The regional première of an “electrifying” one-woman show, a “chilling” adaptation of a classic book and a spiritual sequel to Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner are highlights of the Nottingham Playhouse spring 2025 programme.
The season opens with the regional première of Dennis Kelly’s Girls and Boys, a “gripping” production “full of savage humour and raw intensity”. The 90-minute show will be directed by Anna Ledwich who said, "Girls and Boys manages to be that rare beast: a funny, provocative, shocking and moving play. It lures you in, charms you and then pulls the rug out from under you.
“It’s a magnificent tour de force for an outstanding actress and I can’t wait to unpack the play’s mysteries with her.” The role has yet to be cast.
Girls and Boys will run from Saturday 8 February until Saturday 1 March 2025. Press night will be Wednesday 12 February.
In the year George Orwell’s political fable marks its 80th anniversary, a fresh interpretation of Animal Farm will be brought to the stage in a co-production with Theatre Royal Stratford East, Leeds Playhouse and Nottingham Playhouse. Directed by Amy Leach with design by Hayley Grindle, this adaptation byTatty Hennessy “provides a timely reminder of the perils of unchecked power”.
Leach, deputy artistic director at Leeds Playhouse, commented, “I can’t wait to explore Orwell’s timeless fable and to expand on his multi-layered text to delve deeper into themes that relate to the world we live in now, to the challenges we face when power goes unchecked, and unity is mired in division.
“In the year that we will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of this landmark allegorical story, Tatty Hennessy’s fresh interpretation will be very much of the moment. Designer Hayley Grindle and I are creating an industrial landscape for our cast to explore this chilling tale of treachery and rebellion—a recognisable, relatable world that will prompt us to question whether it’s possible for anyone to stay true to themselves and resist the allure and corruption of power.”
Animal Farm will run at Nottingham Playhouse from Wednesday 2 until Saturday 12 April with press night on Tuesday 8 April.
In May 2025, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini will arrive in Nottingham after opening at Birmingham Rep and touring to Leeds Playhouse. Adapted for the stage by Ursula Rani Sarma, this spiritual sequel to The Kite Runner will be directed by Roxana Silbert, formerly artistic director at both Birmingham Rep and Hampstead Theatre. It will run in Nottingham from Tuesday 13 May until Saturday 24 May with press night on Wednesday 14 May.
Nottingham Playhouse artistic director Adam Penford said, “we’ve had an incredible 2024. We've produced nine very different shows including five world premières, two regional premières, one modern revival and one classic.
“The productions have ranged in scale from the three-hander Liberation Squares in the Studio to spectacles such as (David Haig’s adaptation of Philip K Dick’s novella) Minority Report and Dear Evan Hansen, and a community project with local young people in The Trials. The local story of redemption in James Graham’s Punch connected with audiences and made national headlines.
“I'm very proud of the Nottingham Playhouse family, including our in-house team and the army of freelancers, for delivering a programme of work which is so ambitious, varied and hard-hitting. I also want to thank our audience for constantly supporting the work.
“The first half of 2025 looks set to be just as exciting. To be presenting the regional première of Dennis Kelly’s Girls and Boys is a real honour. Dennis is one of the UK's best writers and this play goes off like a rocket. We have some exciting casting news to follow.
“Our co-productions, Animal Farm and A Thousand Splendid Suns offer the opportunity for audiences to travel to two very different worlds, both political and theatrical."