National Theatre Connections 2026

Connections is the National Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth theatre festival. The programme is 30 years old and has a history of championing the talent of young people from across the UK.

Every year, the National Theatre commissions new plays for young people to perform. The programme brings together some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow.

We are excited to be a partner theatre for the fifth year, welcoming 6 companies from across the North West to perform on our historic Main Stage.

Performances may contain strong language, sexual references, and discussion of mental health.

Sunday 26th April

Crewe Lyceum Theatre: Senior Company presents Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth by Kirsty Housle

When an alarm is deliberately set off during their GCSE drama exam, a group of students find themselves in detention. As they struggle to navigate the seemingly endless tasks they’ve been set as punishment, questions are raised. The performers switch between their characters and their real selves as they interrogate Shakespeare, the canon, the education system, the nature of theatre, and the world itself.

The Boaty Theatre Company presents The Animals by Sean Buckley

Student teacher Sam arrives at Redhill Youth Custody Secure Unit hoping to enrich the troubled residents' lives there by introducing them to the subject of Philosophy. The wary class resist engaging in this alien, ancient art of thinking at first, but start to thaw when they find themselves being challenged and empowered. Yet the hope Sam's teaching offers them is fragile, particularly for hard fronting Gee, who's on the verge of being released from the unit and is secretly terrified.

Monday 27th April

The Power Project presents Ride or Die by Florence Espeut-Nickless

The Kids spend the whole year arguing about whether Alton Towers is actually better than Thorpe Park. The deciding vote goes to the youngest, Angel who hasn’t actually been to any of them yet, because you don’t get to go on The Theme Park Extravaganza until the end of Year 7. But that’s literally in like 2 weeks, so it’ll be settled once and for all, very soon! So what could possibly go wrong?.... The whole affair is literally a car crash.

InterACT Youth Theatre presents Sycamore Gap by Al Smith

A whodunnit about the felling of the Robin Hood Tree at Sycamore Gap. Set on the day after the felling, the local police are ‘in school’ conducting an investigation. While they wait for their turn, the pupils interrogate each other. Who could have done something so monstrous? What possible motivation could they have had? What impact will it have on their club and their community, now that the tree is gone? And will it be possible for any of them to move on?

Tuesday 28th April

Queens Park High School presents Wildfire Road by Eve Leigh

A story about a generation whose future has been hijacked. The whole play takes place on a flight from London to Tokyo. There's a hijacker on board and the flight is re-directed to Siberia and in the process saving the lives of all 416 people on board, the rest of the world is engulfed in a massive wildfire.

The Grange Young Company presents Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth by Kirsty Housle

When an alarm is deliberately set off during their GCSE drama exam, a group of students find themselves in detention. As they struggle to navigate the seemingly endless tasks they’ve been set as punishment, questions are raised. The performers switch between their characters and their real selves as they interrogate Shakespeare, the canon, the education system, the nature of theatre, and the world itself.