15 June 2017 National Theatre new season announcement June 2017 – January 2018 Tickets go on sale for Network, with Bryan Cranston making his UK stage debut John Tiffany directs Pinocchio, with half-price tickets available for under-18s Casting announced for world premieres of Pinocchio, Saint George and the Dragon and Beginning Tony Award-winning play Oslo opens in the Lyttelton Following its current sold out run Barber Shop Chronicles returns to the Dorfman in November Five new NT Live broadcasts in 700 venues across the UK and 60 countries around the world OLIVIER THEATRE FOLLIES book by James Goldman music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Previews from 22 August, press night 6 September, continuing in the repertoire until 3 January New York, 1971. There’s a party on the stage of the Weismann 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, Janie Dee and Imelda Staunton 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). Page 1 of 23 The cast includes Julie Armstrong (Christine Donovan), Norma Atallah (Emily Whitman), Josephine Barstow (Heidi Schiller), Jeremy Batt (Chorus Boy) Tracie Bennett (Carlotta Campion), Di Botcher (Hattie Walker), Billy Boyle (Theodore Whitman), Janie Dee (Phyllis Rogers Stone), Anouska Eaton (Young Emily), Liz Ewing (Company), Geraldine Fitzgerald (Solange LaFitte), Peter Forbes (Buddy Plummer), Emily Goodenough (Showgirl), Bruce Graham (Roscoe), Adrian Grove (Sam Deems), Fred Haig (Young Buddy), Aimee Hodnett (Young Hattie), Dawn Hope (Stella Deems), Liz Izen (DeeDee West), Alison Langer (Young Heidi), Emily Langham (Young Carlotta), Sarah-Marie Maxwell (Young Solange), Ian McLarnon (Company), Leisha Mollyneaux (Young Stella), Gemma Page (Sandra Crane), Kate Parr (Young Sandra), Philip Quast (Ben Stone), Edwin Ray (Chorus Boy), Gary Raymond (Dimitri Weismann), Adam Rhys-Charles (Young Ben), Jordan Shaw (Kevin), Imelda Staunton (Sally Durant Plummer), Zizi Strallen (Young Phyllis), Barnaby Thompson (Chorus Boy), Christine Tucker (Young DeeDee), Michael Vinsen (Chorus Boy) and Alex Young (Young Sally). Design by Vicki Mortimer, choreography by Bill Deamer, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, additional orchestrations by Josh Clayton, musical direction by Nigel Lilley, lighting design by Paule Constable and sound design by Paul Groothuis. Supported by the Follies production syndicate. SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON a new play by Rory Mullarkey Previews from 4 October, press night 11 October, continuing in the repertoire until 2 December A village. A dragon. A damsel in distress. Into the story walks George: wandering knight, freedom fighter, enemy of tyrants the world over. One epic battle later and a nation is born. As the village grows into a town, and the town into a city, the myth of Saint George, which once brought a people together, threatens to divide them. John Heffernan plays Saint George; the cast also includes Paul Brennen, Richard Goulding, Tamzin Griffin, Conor Neaves, Amaka Okafor, Daniel Ryan and Grace Saif. Making his National Theatre debut, Rory Mullarkey creates a new folk tale for an uneasy nation. Directed by Lyndsey Turner (Chimerica, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire), with Page 2 of 23 design by Rae Smith, choreography by Lynne Page, lighting design by Bruno Poet, music by Grant Olding, sound design by Christopher Shutt and fight direction by Bret Yount. Hundreds of Travelex tickets at £15 available per performance. AMADEUS by Peter Shaffer Previews from 11 January, press night 18 January. On sale up to 17 February, further dates to be announced Following a sell-out run last year, Amadeus returns to the Olivier in 2018. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a rowdy young prodigy, arrives in Vienna determined to make a splash. Awestruck by his genius, court composer Antonio Salieri has the power to promote his talent or destroy it. Seized by obsessive jealousy he begins a war with Mozart, with music and, ultimately, with God. Michael Longhurst's acclaimed production of Peter Shaffer's iconic play features live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia. Adam Gillen and Lucian Msamati reprise the roles of Mozart and Salieri. Further casting to be announced. Amadeus is directed by Michael Longhurst with design by Chloe Lamford, music direction and additional music by Simon Slater, choreography by Imogen Knight, lighting design by Jon Clark and sound design by Paul Arditti. Amadeus is produced in association with Southbank Sinfonia, and supported by the Amadeus production syndicate. LYTTELTON THEATRE QUEER THEATRE: LGBT+ STORIES & SOCIAL CHANGE In partnership with Pride in London To mark 50 years