The National Theatre's season from September to November will include
Nicholas Hytner directing Zoë Wanamaker and Simon Russell Beale
in Much Ado About Nothing (the first production in The Shell
Series: Classic Drama at the National Theatre); Noël Coward's Present
Laughter directed by Howard Davies, with Alex Jennings as Garry
Essendine; War Horse, based on Michael Morpurgo's novel, directed
by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris; two plays for teenagers, Chatroom
by Enda Walsh and Citizenship by Mark Ravenhill, which will tour
the UK; and the centenary of Laurence Olivier, the NT's first Director,
is celebrated.
Chatroom and Citizenship
Cottesloe Theatre from 1 September; UK tour from 25 September
Directed by Anna Mackmin (who directed the original Cottesloe production
in 2006), the cast is Jamie Barbakoff, Sophie Benjamin, Calum Callaghan,
Richard Dempsey, Simone James, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Anna Nightingale,
George Rainsford, Joy Richardson, Ashley Rolfe, Michelle Tate, Steven
Webb and Jade Williams.
The production will visit Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold (25-29 September),
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (2-6 October), The Quays Theatre,
The Lowry, Salford (9-13 October), Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (16-20
October), Sherman Theatre, Cardiff (23-27 October), Oxford Playhouse
(30 October - 3 November), Brighton Theatre Royal (6-10 November)
and Cambridge Arts Theatre (13-17 November). After the UK tour, the
production will return to the Cottesloe before touring to the Hong
Kong Festival in February 2008.
Olivier Films on the Fly Tower
19-23 September, 8.30pm - free
A selection of Olivier's films will be projected onto the NT fly tower:
Rebecca (19 Sept), The Prince and the Showgirl (20 Sept),
Henry V (21 Sept), Wuthering Heights (22 Sept), and
Hamlet (23 September).
Olivier Statue unveiling
Sunday 23 September
23 September marks the installation outside the National of a new
statue of Olivier as Hamlet, created by the sculptor Angela Conner
and funded by private subscription.
Olivier: A Celebratory Performance
Sunday 23 September, 6pm
In the Olivier Theatre, the National presents a special performance
to celebrate the greatest actor of the twentieth century. Telling
the story of Olivier's working life through film and stage extracts,
letters, reminiscence and readings, the participants will include
(subject to availability): Eileen Atkins, Richard Attenborough, David
Bradley, Claire Bloom, Anna Carteret, Gawn Grainger, James Hayes,
Derek Jacobi, Charles Kay, Robert Lindsay, Clive Merrison, Edward
Petherbridge, Ronald Pickup, Joan Plowright, Corin Redgrave, Vanessa
Redgrave, Sheila Reid and Billie Whitelaw. All proceeds to NT Education.
There will be a simultaneous relay to the Lyttelton Theatre.
Present Laughter
Lyttelton Theatre
Previews from 25 September, opening 2 October, continuing in repertoire
Alex Jennings will play Garry Essendine in Noël Coward's Present
Laughter, directed by Howard Davies and opening in the Lyttelton
Theatre on 2 October. The cast also includes Lisa Dillon, Sara Stewart
and Sarah Woodward. The set will be designed by Tim Hatley, with costumes
by Jenny Beavan, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, music by Dominic Muldowney
and sound by Paul Groothuis.
War Horse
Olivier Theatre
Previews from 8 October, opening 17 October, in repertoire until February
2008
War Horse, based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by
Nick Stafford, will open in the Olivier Theatre on 17 October, directed
by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris. Presented in association with
Handspring Puppet Company, the production will be designed by Rae
Smith, with puppet designs and fabrication by Adrian Kohler, lighting
by Paule Constable, movement by Toby Sedgwick, music by Adrian Sutton,
songs made by John Tams, video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer
for Fifty-Nine Productions Ltd, and sound by Christopher Shutt; the
puppetry captain and associate will be Mervyn Millar. The cast includes:
Alice Barclay, Jason Barnett, Finn Caldwell, Paul Chequer, Thomas
Goodridge, Gareth Kennerley, Craig Leo, Rachel Leonard, Tim Lewis,
Tommy Luther, Mervyn Millar, Emily Mytton, Toby Olie, Toby Sedgwick
(Ted Narracott), Ashley Taylor-Rhys, Luke Treadaway (Albert Narracott),
Alan Williams and Angus Wright (Captain Nicholls).
Much Ado About Nothing
Olivier Theatre
The Shell Series: Classic Drama at the National Theatre
Previews from 10 December, opening 18 December, continuing in repertoire
Zoë Wanamaker and Simon Russell Beale will play Beatrice and
Benedick in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, directed
by Nicholas Hytner and opening in the Olivier on 18 December. The
cast also includes Susannah Fielding as Hero. It will have set designs
by Vicki Mortimer, with lighting by Mark Henderson and music by Rachel
Portman.
