Indhu Rubasingham unveils National Theatre’s 2027 programme with global and south Asian focus

Indhu Rubasingham, artistic director and co-chief executive of the National Theatre, has announced her choice of plays and musicals for 2027.

She also revealed that the National Theatre’s production of The Jungle Book will be free to view online anywhere in the world free of charge for a week in March next year. It will be captioned in Hindi and Tamil.

The programme was announced on Wednesday (9) in the Cottesloe Room in the Dorfman Theatre, with Kate Varah, the National’s executive director and co-chief executive seated next to her.

This is Rubasingham’s second year as artistic director.

Indhu Rubasingham National Theatre

Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, “reimagined” by Anupama Chandrasekhar, who also wrote The Father and the Assassin, will premiere in November this year as the National’s Christmas offering.

Hiran Abeysekara plays Mowgli, with Ayesha Dharker, Tony Jayawardena and Sharita Oomeer also in the cast.

It was made clear this was not the Walt Disney version of the much-loved classic.

Hiran AbeysekeraNational Theatre

Sharita OomeerYellowBelly

Ayesha DharkerNational Theatre

Tony JayawardenaNational Theatre

The show has been summed up by the National Theatre: “In the mangroves of the Sundarbans, wolves howl, birds soar and tigers roar. At the heart of this wild and vibrant kingdom, an unlikely child is growing up… Mowgli. Danger stalks the shadows, and threats lie hidden beneath every rock. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, with innovative puppetry by Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes, this thrilling new adaptation brings the jungle roaring to life on the Olivier stage.”

On Wednesday, Rubasingham announced she was about to begin rehearsals for The Jungle Book.

She said: “Next Monday, a few days away, I’m in rehearsals for this year’s Christmas show, The Jungle Book, in Anupama Chandrasekhar’s new adaptation, and we’re really pleased to announce that for a week in March (2027), this production will be available online to anyone anywhere in the world for free.

Streamed on YouTube by National Theatre at Home, Take Your Seats, will bring The Jungle Book to global audiences, not only in English but also captioned in Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, and Tamil. The ability to share our show in all these languages emphasises the international spirit that is at the heart of the National.”

Asked why The Jungle Book had been picked for free viewing from all the plays staged by the National Theatre, she talked about “the interest in The Jungle Book around the world. It’s a universal story. Everyone has an opinion about The Jungle Book. It is not the Walt Disney version. But everyone knows it, so it felt like a really obvious choice to offer to an international audience. We really love the initiative of Take Your Seats. It was amazing. You only have to look at the comments on YouTube when we did The Importance of Being Earnest. The love of people from all parts of the world that go ‘thank you for the access to this’. So, yes, it’s something really fun to do.”

Rubasingham, who made history as the first Asian to be appointed artistic director of the National Theatre, began by saying: “It’s my pleasure to share with you our lineup for shows in 2027. In this season, we’re offering a year of plays interrogating the last century. Eight of these will be new plays, which will receive their world premieres at the National, and alongside these are revivals of modern classics spanning continents and cultures.”

The programme has been set out by the National Theatre in some detail and includes the following:

Glorious Madness, a new British musical with the songs (music and lyrics) of legendary Grammy and Brit Award-winning artist Joan Armatrading. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this new love story has a book by Iman Qureshi, in a co-production with KPPL Productions.

Major, a new play by James Graham, reuniting with director Jeremy Herrin and following on from their acclaimed production of This House, takes us back to the defining moment when John Major took over as prime minister from Margaret Thatcher.

In the Olivier Theatre, Graham (Dear England) and Herrin (People, Places & Things) follow up with the world premiere of Major. Rising from humble Whip to prime minister in record time, John Major took over from Margaret Thatcher with an entirely new leadership style, and at a pivotal moment when the UK was redefining its relationship to Europe.

Rubasingham commented: “Since James leapt onto our stages with This House, he’s become one of this country’s great national playwrights, illuminating recent history to help us understand where we are now. Major reflects on a key moment in Britain’s relationship with Europe and asks to what extent ideology should determine leadership.”

The Great Indaba: Rubasingham reunites with writer Moira Buffini to direct this new play.

In a co-production with MGC, the play dramatises how the 1998 Good Friday Agreement took a big step forward at an extraordinary meeting in South Africa between the new National Unity Government led by Nelson Mandela and the bitter political rivals within Northern Ireland. An inspirational true story of diplomacy which gives hope to the idea that peace can always be achieved even in the greatest areas of conflict.

“It is a really extraordinary, little-known true story about forgiveness and responsibility,” said Rubasingham.

Samira: this new play by Carmen Nasr, set during the Arab Spring, is directed In the Dorfman theatre by Emily Burns (Dear Octopus).

Samira is a thrilling, funny and provocative new play. Inspired by real events, the play explores authenticity, political upheaval, and the pursuit of truth. Casting includes May Calamawy (Ramy) in the title role, Joshua McGuire (The Gold) as Dan, Lily Olufemi-Bywaters (Toto Kerblammo!) as Maya, Sirine Saba (Phaedra) as Rana, Karim Saleh (Luxor) as Kamil and Antonia Salib (Hijack) as Amira.

May Calamawy Tom Jamieson

Joshua McGuire Michael Shelford

Sirine Saba Harry Livingstone

Rubasingham said: “In 2027, we'll continue to bring the world to the National through global stories like Carmen Nasr’s Samira, an urgent new play that shifts between the Arab Spring and a British university campus. It’s absolutely a play for now when it’s increasingly difficult to know whom to trust and what to believe, online and off. Carmen is a talent that I’m so glad to be welcoming at the National.”

