NT Connections 2026

Connections is the National Theatre’s annual youth theatre festival, where companies and schools from across the UK perform 1 of 10 new plays. Worcester Theatres is thrilled to be hosting the Connections Festival for the fourth year, and we can’t wait to welcome young people from all over Worcestershire and beyond to perform at our venue.  Join us for 3 days of exciting new work performed by the theatre makers of the future! 

Performance Schedule

Book Tickets

Ticket Prices:
£10 per show (£5 for under 25s)
£15 day festival pass - Add all the shows of the day to your basket and the discount will be applied at checkout

Monday 30 March

10:30 - Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth by TDMS Collective

Book Tickets

13:00 - Britney's Lock by Bournside Theatre Ensemble

 Book Tickets

16.30 - Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth by Found in the Forest Youth Theatre

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19:00 - Fishville by Encore Arts 

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Tuesday 31st March

10.30 - Sycamore Gap by The Courtyard Youth Theatre

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13.00 - The Animals by WT Performance HUB

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16.30 - Fishville by Evolve Performance Hub @DudleyCol

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Wednesday 1th April

10.30 - Fishville by Tribe Theatre

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13.00 - Wildfire Road by Perfect Circle Youth Theatre

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16.30 - Britney's Lock by Stagedoor Learning

Book Tickets

Show Synopses

Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth by Kirsty Housley

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. Who set off the alarm and why? Will they ever get out of this detention? Will it cost them their GCSE? And why is Shakespeare still so popular?

So begins a meta deconstruction of the play as we move from classroom to theatre, artifice to reality. 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. They begin to wonder whether the classics really are that classic, or whether we might need to tell a different story altogether…

Britney's Lock by Alexandra Wood

When Ruby acquires a lock of Britney Spears’ hair as a relic to help her stay calm during her

GCSE mocks, her friends dismiss it, but one by one they feel its power and want a piece of it, until it is destroyed. This funny play about how we cope in stressful situations, explores the power of belief and friendship

Fishville by Afsaneh Gray

The story starts when a young man named Jared takes to the sea in swimming gear but never starts swimming… His death, which follows on from the unexpected sale of his parents’ house, throws the community into chaos. When the daughter of the man who bought Jared’s house arrives in Saltwell and finds a severed foot washed up at her feet, she and the daughter of the ‘second homers’ decide to investigate what drove Jared into the sea. They uncover a local myth about an underwater community – did Jared believe the myth? Then, ‘Jared’ starts posting messages, asking his friends to join him. With the new girl’s father spending more and more time in the sea, and the myth gaining traction, the young people must figure out what’s going on before anybody else is lost to a vengeful ocean…

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. The twelve members of the school’s eco-club are held in a classroom, being taken out and interviewed one by one, until the culprit cracks and confesses. 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?

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 in ways they haven't previously experienced. 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 at this prospect

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, as the rest of the world is engulfed in a massive wildfire. It's metaphorical, prophetic and a tale for the most important question of our times - are we going to wake up and address the climate emergency before it's too late?

NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme

Worcester Theatres creates opportunities for artists, young people and the wider public to make and experience art of the highest quality. We focus on supporting young and emerging talent and removing the barriers that can get in the way of building a meaningful career in the arts.

We’re excited to be running the NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme, a free opportunity for 16–21 year olds. The programme is ideal if you want to build new skills, get real backstage experience and see whether a future in technical theatre could be right for you. It’s a chance to explore different backstage roles and find out more about how theatre really works.

As a participant in the NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme, you’ll work with Worcester Theatres’ technical and participation teams across three main programme days on 30 March 2026, 31 March 2026 and 1 April 2026 at the Swan Theatre, Worcester. There will also be an induction day (date TBC), arranged to suit the availability of selected participants.

During the programme, you’ll:

• Learn the basics of stage lighting, sound and backstage communication systems
• Take part in a Programming Lighting Workshop
• Take part in a Sound Mixing Workshop
• Take part in a Flying and Rigging Workshop
• Get hands-on experience using QLab
• Attend a careers talk with Worcester Theatres’ Technical Manager
• Get hands-on with technical equipment in a professional theatre setting
• Support technical rehearsals and get-in/get-out (set-up and pack-down) for productions
• Work alongside Worcester Theatres’ technical staff and visiting companies
• Build skills in teamwork, problem-solving and working under show conditions
• Provide technical support for all productions during the NT Connections Festival 2026 at the Swan Theatre, Worcester

The programme is free to attend, and you’ll receive a £50 travel bursary, with all necessary safety equipment provided. This programme is funded by the National Theatre.

How to apply
You can apply for the NT Connections Technical Theatre Programme by completing the online application form here

Apply

Deadline to apply is the 6th March 2026