Almeida Theatre Artistic Director Rupert Goold has today announced a new socially distanced season of three world premieres for Christmas 2020 and early 2021.
The season includes: Nine Lessons and Carols: stories for a long winter – a new production devised by Chris Bush, Rebecca Frecknall and a company of six actors and musicians; Hymn, a new play by Lolita Chakrabarti, featuring Adrian Lester and Danny Sapani, and directed by Blanche McIntyre; and The Maladies, a new play by Carmen Nasr, performed by the Almeida Young Company, directed by Diyan Zora.
World Premiere
stories for a long winter
Created by Chris Bush, Rebecca Frecknall and the company.
Wednesday 2 December 2020 to Saturday 9 January 2021
“In the dark times
Will there also be singing?
Yes, there will also be singing.
About the dark times.”
(Bertolt Brecht)
This is not a Corona play.
This is a play about connection and isolation, about lighting a candle to see us through the longest night, about what we hold on to when we cannot hold each other.
Almeida Associate Director Rebecca Frecknall (Summer and Smoke; The Duchess of Malfi), playwright Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge; Pericles) and a company of six performers devise a new production reflecting on a year of separation and the power of contact.
Cast: Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Katie Brayben, Toheeb Jimoh, Elliot Levey, Maimuna Memon, and Luke Thallon.
World Premiere
By Carmen Nasr
Directed by Diyan Zora
Monday 18 January to Friday 22 January 2021
Performed by the Almeida Young Company (18-25)
I’m tired. I’m tired of living in a world that’s not mine.
1508. Strasbourg. A woman dances compulsively, soon hundreds join her.
1962. Tanzania. A schoolgirl’s laughing fit spreads from village to village.
2011. USA. Cheerleaders are overcome by uncontrollable twitching.
2023. London. A group of women suddenly lose the ability to speak.
When a group of women in London mysteriously fall silent, no one can figure out why. The team at an all-female podcast decide to investigate and end up on a journey of discovery, uncovering more than they bargained for.
The Maladies is a new play by Almeida Genesis Writer Carmen Nasr (Dubailand), directed by Diyan Zora (Chronicles of a City We Never Knew/Gather Ye Rosebuds) and has been devised with the Almeida Young Company (18-25).
World Premiere
By Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Blanche McIntyre
Friday 29 January – Saturday 27 February 2021
“Man, sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself” Miles Davis
Two men meet at a funeral. Gil knew the deceased. Benny did not. Before long their families are close. Soon they’ll be singing the same tune.
Benny is a loner anchored by his wife and children. Gil longs to fulfil his potential. They form a deep bond but as cracks appear in their fragile lives they start to realise that true courage comes in different forms.
Featuring music from Gil and Benny’s lives, Lolita Chakrabarti’s searching, soulful new play asks what it takes to be a good father, brother or son.
Directed by Blanche McIntyre (The Writer), Hymn features Adrian Lester and Danny Sapani.
