Juliette Binoche
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The National Theatre announced its fall season. Highlights include a new dance work created by Juliette Binoche entitled
in-i,
Oedipus starring Ralph Fiennes and Harold Pinter’s
Landscape starring Simon Russell Beale and Clare Higgins. The season will also feature new work by Enda Walsh and the returns of Katie Mitchell’s
Waves and the Olivier Award-winning
War Horse.
Mitchell’s Waves, featuring the original cast from the 2006 production, returns to the Cottesloe Theatre prior to a U.K. and international tour. A tale of friendship, loss, identity and love, Waves is based on Virginia Woolf’s novel that traces a band of friends from childhood to old age and death. Performances begin on August 20.
First in the season of new work is in-i, a dance piece created, directed and performed by film actress Binoche and Akram Khan. Performances begin at the Lyttelton Theatre on September 6 with opening night set for September 18. A tour will follow.
War Horse returns to the Olivier Theatre on September 10, following an acclaimed run last season. The play is based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel and has been adapted by Nick Stafford. It is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris and features Oliver Award-winning choreography by Toby Sedgwick.
Pinter’s Landscape and A Slight Ache will play in repertory at the Lyttelton Theatre, starring Beale and Higgins. The double bill will be directed by Iqbal Kahn. Performances begin on September 13 and will run through October 1.
Walsh’s The Walforth Farce begins previews at the Cottesloe Theatre on September 18, to open on September 24. The play takes a look at what happens when we become stuck in the stories we tell ourselves about our lives. Mikel Murfi directs a cast including Denis Conway, Garrett Lombard, Tadhg Murphy and Mercy Ojelade.
Oedipus, starring Fiennes in the title role and Higgins as Jocasta, will play the Olivier Theatre beginning October 8. Frank McGuinness’ new version of the classic tragedy will be directed by Jonathan Kent. Also in the cast are Patrick Brennan, Sam Cox, Steven Page, Christopher Saul, David Shaw-Parker and Malcolm Storry.
The Lyttelton Theatre will house To Be Straight With You, a poetic but unflinching exploration of tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality. Previews begin October 29 with opening night set for November 15. The play is created by DV8, directed by Lloyd Newson and features a cast that includes Ankur Bahl, Dan Canham, Seke Chimutengwende, Ermira Goro, Hannes Langolf, Coral Messam, Paradigmz, Rafael Paradillo and Ira Mandela Siobhan.
The Pitmen Painters returns to the National on January 27, 2009. Inspired by a book by William Feaver and written by Lee Hall, it takes a timely look at art, class and politics. Christopher Connell, Michael Hodgson, Ian Kelly, Brian Lonsdale, Lisa McGrillis, Deka Walmsley, David Whitaker and Phillipa Wilson are featured in the cast.
Along with the fall season, the National Theatre also announced the appointment of two new board members: playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and chairman and chief exectuive of the Penguin Group, John Makinson.