National Theatre’s secondary schools tour comes to Morley College London’s North Kensington Centre

Last week, Morley College London’s North Kensington Centre for Skills welcomed the National Theatre to give an unforgettable performance of a new play, TheLeftBehinds, as part of the National Theatre’s Secondary Schools Tour.

The National Theatre’s initiative brings high-quality theatre directly into schools and communities, introducing young audiences to the power of live performance and inspiring the next generation of theatre-makers.

The performances took place in North Kensington’s refurbished main hall, a state of the art flexible performance space that provided the perfect backdrop for this production. Two local schools, Saints Catholic College, and Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School enjoyed the National Theatre’s dazzling production. 

Morley’s North Kensington Centre, a creative hub for learning and collaboration, was full of energy as students watched the show. The National Theatre’s Secondary School Tour came to a close last week, with final performances at the North Kensington Centre on Friday.   

The tour’s latest production, The LeftBehinds, is a thrilling new play co-created by Bristol playwright Ross Willis and director Ned Bennett. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story follows a group of orphaned survivors on a high-stakes mission to rebuild an ancient android—before time runs out. A tale of courage, friendship, and survival – The LeftBehinds is designed to engage and excite students, making theatre an experience that feels relevant and accessible to them.

“We are delighted that our partnership with the National Theatre continues as part of their commitment to the community in North Kensington. This is the second year that the National Theatre have rehearsed their production in our space, and launched their National Schools Tour from the North Kensington Centre. It’s great that they have again decided to conclude the tour with us and we were able to invite local schools to the centre to experience the production” said Craig Hanlon-Smith, Vice Principal (Student Engagement) and Centre Principal, North Kensington Centre for Skills.

Bringing theatre directly into schools and colleges is a key part of the National Theatre’s mission to make the performing arts accessible to all. This collaboration with Morley College London highlights the value of live performance in education, offering students an opportunity to engage with theatre.

Morley is excited to welcome the National Theatre back to the college soon!