Frantic Assembly’s new adaptation of Kafka’s ”Metamorphosis” reveals initial touring dates

Further details have been confirmed for the previously announced UK tour of Frantic Assembly’s Metamorphosis.

The new adaptation of Franz Kafka’s seminal piece, which famously follows the transformation of a man into a huge insect, is written by Lemn Sissay and helmed by Frantic’s artistic director Scott Graham.

Sissay said: “This will be my second adaptation after Benjamin Zephaniah’s Refugee Boy in 2013. Words make movement, words precede movement and words (spoken or written) are movement. Frantic Assembly is the theatre of movement. My aim is to move the audience and to be moved. Metamorphosis is iconic. I am nervous, like an olympian, a long-distance runner, the starting gun has fired, dust plumes beneath my feet, the end is a long way away. I pace myself, I focus and I concentrate…”

Graham added: “I am absolutely buzzing to be collaborating with the wonderful Lemn Sissay. The potential of this project to spin physical and lyrical poetry around this classic story thrills me. This is a meeting of minds, ready to play and explore and find out what we can bring to this iconic title.”

The production is set to premiere at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 12 to 16 September 2023, before visiting Leicester’s Curve (19 to 23 September) and MAST Mayflower Studios (26 to 30 September). The tour will also include a four-week run at the Lyric Hammersmith in London (1 February to 2 March 2024), with additional venues still to be announced.

Metamorphosis marks Frantic Assembly’s first new production since 2019’s I Think We Are Alone and is co-produced by Theatre Royal Plymouth, Curve, MAST Mayflower Studios and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

Casting and full creative team information will be announced soon.

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