Equus revival to feature in new English Touring Theatre season

Ned Bennett (An Octoroon, Pomona) will direct a new production of Peter Shaffer's Equus as part of English Touring Theatre's 2018/19 season, which will also mark the company's 25th anniversary.

The 1973 psychological thriller, which won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1975, will open at Theatre Royal Stratford East in February next year, where it will also feature as part of Nadia Fall's inaugural season as artistic director at the venue. The show will then tour, with dates and venues to be announced.

The company has also announced a new UK tour of director Richard Twyman's production of Othello, in association with the Oxford Playhouse and Bristol-based company Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factories. The show originally ran last year in both Bristol and London, with critic Kris Hallett describing it as "a rich night of theatre with an ending that even after 400 years blindsides you".

The tour will open at Oxford Playhouse on 20 September before visiting Harrogate, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Cheltenham, Oldham, Warwick, Ipswich and Poole.

Alongside the production will be a new multi-arts festival titled The Othello Project, which will take place at each venue and will be overseen by writer and activist Abdul-Rehman Malik. The festival will give Muslim artists and writers the chance to champion cross-cultural dialogue. Spoken word artist Tanya Muneera Williams will present new pieces as part of the festival, with further details to be announced.

The newly announced shows join the touring production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire directed by RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award-winner Chelsea Walker (Yous Two). The tour opens at NST City in Southampton on 23 March.