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The National Theatre has announced its latest season of work, covering late spring into summer and representing some of the last shows that will be programmed by Rufus Norris, who will be succeeded by Indhu Rubasingham next year.
And it looks great, kicking off with the inevitable but welcome arrival of the Liverpool Royal Court’s ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ (May 22-Jun 8), a stage adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s seminal drama about rising unemployment in the Thatcher years, penned by superstar writer James Graham (‘Dear England’, ‘This House’, ‘Quiz’, ‘Sherwood’ etc etc).
It’ll be followed in the Olivier by a revival for ‘Mnemonic’ (Jun 22-Aug 10) by avant-garde theatre legends Complicité, a by-all-accounts mind-blowingly good show that’s kind of… about the entirety of human existence, but also a biochemistry lecture and an account of the discovery of a 5,500-year-old body found in the ice. You just have to see it, really.
In the Lyttelton there’ll be ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ (Jul 17-Sep 14), a revival for Frank Galati’s Tony-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Dust Bowl-era masterpiece about a group of tenant farmers from Oklahoma seeking new lives in California at the height of the Great Depression. Hugely acclaimed US actor Cherry Jones – who played Nan Pierce in ‘Succession’ – is confirmed to be in the cast.
Finally the Dorfman will play host to US playwright Katori Hall’s Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy ‘The Hot Wing King’ (Jul 11-Aug 14), which will star Kadiff Kirwan as Cordell, who resolves to take Memphis’ annual Hot Wing Festival by storm with his new recipe.
The season will go on sale to the general public February 8.
Check out what else is on at the National Theatre.
Shakespeare’s Globe has announced its 2024 summer season.
The best new London theatre shows to book for in 2024.
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