Bennett’s Untold Stories transfer from National to Duchess, 2 Apr

The National Theatre’s productions of Hymn and Cocktail Sticks, a double-bill adapted from Alan Bennett’s Untold Stories, will transfer to the West End’s Duchess Theatre from 2 April 2013 (previews from 22 March) for a 12-week run.

Alex Jennings will repeat his acclaimed performance as Bennett in both pieces.

Directed by
Nadia Fall, Hymn is a “touching memoir of music in childhood”, with words by Alan
Bennett and an “evocative score” by George Fenton.

Cocktail Sticks is directed by Nicholas Hytner and revisits some of the
themes and conversations of Bennett’s memoir A Life Like Other
People’s. A son talks to his dead father as his mother yearns for a
different life.

Alex Jennings’ many appearances at the National include Collaborators,
The Habit of Art, Present Laughter, The Alchemist, Stuff Happens, His
Girl Friday, The Relapse and The Winter’s Tale (for which two roles he
won the 2001 Evening Standard Award for Best Actor), Albert Speer and My
Fair Lady at Drury Lane (Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical).

Untold Stories, which continues in the Lyttelton (in rep with Bennett’s new play People) until 17 March is designed by Bob Crowley, with lighting by Tom Snell; sound design for
Hymn is by Mike Walker and for Cocktail Sticks by John Leonard.