The Stage

Pratchett’s Nation becomes latest novel adaptation at National

Published Thursday 15 January 2009 at 11:05 by Alistair Smith

Terry Pratchett’s novel Nation is set to become the latest in a line of book to stage adaptations at the National Theatre, following in the footsteps of other hugely successful family shows such as War Horse, Coram Boy and His Dark Materials.

Pratchett’s story is being adapted for the stage by Mark Ravenhill, the playwright best known for controversial works such as Shopping and Fucking and Mother Clap’s Molly House. He has also written plays in the National’s Connections programme of work for young people and a pantomime for the Barbican Centre.

The show was revealed as part the NT’s forthcoming season, which also includes a new work by Alan Bennett. It is as yet untitled, but features a fictional encounter between the ageing poet WH Auden and composer Benjamin Britten.

These join already announced productions such as Phedre, starring Helen Mirren and a new production of All’s Well That Ends Well, directed by Marianne Elliott.

Meanwhile, Deborah Warner will direct Fiona Shaw in Brecht’s Mother Courage, Rufus Norris will direct Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka and Richard Bean’s new play England People Very Nice will be staged by NT artistic director Nicholas Hytner. All of these will be in the Olivier, except Phedre and the new Bennett play, which will be staged in the Lyttelton.

Other highlights include a new play by Matt Charman about a UN observer in Africa, entitled Observer, and a stage adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s novel The Black Album. Both will be in the Cottesloe Theatre.

For full details, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk