RSC announces 2024 London winter season

The RSC has announced details for its forthcoming winter season at the Barbican in London.

Two productions are set to transfer from Stratford-upon-Avon to the capital from October 2024 until January 2025.

Firstly, The Buddha of Suburbia, a co-production with Wise Children, will run at the Barbican Theatre from 22 October to 16 November 2024.

Emma Rice’s stage adaptation of the 1990 novel by Hanif Kureishi explores themes of family, friends, sex, theatre and belonging. The production was described as being executed with “great panache and plenty of Rice’s trademark theatricality” in a recent review by WhatsOnStage.

The creative team also includes set designer Rachana Jadhav, costume designer Vicki Mortimer, sound and video designer Simon Baker, lighting designer Jai Morjaria, composer Niraj Chag, choreographer and intimacy co-ordinator Etta Murfitt, fight director Kev McCurdy and casting director Matthew Dewsbury.

Secondly, Eleanor Rhode’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which “not only breathes new life into the broad comedy, but also finds a freshness that invigorates both cast and audience” according to our WhatsOnStage reviewer, will run at the Barbican from 3 December 2024 to 18 January 2025.

Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) is set to reprise his performance as Bottom in London, with additional casting for both transfers still to be revealed.

The full creative team for Midsummer includes set and costume designer Lucy Osborne, illusion director and designer John Bulleid, lighting designer Matt Daw, composer Will Gregory, sound designer Pete Malkin, movement director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, fight and intimacy directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown, and casting director Matthew Dewsbury.

RSC co-artistic directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, commented: “We’re so proud that these two productions, led by two brilliant directors, will play the Barbican stage later this year. Together, they encapsulate one of our core missions at the RSC: to bring people together to experience new plays side-by-side with those of our house playwright, to deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us, and bring joy.

“Both these productions are naughty, soulful and entertaining, and we can’t wait to share them with audiences in the capital. Meanwhile, in Stratford, we’re looking forward to continuing our inaugural Stratford season with a host of inspiring artists.”