Rehearsal Images Released for Sondheim’s Click Here to Download

Book by James Goldman, Music and Lyrics by Directed by Olivier Theatre Previews from 22 August, Press Night 6 September, last performance 3 January

Good ticket availability from November 2017 – January 2018 NT Live Broadcast: Thursday 16 November

1971, New York. There’s a party on the stage of the Weissman Theatre. Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the Follies girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few songs and lie about themselves. Including such classic songs as Broadway Baby, I’m Still Here and Losing My Mind, Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical is staged for the first time at the NT. Tracie Bennett, and play the magnificent Follies in this dazzling new production.

Featuring a cast of 37 and an orchestra of 21, the production is directed by Dominic Cooke (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom). Winner of Academy, Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards, Sondheim’s previous work at the NT includes A Little Night Music, and Sunday in the Park with George.

The cast includes Julie Armstrong, Norma Atallah, Josephine Barstow, Jeremy Batt, Tracie Bennett, Di Botcher, Billy Boyle, Janie Dee, Anouska Eaton, Liz Ewing, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Peter Forbes, Emily Goodenough, Bruce Graham, Adrian Grove, Fred Haig, Aimee Hodnett , Dawn Hope, Liz Izen, Alison Langer, Emily Langham, Sarah-Marie Maxwell, Ian McLarnon, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gemma Page, Kate Parr, Philip Quast, Edwin Ray, Gary Raymond, Adam Rhys-Charles, Jordan Shaw, Imelda Staunton, Zizi Strallen, Barnaby Thompson, Christine Tucker, Michael Vinsen and Alex Young.

Follies is designed by Vicki Mortimer, with choreography by Bill Deamer, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, additional orchestrations by Josh Clayton, musical director Nigel Lilley, lighting design by Paule Constable and sound designer by Paul Groothuis.

The original production of Follies premiered on Broadway in 1971, where it was nominated for eleven , and won seven. The show premiered in in 1987, and has been revived around the world many times to great acclaim. This 2017 staging will be the first time the musical has been performed at the National Theatre.

Supported by the Follies production syndicate.

Exclusive crystal provider for Follies

Press Night: Wednesday 6 September Follies will be broadcast via NT Live on Thursday 16 November

Talks and Events Janie Dee and Philip Quast – Olivier Theatre Thursday 14 Sept, 3pm The Future of Musical Theatre – Cottesloe Room, Friday 15 Sept, 6pm Dominic Cooke – Olivier Theatre, Wednesday 18 October, 6pm The Works of Stephen Sondheim – Cottesloe Room, Friday 3 and Friday 24 November, 10.30am Josephine Barstow and Tracie Bennett – Monday 18 Dec, 3pm Follies with Vicki Mortimer – Tuesday 12 Dec, 5.30pm

ENDS

For images, please click here.

Press contact: Emma Hardy on 020 7452 3231 / [email protected]

Notes to Editors The National Theatre is dedicated to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many people as possible. We produce productions on the South Bank in London each year, ranging from re-imagined classics to modern masterpieces and new work by contemporary writers and theatre- makers. The National’s work is seen on tour throughout the UK, in London’s West End, internationally (including on Broadway) and in collaborations and co-productions with theatres across the country.

Across 2015-2016, the NT staged 34 productions and gave 3,134 performances in the UK and internationally. The NT’s award-winning programme had a UK audience of 2.5 million, 700,000 of which were NT Live audiences.

The Clore Learning Centre at the NT is committed to providing programmes for schools, young people, families, community groups and adult learners, including the nationwide youth theatre festival Connections and playwriting competition New Views. In 2015-2016, we engaged with over 181,000 participants through the NT Learning events programme. Further, over 2,200 secondary schools have signed up to the free streaming service, On Demand. In Schools since its launch in September 2015. nationaltheatre.org.uk @nationaltheatre @NT_PressOffice