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The National Theatre Collection offers an ever-growing range of learning resources designed to support teachers and deepen students' engagement with each production. These include:
Together, these resources make the National Theatre Collection a comprehensive toolkit for bringing theatre into the classroom and encouraging students to explore performance from every angle.
Check back regularly for updates, as we add more resources to this page and the production pages.
If you have any questions or feedback on our resources, please get in touch: ntcollection@nationaltheatre.org.uk
The learning resources are available in PDF format.
Download an introduction to the National Theatre Collection. Find out which productions are available, when they were recorded, what genre they fit into and which age group they are best suited to.
Introduction for Secondary School Drama teachers
Introduction for Secondary School English teachers
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary drama, adaptation
What single memory would you choose to keep forever? In After Life, a group of strangers face this impossible decision in a waiting room between life and death. Guided by mysterious officials, they revisit their pasts to decide.
Adapted from Hirokazu Kore-eda's award-winning film, this powerful new co-production with Headlong invites students to reflect on memory, meaning, and what truly lasts.
Age recommendation: 12+
20th Century American drama
America, 1947. Joe and Kate Keller appear to have it all – a thriving business, a happy home, and two sons. But with the shadow of war and the return of someone from their past, buried truths begin to surface, threatening to destroy their American dream.
From the Old Vic, Jeremy Herrin directs Sally Field and Bill Pullman in Arthur Miller's blistering drama.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary American drama
America, mid-1980s. As the AIDS crisis deepens under the Reagan administration, six New Yorkers' lives intertwine in a struggle with love, loss, faith, and survival.
Marianne Elliott's multi-award-winning revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America stars Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Denise Gough and Russell Tovey.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary American drama
Part Two of Angels in America continues the journey of Prior, Joe, Belize, Louis, Harper and Roy. As relationships fracture and fates collide, they navigate love, loss and loneliness, searching for connection, forgiveness, and hope.
Age recommendation: 14+
Greek Theatre
In war-torn Thebes, King Creon bans the burial of "traitor" Polyneices—but his sister Antigone defies him.
Polly Findlay's 2012 production transforms Sophocles' classic into a modern political thriller about power, justice, and resistance, starring Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
With Caesar gone, Mark Antony shares power in Rome—yet his consuming love for Egypt's Queen Cleopatra sparks a clash between passion and duty. Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra unravels obsession, politics, and power in a sweeping tragedy.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Comedy
When Rosalind and her cousin Celia flee to the Forest of Arden, freedom and disguise spark transformation. Disguised as a boy, Rosalind discovers love with Orlando in Shakespeare's joyful, witty comedy As You Like It, directed by Polly Findlay.
Age recommendation: 8+
Literary adaptation
In a crumbling house full of dinosaur bones and fossils, three adopted sisters – Pauline, Petrova and Posy – are learning who they are and what they want to be.
Under the watchful eyes and guidance of their guardian Sylvia, Nana, and some unlikely lodgers, they fight to pursue their individual passions. But in a world that wasn't built for women with big ambitions, can they forge a future, keep their family together, and even learn a dance or two along the way?
Katy Rudd (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) returns to the National Theatre to direct this ★★★★★5 stars 'perfect joy' (The i), as Noel Streatfeild's beloved novel is brought back to the Olivier Stage in this new version by Kendall Feaver (The Almighty Sometimes).
Age recommendation: 12+
Contemporary British comedy
One day. Six cities. A thousand stories.
Newsroom, political platform, local hot spot, confession box, preacher-pulpit and football stadium. For generations, African men have gathered in barber shops to discuss the world. These are places where the banter can be barbed and the truth is always telling.
Barber Shop Chronicles is a heart-warming, hilarious and insightful new play that leaps from a barber shop in Peckham to Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century American drama
New York, 1930. Following a decade of creative explosion, the Harlem Renaissance is starting to feel the bite of the Great Depression.
In the face of hardship and dwindling opportunity, Angel and her friends battle to keep their artistic dreams alive.
But, when Angel falls for a stranger from Alabama, their romance forces the group to make good on their ambitions, or give in to the reality of the time.
Samira Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale, Orange Is the New Black) makes her UK stage debut alongside a cast that includes Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Three Sisters), Osy Ikhile (Sweat), Sule Rimi (Barber Shop Chronicles) and Giles Terera (Death of England: Face to Face).
Age recommendation: 12+
Literary adaptation
With danger closing in, two young people and their dæmons protect a child whose destiny could shape the future.
