3 July 2017 CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR BENT AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE QUEER THEATRE: LGBT+ STORIES & SOCIAL CHANGE In partnership with Pride in London The National Theatre will mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales by staging its first Queer Theatre event series from 6 – 10 July 2017. A group of world class actors and directors will look at how theatre has charted the LGBT+ experience through a series of rehearsed readings and post-show discussions in the Lyttelton Theatre. The fourth play in the NT’s Queer Theatre series of rehearsed readings is Bent by Martin Sherman (1979), directed by Stephen Daldry on Sunday 9th July 2.30pm. Following Nazi Germany’s Night Of The Long Knives in 1934, gay lovers Max and Rudy are taken away to Dachau by the Gestapo. Desperate to avoid the dreaded Pink Triangle, Max claims to be Jewish. In amongst the horrors of the Camp, he meets Horst who wears his Pink Triangle with pride. Cast includes: Russell Tovey, George Mackay, Simon Russell Beale, Giles Terera, Pip Torrens, Paapa Essiedu, John Pfumojena and Adrian Grove. The NT’s Queer Theatre event series is hosted in partnership with Pride in London and includes: Neaptide by Sarah Daniels, directed by Sarah Frankcom, Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm Wig Out! written and directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Friday 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, Sunday 9 July, 2.30pm The Drag by Mae West, directed by Polly Stenham, Monday 10 July, 7.30pm. Free post show talks (40 mins) will follow each reading exploring the issues in the plays and in a wider context for the LGBT+ community. Ends Notes to editors For interviews and further information contact Vicky Kington For images, click here To contact the National Theatre press office, call: 020 7452 3235 or email: [email protected] For press tickets to Bent, please email Louisa Terry 1 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 reimagined 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 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 2,600 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 2 .