See newly-released production images of Cloud 9 – Caryl Churchill’s landmark play now playing at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre until 13 January 2027.
Production photos have been released of Dominic Cooke’s bold new production of Cloud 9. The play is a daring and satirical classic that continues to challenge how we think about gender, power and the legacies of empire.
First performed in 1979, Cloud 9 has become one of British theatre’s most enduring and influential works, which includes audacious theatricality and razor-sharp wit. Cloud 9 is directed by Cooke (Game of Thrones: The Mad King), who has reunited with the multi-award-winning Churchill to direct this fresh production that brings urgent contemporary relevance to the play’s examination of colonial power dynamics, sexual identity and personal liberation.
The production also features an ensemble cast including Rebecca Humphries (The Crown), Eloka Ivo (Black Superhero), Tom Mothersdale (Bodies), Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts), Ellen Robertson (Vladimir), Stuart Thompson (Romans: A Novel) and Sam Troughton (Chernobyl).
View live availability for Cloud 9 here
Photos: Cloud 9 at National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre
A play about empire, gender and freedom
Cloud 9 is structured in two parts spanning a century, and is set in Victorian Africa, where Clive is a colonial administrator and patriarch, his wife, son and servant struggle to be what’s expected of them.
When the family turn up a hundred years later in 1970s London, they must navigate a world where empire lingers and freedom calls. They also experience a journey that forces them to question everything they thought they knew about themselves and society.
Cooke’s bold vision for a classic
Dominic Cooke brings considerable directorial credentials to this revival, having recently completed work on HBO’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King. His reunion with Caryl Churchill promises to unlock fresh dimensions in her deceptively complex text, revealing how the legacies of empire and patriarchy continue to shape contemporary lives.
The production’s creative team includes set designer Miriam Buether, costume designer Samuel Wyer, lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, and sound designer Donato Wharton, all of whom bring exceptional theatrical vision to bear on Churchill’s provocative play.
National Theatre - Lyttelton Theatre, London
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