Nicholas Hytner returns to Pullman's universe eighteen years after his groundbreaking production of His Dark Materials at the National Theatre, this time with Bryony Lavery's thrilling new adaptation of The Book of Dust.
Age recommendation: 11+
Literary adaptation
Herat, Afghanistan, 2000.
When a young mother speaks out against the Taliban, she and her husband are forced to flee their home and country with their three sons.
Embarking on a long and terrifying journey across Russia and through Europe, they seek final refuge in the UK.
But, as their eldest son's life-threatening heart condition worsens and requires urgent surgery, their escape soon becomes a race against time.
Amit Sharma directs this widely acclaimed stage version of The Boy with Two Hearts (BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week). Based on extraordinary real-life experiences, it is a powerful story of hope, courage, and humanity – and a heartfelt tribute to the NHS.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century American drama
On a sweltering Mississippi night, a family gathers for Big Daddy's birthday—but beneath the celebration lies deceit, desire, and betrayal. Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof blazes with tension in this twentieth-century classic.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century European drama
Ranyevskaya returns home nearly bankrupt after ten years abroad, clinging to the comforts of her fading aristocratic life. Alongside her brother, she rejects Lopakhin's offer to save the family estate, unknowingly sealing the orchard's fate.
Set at the dawn of the twentieth century, Andrew Upton's adaptation of Chekhov's classic offers a rich exploration of social change and historical context, making it a powerful resource for teaching literature, history, and drama in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary British comedy
Meet Tracey Gordon: navigating friendship, school, raves, relationships, and the messy realities of growing up. Michaela Coel's one-woman play Chewing Gum Dreams captures those final moments of innocence before adulthood, offering a bold, relatable exploration of adolescence for learners studying drama, social context, and contemporary storytelling.
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary British drama
Why is Justice blind—and can she truly be impartial? In Nina Raine's Consent, friends take opposing briefs in a rape case, while the key witness's world feels far removed from their own. As their personal lives unravel, every version of the truth is tested. Powerful, witty, and thought-provoking, this play challenges viewers to explore ethics, law, and social responsibility.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
When Rome faces an external threat, her hero Coriolanus is called to defend the city—but danger also looms at home. Famine, public unrest, and political rivalry test his leadership and loyalty. Shakespeare's Coriolanus, directed by Josie Rourke and featuring Tom Hiddleston, is a gripping study in power, politics, and civic responsibility—perfect for exploring history, ethics, and drama in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century American drama
A witch hunt erupts in Salem, and a group of young women - raised to be seen but not heard - discover the devastating power of their words. As fear spreads and private grudges ignite public accusations, truth itself comes under scrutiny, offering a gripping exploration of power, society, and justice for classroom discussion.
Age recommendation: 14+
New writing
1659, Mughal, India: brothers Dara and Aurangzeb battle for succession, torn between tolerance and orthodoxy. Shahid Nadeem's epic, adapted by Tanya Ronder and directed by Nadia Fall, explores power, faith, and legacy—offering rich connections to history, politics, and cultural studies for the classroom.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century British drama
Ladbroke Grove, 1952: Hester Collyer's attempted suicide unravels a story of passion, loneliness, and fractured relationships in post-war Britain.
Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea, starring Helen McCrory, offers powerful insights into gender, class, and emotional repression, ideal for exploring post-war society through drama and literature.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary British drama
Deborah Bruce's Dixon and Daughters, directed by Róisín McBrinn, is a powerful story of family, truth, and forgiveness. Over two tense days, hidden wounds resurface, challenging learners to consider justice, redemption, and the complexities of relationships.
Age recommendation: 15+
Literary adaptation
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in Rufus Norris's bold reimagining of Everyman, where a life of success and indulgence collides with the inevitability of death, offering students a gripping exploration of morality, mortality, and what truly matters.
Age recommendation: 15+
Literary adaptation
Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller electrify in Danny Boyle's acclaimed Frankenstein, alternating roles as Victor and the Creature. Shelley's gothic masterpiece comes alive with urgent questions of science, morality, and responsibility, an unforgettable resource for exploring literature, ethics, and the human condition.
