Roy Alexander Weise News

The National Theatre has announced its upcoming lineup for the first half of 2019.

Fuel open Tron Theatre's main house season this Spring with The Dark (15 & 16 Feb), the harrowing and uplifting autobiographical story of poet Nick Makoha's migration with his mother at the age of four to escape a country divided by dictatorship and consumed by conflict.

Fuel Director, Kate McGrath today confirmed the programme of work for 2019. She said: "Understanding the world we live in seems more complex than ever. Imagining a positive future requires new levels of optimism. Coming together in a theatre is a way to do these things, and have a good night out. Brilliant artists create a space for a temporary community to come together and seek to understand and to imagine. Fuel's job is to identify those living artists and bring their urgent and brave work to life for people to experience. As we approach our 15th birthday, we reflect on what has changed in the world since 2004, where we find ourselves today, and what 2034 might hold for us all. Our 2019 season celebrates our common humanity: how we all connect to the earth and to each other.

The Trustees of the JMK Trust today announce that from 2019 the JMK Award will enter a new partnership with the Orange Tree Theatre, with the winner's production forming a core part of the theatre's annual programming. At this new home, the JMK Award will offer one director the opportunity to direct a full-scale Orange Tree show with the production values and nurturing guidance the building is famous for. The JMK Award, which had previously been resident at the Young Vic for seven years, forms part of the national programme for the The JMK Trust, running alongside the Regional Directors Programme.

Nine Night, Natasha Gordon's critically acclaimed play transfers from the National Theatre to the Trafalgar Studios on 1 December 2018 (press night 6 December) in a co-production with Trafalgar Theatre Productions. Natasha Gordon takes the role of Lorraine in her debut play, for which she has recently been awarded the Charles Wintour Award for 'Most Promising P' at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. This transfer makes her the first black British female playwright to have a play staged in the West End.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. We've already posted our Christmas picks, and now here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings (sans tinsel). Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld reviews, interviews and features!

Steven Atkinson, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of HighTide, has today announced his final season for the company, which includes a full season of new writing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019, and the return of HighTide Festivals in Aldeburgh and Walthamstow.

The National Theatre production of Nine Night, Natasha Gordon's award-winning play begins previews at the Trafalgar Studios on 1 December 2018 (press night 6 December) in a co-production with Trafalgar Theatre Productions. Natasha Gordon will take the role of Lorraine in her debut play, for which she won 'The Charles Wintour Award for Best Emerging Playwright' in last week's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Bristol Old Vic presents The Mountaintop as part of its continued commitment to re-examining Bristol's relationship with the past, highlighted through the theatre's ongoing Year of Change.

The National Theatre has today announced its new season

Following on from Bristol Old Vic's momentous reopening of its front of house spaces, on Fri 5 Oct the theatre will officially open the newly-built and newly-christened Weston Studio theatre, a magical, flexible space situated in the old barrel cellars beneath Coopers' Hall.

The Big House, a charity which enables care leavers and at risk young people to fulfil their potential through drama, wraparound support and long term mentoring, today announces new premises in Islington and the world premiere of Bullet Tongue by Andrew Day and Sonya Hale, a promenade piece through the new building, which will be developed with and performed by a group of young people at risk of social exclusion. The new building's inaugural production, directed by Artistic Director and CEO of The Big House, Maggie Norris, opens on 16 November, with previews from 14 November and runs until 8 December.

Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Sam Hodges, Reading Rep and producer Desara Bosnja announce the cast and full tour dates for the revival of the JMK production of The Mountaintop. The tour, which includes regional venues such as Bristol Old Vic, Northern Stage and Birmingham Rep is part of a touring network to support JMK productions and productions alike have a life outside of London. The cast for Katori Hall's The Mountaintop includes Gbolahan Obisesan (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and Rochelle Rose (Camae). The production opens on 2 October, with previews from 26 September at Nuffield Southampton Theatres and runs for two weeks ahead of national tour to Northern Stage, Northwall, Reading Rep Theatre, Leicester Curve, Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep.

The National Theatre has announced its May-September 2018 season.

Roy Alexander Weise directs Natasha Gordon's debut play Nine Night is a touching and very funny exploration of the rituals of family.

New casting announced for the new National Theatre season. Full cast has been announced for Brian Friel's Translations including Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Eric Kofi Abrefa and Thalissa Teixeira join Vanessa Kirby in the cast of Julie, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Sam Mendes directs The Lehman Trilogy, a co-production with Neal Street Productions, cast includes Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale. Full casting is announced for the award winning An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, transferring to the National Theatre in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre. The NT will tour to 30 venues in 27 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, for a total of 83 playing weeks over the next year. Rufus Norris' Macbeth to tour to 18 venues across the UK and Ireland from autumn 2018. War Horse returns to the National Theatre marking the centenary of Armistice Day.

Talks and events at the National Theatre start this year with The Jungle - exploring the issues on 6 January. The talk will explore the issues raised in the play as well as the refugee situation more widely with panel members from Good Chance Theatre directors Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy, Nico Stevens (COO, Help Refugees) and Lord Dubs (who sponsored an amendment to the Immigration Act which allows unaccompanied refugee children to settle in the UK).

Heretic Productions today announces an extension of the inaugural Heretic Voices - a new competition which aims to find the best new writing in monologue form, at the Arcola Theatre now running from Tuesday 9 January until Saturday 20 January. The recently announced winners, chosen by Michael Billington, Lolita Chakrabarti, Monica Dolan and Mel Kenyon, will have their monologues produced by acclaimed directors and actors at the Arcola Theatre.

In Robert Louis Stevenson's original Victorian-era novel, women don't seem to exist. They are erased from the narrative, yet their stories are probably some of the most important. In this reimagining, Placey positions our focus on Dr Jekyll's widow, Harriet, showing how she deals with grief and oppression.

What is the purpose of life? Is it to climb to the top? In theory, a person's success should be a product of their hard work, talent and ambition.