Old Vic announces Alexander Litvinenko play and details of Emma Rice's Wise Children

The Old Vic has announced its autumn to winter season with a new play by Lucy Prebble focusing on the tragic death of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, and details for the world premiere of the stage adaptation of Angela Carter's novel Wise Children.

Rice's new adaptation, staged by her brand new company – also called Wise Children – will be an 'exuberantly impish' vision of Carter's last novel and will open in October this year. The piece follows Nora and Dora Chance, twin chorus girls born and bred in Brixton who are celebrating their 70th birthday. It will open on 17 October, with previews from 8 October.

Also announced is the world premiere of Prebble's A Very Expensive Poison, a new play about a modern-day assassination in London. The piece is based on Luke Harding's exposé of the events behind what happened to Litvinenko and will open in 2019.

Elsewhere, 17c, from Big Dance Theater, will make its UK premiere as part of Dance Umbrella from 26 September. The piece uses music, dance, video and spoken word to tell the story of Samuel Pepys. Sylvia, a new musical from Kate Prince, Priya Parma with music and lyrics from Josh Cohen, DJ Wade and Prince, has its world premiere in September. The show tells the story of Sylvia Pankhurst and her role in the campaign for women's rights. Beverley Knight leads the cast, which was announced recently.

Over Christmas, Jack Thorne's A Christmas Carol, directed by Matthew Warchus, returns to the theatre with Stephen Tompkinson as Ebenezer Scrooge.