National Youth Theatre announces 60th anniversary season

The National Youth Theatre have announced their 60th Anniversary Season for 2016 which includes a return to the West End.

The company will bring sixteen 18-25 year-olds to the West End in September to perform pieces in repertory. Stephen Kelman's novel Pigeon English, which explores knife crime in London has been adapted for the stage by Gbolahan Obisesan. They will also perform a Teddy Girl version of Romeo and Juliet set in 1956 and adapted by Owen Horsley and Dennis Kelly's DNA.

As well as the West End season at the Ambassadors Theatre, two new plays will be performed at the Arcola Theatre by the NYT's 'Playing Up' – members of the NYT's social inclusion course, from 30 June.

There will be a season of new writing at the Finborough Theatre, which will include plays by James Fritz and Bola Agbaje and the first stage adaptation of Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. The new writing season runs from 9-27 August.

The company also take productions across the country in 2016, including The Tempest at the Royal & Derngate and a free regional tour of Luke Barnes' You Can and Karla Crome's If Chloe Can.

Artistic director of the NYT Paul Roseby said today: "In this gem of a diamond year we are continuing to engage the most talented and most in need with our unique passion for being a force for good, a force for positive change and a tour de force on stage."

The company also announced that Rosamund Pike, Sarah Solemani and Zawe Ashton will become company patrons. Pike said: "Now, more than ever, free opportunities like the National Youth Theatre provides for young people from all walks of life and right across the country are vital for cultivating the future of this country’s acting talent."