Arthur Darvill will make his National Theatre debut when he takes on the role of Long John Silver in Polly Findlay’s production of Treasure Island this Christmas.
The Broadchurch and Doctor Who star, who returns to the London stage for the first time since his performance in Olivier Award-winning musical Once, will play Robert Louis Stevenson’s iconic buccaneer from 10 December when Bryony Lavery’s family adaptation opens in the Olivier Theatre.
He will be joined in the tale of Jim Hawkins’ search for treasure by stars of Hampstead Theatre’s 2011 hit Ecstasy, Daniel Coonan and Claire-Louise Cordwell, Nick Fletcher (A Doll’s House, Young Vic and West End), Paul Dodds (Timon Of Athens, National Theatre), Joshua James (Father And Sons, Donmar Warehouse) and Patsy Ferran (Blithe Spirit, West End).
The cast will also include Heather Dutton, Helena Lymbery, Alexandra Maher, Alastair Parker, Tim Samuels, David Sterne, Ben Thompson, Zubin Varla and Roger Wilson.
Other news announced today by the historic institution includes Tanya Ronder’s adaptation of Shahid Nadeem’s Dara. The play was originally performed by Pakistan’s Ajoka Theatre, for which Nadeem is co-founder and Executive Director. Set in the imperial court of Mughal India in 1659, it follows the two heirs of the Muslim Empire as they embark on a ferocious fight for succession.
The intense domestic drama, which spans the princes’ lives from cradle to grave, will play in the Lyttelton Theatre from 20 January (press night 27 January) to 4 April.
The cast of the production, which is directed by Nadia Fall, includes Nathalie Armin (The Complaint, Hampstead Theatre), Rudi Dharmalingam (The Events, Young Vic), Vincent Ebrahim (The Djinns Of Eidgah, Royal Court), Ranjit Krishnamma, Anjli Mohindra, Anneika Rose, Chook Sibtain and Anjana Vasan.
In other casting news from the South Bank venue, Jodie McNee, who starred in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s summer hit Hobson’s Choice, will appear in Howard Davies’ production of Tena Štivičić’s 3 Winters in the Lyttelton Theatre from 3 December. She is joined in the cast by Harry Potter star Adrian Rawlins, Daniel Flynn (Stephen Ward, West End), Lucy Black (Children Of The Sun, NT) and Josie Walker (The Silver Tassie, NT).
Susan Engel, Siobhan Finneran, Daniel Flynn, Hermione Gulliford, Jo Herbert, Alex Jordan, Gerald Kyd, James Laurenson, Alex Price and Sophie Rundle will appear alongside them in the production.
Meera Syal also has company for her previously announced appearance in David Hare’s Behind The Beautiful Forevers, which plays in the Olivier Theatre from 10 November. Joining The Kumars at No. 42 star are many of Dara’s cast members including Armin, Ebrahim, Krishnamma, Sibtain, Rose, Mohindra and Vasan.
Other cast members include Hiran Abeysekera, Esh Alladi, Pal Aron, Tia-Lana Chinapyel, Sartaj Garewal, Mariam Haque, Thusitha Jayasundera, Muzz Khan, Manjeet Mann, Nikita Mehta, Tia Palamathanan, Bharti Patel, Ronak Patani, Gavi Singh Chera, Stephanie Street, Assad Zaman and Shane Zaza. There will also be an NT Live screening of the Rufus Norris-directed show on 12 March.
Adding to today’s extensive news from the National Theatre, dates have been announced for Marianne Elliott’s production of Rules For Living, which plays in the Dorfman Theatre from 13 March (press night 24 March). Tom Stoppard’s The Hard Problem, the cast for which was announced last week, will run from 21 January (press night 28 January) in the Dorfman Theatre, with an NT Live broadcast of Nicholas Hytner’s production taking place on 16 April.
Following Friday’s news that Indira Varma will join Ralph Fiennes in Man And Superman, dates have also been announced for Simon Godwin’s production. The George Bernard Shaw play will run from 17 February (press night 25 February) to 17 May in the Lyttelton Theatre, with an NT Live broadcast on 14 May.
Other NT Live screenings announced today include Treasure Island on 22 January, with encore screenings from 18 February, and DV8 Physical Theatre’s John on 9 December. Danny Boyle’s previous National Theatre hit Frankenstein, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, will return to cinemas from this month.