Lesson Plan: Putting Frankenstein in Context
Lesson Plan: Comparing Different Performances
Lesson Plan: Analysing Theatre Craft in Frankenstein
Lesson Plan: Adapting a Novel for the Stage
Lesson Plan: Adapting Victorian Language
Age recommendation: 12+
Contemporary British drama
On a Japanese beach, teenage sisters Hanako and Reiko are caught in a devastating storm—Reiko survives, but Hanako is lost. Haunted by her missing daughter, their mother becomes entwined in a story that moves from personal tragedy to global politics. Francis Turnly's gripping thriller The Great Wave, directed by Indhu Rubasingham, offers students a compelling lens to explore family, grief, and international conflict.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Director Nicholas Hytner situates Hamlet within rich political, social, and psychological contexts, exploring the prince's struggle to avenge his father. Rory Kinnear's award-winning performance brings Shakespeare's profound exploration of morality, duty, and the human condition vividly to life for students.
Lesson Plan: Contrasting Hamlet's Soliloquies
Lesson Plan: Understanding Theatre Craft in the Play within the Play
Lesson Plan: Rewriting Ophelia's Soliloquy
Lesson Plan: Truth and Performance in the Play within the Play
Age recommendation: 8+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
"To be or not to be…"
Hamlet's father is dead, his uncle now rules and has married his mother, and the kingdom feels upside down. A ghost reveals a terrible crime—should Hamlet take revenge? This energetic retelling brings Shakespeare's classic tragedy vividly to life for younger students, making themes of duty, justice, and morality accessible in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 14+
19th Century European Drama
Just married but restless, Hedda longs for freedom. Back from their honeymoon, she manipulates those around her, only to watch her world collapse. Ivo van Hove's modern production of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, adapted by Patrick Marber and starring Ruth Wilson and Rafe Spall, offers students rich material to explore character, power, and societal expectation in drama and literature.
Age recommendation: 12+
Literary adaptation, musical
Deep in the woods, a lonely fairy yearns to bestow her blessing—but when called to the palace to help the princess sleep, her gift turns into a curse. Rufus Norris's vibrant retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with music by Jim Fortune and choreography by Jade Hackett, offers students a magical exploration of storytelling, consequence, and creativity in performance.
Age recommendation: 14+
Verbatim theatre
Bullet doesn't want a hostel home. Eritrean Girl was smuggled in a lorry. Singing Boy dreams of fame, and Garden Boy just wants safety.
Nadia Fall's verbatim play Home, drawn from over 30 hours of interviews, offers students a powerful, real-world insight into youth homelessness in the UK, making it a compelling resource for discussions on society, inequality, and empathy.
Age recommendation: 8+
19th Century British comedy
Being sensible can be excessively boring. At least Jack thinks so.
While assuming the role of dutiful guardian in the country, he lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy takes on a similar facade. Unfortunately, living a double life has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to love. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate.
Max Webster (Donmar's Macbeth; Life of Pi) directs a joyful and flamboyant reimagining of Oscar Wilde's most celebrated comedy. Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom; Doctor Who) is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who; Sex Education) and Hugh Skinner (W1A; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) in this hilarious story of identity, impersonation and romance.
Age recommendation: 3+
Literary adaptation, musical
Bear's hat is gone. He loves his hat. He wants it back. He asks all the animals in the forest, but no one has seen it. WAIT! He has seen it somewhere...
Based on Jon Klassen's beloved picture book, I Want My Hat Back features music by Arthur Darvill and a book and lyrics by Joel Horwood, offering a playful, engaging theatre experience perfect for young learners.
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary British comedy
July 1940: After a thrilling aerial dogfight, Pilot Officer Jack Absolute returns to Britain to win back Lydia Languish, but her demands for love on her own terms spark chaos. Richard Bean and Oliver Chris's Jack Absolute is a rollicking comedy, featuring Caroline Quentin, Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson, and Kelvin Fletcher, perfect for exploring romance, wit, and theatrical timing in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 12+
Literary adaptation
Born into hardship, Jane Eyre confronts poverty, injustice, and betrayal with courage and determination, forging her own path to freedom and fulfillment. Sally Cookson and the Company's vivid adaptation brings Brontë's classic to life, offering students rich material to explore resilience, morality, and character in literature and drama.
Age recommendation: 15+
19th Century European Drama
Wild and single, Julie throws a lavish London party that quickly spirals into a struggle for survival. Polly Stenham's contemporary adaptation of Strindberg's Miss Julie exposes social divisions and power dynamics, offering students a gripping exploration of class, gender, and human behaviour.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Caesar returns to a jubilant Rome, but his growing power sparks a deadly conspiracy. Nicholas Hytner's Julius Caesar immerses students in triumph, betrayal, and civil war, offering a vivid exploration of politics, power, and the consequences of ambition.
