National Youth Theatre REP have released the first look at their West End production of Much Ado About Nothing.
Revised by Grime artist, poet and playwright Debris Steveson (Poet in da Corner, Royal Court), the much-loved Shakespeare comedy set to the backdrop of a reality TV romance will open at the Duke of York’s Theatre from Tuesday 7 February to Friday 10 February. Josie Daxter (NYT alumna), who has worked extensively with The PappyShow and Complicite, playfully directs this modern-day love story as they go behind the cameras into a loved-up world of gossip, matchmaking and manipulation. Some of Britain’s best young talent will be taking over the West End with 1000 £10 tickets on sale for this 10th anniversary NYT REP Company production.
Alongside the production, on Friday 10 February, National Youth Theatre and some of Britain’s leading voices will be hosting the world-first all-night West End youth takeover at the Duke of York. Featuring world premieres of new work by some of Britain’s best theatre-makers and artists including Lolita Chakrabarti, James Graham, DJ High Contrast, Imogen Knight, Mark Ravenhill, Simon Stephens, Athena Stevens, Dawn Walton and more. Their work will be staged by, and alongside new stories from, the country’s next generation of big talent including filmmaker Omar Khan and NYT Associate Companies Itch + Scratch and Piece of Cake Productions who’ll be curating an hour dedicated to celebrating young Black talent.
Much Ado About Nothing will be the first production of National Youth Theatre REP Company’s 10th season. This will be followed by Bola Agbaje’s Olivier Award-winning remarkable debut GONE TOO FAR! at Theatre Royal Stratford East from 24 March – 1 April 2023. The season will end with a new version of Bakkhai by Anne Carson and directed by Maisie Newman at NYT’s Workshop Theatre in North London from 2 – 6 May 2023.
In this 10th year the NYT REP company led by NYT Associate Director Anna Niland will be made up of: Hannah Zoé Ankrah, Tomás Azocar-Nevin, Eleanor Booth, Chloe Cooper, Daniel Cawley, Jack D’Arcy, Jez Davess-Humphrey, Jessica Enemokwu, Isolde Fenton, Kira Golightly, Thuliswa Magwaza, Dalumuzi Moyo, Olivia Ng, Jasmine Ricketts, Nathaly Sabino and Jerome Scott. Each year NYT REP members are mentored by industry professional including casting directors, producers and performers. This year they will be mentored by Isabel Adomakoh Young, Amy Ball, Rikki Beadle-Blair, Johnny Capps, Steffan Donnelly, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Lucianne McEvoy, Ray Fearon, Kane Husbands, Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, Kate Kennedy, Lauren Lyle, Ruth O’Dowd, Amanda Wilkin and Ashley Zhangazha.
National Youth Theatre would like to thank the following for their support of our 2022/23 NYT REP Company: our principal supporter Arts Council England; The Leverhulme Trust, Ian McKellen, the Clothworkers’ Foundation and Helen Mirren for their support of bursaries; Spotlight for their support of The REP Industry Performances for agents, casting directors and creative professionals to see each show in the season; Idlewild Trust and The Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust. We’re very grateful to all those who have donated to the Bryan Forbes Bursary for Young Directors and in particular Emma Forbes and Graham Clempson. We would also like to thank all of NYT’s Centre Stage Supporters and Investors in Talent.
Tickets are on sale www.nyt.org.uk/whats-on
