Ali Smith’s Autumn to be adapted for the stage

Ali Smith’s acclaimed state-of-the-nation novel Autumn is being adapted for the stage, and will open in Oxford in November.

The adaptation is written by Harry McDonald, whose play Foam ran at the Finborough Theatre earlier this year, and directed by Charlotte Vickers (Andromeda, Nottingham Playhouse).

It premieres at the North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford from 12 to 13 November 2024, with further dates to be confirmed.

Autumn follows the story of art historian Elisabeth Demand in the months following the 2016 EU referendum, as she returns to her childhood village to visit her elderly former next-door neighbour, Daniel Gluck. Through their relationship, they explore art, music, and politics, via John Keats, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and British female pop-artist Pauline Boty.

The novel was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. It was followed by three other works, titled Winter, Spring and Summer.

Casting for Autumn is still to be announced.