Age recommendation: 15+
Physical theatre
In 1932, Leah and her family escaped persecution and embarked on a journey from Yemen to Palestine.
Ninety years later, her grandson Amit Lahav (Artistic Director of Gecko) reflects on the life changing decision his family made to flee and build a better life.
This powerful piece by acclaimed physical theatre company Gecko is a provocative story of desperation, compassion and acceptance, inspired by the migration stories of Gecko's international performers and the extraordinary voyage Leah undertook as a young child.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
An aging king tests his three daughters with a demand for praise, and Cordelia's honesty sparks chaos. Shakespeare's King Lear, brought to life at the Donmar Warehouse with Derek Jacobi and Michael Grandage, explores love, duty, power, loss, and the human condition, perfect for classroom study of literature, morality, and dramatic performance.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century British drama
An African nation teeters on the brink of civil war, grappling with colonial legacies and a quest for identity. In Lorraine Hansberry's Les Blancs, Tshembe returns from England to confront family, society, and revolution. Directed by Yaël Farber, this powerful play offers students rich insight into post-colonial history, racial tension, and the human cost of political change.
Age recommendation: 12+
19th Century British Drama
Grace agrees to marry Sir Harcourt to support her family, but romance and mistaken identities spark chaos at a house party. Dion Boucicault's classic, reimagined by Richard Bean and directed by Nicholas Hytner with Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shaw, offers students a playful exploration of love, deception, and social conventions in 19th-century London.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Amid rebellion and the chaos of war, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pursue ambition at any cost. This bold, contemporary retelling of Shakespeare's dark tragedy, originally staged as part of the National Theatre's Shakespeare for younger audiences programme, explores witchcraft, murder, and treachery, offering students a gripping study of power, morality, and human ambition.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Sleep no more… In the aftermath of a brutal civil war, the Macbeths are driven toward the crown by forces of darkness. Directed by Rufus Norris, with Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff, this intense production offers students a chilling exploration of ambition, power, and moral corruption.
Age recommendation: 14+
Greek Theatre
Terrible deeds grow from broken hearts. In Euripides' Medea, Helen McCrory portrays a mother and wife pushed to the edge when Jason abandons his family. Ben Power's new version, directed by Carrie Cracknell with music by Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp, offers students a gripping exploration of grief, betrayal, and the devastating consequences of revenge.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Comedy
Since the 1930s, Hotel Messina has welcomed artists, celebrities, and royalty. Romance stirs when the owner's daughter falls for a young soldier, but love and deception abound for all. Set on the Italian Riviera, this lively production starring Katherine Parkinson and John Heffernan offers students a delightful exploration of comedy, intrigue, and character dynamics.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary British drama
From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the NHS, Aneurin ‘Nye' Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence on our country without ever being Prime Minister.
Confronted with death, Nye's deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life, from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill in an epic Welsh fantasia.
Michael Sheen (Under Milk Wood) reprises his role as Nye Bevan in this ‘valiant and valuable affirmation of the NHS' (★★★★ Telegraph). Written by Tim Price (Teh Internet is Serious Business) and ‘vividly directed' (★★★★ Times) by Rufus Norris (Small Island), this celebration of the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain's welfare state lands in your classrooms.
Age recommendation: 12+
Contemporary British comedy
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe—but Roscoe is really Rachel, hiding her brother's death. At The Cricketers' Arms, Francis juggles deception, danger, and extra meals in this uproarious farce. James Corden stars in this Tony Award-winning hit, perfect for exploring timing, physical comedy, and character in drama lessons.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Othello, newly married to Desdemona, leads a major military campaign while Iago, bitter at being passed over, sows the seeds of jealousy. This acclaimed production of Shakespeare's Othello, starring Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear, explores ambition, trust, and betrayal, offering students a compelling study of character, manipulation, and the devastating effects of envy.
Lesson Plan: Understanding Persuasion
Lesson Plan: Writing a Final Soliloquy for Iago
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Desdemona, a senator's headstrong daughter, and Othello, a former slave navigating a white world, wed in secret—yet forces beyond their control threaten their love. Clint Dyer's bold new production, starring Giles Terera, Rosy McEwen, and Paul Hilton, brings Shakespeare's enduring tragedy to life, offering students a powerful exploration of race, status, and the human cost of ambition and prejudice.
