National Theatre unveils new shows featuring Kristin Scott Thomas, Nicola Walker and Alice Birch
© Johan Persson
The National Theatre has announced new shows for 2020.
Kristin Scott Thomas will make her National Theatre debut this December in Simon Stone's new adaptation of Phaedra. Assaad Bouab also star in the piece, which will be broadcast live by NT Live.
Award-winning musical Standing at the Sky's Edge will transfer to the Olivier Theatre from Sheffield Theatres where it ran last year. Directed by Robert Hastie and featuring music by Richard Hawley and book by Chris Bush, the show runs from January 2021.
The venue's artistic director Rufus Norris will bring back his production of Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Andrea Levy's Small Island, running from late October 2020 with casting to be announced.
Dominic Cooke will direct a new revival of Emlyn Williams' The Corn is Green from 17 June in the Lyttelton Theatre. Nicola Walker leads the cast alongside Adam Baker, Jordan Bamford, Saffron Coomber, Gareth David-Lloyd, Iwan Davies, Jonathan Hawkins, Richard Lynch, Alice Orr-Ewing, Sophie Stanton Garyn Williams and Rufus Wright.
Alice Birch will adapt Rachel Cusk's Outline. Transit. Kudos, directed by Katie Mitchell. It runs from October in the Lyttelton Theatre. Lynette Linton will also make her National Theatre debut directing Blues for an Alabama Sky, penned by Pearl Cleage. Running from February 2021, Giles Terera stars in the show at the Lyttelton.
Indhu Rubasingham will direct April de Angelis' new play Kerry Jackson in November, in response to the gentrification of Hackney. The venue will also present a co-production with Headlong, After Life, in 2021. Penned by Jack Thorne and created by Thorne, Jeremy Herrin and Bunny Christie. Adapted from Hirokazu Kore-eda's film, it explores what happens with memories after death.
Nicole Charles' five-star production of Roy Williams' Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads will transfer from Chichester to the Dorfman Theatre in September.
The theatre has also announced that it will increase the number of low-price tickets by 25 per cent – all available at £20 or less.
David Eldridge's Beginning will embark on a UK tour opening in Hornchurch in September, again directed by Polly Findlay. Lesley Sharp, Lorna Gayle and Danielle Vitalis will star in Kate Tempest's Paradise, which opens at the Olivier in June.
