Lesley Sharp stars in NT Taste of Honey, Daniel Kitson returns

Shelagh Delaney's seminal play A Taste of Honey will be revived at the NT Lyttelton next year, running in rep with Daniel Kitson's new story show Analog.ue.

Directed by National Theatre associate Bijan Sheibani (The Kitchen, Our Class), A Taste of Honey will star Lesley Sharp (Harper Regan) as Helen, a single mother living in 1950s Salford. Kate O’Flynn (Port) will play her daughter Jo.

According to press material, "Bursting with energy and daring, this exhilarating and angry depiction of harsh, working-class life in post-war Salford is shot through with love and humour, and infused with jazz."

A Taste of Honey opens on 18 February 2014 (previews from 10 February), and runs until 5 April. The production will be designed by Hildegard Bechtler with movement direction by Aline David, lighting by Paul Anderson and sound by Ian Dickinson.

It's joined in rep, from 25 March, by Daniel Kitson's new show, Analog.ue. The comic returns to the National having previously brought It's Always Right Now, Until It's Later to the Lyttelton in 2011.

Billed as being "about a pre-recorded story", Analog.ue premieres at St Ann's Warehouse in New York later this month. Kitson's previous award-winning storytelling shows include 66a Church Road and The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church.

Full Lear cast, Shed explores Blurred Lines

Also announced today is further casting for King Lear starring Simon Russell Beale and directed by Sam Mendes, which opens in the Olivier Theatre on 23 January (previews from 14 January).

As previously announced, Beale will be joined in the principal cast by Kate Fleetwood (Goneril), Anna Maxwell Martin (Regan), Olivia Vinall (Cordelia), Adrian Scarborough (The Fool) and Stanley Townsend (Kent).

Newly announced today are: Stephen Boxer (Gloucester), Sam Troughton (Edmund) and Tom Brooke (Edgar), alongside Cassie Bradley, Richard Clothier, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Simon Manyonda, Daniel Millar, Michael Nardone, Gary Powell, Hannah Stokely, and Ross Waiton.

Meanwhile the NT Shed, the award-winning temporary studio venue in the National Theatre square, will house Blurred Lines, a new play from writer Nick Payne (Constellations) and director Carrie Cracknell (A Doll’s House).

Titled after the controversial hit song by American artist Robin Thicke, the play is billed as "a blistering journey through the minefield of contemporary gender politics. With songs."

Running from 22 January (previews from 16 January) to 22 February, the cast includes Marion Bailey, Michaela Coel, Bryony Hannah, Sinéad Matthews, Ruth Sheen, Claire Skinner and Susannah Wise.