Wayne McGregor – The Theatre Playbook

In 2023, the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) celebrates its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the group begins a UK tour this month before arriving at Sadler’s Wells on June 3.

Described as the country’s flagship company for young dancers, which is run by Sadler’s Wells, the tour features the NYDC’s new work, Novacene.

It is choreographed by guest artistic director and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor.

The NYDC comprises 35 dancers, aged between 16 and 24 years old, hailing from 19 towns, cities and villages across England.

During a dancer’s time with NYDC, they are offered a unique insight into the dance profession, living and working closely together as a company, alongside NYDC staff and the artistic team. The year-long experience within the company provides members with the necessary skills and techniques to find career opportunities and raise aspirations, self-esteem and confidence. The dancers are mentored during four intensive residencies in school holidays to create and rehearse the new piece.

Over the last 10 years, NYDC has worked with more than 6,000 young people through workshops and projects across the country, while 313 young people have joined the company, creating 10 full length dance productions by internationally renowned choreographers including Alesandra Seutin, Russell Maliphant, Botis Seva, Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Michael Keegan Dolan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan and Jasmin Vardimon.

Rehearsals are underway for Dancing at Lughnasa, Josie Rourke’s revival of Brian Friel’s Olivier Award-winning play that opens at the National Theatre next month.

The starry cast includes Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls), Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted), Alison Oliver (Conversations with Friends) and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls), alongside Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Bláithín Mac Gabhann, Justine Mitchell and Tom Riley.

Set during harvest time in County Donegal, 1936, outside the village of Ballybeg, the five Mundy sisters battle poverty to raise seven-year-old Michael and care for their Uncle Jack. During the Festival of Lughnasa, Pagan and Christian meet and collide. The sisters fight, love, dance, yearn and survive, in this astonishing evocation of a family’s world on the brink of change.

Director Rourke said: “In my time as artistic director of the Donmar, we staged four works by Brian Friel. During those years, I was lucky enough to meet Brian and it was a joyous honour to be near this great man and his plays, which are defining works of the theatre. It’s a privilege to be the director of this revival for the National Theatre. It was on the South Bank that the seed of the play was planted with Friel and it was always his intention that this play be produced by the NT. I’m so happy to be working with this glorious cast and creative team to bring it to the Olivier stage.”

Sean Donegan, Lauren Farrell, George Turner and Caitríona Williams also join the company.

Set and costume design is by Robert Jones, the lighting designer is Mark Henderson, the choreographer is Wayne McGregor, the composer is Hannah Peel, the sound designer is Emma Laxton, the video designer is Douglas O’Connell and the casting director is Alastair Coomer.

Performances begin in the Olivier theatre on April 6 and run until May 27. nationaltheatre.org.uk.