Schools touring
Our secondary schools tour brings high-quality theatre directly into priority schools. The programme introduces the artform to students and is a catalyst for drama and creativity in schools nationwide.
Working with our national partners, we tour productions to school halls across the country to grow and sustain live audiences for theatre.
Read about what else we’re up to across the country
2025 Secondary schools tour
From the start of 2025 the National Theatre will return to UK schools with a tour of The LeftBehinds, a new play co-created by Bristol playwright Ross Willis and director Ned Bennett. This follows last year’s hugely popular secondary schools tour of Jekyll & Hyde, which was performed for 10,000 young people nationwide.
The apocalypse has left nothing but dust, danger and loss. The LeftBehinds, a group of orphaned survivors led by Kit, must embark on a desperate mission to find the remaining pieces of an ancient android.
Their quest takes them across a perilous wasteland, but time isn’t their only enemy— a vengeful ghost from Kit’s childhood is hot on their heels. With the fate of the planet hanging in the balance, they must rebuild the android before it’s too late.
A gnarly, adrenaline-fueled adventure, The LeftBehinds is an unforgettable journey of courage, friendship, and the fight for a future.
This new play will embark on a national tour, visiting secondary school halls in 11 areas nationwide across ten weeks in partnership with local theatres. Age 12+
2024 Secondary schools tour
In 2024 we brought back Evan Placey’s reimagined version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale Jekyll & Hyde for our secondary schools tour. The production last toured to schools in 2022.
Directed by Kirsty Housley, the story explores in a mash up of Victorian England and the modern day how the repression of female voices is as prevalent in the 19th century as it is today. The story centres around two new protagonists – Hattie, Jekyll’s widow, and Flossie, a young blogger in the 21st century. With these new narratives, the audience were confronted by the power the internet holds to unleash our own inner Hydes.
With support from our partner theatres, this production toured to twelve Theatre Nation Partnership areas, reaching approximately 10,000 students across England.
Jekyll & Hyde at the Lowry Theatre
For the first time, we opened our schools touring production to the general public. We had two public performances of Jekyll & Hyde on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 January 2024.
We are delighted to have worked with Theatre Nation partner The Lowry in Salford, Manchester to strengthen the connection between schools, communities and their local venues to reach as wide an audience as possible.
Photo © Feruza Afewerki
Past productions
Shut Up, I'm Dreaming
In 2023, we were delighted to work with theatre company The PappyShow to tour our first fully devised production into schools. Shut Up, I’m Dreaming was directed by Kane Husbands and was based on the views, ideas and experiences of teenagers across England.
Throughout 2022, artists from The PappyShow spent time with approximately 100 students across three schools in Sunderland, Wakefield and Walsall to have conversations about dreams and ambition in an uncertain world. Shut Up, I’m Dreaming leans into the hopes and feelings we hold, and those we are forced to squash. Full of laughter, joy, grief and silliness, this is The PappyShow’s love letter to a new generation.
Shut Up, I’m Dreaming toured to 50 schools in 12 Theatre Nation Partnership areas and reached over 8,000 students.
I will most likely remember it for the rest of my life.
– Student (Abbey College, Ramsey)
Hamlet
During February and March 2023, we toured our production of Hamlet, adapted for children aged 8–12, to schools across the country. This 65-minute version of the play provides an accessible first introduction to Shakespeare. The production also ran in the Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre in March 2023.
Children seeing the production also had the opportunity to participate in a practical workshop which introduced the plot, characters and language of the play prior to seeing the show. Hamlet toured to schools in the following areas: Blackburn and Darwen, Blackpool, Havering, Knowsley, Lincolnshire, Tameside and Thurrock.
Hamlet toured to 109 schools and reached over 7,700 students.
I loved Hamlet, the way he acted was excellent!
– Primary pupil
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time toured in 2018 and 2019 to schools in London and the following Theatre Nation Partnership areas: Doncaster, Greater Manchester, Hornchurch, Sunderland, Wakefield and Wolverhampton.
This 90 minute version by Simon Stephens was re-staged in the round specifically for schools audiences. With support from our partner theatres, the production reached 25,275 secondary pupils nationwide in 98 schools.
If you want to learn more, check out our teacher resource video collection on this production.
Can I just say a collective WOW! on behalf of us all here. It was absolutely amazing.
– Teacher (Wolverhampton)
Our funders
The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.
Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation Clore Duffield Foundation, Tim & Sarah Bunting, MFPA Trust Fund for the Training of Disabled Children in the Arts, Behrens Foundation, Cleopatra Trust, The Andor Charitable Trust and Marlow Trust.
The Hearn Foundation is the Principal Funder of the Primary Schools Programme. Primary Schools Touring is supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, The Constance Travis Charitable Trust, The Ingram Trust, The Dorset Foundation – in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, Archie Sherman Charitable Trust, Susan Miller & Byron Grote, Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, and The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation.
Secondary Schools Touring is supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Delta Air Lines, The Ingram Trust, The Constance Travis Charitable Trust, Susan Miller & Byron Grote, The Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement, The Britford Bridge Trust, William A. Cadbury Charitable Trust and The Dow Clewer Foundation.
Contact us
Kiri Grant
Head of National Partnerships
Oliver Branton
Project Producer
Tom Chamberlain
Touring Coordinator
You can contact the touring team on learning@nationaltheatre.org.uk
Hamlet photo © Ellie Kurttz
Jekyll & Hyde and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time photos © The Other Richard
Shut Up I’m Dreaming photos © Marc Brenner
Jekyll & Hyde photos © Feruza Afewerki
More to explore
Speak Up
Read all about Speak Up – a national secondary programme that aims to inspire a movement of young people to talk about the issues that matter to them.
Schools
Find out how you can involved with our open schools programme.
Young People's programme
Interested in performing, producing, writing or technical theatre? Check out opportunities in our young people’s programme.