The line-up includes 18 productions an eight world premieres.
The National Theatre has unveiled its 2027 programme featuring a revival of West Side Story, a play detailing Sir John Major’s reign as Prime Minister and a production starring Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke.
The acclaimed theatre company will stage a major revival of Broadway hit West Side Story next year, which adapts William Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet to the streets of New York City in the 1950s.
The award-winning musical premiered in 1957 and has seen major success, with two silver screen adaptations in 1961 and 2021, with the latter directed by Steven Spielberg.
Its upcoming revival will be co-directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, with Jerome Robbins’ original choreography reproduced and adapted by Julio Monge.
Major is a new play penned by James Graham and directed by Jeremy Herrin, which follows Sir John as he takes over from Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, and it is among eight world premieres lined up for the 2027 National Theatre season.
Ballroom dancer Du Beke, famed for his role on BBC dancing competition Strictly, will also take to the stage for the UK tour of an adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s classic 1936 children’s novel Ballet Shoes.
It marks his return to theatre following his 2025 Christmas With Anton Du Beke tour, which featured festive music, dancing, and comedy alongside vocalist Lance Ellington and a live band.
Paul Mescal was previously announced as making his National Theatre debut next year in productions of Arthur Miller’s modern classic Death Of A Salesman, and in A Whistle In The Dark by Irish playwright Tom Murphy.
The Dublin-born actor will be joined by a star-studded cast during the special repertory season at the Lyttelton Theatre in London, with award-winning actress Monica Dolan and Irish star Ciaran Hinds joining him onstage.
US actor and playwright Tracy Letts and British actress Aisling Loftus are also among Mescal’s newly announced cast members.
Other productions listed for 2027 include a reimagined version of Tennessee Williams’ popular drama Suddenly Last Summer, which will be directed by Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage.
It will feature The Crown star Emma Corrin, Law & Order: UK actress Harriet Walter and US actor Arty Froushan, known for roles in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale and Daredevil: Born Again.
Plenty will also enjoy a run at the National Theatre next year, as well as Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead – with Saturday Night Live UK cast member George Fouracres starring opposite Mawaan Rizwan.
Other shows teed up for their world premiere next year include Glorious Madness, showcasing the music of Joan Armatrading, and a play detailing how the 1998 Good Friday Agreement took a big step forward at a meeting in South Africa – titled The Great Indaba.
Orange Is The New Black star Uzo Aduba will appear in The Adeyemis – A Family Saga, while Mr Loverman will feature Gary Beadle alongside Jo Martin and Danny Sapani.
Samira, which is focused on the Arab Spring, The Last Wild, and an immersive production titled Ghostlight marking the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre’s venue in London Southbank, complete the new line-up.
The theatre company has also confirmed that Suzie Miller’s play Inter Alia, starring Olivier Award-winner Rosamund Pike, will continue its run on Broadway in 2027, and it will expand its UK touring to maximise the reach of its productions.
It will also add over 25 new titles to its National Theatre at Home streaming platform and increase its National Theatre Collection among other initiatives to make theatre more accessible.
