Theatre News

National Youth Theatre announces 2019 London and touring season

An artificial intelligence-inspired production of Mary Shelley’s ”Frankenstein” will be part of the line-up

Frankenstein
Frankenstein
© Helen Maybanks

The National Youth Theatre has announced its 2019 season including shows touring and running in the West End.

The NYT London rep season will include an artificial intelligence-inspired production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, adapted by Carl Miller and directed by Emily Gray, artistic director of Trestle Theatre alongside a production of Great Expectations. Great Expectations will be adapted by Neil Bartlett and directed by the yet to be announced 2019 Bryan Forbes Bursary Director between 18 October and 30 November.

The REP Company will then perform A Midsummer Night's Dream, at the Criterion Theatre directed by Matt Harrison working in association with Kneehigh and abridged by Kate Kennedy from 6 December to 17 January.

Elsewhere, Luke Barnes' play about toxic masculinity Lost Boys is to tour community venues as well as Unity Theatre in Liverpool between 4 and 11 September in a production directed by Zoe Lafferty.

F-Off will run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2 August in Belly Button. The piece is a response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal by Tatty Hennessy and explores the highs and lows of Facebook.

Asif Khan's new comedy Imaam Imraan follows the story of an actor-turned-Imaam and will be directed by Iqbal Khan. It will run from 1 to 4 July at Kala Sangam at Bradford Literature Festival.

The company will appear at Latitude Festival this year, with The Astronaut Wives Club by Al Smith, which marks the 50th anniversary since the first man on the moon. An all-female cast are directed by Bea Holland in The Faraway Forest at Latitude Festival from 18 to 21 July.

Paul Roseby, artistic director of the National Youth Theatre said: "From the ongoing Cambridge Analytica scandal to the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this season will tackle urgent topical issues that will define the future for our young people for decades to come. "

"We firmly believe that being national means being local and this year's creative programme at venues and festivals around the UK reflects a shift to expand our reach, which has already seen us audition at 70 venues and schools around the UK this spring. "