Hull Truck tour Dennis Kelly’s DNA to RET, 20 March

Dennis Kelly‘s play DNA which is described as a gripping tale of adolescent brutality and gang mentality is currently touring theatres across the country for the play’s first national tour and it arrives in Manchester next month.

The production opened at The Drum Theatre, Plymouth on Wednesday 1st Feb and is touring 20 venues throughout the country including Unicorn Theatre, London, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, Sheffield Crucible, the egg, Bath and Hull Truck Theatre.

DNA follows the story of a group of teenagers who try to cover their tracks after making the biggest mistake of their lives. But their temporary harmony soon begins to unravel with dire consequences for the gang and others around them.
Relationships break down, innocent people are punished and in a further twist; all may not quite be as it may seem…

The story, which was first performed at the National Theatre’s Shell Connections Festival in 2008, has recently become a core set-text on the GCSE English syllabus, studied by 400,000 students each year. The notes to the special edition which is studied schools nationwide have been written by Anthony Banks, the Associate Director of the National Theatre Discover Programme. Anthony is directing this brand new Hull Truck production. He most recently directed Lucinda Coxon’s Herding Cats at Theatre Royal Bath and Hampstead Theatre.

Hull Truck Theatre has assembled a cast of up-and-coming actors for this production. James Alexandrou (EastEnders, Romeo and Juliet, Globe Theatre) is joined by Emily Butterfield (The Canterbury Tales, Northern Broadsides), Rhys Jennings (The Rivals, National Tour) and Elexi Walker (To Kill a Mockingbird, York Theatre Royal and Touring Consortium Theatre Company). Tom Clegg and Daniel Francis–Swaby will also make their professional stage debuts in the production.

DNA is written by Dennis Kelly whose work has featured on both the stage and screen, and has been translated into 35 languages around the world. Most recently Dennis has received much critical acclaim for writing The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, which is currently playing at the Cambridge Theatre in the West End. His other work includes Osama the Hero (Hampstead Theatre),  The God’s Weep (RSC), translating The Prince of Homburg for The Donmar Warehouse, as well as the hit BBC 3 comedy Pulling.

Hull Truck Theatre held its first ever performance in 1972 and the theatre will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2012. The theatre is committed to developing new writing and productions by living writers. Several landmark productions are planned for the New Year including a tour of its critically acclaimed production of The Lady in the Van featuring Nichola McAuliffe. The company moved to its first permanent home in 1983 before moving to a state of the art venue at the heart of the city in 2009.

The play is supported by extensive educational resources which have been developed in conjunction with the AQA exam board. DNA is at the Royal Exchange Studio Theatre from 20 – 24 March.