Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney Talks Masculinity, Race and Sexuality on National Theatre Podcast

Oscar-winning playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney features exclusively on the latest National Theatre podcast. McCraney, who recently came to London to direct a staged reading of his seminal play Wig Out!, gives an extended interview in which he talks frankly about masculinity, race and sexuality. To listen to the podcast, click here!

Appearing in Wig Out!, the second play in the NT's Queer Theatre series, McCraney joined a cast of twelve to mark 50 years since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

In the fifth in the series of National Theatre podcasts, McCraney discusses the issues affecting men today alongside poet and playwright Inua Ellams, whose play Barber Shop Chronicles recently transferred to West Yorkshire Playhouse, following a sell-out run in the NT's Dorfman Theatre.

The National Theatre's recently launched podcast series seeks to use theatre as a mechanism to explore the complex social, economic and cultural issues of our time. Previous episodes have featured interviews with MP Ed Miliband, Dame Harriet Walter and Simon Russell Beale. Each episode tackles topical theatrical issues exploring a diverse range of subjects, including: theatre in prisons, gender, ageing and the purpose of producing political theatre based on current events such as Brexit.

The National's Queer Theatre season was programmed to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, and featured five rehearsed plays, exhibitions, talks and screenings which chart the LGBTQ+ experience.

Launching the Queer Theatre initiative, playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney said: "I feel grateful to be returning to the UK and reading this piece. As we continue better to understand ourselves and how we perform in the world I hope this investigation back into the 'ball scene' will be as exciting as it is important. #Alllove&Allpride."

To listen to the podcast, click here, and for more information on the NT's Queer Theatre season click here.

At the National Theatre, we make world-class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring, and we make it for everyone. In 2016-2017, the NT staged 26 productions and gave 2,585 performances at our home on the South Bank. The NT's award-winning programme had a UK paying audience of 1.8 million, 400,000 of which were NT Live audiences.

The work the National Theatre produces appeals to the widest possible audiences with new plays, musicals, re-imagined classics and new work for young audiences. The NT's work is seen in the West End, on tour throughout the UK and internationally, and in collaborations and co-productions with partners across the country. Through NT Live, we broadcast some of the best of British theatre to over 2,000 venues in 60 countries around the world.

Our extensive Learning programme offers talks, events and workshops for people of all ages, and reaches nationwide through programmes such as Connections, our annual festival of new plays for schools and youth theatres. In 2016-2017 there were 196,826 participations through the NT Learning events programme. Over 3,000 schools have signed up to the free streaming service, On Demand In Schools, since its launch in September 2015.

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