The Land of the Living with Juliet Stevenson at the National Theatre – in rehearsals

The National Theatre has released rehearsal images for The Land of the Living, a new play by David Lan, which opens next month.

Juliet Stevenson and Tom Wlaschiha will lead the production as Ruth and Thomas. Directed by Stephen Daldry, the production will run in the Dorfman theatre from 9 September to 1 November as part of Rufus Norris’ final season programmed as director of the National Theatre.

The company also includes Atilla Akinci, Kate Duchêne, Michael Fox, Hubert Hanowicz, Caroline Loncq, Avital Lvova, Michael Marcus, Anastasia Martin, Marek Oravec, Cosima Shaw and Sasha Syzonenko.

Young performers Darcy Tosun, Artie Wilkinson-Hunt and Anton Vehring will join them. The article continues below. 

The production team features set designer Miriam Buether, costume designer Nicky Gillibrand, lighting designer James Farncombe, sound designer Gareth Fry, composer Paul Englishby, movement director Paul McGill, fight and intimacy director Maisie Carter, casting director Naomi Downham, dialect and language coach Victoria Woodward, voice coach Cathleen McCarron, associate director Jane Moriarty and staff director Júlia Levai.

Set in Germany in 1945, the play follows Thomas, a child stolen by the Nazis during the war, who is placed under the care of Ruth, a UN relief worker. She must decide whether to return him to his family or leave him with those he knows.