Tony Awards, including Best Original Score, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of only 10 musicals in history to receive the prestigious honour.
Michael Longhurst, who directed Next To Normal in the UK says of the cinema screenings: ‘After the absolutely astonishing reaction to its US release, I’m so excited that UK audiences will now be able experience the raw power of Next to Normal and the heartbreaking detail of those incredible performances in close up, on the big screen.’
The theatrical proshot recording was filmed by Liberator Film Services during the show’s run at the Wyndham’s Theatre, in London’s West End,which ran from Tuesday 18 June 2024 to Saturday 21September 2024. The recording was screened in the US on May 9 on PBS as part of their ‘Great Performances’ series.
Ghostlight Records release Next to Normal: Original London Cast Recording in streamed and digital formats on Friday 30th May 2025.
★★★★★
“Electrifying… beautiful… heartwrenching”
Sunday Express
“Kitt and Yorkey’s decision to write about mental health implicitly rebukes those who think musicals can’t be serious. Their approach is compassionate, thoughtful, but also witty”
Evening Standard
★★★★★
“It tears at the heart in a way few musicals manage.”
Attitude
The Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham’s Theatre company comprised principals Caissie Levy (original Elsa in Frozen on Broadway, Caroline Or Change and Leopoldstadt) as Diana;Jamie Parker – Olivier Award-winner for his role as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London and on Broadway) as Dan; Jack Wolfe (nominated in the Emerging Talent category at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his role in Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse) star of Netflix series Shadow and Bone) as Gabe; Eleanor Worthington-Cox, whose credits include Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre, and the youngest winner of an Olivier Award for her lead role in Matilda The Musical) as Natalie; Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin, West End and George Washington in Hamilton) as Dr. Madden /Dr. Fine andJack Ofrecio (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Henry.
The London cast was completed by Carolyn Maitland as Standby Diana,Ben Heathcote as Standby Dan / Doctors,Jake Reynolds as Standby Gabe / Henry and Lizzy Parker as Standby Natalie.
The creative team was rounded out by Musical Supervisor Nigel Lilley; Designer Chloe Lamford; Movement, Choreography and Additional Direction Ann Yee; Lighting Designer Lee Curran; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Video Designer Tal Rosner; Casting Director Anna Cooper CDG, Musical Director Nick Barstow and Production Manager Chris Hay.
Liberator Film Services presentation of David Stone and Donmar Warehouse production was directed for the screen by Michael Longhurst and Austin Shaw.Editor, Egli Keli; Supervising Sound Editor, Tim Clark; Executive Producers, David Horn, Bill O’Donnell and produced by, David Stone, Aaron Glick and Austin Shaw.
Next To Normal was produced for the stage by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, John Gore, Ambassador Theatre Group, Aaron Glick, Pine Street Productions, P3 Productions and Donmar Warehouse.
