Headlong Artistic Director Jeremy Herrin to Produce New Works by Anjya Reiss, Jack Thorne and More in 2014

Jeremy Herrin announces his plans as Artistic Director of Headlong with new work from some of theatre's most exciting and original voices; Anya Reiss, Jennifer Haley, Jack Thorne and Duncan Macmillan, who will be joining the company as a Literary Associate.

In a season which is at once bold and intellectually thrilling, Herrin is building on the company's extraordinary critical and commercial success with a vigorous programme of work across the country.

As one of the UK's leading touring theatre companies, Headlong will be continuing its commitment to nurturing the next generation of theatre makers and working with some of the most inventive artists. The company will also be stretching its artistic ambition in establishing new collaborations and partnerships with some of the country's foremost theatres.

Headlong's season will be presented in collaboration with leading UK theatres where the plays will receive their premieres.

Jeremy Herrin said 'I am delighted to announce this season of shows, which are about what it is like to be alive now with all its contradictions and in all its glory. Headlong is about making exhilarating work and getting it out around the country and around the world, so it is brilliant to find new ways to engage with our regional partners by co-commissioning and co-producing plays with increasing ambition. It is an honour to be able to build on the company's recent remarkable successes, and I couldn't be more excited about joining with audiences, funders, colleagues and partners on starting this journey.'

NEW THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH West Yorkshire Playhouse

Headlong is delighted to be continuing its emerging director scheme in a new three-year partnership with West Yorkshire Playhouse. Ben Kidd will direct the world premiere of award-winning playwright Anya Reiss's new version of Spring Awakening in March 2014. Spring Awakening is also co-produced with the Nuffield and will tour to UK venues from Spring 2014.

Few up-and-coming directors have the chance to direct in different spaces to different audiences supported by an experienced creative and technical team. This hugely successful model, now in its fifth year, allows a director in the Early Stages of their career the opportunity to present work on main stages across the country.

The programme has previously supported work from Simon Godwin, Natalie Abrahami, Robert Icke and Blanche McIntrye who recently won the TMA Award for Best Director for her critically acclaimed production of The Seagull also for Headlong, the Nuffield and in association with Derby Theatre.

NEW COLLABORATION WITH THE JMK TRUST

In keeping with the company's ambition of supporting and nurturing emerging directors, Headlong is teaming up with the JMK Trust to offer workshops and training to directors' groups at venues around the UK including Bristol Old Vic, Salisbury Playhouse, Traverse Theatre, Birmingham Rep, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Northern Stage, as part of the Trust's regional programme.

More details to be announced shortly.

SEASON OF WORK:

A Headlong, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Nuffield co-production

Spring Awakening

by Frank Wedekind

in a new version by Anya Reiss

Directed by Ben Kidd

Designed by Colin Richmond with lighting design by Malcolm Rippeth and sound design by George Dennis

Friday 7 March to Saturday 22 March 2014 at West Yorkshire Playhouse

PRESS NIGHT: TUESDAY 11 MARCH AT 7.45PM AT West Yorkshire Playhouse

Tuesday 25th March to Saturday 5th April 2014 at Nuffield Southampton

More dates to be announced shortly.

Ben Kidd will direct Anya Reiss's dazzling new version of Wedekind's definitive play Spring Awakening in a co production with West Yorkshire Playhouse and Nuffield.

Brought bang up to date by award-winning young playwright Anya Reiss and director Ben Kidd, this new version examines the exuberance, intensity and confusion of teenage life today.

This production will begin a UK tour at Leeds before travelling to venues which include Nuffield, Cambridge, Richmond, Liverpool and Newcastle.

More details to follow shortly.

A Headlong and Royal Court Theatre co-production

The Nether

by Jennifer Haley

Directed by Jeremy Herrin

Thursday 17 July - Saturday 9 August at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

PRESS NIGHT: THURSDAY 24 JULY AT 7PM

"I've read the studies. No one has been able to draw a conclusive correlation between virtual behaviour and behaviour in-world."

The Nether offers complete freedom - a new virtual wonderland provides total sensory immersion. Just log in, choose an identity and indulge your every desire.

But when a young detective uncovers a disturbing brand of entertainment, she triggers an interrogation into the darkest corners of imagination.

Winner of the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Nether is both an intricate crime drama and a haunting sci-fi thriller that explores the consequences of making dreams a reality.

