Indhu Rubasingham unveils her first season as Artistic Director of National Theatre

National Theatre has revealed what is to come over the next year. Inspired by the theatre's rich past and shaking up its future, Rubasingham's season will offer audiences a rich range of experiences from September 2025.

Today's announcement also included some news about what is to come in 2027. Here's what we have to look forward to:

• A new version of Euripides' tragedy, Bacchae, will head to the Olivier Theatre from 13 September - 1 November 2025. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, Heartstopper's Nima Taleghani will bring this production to life through a mixture of rhythm, movement and music. The cast for Bacchae includes Clare Perkins, Ukweli Roach and Melanie-Joyce Bermudez.
• Robert Hastle (Standing at the Sky's Edge) wil direct a sharp, stylish and darkly funny reimagining of Hamlet with Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) playing the titular role. It will run at the Lyttelton Theatre from 25 September - 22 November 2025.
• Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) will head to the Lyttelton Theatre from 4 December 2025 - 28 February 2026 where they will star in The Playboy of the Western World. John Millington Synge's production is billed as a riveting story of youth and self-discovery.
• The Olivier Award-nominated stage adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's novel Ballet Shoes returns to the National Theatre across the festive period. Adapted by Kendall Feaver, the 'playful, graceful adaptation' (Telegraph) received a plethora of critical acclaim last year. It plays from 17 November 2025 - 21 February 2026.

Looking ahead to 2026/27, the following was also revealed:

• Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, The Jungle Book will be adapted for the Olivier stage in 2026. From the stories by Rudyard Kipling, the timeless classic tale of family, courage and loyalty will be well worth the wait.
• Letitia Wright will make her National Theatre in The Story, an examination of racial politics and journalistic ethics which was inspired by real events. Written by Tracey Scott Wilson, Clint Dyer will direct this production.
• Monica Barbaro, Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner will head to the Lyttelton Theatre in a major revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Marianne Elliott will direct Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ epistolary novel for the stage.
• Two 20th Century classics will take to the Lyttelton Theatre in a repertory season. Paul Mescal will make his National Theatre debut in the productions which are A Whistle in the Dark, directed by Caitríona McLaughlin and Death of a Salesman, directed by Rebecca Frecknall.
• The award-winning playwright Caryl Churchill will reunite with director Dominic Cooke to direct Cloud 9, a production which examines the complexities of identity and change.
• Directed by National Theatre Associate, Miranda Cromwell, The Authenticator will make its debut at the Dorfman Theatre. This new play by award-winning playwright Winsome Pinnock presents a political, funny and theatrical take on Britain past and present.
• At the Dorfman Theatre, Carmen Nasr will make her National Theatre debut with Samira. Originally commissioned by Kiln Theatre and inspired by real events, the production focuses on a young Syrian blogger who is not all that she seems.
• For fans of new musicals, PRIDE will be making its debut at the National Theatre, based on the 2014 film. Matthew Warchus and Stephen Beresford will reunite to tell the story of how a group of lesbian and gay activists joined the miners’ strike campaign of 1984.
• Ben Daniels will lead Man and Boy, a new production of Terence Rattigan's play which will be directed by Anthony Lau.
• To celebrate 25 years of the groundbreaking company Punchdrunk, National Theatre have commissioned a new piece of work which will be presented at the Dorfman in 2027.
• There is an exciting new collaboration with multi Brit Award-winning Stormzy heading to the stage.

There is a whole collection of fantastic productions coming to the National Theatre in the upcoming months including Here We Are, Nye, London Road, The Land of the Living and Inter Alia..

Keep your eyes pealed on the London Box Office website for all the upcoming announcements.