Age recommendation: 12+
Verbatim theatre
Alecky Blythe, following the success of London Road, presents Our Generation, a verbatim play built from five years of interviews with twelve young people across the UK. Offering a vivid, often surprising portrait of their journey into adulthood, this funny, moving, and authentic work provides students with a powerful lens to explore youth culture, identity, and social context, perfect for English, drama, and PSHE lessons.
Age recommendation: 14+
Greek Theatre
Philoctetes, once a celebrated hero, now lives as a wounded outcast on a remote island. When a young soldier and an old enemy arrive, he faces hope, suspicion, and the lure of revenge. Kae Tempest's bold new version of Sophocles' classic offers students a dynamic exploration of heroism, morality, and human conflict—ideal for English and drama lessons.
Age recommendation: 7+
Literary adaptation
All children grow up, except one.
This wonderfully inventive production of JM Barrie's classic, brought to life by director Sally Cookson, is a true delight for both children and adults.
It's a magical journey that sparks imagination and invites learners of all ages to explore timeless themes of childhood, adventure, and the power of never truly growing up. This production is also suitable to introduce and explore theatre-making skills, from puppetry and costume design to lighting and sound.
Lesson Plan: Designing Neverland
Lesson Plan: Character Posters
Age recommendation: 15+
Greek Theatre
After years of devoted political focus, a politician's personal life comes under scrutiny when a figure from her past reappears, threatening her power and exposing hidden desires and loneliness. Simon Stone's striking reimagining of Seneca's tragedy, starring Janet McTeer and Assaad Bouab, offers students a compelling study of ambition, morality, and human vulnerability—perfect for drama, literature, and social studies lessons.
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary British drama
On the set of a film about Victorian artist JMW Turner, young actress Lou grapples with an unresolved past, while 1840 Londoners Lucy and Thomas confront the meaning of freedom. Winsome Pinnock's award-winning play, directed by Miranda Cromwell, takes students on a compelling journey through time, identity, and social justice—ideal for exploring history, literature, and contemporary issues in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare adaptation, contemporary drama
From the team behind Iphigenia in Splott and Killology, Gary Owen and director Rachel O'Riordan reimagine the story of Romeo and Juliet for today.
Here, Romeo is a single dad doing his best to hold things together, while Julie is determined to follow her dream of studying at Cambridge. Though they've grown up just streets apart in Wales, their worlds couldn't be further apart. When first love sweeps them off their feet, the pressures of class, family, and unequal opportunity come crashing in.
A powerful springboard for discussions around Shakespeare's influence, modern social divides, and the realities facing young people today.
Age recommendation: 8+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Eight actors. One of the greatest love stories ever told.
This fast-paced, contemporary production of Romeo and Juliet bursts with energy, colour, music, and movement, setting Shakespeare's tragedy against a bold urban backdrop that speaks directly to today's students.
Directed by Bijan Sheibani, this vibrant retelling was created for the National Theatre's Shakespeare for younger audiences programme, making it the perfect way to introduce the play in a way that feels immediate, relevant, and alive in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Tragedy
Filmed in the empty Lyttelton Theatre during the height of the 2020 pandemic, this bold reimagining of Romeo and Juliet turns crisis into creative opportunity.
Shakespeare's most famous young lovers defy their feuding families in pursuit of passion and possibility, even as violence closes in around them. What makes this production so compelling for students is how it transforms the hidden backstage spaces of the National Theatre into the story's setting—blurring the line between theatre and film, tradition and reinvention.
It's an inventive take on a play that remains central to the curriculum, offering fresh perspectives on love, conflict and fate for a generation living through turbulence of their own.
Age recommendation: 12+
19th Century European Drama
On a summer's day, beside a lake, a young writer dares to stage his radical new play. What follows changes the lives of everyone present—forever.
Chekhov's The Seagull is more than just a story of love, ambition and disappointment; it's a turning point in theatre history. This masterful blend of comedy and tragedy captures the clash between generations, exploring how the old guard push back against youthful innovation.
For students, it's a brilliant way into both the history of modern drama and timeless questions about art, ambition and identity, making it as relevant in today's classroom as it was in Chekhov's Russia.
Age recommendation: 12+
18th Century British comedy
Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy of misunderstandings, mistaken identities and chaotic courtship. When Marlowe mistakes Mr Hardcastle for an innkeeper and his daughter for a barmaid, mayhem follows.