Nether Realm:
1.) Another world for mystical creatures
2.) Demon world
3.) A dimension of Evil or imagination

urbandictionary.com

People, Places and Things

By Duncan Macmillan

Directed by Jeremy Herrin

Jeremy Herrin directs Duncan Macmillan's People , Places and Things, a new play about recovery.

To avoid relapse, you are advised to avoid people, places and things that may destabilise your equilibrium.

But some things are unavoidable.

Full details to be announced shortly.

In partnership with Bristol Old Vic

Junkyard

By Jack Thorne

A play with music.

When kids are treated like junk, they tend to treat others like junk.

A play about Bristol for Bristol - Junkyard is set in a playground in Lockleaze, a space built by one man for a generation outside society.

Full details to be announced shortly.

Current Work: Headlong and Nottingham Playhouse's critically acclaimed production of 1984, created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, is currently on an extensive UK tour finishing at West Yorkshire Playhouse on 16 November. It will open in a co production with the Almeida on 8 February with press night on 13 February 2014.

Headlong and the Almeida in association with Jesse Singer and David Johnson are currently co-producing American Psycho, directed by Rupert Goold, which begins at the Almeida on 3 December.

West Yorkshire Playhouse: West Yorkshire Playhouse is one of the UK's leading producing theatres situated in the heart of Leeds city centre. We have two main stages, the 750 seat Quarry and the 360 seat Courtyard theatres as well as other performance spaces across the building. We make theatre that is pioneering, invigorating and relevant and are a cultural hub for the city and beyond. We are dedicated collaborators, working regularly with other theatres from across the UK and some of the most distinctive, original voices in theatre today. We provide a creative space for new writers, emerging companies and individual theatre makers to develop their work. Alongside making theatre we have a dedicated arts development team whose work includes our successful youth theatre and heydays projects, our innovative relaxed performances, inventive education packages and the creation of first floor, a dedicated space for young people to engage with the creative arts. This season artistic director James Brining restages his critically acclaimed production Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in partnership with the Royal Exchange. Leeds-set new play My Generation premiered this season alongside new scratch night the playground and a play, a pie and a pint in October and associate companies RashDash and Unlimited present new works. This Christmas The Playhouse is also producing The Jungle Book directed by Liam Steel and Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas a co-production with Lyric Hammersmith and Pins and Needles.

Nuffield Theatre: Nuffield is a producing company based at the 500 seat theatre at the heart of the Highfield campus of the University of Southampton. The Company is led by Sam Hodges, supported by a new team of associates: directors Blanche McIntyre, Natalie Abrahami and Michael Longhurst, designer Tom Scutt and playwright Adam Brace, and develops and produces work with some of the UK's most exciting and dynamic theatre companies including Headlong and English Touring Theatre.

The Royal Court Theatre: The Royal Court Theatre is Britain's leading national company dedicated to new work by innovative writers from the UK and around the world. The theatre's pivotal role in promoting new voices is undisputed - the New York Times described it as 'the most important theatre in Europe'. The Royal Court receives and considers an extraordinary quantity of new work and, each year, presents an ambitious programme in its two venues at Sloane Square in London. In recent years, the Royal Court has also staged productions in New York, Sydney, Brussels, Toronto and Dublin. In addition to its high profile productions, the Royal Court facilitates international work at a grass roots level, developing exchanges which bring young writers to Britain and sending British writers, actors and directors to work with artists around the world. The Royal Court Young Writers Programme also works to develop new voices with a biennial Festival and year-round development work for writers under 26. The Royal Court's success has inspired confidence in theatres across the world and, whereas new plays were once viewed as a risk, they are now at the heart of a revival of interest among artists and audiences alike.

Bristol Old Vic: Bristol Old Vic is the longest continuously-running theatre in the UK led by artists who see the world with distinctive clarity and publicly funded by Arts Council England and Bristol City Council, to support experiment, innovation and access for all.

Our mission is to create pioneering twenty-first Century Theatre in partnership with the people of our energetic city; inspired by the history and magical design of the most beautiful playhouse in the country, recently refurbished as part of an ongoing redevelopment project.

We strive to be welcoming, professional and boundlessly curious; playful, ambitious and rigorous; resourceful, honest, and generous; collaborative, Bristolian and world class.