National Theatre’s Connections Festival is back and better than ever this Spring

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

Over 250 youth theatre companies and 6,000 young people from every corner of the UK take part and produce Connections plays each year.

Connections is open to any company of young people aged 13-19. You can be a school, a youth theatre or voluntary organisation. You can have lots of experience staging plays, or none at all.

Nottingham Playhouse is one of the regional theatres that makes National Theatre Connections able to happen across the whole country. Companies of young people who have been allocated Nottingham Playhouse as their partner theatre become part of our vibrant festival. They take over the building to perform their plays in front of live audiences and take part in creative activities – the festival is a complete celebration of the power of live theatre!

This year, the National Theatre Connections festival at Nottingham Playhouse will feature performances from ten fantastic youth companies, including:

Lambstail Youth Theatre
Nottingham College
Rugby Connected Youth Theatre
In the Round Theatre
Skegness Academy
Nottingham Playhouse Connections Company
NGA Theatre Company
Echo Theatre, One Act Theatre Company
Flourish Youth Theatre.

The 2026 National Theatre Connections Festival at Nottingham Playhouse will take place on 12-14 April 2026.

If you are interested in your students being one of the National Theatre’s Connections companies, please head to their website or contact us to find out more.

Nottingham Playhouse Connections Company
Are you an actor and interested in being part of the Nottingham Playhouse’s own Connections Company for 2026? Please head to our application page or contact us to find out more by emailing participation@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.