This witty, fast-paced play explores love, class and family dynamics, offering students a lively insight into 18th-century comedy and social satire, perfect for connecting drama to wider English literature studies.
Age recommendation: 12+
Contemporary British comedy
Shut Up, I'm Dreaming is The PappyShow's playful and powerful celebration of what it means to dream big in an uncertain world. Created through workshops with over 100 students, it captures the voices, ambitions and anxieties of teenagers today.
Funny, heartfelt and thought-provoking, it's a brilliant springboard for exploring PSHE themes, drama devising and student voice in the classroom.
Age recommendation: 14+
Literary adaptation
Small Island, adapted by Helen Edmundson from Andrea Levy's award-winning novel, brings to life three interwoven stories: Hortense, who dreams of a new life beyond rural Jamaica; Gilbert, whose hopes of becoming a lawyer collide with prejudice; and Queenie, eager to escape small-town constraints.
This epic production traces the complex history of Jamaica and the UK, spanning the Second World War to the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948. With a company of 40, it's a vivid and human exploration of identity, belonging and migration, perfect for connecting English, Drama and History curricula
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century American drama
When Blanche DuBois's delicate world begins to collapse, she seeks refuge with her sister Stella—only to find herself clashing with the raw, destructive force of Stanley Kowalski.
This electrifying modern staging of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire - the fastest-selling production in the Young Vic's history - offers students a powerful look at fragility, desire and conflict. It's a cornerstone of 20th-century drama, perfect for exploring themes of gender, class and power dynamics, and for sparking rich discussions in English and Drama classrooms.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary British drama
It's 1974 and Britain is in political deadlock. With a hung Parliament, Westminster becomes a battlefield of backstabbing, bargaining and bending the rules, as MPs fight to shape the nation's future.a
James Graham's This House is a witty, razor-sharp and deeply human look at politics in crisis. Packed with humour, chaos and real historical events, it's a brilliant way for students to explore themes of democracy, power and representation—making it a fantastic companion to curriculum study in Drama, English and Politics alike.
Age recommendation: 15+
Musical
London readies itself for the coronation, but behind the pageantry, crime, corruption and chaos are in full swing. Mr and Mrs Peachum anticipate a profitable day in the beggary trade—until their daughter goes missing and Mack the Knife returns.
Bertolt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera is a landmark of 20th-century musical theatre, offering students rich opportunities to explore social critique, morality, and performance style. This bold National Theatre production brings satire, song and storytelling to life, making it perfect for Drama, English and Music lessons.
Age recommendation: 12+
20th Century European drama
Nigeria, 1967. Lolo, Nne Chukwu and Udo mourn the death of their father against a backdrop of political upheaval—two ruthless military coups have thrown the nation into chaos. As conflict creeps into their provincial village, the sisters dream of returning to their former life in Lagos.
Inua Ellams' daring adaptation relocates Chekhov's classic characters to the brink of the Biafran Civil War, offering students a powerful lens on grief, family, and the impact of political instability. Ideal for exploring History, English and Drama curricula, this production invites discussion on conflict, power, and cultural context.
Age recommendation: 14+
Contemporary British drama
Now hiring: ambitious, determined, and fearless women only. Marlene, the first head of the Top Girls employment agency, is just getting started. With the country shifting and Maggie in Number 10, the future is hers for the taking.
Caryl Churchill's groundbreaking play examines gender, ambition, and social mobility. This National Theatre production offers students rich opportunities to explore feminist themes, power dynamics, and innovative theatrical structure—perfect for Drama, English, and Citizenship lessons.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century Irish drama
What happens when a land loses its language? Brian Friel's modern classic explores nationhood, identity, and the tensions between England and Ireland through the lens of one small Donegal community.
When Owen returns from Dublin with two British officers aiming to replace Gaelic place names with English, the stage becomes a site of cultural conflict and consequence. This production offers students compelling opportunities to examine history, identity, and language—perfect for English, History, and Drama lessons.
Age recommendation: 9+
Literary adaptation
It's a dark, stormy night, and Jim, the inn-keeper's granddaughter, discovers a mysterious sailor with a sea-chest full of secrets. When she invites him in, a thrilling adventure begins.
This National Theatre adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic brings mutiny, treasure, and danger vividly to life. Perfect for exploring narrative tension, character, and adventure in English or Drama lessons, it also sparks discussion on moral choices and storytelling techniques.
