Nye
a new play by Tim Price
a co-production with Wales Millennium Centre
Booking and details
Olivier Theatre
National Theatre
South Bank
London SE1 9PX
From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the NHS, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence on our country without ever being Prime Minister.
Confronted with death, Nye’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill, in an epic Welsh fantasia.
Michael Sheen (Under Milk Wood) is Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. Written by Tim Price (Teh Internet is Serious Business) and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island).
Nye is available with Audio Description, British Sign Language and Welsh Subtitles.
Catch it before it’s gone! From 6pm on 31 March, Nye will no longer be available to stream in the UK.
Performed 24 February — 11 May 2024 in the Olivier Theatre.
Other ways to see Nye
Stories Start Here
As a charity, the National Theatre relies on your support to continue making world-class theatre for everyone.
Please consider making a donation to share more unforgettable stories, like Nye, with audiences around the world.
Find out more about the impact you can have when making a gift.
To donate by text
To donate in the UK, text;
STORIES 10 to 70560 to donate £10
STORIES 20 to 70560 to donate £20
Texts cost your donation amount plus one standard rate message. UK networks only.
★★★★★
‘A taut and fluid triumph’
The i
★★★★
‘A valiant and valuable affirmation of the NHS’
Telegraph
★★★★
‘Vividly directed by Rufus Norris’
Times
★★★★
‘Sheen catches Nye’s lightning in a bottle’
Broadway World
★★★★
‘A mighty, moving piece of theatre’
Financial Times
★★★★
‘Rufus Norris directs and delivers one of his best productions to date’
Daily Express
★★★★
‘Moving and totally relevant’
Mail on Sunday
Suitability
Please note: This production takes place in a hospital setting and includes references to medical conditions and procedures throughout. It contains strobe effect lighting and the use of strong language.
More advice and guidance
Supporters
This production is supported by the Huo Family Foundation and Rosetrees Trust.
The commissioning of this play was generously supported by the Sir Peter Shaffer Charitable Foundation.
This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Plays Award.
The YouTube free stream is brought to you by National Theatre at Home and made possible by Bloomberg Philanthropies
Gallery
Production images
Rehearsal images
Cast
Remy Beasley
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Matthew Bulgo
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Dyfan Dwyfor
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Roger Evans
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Ross Foley
Clerk, Ross Doherty and Understudy Mr Orchard / Neville Chamberlain / David Bevan / Dr Frankel
Ross Foley
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Jon Furlong
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Daniel Hawksford
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other and Much Ado About Nothing
Bea Holland
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and Shut Up I’m Dreaming (as co-writer/dramaturg)
Stephanie Jacob
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Small Island, Absolute Hell, Saint George and the Dragon, Burnt by the Sun, Her Naked Skin, Major Barbara, Philistines, The Rose Tattoo and Stanley
Kezrena James
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Under Milk Wood, My Brilliant Friend and From Morning to Midnight
Tony Jayawardena
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Father and the Assassin, East is East, London Assurance, All’s Well That Ends Well and England People Very Nice
Michael Keane
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Nicholas Khan
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Father and the Assassin, The Beaux Stratagem and Dara
Rebecca Killick
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and War Horse on tour
Oliver Llewellyn-Jenkins
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Mark Matthews
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and War Horse on UK and international tour
Rhodri Meilir
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Ashley Mejri
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Lee Mengo
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and Under Milk Wood
David Monteith
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mali O'Donnell
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Sara Otung
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Michael Sheen
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Under Milk Wood, The UN Inspector, Look Back in Anger, The Homecoming and Ends of the Earth
Sharon Small
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Threepenny Opera, Men Should Weep and London Cuckolds
Production team
Playwright
Tim Price
Tim Price
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and Protest Song
Director
Rufus Norris
Rufus Norris
For the National Theatre: as director, credits include Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Hex, Small Island, Macbeth, Mosquitoes, My Country; a work in progress, The Threepenny Opera, wonder.land and Everyman; as associate director, credits include Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Amen Corner, Table, London Road, Death and the King’s Horseman and Market Boy
Set Designer
Vicki Mortimer
Vicki Mortimer
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Our Generation, The Normal Heart, The Visit, or The Old Lady Comes to Call, ANNA, Follies, The Plough and the Stars, The Threepenny Opera, Here We Go, The Silver Tassie, Othello, Hamlet, Waves, Cat in a Hat, Three Sisters, The Seagull and Closer
Costume Designer
Kinnetia Isidore
Kinnetia Isidore
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and Our Generation (also Chichester)
Lighting Designer
Paule Constable
Paule Constable
Recently for the National Theatre: Ballet Shoes, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, The Confessions, Dixon and Daughters, The Normal Heart, The Visit, or The Old Lady Comes to Call and The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Co-Choreographer
Steven Hoggett
Steven Hoggett
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Light Princess and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (also West End and Broadway)
Co-Choreographer
Jess Williams
Jess Williams
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre); as associate director or associate movement director, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Beginning (also for Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch); as movement director, The Boy with Two Hearts
Composer
Will Stuart
Will Stuart
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre) and The Corn is Green
Sound Designer
Donato Wharton
Donato Wharton
For the National Theatre: The Grapes of Wrath, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Grenfell: in the words of survivors (also St. Ann’s Warehouse, New York), Under Milk Wood, Middle and Three Sisters
Projection Designer
Jon Driscoll
Jon Driscoll
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Small Island, I’m Not Running, 3 Winters, King Lear, The Effect, People, Travelling Light, Earthquakes in London, Nation, The Power of Yes, The Observer, Gethsemane, Her Naked Skin, Fram, A Matter of Life and Death and The Reporter
Casting Director
Alastair Coomer CDG
Alastair Coomer CDG
For the National Theatre: over 50 productions including Alterations, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Other Place, The Grapes of Wrath, Mnemonic (2024), Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, The Crucible (also West End), Blues for an Alabama Sky, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Mosquitoes, This House, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, One Man, Two Guvnors and War Horse
Casting
Chloe Blake
Chloe Blake
Recent National Theatre includes: The Importance of Being Earnest, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Jekyll and Hyde, Barrier(s), Hamlet for Young Audiences, The Effect and Blues for an Alabama Sky
Dialect Coach
Patricia Logue
Patricia Logue
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Dancing at Lughnasa and Romeo and Julie
Company Voice Work
Cathleen McCarron
Cathleen McCarron
For the National Theatre: Dear England (2025, 2023 and in the West End), Ballet Shoes, The Other Place for A Zeldin Company, Coriolanus, Mnemonic (2024, with Complicité), Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, The House of Bernarda Alba, The Confessions and The Motive and the Cue, Death of England: Closing Time and Romeo and Julie
Company Voice Work
Tamsin Newlands
Tamsin Newlands
For the National Theatre: Ballet Shoes, A Tupperware of Ashes, The Hot Wing King, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, Jekyll & Hyde and The House of Bernarda Alba
Consultant Medical Adviser
Associate Director
Francesca Goodridge
Francesca Goodridge
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Associate Set Designer
Matt Hellyer
Matt Hellyer
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Our Generation, The Normal Heart, The Visit, Follies, ANNA, When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, The Plough and the Stars, The Threepenny Opera and The Last of the Haussmans
Associate Costume Designer
Zoë Thomas-Webb
Zoë Thomas-Webb
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre)
Projection Design Associate
Gemma Carrington
Gemma Carrington
Download our latest brochure
Photo by Johan Persson