since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, the NT looks at how theatre has charted the LGBT+ experience. Events include a debate on LGBT+ rights, talks on Queer Stages, Trans Culture and Drag as an Art Form, and film Page 3 of 23 screenings of Paris was a Woman, Bette Bourne: It Goes with the Shoes and Tangerine. The series features rehearsed readings in the Lyttelton Theatre with full casting to be announced. Post show talks will follow each of the readings. Neaptide by Sarah Daniels, directed by Sarah Frankcom | Thu 6 July, 7.30pm Wig Out! written and directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney | Fri 7 July, 7.30pm Certain Young Men written and directed by Peter Gill | Sat 8 July, 7.30pm Bent by Martin Sherman, directed by Stephen Daldry | Sun 9 July, 2.30pm The Drag by Mae West, directed by Polly Stenham | Mon 10 July, 7.30pm OSLO a new play by J.T. Rogers The Lincoln Center Theater production Previews from 5 September, press nights 15, 16 and 18 September (all reviews embargoed until midnight 18 September) Continuing in repertoire until 23 September (limited ticket availability at the NT) Transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End from 30 September – 30 December Winner, Best Play 2017: Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards In 1993, in front of the world’s press, the leaders of Israel and Palestine shook hands on the lawn of the White House. Few watching would have guessed that the negotiations leading up to this iconic moment started secretly in a castle in the middle of a forest outside Oslo. Oslo tells the true story of two maverick Norwegian diplomats who coordinated top-secret talks and inspired seemingly impossible friendships. Their quiet heroics led to the ground- breaking Oslo Peace Accords. Bartlett Sher’s acclaimed production of this new play by J.T. Rogers (Blood & Gifts, The Overwhelming) sets a deeply personal story against an epic historical landscape. This darkly funny political thriller comes to the National Theatre following a sell-out run in New York, prior to a West End run later this autumn. Cast to be announced. Set design by Michael Yeargan, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Peter John Still and projections by 59 Productions. Page 4 of 23 JANE EYRE based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë devised by the original company a co-production with Bristol Old Vic Previews from 26 September, continuing in the repertoire until 21 October Following a critically acclaimed season at the National Theatre and a 21 city UK tour, Jane Eyre returns this September to the NT. This innovative reimagining of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece is a collaboration between the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic and is directed by Sally Cookson. The classic story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own terms. Jane Eyre’s spirited heroine faces life’s obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the discovery of bitter betrayal before taking the ultimate decision to follow her heart. Cast includes: Hannah Bristow, Matthew Churcher, Nadia Clifford, Ben Cutler, Tim Delap, Alex Heane, Jenny Johns, Melanie Marshall, Evelyn Miller, Paul Mundell, Dami Olukoya, David Ridley, Lynda Rooke, Francesca Tomlinson and Phoebe Vigor. Dramaturgy by Mike Akers, set design by Michael Vale, costume design by Katie Sykes, lighting design by Aideen Malone, music by Benji Bower, sound design by Dominic Bilkey and movement by Dan Canham. NETWORK adapted by Lee Hall based on the Paddy Chayefsky film Previews from 4 November, press night 13 November, continuing in the repertoire until 24 March Howard Beale, news anchor-man, isn’t pulling in the viewers. In his final broadcast he unravels live on screen. But when the ratings soar, the network seizes on their new found populist prophet, and Howard becomes the biggest thing on TV. Network depicts a dystopian media landscape where opinion trumps fact. Hilarious and horrifying by turns, the iconic film by Paddy Chayefsky won four Academy Awards in 1976. Now, Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour) and director Ivo van Hove (Hedda Gabler) bring his masterwork to the stage for the first time, with Bryan Cranston (All Page 5 of 23 the Way, for which he won the Tony for Best Actor, Breaking Bad and Trumbo for which he was nominated for an Oscar) in the role of Howard Beale. Set and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld, video design by Tal Yarden, costume design by An D’Huys, music and sound design by Eric Sleichim. A very limited number of additional on stage seats will be released in the autumn – see the NT website for more information.