Lesson Plan: Bringing Historical Characters to Life
Lesson Plan: Designing a Poster for Treasure Island
Lesson Plan: Making Treasure Maps
Lesson Plan: Time Travelling Pirate's Debate Club
Lesson Plan: Eating on Board a Pirate Ship
Lesson Plan: Roles of Women in the 18th Century
Age recommendation: 12+
20th Century American drama
Set in 1950s America, Trouble in Mind follows Wiletta Mayer, a Black actress rehearsing a play about racism written by white men. When her calls for honesty are ignored, she takes a stand.
Alice Childress' groundbreaking work, directed by Nancy Medina, offers students rich opportunities to explore race, representation, and power in theatre, making it ideal for Drama, History, and Social Studies lessons.
Age recommendation: 12+
Shakespeare, Comedy
Shipwreck, mistaken identity, and unrequited love: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night bursts to life as Viola navigates a strange new land while passions swirl around Olivia and Orsino.
Directed by Simon Godwin, with Tasmin Greig as a transformed Malvolia, this production offers rich material for exploring comedy, gender, and identity, perfect for Drama and English lessons.
Age recommendation: 12+
Literary adaptation
A retired sea captain longs for lost love, a landlady lives in fear, and a father and son navigate memory and redemption.
Set in a small Welsh village, Dylan Thomas' poetic masterpiece comes vividly to life, with Michael Sheen, Karl Johnson, and Siân Philips, directed by Lyndsey Turner—rich material for exploring character, narrative, and dramatic language in English and Drama lessons.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century American drama
In Brooklyn, longshoreman Eddie Carbone greets his Sicilian cousins, only for love, jealousy, and secrets to erupt, testing family loyalty.
Ivo van Hove's striking production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge offers rich opportunities to explore tragedy, character, and the complexities of the American Dream in English and Drama classrooms.
Age recommendation: 15+
Contemporary drama, literary adaptation
Meet Alvita, the unstoppable raconteur of Willesden. Married five times and full of stories, she turns mistakes into triumphs, pain into parables, and everyday life into epic comedy.
Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden brings Chaucer's Wife of Bath into modern London, offering rich opportunities to explore storytelling, character, and social context in English and Drama classrooms.
Age recommendation: 8+
Shakespeare, Comedy
Join Perdita, a brave and clever girl, on a journey through magic, mischief, and self-discovery in The Winter's Tale. This vibrant adaptation, featuring colour, song, and puppetry, makes Shakespeare's timeless story accessible and engaging for young learners, while supporting curriculum-linked exploration of narrative, character, and themes.
Age recommendation: 11+
Literary adaptation, musical
wonder.land reimagines Lewis Carroll's classic tale as a thrilling coming-of-age musical that explores the blurred lines between online and offline life.
With dazzling sets, costumes, projection, lighting, and a score by Blur's Damon Albarn, it's a perfect resource to spark discussion on identity, technology, and storytelling in the modern world.
Age recommendation: 10+
Literary adaptation
Wuthering Heights tells an epic story of love, revenge, and redemption. Rescued from the Liverpool docks, Heathcliff is taken to Wuthering Heights, where his fierce bond with Catherine sparks a chain of events that cannot be undone.
Emma Rice's dynamic production blends music and dance, bringing Brontë's classic to life in a powerful, theatrical experience ideal for exploring themes of passion, social class, and human emotion.
Age recommendation: 14+
20th Century European drama
Yerma explores honour, family, and female empowerment through the story of a woman driven to the unthinkable by her desperate desire for a child.
Set in contemporary London, Billie Piper delivers a spellbinding performance in Simon Stone's radical production, making Lorca's classic tragedy a vivid, compelling text for discussions on gender, societal pressure, and human emotion.
These activities are designed to support Key Stage 3 students as they watch National Theatre productions and include research, discussion, writing and creative tasks, most of which can be carries out in isolation if required. Some resources in the Productions section of this page are also appropriate for students in Key Stage 3.
The Primary Learning Packs are designed to support primary teachers as they prepare to explore a production with their class; the Cross-Curricular Learning Guides illustrate how primary school teachers can use our productions to support teaching across curriculum subjects such as English, History, Geography and PSHE. These guides offer sequences of activities and suggested lesson structures. They are accompanied by a Creative Learning Activity Guide, a separate document to be used in tandem which offers step by step instructions on how to deliver the exercises.