Adeyemi – A Family Saga: British Nigerian writer Oladipo Agboluaje’s new epic family drama, directed by Lucian Msamati with three-time Emmy winning actor Uzo Aduba making her National Theatre debut in the cast.

Uzo Aduba Robert Maxwell

Rubasingham said: “It’s fast-paced, hilarious family saga set in Nigeria. The play tells the story of a resourceful woman fighting her way to the top amidst the glamour and grandeur of the elite.

Mr Loverman: Natasha Gordon adapts Bernardine Evaristo’s acclaimed novel directed by Paulette Randall (Fences). A love story spanning six decades of life and family, from Antigua to modern-day London; initial casting includes Gary Beadle (Les Blancs) as Morris, Gabrielle Brooks (Get Up, Stand Up!) as Maxine/Young Merty, Llewella Gideon (CARE) as Merty/Augustina, Terique Jarrett (DADDY) as Daniel/Young Barry, Jenny Jules (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Broadway) as Candaisy/Odette, Suzette Llewellyn (An Ideal Husband) as Asseleitha/Cynthia, Jo Martin (Doctor Who) as Carmel and Danny Sapani (Les Blancs) as Barry.

Ghostlight, marking the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre’s South Bank home, next summer the multi-award-winning theatre company Punchdrunk will create a new immersive production, conceived and directed by Felix Barrett, and announced today, curated by writer Lucy Kirkwood.

The Last Wild National Theatre

The Last Wild, world premiere touring in a new adaptation by Jude Christian for primary school and family audiences.

Then follow “reimagined classics”:

West Side Story, a major revival of the Broadway classic co-directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, with Jerome Robbins’s original choreography reproduced and adapted by Julio Monge.

Monge was the artistic collaborator and consultant on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film adaptation. This American masterpiece, with a book by Arthur Laurents (Gypsy), music by Leonard Bernstein (On the Town) and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Follies), will be co-directed in a new production reuniting directors Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell after their award-winning West End and Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman.

Death of a Salesman title treatment National Theatre

Suddenly Last Summer: Michael Grandage will direct Emma Corrin, Arty Froushan and Harriet Walter in a new production of Tennessee Williams’s rarely performed masterpiece.

Plenty, marking a celebrated artistic partnership, former National Theatre director Richard Eyre will return to reunite with playwright David Hare and stage a new production of this landmark, award-winning play, ahead of its 50th anniversary, with initial casting that includes Emilia Clarke making her National Theatre debut.

Emilia Clarke Misha Shahzada

Rubasingham said: “As well as celebrating David’s phenomenal contribution to the National and marking his 80th, it’s a personal honour for me to have Richard Eyre back in the building. His tenure as director influenced me hugely. Richard’s National Theatre is the National I grew up with.”

Death of a Salesman and A Whistle in the Dark: cast join Paul Mescal in the repertory productions of Arthur Miller’s modern classic directed by Rebecca Frecknall and Tom Murphy’s Irish masterpiece directed by Caitríona McLaughlin. Casting includes Monica Dolan, Ciarán Hinds, Tracy Letts and Aisling Loftus.

A Whistle in the Dark title treatment National Theatre

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead: National Theatre deputy artistic director Robert Hastie will stage a new production of Tom Stoppard’s absurdist classic, 60 years on from the first London and Broadway productions, with Mawaan Rizwan and George Fouracres in the title roles.

Mawaan Rizwan Joseph Lynn

And for audiences everywhere:

Inter Alia, Suzie Miller’s play will continue its run on Broadway in 2027 with Olivier Award winner Rosamund Pike and directed by Justin Martin. Next year also marks 60 years of cultural exchange between the National Theatre and the United States, a relationship that began with the NT’s landmark production of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead transferring to Broadway.

Rosamund Pike Manuel Harlan

Ballet Shoes, the National Theatre’s hit stage adaptation will embark on a major UK tour, co-produced with Chris Harper Productions. Casting includes Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke. The production will be working with Frozen Light, who will be providing multisensory performances for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities for select venues on the tour.

The cast of Ballet Shoes (2025) at the National Theatre. Alastair Muir

The cast of Ballet Shoes (2025) at the National Theatre.Alastair Muir

In a statement, Rubasingham said: “Next year’s programme brings together a remarkable range of work that looks across the last century to explore the perspectives, cultures and conflicts that continue to shape our world. Some of these stories are unfamiliar, some are rediscovered, and others are boldly reimagined for the times we are living in.

“From new musicals and immersive theatre, to filmed productions translated into local languages and plays interwoven in repertory, each of these shows is shaped by extraordinary artists and united by themes of resilience and hope. Above all, at a time when we’re constantly asking what’s true, this programme puts the experience of truth at its heart.

“In the Olivier, we are premiering two new plays by leading British playwrights, each returning to pivotal moments in the 1990s, a period that drastically shaped political futures, and each exploring themes of leadership, division and the possibility of forgiveness.

“It means a lot to me to present this season of incisive plays, reflecting the international spirit at the heart of our National Theatre. With twentieth century classics, eight new plays and global stories, we are proud to continue our work of bringing the National Theatre to the world, and the world to the National Theatre.”