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Clive Owen & Saskia Reeves to join Rosamund Pike, Juliet Stevenson, Adeel Akhtar & more in the new season

The National Theatre in London has confirmed dates, and selected casting, for four of its world premiere productions in 2025, the last season of its outgoing Artistic Director Rufus Norris.

The updates are about Inter Alia by Suzie Miller, The Estate by Shaan Sahota, The Land of the Living by David Lan, and End by David Eldridge.

The National’s Dorfman Theatre is currently closed for urgent infrastructure work and will reopen in June 2025 with the Connections Festival (24 to 28 June), the National Theatre’s annual nationwide youth theatre programme, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Estate starring Adeel Akhtar - National Theatre

The Estate starring Adeel Akhtar

Dorfman Theatre, 9 July to 23 August 2025

Shaan Sahota’s debut play The Estate, directed by Daniel Raggett (Accidental Death of an Anarchist) will play in the Dorfman Theatre after it reopens in June 2025, running from 9 July to 23 August 2025.

The Estate is a razor-sharp exploration of family, power and the lies we tell about ourselves.

The cast will include BAFTA winner Adeel Akhtar (Fool Me Once), with further casting to be announced.

The creative team includes set designer Chloe Lamford, costume designer Khadija Raza, lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound designer Mike Winship and casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor.

More about The Estate

Inter Alia starring Rosamund Pike at the National Theatre

Inter Alia starring Rosamund Pike

Lyttelton theatre, 10 July to 13 September 2025

Suzie Miller’s new play Inter Alia in the Lyttelton theatre, directed by Justin Martin, has confirmed further cast. Joining already announced Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) will be Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road) and Jasper Talbot (Redlands).

Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite for the show following their global phenomenon Prima Facie. The play promises to be a searing examination of modern masculinity and motherhood.

The wider creative team will include set and costume designer Miriam Buether, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, sound designers Ben and Max Ringham, video designer Willie Williams for Treatment Studio and casting directors Alastair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham.

Inter Alia will play the Lyttelton theatre from 10 July to 13 September 2025.

The Land of the Living starring Juliet Stevenson at the National Theatre

The Land of the Living starring Juliet Stevenson

Dorfman theatre, 9 September to 1 November 2025

The Land of the Living, a new play by David Lan and directed by Stephen Daldry (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Kyoto, The Inheritance), has confirmed further casting.

Joining previously announced Juliet Stevenson (The Doctor), will be Atilla Akinci (Ghosts), Kate Duchêne (Hedda Gabler), Hubert Hanowicz (This is Going to Hurt), Caroline Loncq (The Protégé), Avital Lvova (Macbeth), Michael Marcus (The Inheritance), Anastasia Martin (Cold War) and Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones), with further casting to be announced.

The Land of the Living is about the shapeshifting nature of memory and morality, set in Germany in 1945 and London in 1990.

Joining Stephen Daldry in the creative team are set designer Miriam Buether, lighting designer James Farncombe, sound designer Gareth Fry, composer Paul Englishby and casting director Naomi Downham.

The Land of the Living is playing in the Dorfman theatre from 9 September to 1 November 2025.

Poster art for End starring Clive Owen and Saskia Reeves at the National Theatre

End starring Clive Owen and Saskia Reeves

Dorfman theatre, from 13 November 2025

End, a new play by David Eldridge and directed by Rachel O’Riordan, will star Clive Owen and Saskia Reeves.

Following the critically acclaimed plays Beginning and Middle, playwright David Eldridge returns to the National Theatre with End, the final play in his trilogy exploring love and relationships.

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan (Romeo and Julie) directs this touching and funny play on a life well lived.

End stars Clive Owen (Closer) and Saskia Reeves (Slow Horses), and is playing at the Dorfman theatre from 13 November 2025.

Director Rachel O’Riordan will be joined by set and costume designer Gary McCann, lighting designer Sally Ferguson, sound designer Donato Wharton, intimacy director Bethan Clark and casting director Alastair Coomer CDG.

More about End

Rufus Norris, Director and Co-Chief Executive, said in a statement: “I am delighted that the last four shows in my final season are all world premieres, including a debut play by extraordinary new writer Shaan Sahota. This cements a decade of work by National Theatre’s New Work Department to champion and support new stories told by world-class theatre-makers. Telling bold new stories on our stages has always been a hallmark of the National Theatre and I am thrilled to end my tenure with a programme that reflects a rich and resonant range of perspectives”.

Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive, said: “We’re thrilled that, after a period of temporary closure, the Dorfman will reopen this summer to host the landmark 30th anniversary of our flagship nationwide youth theatre programme Connections. Over the decades around 125,000 young people have taken part, giving young people firsthand experience in all aspects of staging and performing a new play. Connections has been instrumental in developing transferable skills and the ability to think creatively for the young people who have taken part. For 30 years, Connections alumni have forged careers across the creative industries as well as gained vital transferable skills for roles in wider sectors. So many within and outside of our sector have taken part – it’s time to celebrate and look forward to more”.

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Main photo: National Theatre - New shows for 2025: Inter Alia, The Estate, The Land of the Living & End

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