Young Vic unveils new season including Passing Strange and A Face in the Crowd Elvis Costello musical
Kwame Kwei-Armah has announced his final season at the Young Vic, marking his departure as artistic director later this year.
The Main House will present three productions, beginning with Passing Strange, the Tony Award-winning rock musical, which makes its European premiere under the direction of Liesl Tommy. The narrative follows a young Black musician on a journey through 1980s Amsterdam and Berlin, exploring themes of identity and rebellion through a fusion of musical genres. It runs from 14 May to 6 July.
The show, which won the Tony Award for Best Book in 2008, has set and costume design by Ben Stones, sound design by Tom Gibbons, musical supervision by Brandon Michael Nase, musical direction by Art Terry, choreography by Dickson Mbi, casting by Heather Basten CDG, and voice and dialect coaching by Hazel Holder.
A Face in the Crowd, directed by Kwei-Armah, sees Sarah Ruhl adapt the classic ’50s Hollywood film into a cautionary tale about fame and power. Featuring original songs by Elvis Costello, the story delves into the dark side of celebrity culture and media manipulation. It runs from 10 September to 9 November.
Closing the season is a new staging of Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, directed by Lyndsey Turner. Set in the American South, the play exposes the greed and ambition of the Hubbard family, offering a portrayal of moral decay and familial betrayal. It plays from 4 December 2024 to 8 February 2025, with design by Lizzie Clachan and sound design by Tingying Dong.
