Pomona, National Theatre

Originally presented as a work-in-progress by Welsh drama students, Pomona premiered at the intimate Orange Tree Theatre and was hailed one of the best new plays of 2014, which we tipped for a transfer after opening night. Sure enough, the Pomona transfer has just been announced. The show will come to the National Theatre's Temporary Theatre in September 2015. 

Pomona play summary

The hero of Pomona, Ollie, is searching for his missing sister and all clues are leading to a strange concrete island at the heart of Manchester— the only elevated tram stop ever built in the city, just above the canal. The play plumbs into a devastatingly dark underworld, forcing its audience to confront issues of morality and evil. 

Alistair McDowall: playwright 

Often likened to Phillip Ridley’s dystopian works such as Mercury Fur or Pitchfork Disney, Alastair McDowall’s plays have already received high praise. Winner of the 2011 Bruntwood Judge’s Prize for his debut play, Brilliant Adventures, he has since been invited to work with the Royal Court, the Manchester Royal Exchange and Finborough Theatre. The Observer describes his writing as full of “sizzling exuberance and imagination” and fellow playwright Simon Stephens hailed McDowall as the most exciting playwright to emerge in the last five years. This transfer to the National Theatre's Temporary Theatre cements McDowall's place among the best contemporary playwrights as well as showing an appetite for theatre that challenges and thrills.

Pomona at The National Theatre

In Pomona, McDowall is working in collaboration with director Ned Bennett and designer Fly Davis. This talented trio created a deeply atmospheric stage in the Orange Tree, which we hope will keep its clout when it moves to the South Bank. Casting for the Pomona transfer is yet to be announced, but we're crossing our fingers that the searingly good Orange Tree cast will reprise their roles.

Booking opens on Friday 1st May.