Nottingham Playhouse’s autumn and winter season of work on its main stage begins with the return of Matthew Spangler’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner.
First produced by Nottingham Playhouse and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse in 2013, The Kite Runner, which has had two runs in the West End, returns to its Nottingham home before going on a UK tour. It runs at the Playhouse from 31 August until 9 September.
The theatre’s chief executive Stephanie Sirr said, “this season we have all sorts of wonderful, long-term plans coming to fruition—new plays, new programmes of activity and new creative teams working at Nottingham Playhouse. It’s a very exciting and eclectic mix.”
Susannah Tresilian, who directed Laura Wade’s Posh at the Playhouse in 2015, returns to Nottingham to direct Pride and Prejudice, a new comic adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel by stand-up comedian Sara Pascoe. It runs from 15 until 30 September.
Playhouse associate director Fiona Buffini will direct All My Sons by Arthur Miller from 6 until 21 October.
As previously announced, Giles Croft will step down in the autumn after 18 years as artistic director. His final production will be Anton Chekhov’s last play The Cherry Orchard. It runs from 3 until 18 November.
Ending the year will be Kenneth Alan Taylor’s panto Cinderella from 1 December until 20 January 2018.
In the Neville Studio, the season starts with Wreck, written by Leicester performance poet Toby Campion. Alex Moxon makes her directorial debut with this “edge-of-your-seat, fast-paced drama” from 20 until 30 September.
The Playhouse will be staging a new performance festival for artists, makers and theatre companies based in Nottinghamshire, Playground which runs in the Neville Studio from 2 until 7 October.
It will showcase work from “some of the most exciting new artists and companies in the region”. Confirmed so far are Major Labia’s Vulva La Revolution, Zoo Indigo’s Celluloid Souls and The Black Cat by La Pelle’s Factory in association with LittleMighty and In Good Company.
For younger children and families, Nottingham Playhouse’s alternative Christmas show will be one of Aesop’s fables, Town Mouse and Country Mouse, adapted by Robin Kingsland. Directed by Fiona Buffini, it runs from 13 December until 6 January 2018.