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PLANS FOR FIRST NYT REP COMPANY NATIONAL TOUR ANNOUNCED

Posted 15 Jul 2023 by Joe Duggan

NEW NYT REP COMPANY 2021 NATIONAL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Tickets on sale now: www.nyt.org.uk/othello and www.nyt.org.uk/animalfarm

  • THE NYT REP WILL PREMIERE TWO NEW PRODUCTIONS FROM 17 TO 29 MAY AT ROYAL & DERNGATE NORTHAMPTON
  • FROM 2 TO 12 JUNE THE REP WILL PERFORM AT THE NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE’S NEW WORKSHOP THEATRE IN LONDON
  • THE SEASON WILL TOUR TO TWO ICONIC VENUES, - SHROPSHIRE’S SOULTON HALL FROM 16 TO 19 JUNE AND 17TH CENTURY BOLSOVER CASTLE 23 TO 26 JUNE
  • ANIMAL FARM - THE REVOLUTIONARY TALE ADAPTED BY AWARD WINNING POLITICAL PLAYWRIGHT TATTY HENNESSY AND DIRECTED BY ED STAMBOLLOUIAN
  • OTHELLO - SET TO THE BEAT OF THE 90S RAVE SCENE DIRECTED BY OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING MIRANDA CROMWELL WITH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR MUMBA DODWELL AND ABRIDGED BY DRAMATIST DZIFA BENSON
  • THE SEASON CONCLUDES WITH ORDINARY MIRACLE WRTTEN AND DIRECTED BY MASHA KEVINOVNA, RECIPIENT OF THE 2020 BRYAN FORBES DIRECTOR BURSARY, AND DEVISED WITH THE NYT REP COMPANY AT NYT’s WORKSHOP THEATRE 2 - 4 JULY
  • THE REP COMPANY IS NOW IN ITS NINTH YEAR WITH PREVIOUS ALUMNI INCLUDING 2021 BAFTA RISING STAR NOMINEE ṢỌPẸ DÌRÍSÙ, STAGE DEBUT 2020 WINNER TEMI WILKEY AND SEX EDUCATION STAR CHINENYE EZEUDU

National Youth Theatre have announced plans for their REP Company’s first National tour this summer, which will feature two new productions Animal Farm and Othello, co-produced by Royal & Derngate as part of their Made in Northampton season, performed in London and around the UK. Following the Royal & Derngate, Northampton announcement that the productions will premiere at Royal & Derngate from 17 to 29 May, further performances have been added at the NYT’s new Workshop Theatre from 2 to 12 June, during the redeveloped building’s soft opening period. The new theatre is part of a major redevelopment of the building to create an accessible National Production House for young people, which will officially open to full capacity audiences in the autumn.

The summer season will also tour to two iconic venues. Following last autumn's success of The Last Harvest, the NYT REP will return to the agricultural setting of Soulton Hall in Shropshire with Animal Farm from 16 to 19 June. Sustainable farmer Tim Ashton built The Sanctuary Theatre, an outdoor performance space, as an urgent response to the struggles faced by the performing arts industry as a result of COVID-19 and is campaigning for other farmers to do the same as part of a nationwide movement. English Heritage’s medieval fortress Bolsover Castle will host performances of Othello from 23 to 26 June.This builds on NYT’s wider partnership with English Heritage, which includes 2019 UK Heritage Award-winner Our House and a new play at Portchester Castle this summer exploring the site’s heritage including untold stories of 18th century Caribbean uprisings and Black Prisoners of War.

The REP Season will conclude with Ordinary Miracle, a new play written and directed by the 2020 NYT REP Bryan Forbes Director Bursary winner Masha Kevinovna, and devised with the NYT REP. Ordinary Miracle will play between 2-4 July at the NYT Workshop Theatre and is a devised multidisciplinary play with songs exploring the connection between dementia, music and fairy tales.

Tickets go on sale at the Workshop Theatre and Soulton Hall on Monday 12 April and tickets at Bolsover Castle and for Ordinary Miracle will go on sale in May, all at www.nyt.org.uk. Digital versions of the production will also be released later in the year.

All performances will adhere to Government regulations, with social distancing measures in place to make audiences safe and secure and restricted audience numbers where they are required by Government restrictions. Relaxed and BSL interpreted performances will take place at Royal & Derngate Northampton and the NYT’s Workshop Theatre as part of the charity’s inclusive practice programme.

NYT Artistic Director and CEO Paul Roseby said: “To be opening two world premieres with some of the UK's best creatives both on and off stage on the very same day as theatres can finally open their doors is a thrilling moment for us all. In a post-lockdown world, our national recovery must be led by culture and young people and thanks to Arts Council England and the Culture Recovery Fund we are thrilled to be playing our part. During these challenging dark months, my heartfelt admiration goes to all the freelance creatives whose bold and brilliant approach in reinventing these classic tales has made them so poignant for our time. These shows will be made even more urgent by the new audiences we are reaching in towns, rural communities and in our home borough in Islington as we celebrate the opening of our new and fully accessible Workshop Theatre”.

