The Rose Theatre in Kingston, London has announced its Spring 2024 season, including five major productions produced or co-produced by the Rose.
Highlights include the world premiere stage adaptation of the multi award-winning children’s book The Boy at the Back of the Class, which opens at the Rose Theatre from 3 to 22 February 2024 before embarking on a UK tour with the Children’s Theatre Partnership.
Based on the book by Onjali Q. Raúf, the stage show is adapted by Nick Ahad and directed by Monique Touko. The Boy at the Back of the Class is a timely, humorous and heart-warming story about the power of kindness, engaging children and their families in discussions around refugee rights.
New play Succession Theme is My Ringtone by Joe Kerridge is playing at the Rose from 15 to 17 February 2024 in the Studio, directed by 2021/22 Peter Hall Emerging Artist Fellow Layla Madanat.
Zinnie Harris’ acclaimed production of Macbeth (An Undoing) comes to the Rose from 8 to 23 March 2024, in an international collaboration with The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Theatre for a New Audience in New York.
The Lion Inside, based on Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s bestselling children’s story about finding your roar, is playing at the Rose from 28 March to 14 April 2024 in a new adaptation for the stage by Sarah Punshon, who directs, with music and lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer.
Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie gets a bold reimagining by Atri Banerjee from 17 April to 4 May 2024, as a co-production with Alexandra Palace Theatre and Belgrade Theatre in association with the Royal Exchange Manchester.
Atri Banerjee’s acclaimed production of Tennessee William’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece, first seen at the Royal Exchange Theatre, returns to the Rose starring Geraldine Somerville (Gosford Park) as Amanda.
And finally, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler favourite Zog and the Flying Doctors will return to the Rose from 28 May to 2 June 2024; and a brand new stage adaptation of their book Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book will visit the Rose from 20 to 26 August 2024.
The Rose has also announced a new talent development scheme called the Rose Directing Fellowship, in partnership with the Drama League in New York, which will form the basis for a long-term exchange program for emerging directors between the UK and the US.
Currently playing at the Rose Theatre is Shooting Hedda Gabler until 21 October, followed by A View From The Bridge from 31 October, and Peter Pan from 1 December 2023 to 7 January 2024.
Artistic Director’s statement
Artistic Director of the Rose Theatre, Christopher Haydon, said in a statement: “It gives me enormous pride and excitement to announce our Spring Season for 2024. We are totally committed to our enduring family audiences and so are producing two Rose Original family productions across February half-term and Easter 2024. The first is a world premiere of Nick Ahad’s adaptation of Onjali Q. Raúf’s best-selling book for children, The Boy at the Back of the Class. This will be directed by Monique Touko – one of the most exciting young directors working today. It’s a thrilling adventure about a group of children who come to the help of a refugee boy who has newly arrived in their class. I’m so pleased to be collaborating with the Children’s Theatre Partnership to bring this vital show to theatres across the UK amid a political climate that is increasingly characterised by hostility and cruelty towards some of the most vulnerable people on earth.
“Our second family Rose Original for family audiences is Sarah Punshon and Eamonn O’Dwyer’s adaptation of the wildly popular children’s book The Lion Inside, by Rachel Bright and Jim Field, a bestselling story about confidence and self-esteem.
“We’re also delighted to be co-producing Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, which opens at Little Angel this autumn and will delight young audiences at the Rose next August.
“Rounding off our season we have two exceptional dramas: Macbeth (an undoing), Zinnie Harris’ blistering reimagining of Shakespeare’s most revered play which the Rose is producing as part of an international collaboration with the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and Theatre For A New Audience in New York.
“Following this, Geradline Somerville (Gosford Park) stars in Atri Banarjee’s visionary production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, which first wowed audiences at the Manchester Royal Exchange and which we are remounting with Alexandra Palace Theatre and Belgrade Theatre.
“I am also delighted to announce a brand-new talent development scheme in partnership with the Drama League in New York which will form the basis for a long-term exchange program for emerging directors between the UK and the US. All of this, combined with our current partnership with the Norwegian Ibsen Company on Shooting Hedda Gabler, demonstrates a huge commitment on our part to being outward looking and internationalist in all that we do. The Rose is a home to artists, audiences and humans from across the world. We are a theatre that celebrates our differences rather than fearing those who come to our shores.”
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