National Theatre Connections 500

Simon Armitage, James Graham, Scott Graham, Carl Grose, Steven Hoggett, Stacey Gregg, Bryony Lavery, Davey Anderson, Patrick Marber, Mark Ravenhill, Katori Hall, Lucinda Coxon, Jackie Kay, Gary Kemp, Guy Pratt, Frantic Assembly

National Theatre Connections 500

Overview

Each play has been specifically commissioned by the National Theatre's literary department over the years, with the young performer in mind. In 2016, these plays were then performed by approximately 500 schools and youth theatre companies across the UK and Ireland, in partnership with multiple professional partner regional theatres at which the works were showcased.

The anthology contains all 12 of the play scripts; notes from the writer and director of each play, addressing the themes and ideas behind the play; and production notes and exercises for the drama groups.

This year's anniversary anthology includes plays by...

Snoo Wilson, Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt
Simon Armitage
Jackie Kay
Patrick Marber
Mark Ravenhill
Bryony Lavery & Frantic Assembly
Davey Anderson
James Graham
Katori Hall
Carl Grose
Stacey Gregg
Lucinda Coxon

Authors

Simon Armitage

James Graham

James Graham is a playwright and screenwriter.

His recent work includes the play Dear England, commissioned by the National Theatre, about Gareth Southgate’s transformation of the national team. After a sold-out run at the National in 2023, the play transferred to the West End ...

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Scott Graham

Carl Grose

Carl Grose’s plays include: Grand Guignol, Superstition Mountain, Gargantua, Horse Piss For Blood, The Kneebone Cadillac and 49 Donkeys Hanged. For twenty-six years he worked with the internationally acclaimed Cornish theatre company, Kneehigh, as writer, actor and co-arti ...

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Steven Hoggett

Stacey Gregg

Bryony Lavery

Her play Frozen won the TMA Best Play Award, the Eileen Anderson Central Television Award, was produced at Birmingham Rep, then the National Theatre, then on Broadway where it was nominated for four Tony Awards. Stockholm, for Frantic Assembly, won the Wolff-Whiting Award for ...

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Davey Anderson

Patrick Marber

Patrick Marber was born in London in 1964. He began his career as a writer in 1986. He co-wrote and appeared in a number of radio and television programmes including The Day Today and Knowing Me, Knowing You. In 1995 his first play, Dealer’s Choice, premiered at the National ...

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Mark Ravenhill

Mark Ravenhill was born in Haywards Heath, West Sussex in 1966. He studied Drama and English at Bristol University. His first play Shopping and Fucking was produced by Out of Joint and the Royal Court Theatre in 1996. Subsequent plays include Faust Is Dead, Handbag, Some Expl ...

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