ISLAND -the National Theatre’s new play for young audiences visits twenty-two London primary schools

The National Theatre will be visiting twenty-two primary schools across twelve London boroughs between January and March with a new play, ISLAND, by award-winning author Nicky Singer. Schools across Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Camden, Lewisham, Newham, Greenwich, Wandsworth, Hackney and Haringey are taking part in the National’s creative learning programme for younger audiences.  ISLAND will also be performed for family audiences at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre from 15 – 25 February (suitable for 8 years+).

ISLAND tells the story of a London schoolboy, Cameron, who is forced to spend his school holiday without a computer, phone or Facebook with his scientist mother on a melting Arctic island.  There he encounters an indigenous girl whose stories open up this different world.

The Arctic setting of ISLAND partly arose from the desire to find a truly unfamiliar environment for children in London primary schools. The learning programme which accompanies it focuses on creativity across the curriculum and children’s enjoyment and achievement in writing. Five creative school-based drama workshops will mirror the writing process undertaken by Nicky Singer, and students will work towards creating their own short scripts inspired by the production.

Nicky Singer’s first children’s novel Feather Boy won the Blue Peter ‘Book of the Year’ Award, was adapted for TV (winning a BAFTA for Best Children’s Drama) and then commissioned as a musical by National Theatre Connections. In 2010 she adapted her teen novel Knight Crew for an opera with music by Julian Philips at Glyndebourne; the making of the show was filmed by the BBC for a three-part documen­tary.

Directed by Adam Penford, ISLAND is performed by professional actors Rebecca Boey, Jilly Bond, Anne Kavanagh and James Cooney; it is designed by Simon Kenny, with lighting by Paul Knott and sound by Tom Gibbons.

For further information, contact: Philippa Crossman on 020 7452 3236; pcrossman@nationaltheatre.org.uk