PLATFORMS
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/platforms
6pm (45 mins), £3·50/£2·50 unless stated

Ten Years of the Children’s Laureate
27 April, Olivier
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the inauguration of the Children’s Laureate, Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Rosen look back at their experiences of being Laureate and talk to John Mullan about the current trend of dramatic adaptations of children’s novels.

Virginia McKenna
28 April, Cottesloe
Virginia McKenna’s autobiography, The Life in My Years, reflects on a career which includes performances in The Cruel Sea and A Town Like Alice and her role in the conservation and animal welfare movement as founder of The Born Free Foundation.

Rupert Goold on Time and the Conways
14 May, Lyttelton
The director talks about his new production of Priestley’s time play.

Frantic Assembly: Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett
28 May, Cottesloe
In their practical book on devising, the artistic directors of Frantic Assembly reflect on the history and practice of their innovative company.

The Marlowe Legacy
29 May, Cottesloe
A wide-ranging look at a life rich with drama, poetry and intrigue; Lisa Hopkins discusses Marlowe’s literary legacy, Ged Parsons his frequent fictional appearances, and Simon Shepherd looks at affairs of state in turbulent times.

Matt Charman and Richard Eyre on The Observer
4 June, Cottesloe
Writer and director talk about this new play set during a West African election.

The Work of Wole Soyinka
12 June, Olivier
Maya Jaggi, Ben Okri and Jane Plastow examine the life and career of the Nobel prize-winning author of Death and the King’s Horseman.

Antony Sher
20 June, Lyttelton
As a new edition of his inspiring and revelatory memoir, Beside Myself, is published to mark his 60th birthday, alongside an exhibition, the actor, author and artist Antony Sher reflects on his career.

Shakespeare Blogged: Nick Asbury and Simon Reade
23 June, Cottesloe
Actor and RSC blogger Nick Asbury joins director and author Simon Reade for a light-hearted look at how Shakespeare the playwright would survive in today’s world of internet scrutiny and arts subsidy.

Marianne Elliott on All’s Well That Ends Well
24 June, Olivier
The director Marianne Elliott discusses her new production of Shakespeare’s “problem” play.

Lorna Luft
26 June, Olivier
The celebrated performer, actress and recording artist comes to the National to talk about her acclaimed career – most recently playing the Wicked Witch of the West – and living with the memory of her mother, the legendary Judy Garland.

Timeless Priestley: Roy Hattersley and Tom Priestley 29 June, Lyttelton
Playwright, broadcaster, campaigner and novelist J B Priestley left an indelible mark on our culture and society. Tom Priestley, his son, is joined by the politician Roy Hattersley to reflect on the legacy of a British legend.

Nicholas Hytner on Phèdre
2 July, Lyttelton
The director talks about his production of Racine’s verse masterpiece.

Shakespeare’s Soul: Jonathan Bate
3 July, Olivier
In his new biography, Soul of the Age, Jonathan Bate weaves an exhilarating tapestry of the Elizabethan beliefs and obsessions, private passions and political intrigues that shaped and informed Shakespeare’s mind.

New Connections Writers’ Forum
7 July, Cottesloe
As the annual season of new plays for young people ends its run at the National, the writers look back on their experiences of the programme.

Joan Bakewell
14 July, Lyttelton
In her first novel, All the Nice Girls, Joan Bakewell tells a stirring tale of living life to the full and the virtue of integrity and patriotism in a wartime Manchester girls’ school.

Helen Mirren
20 July, 9.30pm, Lyttelton
Currently playing the title role in Racine’s tragedy, Helen Mirren reflects on her hugely diverse career and returning to the National.

An Experiment with Time… and the Conways
24 July, Lyttelton
Time and the Conways was inspired by J W Dunne’s 1927 ‘An Experiment with Time’, which argues that our past, present and future exist concurrently. Physicist Jeff Forshaw and writer Anthony Peake discuss Dunne’s influence on Priestley’s work, and the latest in time theories.

In Conversation with…
3pm (1hr) £5/4, Cottesloe
The ongoing series of informal conversations with company members chatting about their work and answering audience questions. Chaired by Al Senter.
Anastasia Hille – Mon 1 June
Anna Chancellor – Fri 5 June
Francesca Annis – Tue 23 June

The Acting Series… revisited
The distinguished 1980s BBC series of acting masterclasses featured a stellar line-up of Maria Aitken, Michael Caine, Simon Callow, Brian Cox, Jonathan Miller and Janet Suzman, working with young actors on acting in particular genres. Twenty years later, the ‘masters’ revisit their topics and look back to see how their work and approach have changed – or not – and share their thoughts on contemporary acting with extracts from the original series.

Jonathan Miller: Acting in Opera – Fri 5 June, Olivier
Simon Callow: Acting in Restoration Comedy – Fri 19 June, Olivier
Maria Aitken: Acting in High Comedy – Wed 8 July, Lyttelton
Janet Suzman: Acting in Shakespearean Comedy – Fri 10 July, Lyttelton

Contact: Caroline Ansdell on 020 7452 3231 / cansdell@nationaltheatre.org.uk