Othello sees the National Youth Theatre REP Company explore themes of love, jealousy, systemic racism and misogyny through the lens of crime and power. In a gender swapping casting move, the title role will be played by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers who is one of the 12 winners of the Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund in association with TikTok and National Youth Theatre.

Set against the early 90s rave scene, with electrifying music and movement, the retelling of this cautionary tale will be directed by Olivier Award-winning Miranda Cromwell (Death of a Salesman, West End) with Associate Director Mumba Dodwell (2019 NYT REP Bryan Forbes Bursary) and abridged by multi-disciplinary artist and dramatist Dzifa Benson (Creative Producer at The Water Replies for Estuary 2021 Festival.) Othello will feature original music by Ivor Novello award-winning composer Renell Shaw.

George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm has been adapted by award-winning playwright Tatty Hennessy (A Hundred Words for Snow, F*Off) as an allegory for our own times exploring themes of revolution, the price of sovereignty and power with humour and sharp wit.

Directed by Ed Stambollouian (Pinter at the Pinter), this Made in Northampton production, in association with Mike Shepherd (Kneehigh), will star Britain’s best young performing talent from the 2020 National Youth Theatre REP Company.

Inspired by the traditional repertory theatre model, the NYT REP Company course offers free, practical, industry-based talent development in drama and performance over nine months to a company of 16 NYT members. Following a pilot in 2012, National Youth Theatre’s first official REP Company was formed in April 2013. Now in its ninth year, the REP has gone from strength-to-strength with numerous West End seasons and the vast majority of graduates being signed by agents and going on to professional success.

Previous NYT REP alumni include 2021 BAFTA Rising Star Nominee Sọpẹ Dìrísù, stage debut 2020 and Forbes 30 Under 30 winner Temi Wilkey, Sex Education star Chinenye Ezeudu, Top Boy’s Seraphina Beh, Outlander’s Lauren Lyle, EastEnders’ Shiv Jalota, Poldark’s Ellise Chappell, Emmerdale’s Simon Lennon and many more actors working across stage and screen.

The REP Tour is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The National Youth Theatre is also grateful to The Clothworkers’ Foundation for its support of the Tour and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, Arts Council England, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Sophie’s Silver Lining Fund, Spotlight and Urban Myth Films for their support of the REP Company. National Youth Theatre are very grateful to everyone who has donated to The Bryan Forbes Bursary Fund for making this opportunity possible, especially the Forbes family and in particular Emma and Graham Clempson. We are also very grateful to these organisations who are supporting the redevelopment of our home to create a National Production House for Young People: the Mayor of London's Good Growth Fund, The Kirby Laing Foundation, Arts Council England, London Marathon Charitable Trust, the Christina Smith Foundation and City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder.

Young people interested in joining the company can subscribe to the National Youth Theatre’s Hub, an accessible subscription service in replacement of audition fees. As well as an audition or interview to become an NYT member, the Hub subscription includes an online platform that allows users access to live and pre-recorded workshops with actors and online resources for only £2 a month or £24 for the year. More information here: www.nyt.org.uk/hub

Opening these shows is subject to the Government allowing indoor performances to begin by then with sufficient notice, understanding what restrictions on social distancing and audience number caps are imposed. Digital versions of the productions will be made available in the event that touring venues are unable to welcome audiences due to Government restrictions.

LISTINGS

Animal Farm By George Orwell, Adapted by Tatty Hennessy, Directed by Ed Stambollouian

Royal & Derngate, Northampton
Monday 17 May to Saturday 22 May, 7.30pm
Thursday 20 May & Saturday 22 May, 2.30pm

NYT Workshop Theatre, National Youth Theatre
2nd, 10th, 11th, 12th June, 7.30pm
Saturday 12 June, 2pm

Soulton Hall, Shropshire
Wednesday 16 June to Saturday 19 June, 7.30pm
Friday 18 June & Saturday 19 June, 2pm

Othello By William Shakespeare, Abridged by Dzifa Benson, Directed by Miranda Cromwell, Associate Director Mumba Dodwell

Royal & Derngate Northampton
Monday 24 May to Saturday 29 May, 7.30pm
Thursday 27 May & Saturday 29 May, 2.30pm

Workshop Theatre, National Youth Theatre
5, 7, 8, 9 June, 7.30pm
Tuesday 8 & Wednesday 9 June , 2pm

Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Wednesday 23 June to Saturday 26 June, Evening Performances
Friday 25 June & Saturday 26 June, Matinee Performances

Ordinary Miracle, Written and Directed by Masha Kevinovna and devised with the NYT Rep Company

NYT Workshop Theatre
2, 3 July, 7.30pm
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 2.00pm

Relaxed Performances @ Workshop Theatre, London
2pm, 9 June Othello at Workshop Theatre, London
2pm, 11 June Animal Farm at the Workshop Theatre, London
2pm, 3 July Ordinary Miracle at the Workshop Theatre, London