Martin McDonagh play features in new Royal Court season

The season kicks off with Cordelia Lynn‘s debut play Lela & Co directed by Jude Christian in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in September.

Also opening in September, in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Matthew Dunster directs Martin McDonagh's Hangmen. It will be McDonagh's first play in London since The Pillowman, for which he won the Olivier Award for Best New Play.

Press material for Hangmen states:

In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what's the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they've abolished hanging? Amongst the cub reporters and sycophantic pub regulars dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit.

McDonagh returns to the Royal Court where his trilogy The Beauty Queen of Leenane, A Skull in Connemara and The Lonesome West premiered in the late 1990s.

'Encompasses all that the Royal Court is about'

Next up, Nicola Wilson makes her debut at the Royal Court with Plaques and Tangles, directed by Lucy Morrison and premiering in the Theatre Upstairs from 14 October to 21 November, while Brooklyn-based ensemble the TEAM bring their devised multimedia show Roosevelvis to the Downstairs from 21 October to 14 November.

Penelope Skinner returns to the Royal Court with Linda directed by Michael Longhurst. The production, which runs from 25 November to 9 January 2016, will include the Royal Court's first adult relaxed performance, aimed at reaching audiences who need a more open and inclusive performing environment.

The season concludes with Korean-American playwright Mia Chung's UK premiere of You For Me For You directed by Richard Twyman from 3 December to 9 January.

Royal Court artistic director Vicky Featherstone said: "From the return of Martin McDonagh to theatre with a hilarious and dark new play, to Mia Chung’s play about North Korean sisters fleeing the regime, this autumn is a season which purely encompasses all that the Royal Court is about.

"Whether from the more experienced writer or the brand new, like Cordelia Lynn and Nicola Wilson, this is the very best in fearless and excoriating writing for theatre. These plays start a conversation which probe and provoke, asking questions of our time and ourselves."

Casting for the productions is due to be announced later this week. Tickets for the new season go on sale to the general public on Friday (17 July) at 1pm.