Wretch 32 and Acting Legends Dench & McKellen Headline Rare National Theatre Events

When National Theatre announced its 2025 autumn season, few expected a British rapper to share the Olivier Theatre stage with two of the nation’s most revered acting icons. But that’s exactly what’s happening. On October 23, Wretch 32 — real name Jermaine Scott — will make his theatrical debut with a live, staged adaptation of his album HOME?, just weeks before Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen sit down for what may be their final public conversation on stage. Both events, part of director Indhu Rubasingham’s inaugural season, signal a bold new direction for one of Britain’s most storied cultural institutions.

A New Sound on a Historic Stage

Wretch 32’s HOME? isn’t just an album — it’s a sonic memoir. Released in 2023, it traces the journey of a Black British man navigating identity, displacement, and family legacy. Now, with direction from Clint Dyer, the National Theatre’s Associate Artist, the music will be fused with movement, lighting, and spoken word to create something between a concert and a play. Running just 80 minutes, the performance is designed to feel intimate, urgent — like a late-night confession in a room full of strangers who suddenly feel like kin.

"This moment for me is about more than just a show," Wretch 32 told reporters. "It’s a continuation of my commitment to champion the arts and highlight the power of music and performance. Being able to do this with the support of Indhu Rubasingham and in such an iconic space is both a rare opportunity and a real privilege."

What makes this even more striking is the venue. The Olivier Theatre, with its sweeping, amphitheater-style seating and history of hosting Shakespeare and Beckett, has rarely, if ever, hosted a hip-hop artist in such a fully theatrical context. Critics have noted that while grime and spoken word have appeared in fringe venues, this is the first time a major British institution has fully embraced a rapper’s narrative as high art — not as a novelty, but as a legitimate theatrical form.

A Final Bow for Two Titans

Just over two months later, on December 19, the same stage will host a different kind of spectacle: an unscripted, hour-long conversation between Dame Judi Dench, 90, and Sir Ian McKellen, 86, hosted by their longtime friend and Downton Abbey star Jim Carter.

For Dench, this is extraordinary. Publicly, she’s been described as "almost certainly retired from the stage." Her last major theatre role was in 2018’s The Winter’s Tale. McKellen, though still active in film and voice work, has hinted he won’t return to the stage in 2025 — making this a potential final curtain call for their shared legacy.

They’ve performed together before — notably in Waiting for Godot in 2001 — but never in this format. No costumes, no lines, just two legends reflecting on decades of roles, regrets, and the changing face of British theatre. "It’s not about nostalgia," said Rubasingham. "It’s about legacy — and who gets to tell it."

Why This Matters

Rubasingham’s programming isn’t random. It’s a deliberate strategy. The National Theatre, founded in 1963 and granted its Royal Charter in 1988, has long been seen as a bastion of classical theatre. But under her leadership, it’s becoming a mirror of modern Britain. The inclusion of Wretch 32 isn’t tokenism — it’s continuity. Hip-hop, like Shakespeare, tells stories of power, exclusion, and resilience. And now, those stories share the same stage.

There’s more. Press materials confirm an "untitled collaboration with Stormzy" is in development — suggesting this isn’t a one-off, but a new chapter. The theatre’s three spaces — Olivier, Lyttelton, and Dorfman — are being reimagined as platforms for voices long kept at the margins.

The 2025–2026 season reinforces this vision. Hamlet stars Hiran Abeysekera, fresh off his global success in Life of Pi. Inter Alia features Rosamund Pike, returning to theatre after her breakout in Prima Facie. And The Playboy of the Western World brings Derry Girls stars Nicola Coughlan and Siobhán McSweeney into classical Irish drama. It’s a season that refuses to choose between tradition and innovation — it insists on both.

What’s Next

Tickets for Wretch 32: HOME? go on sale Friday, September 12, 2025, at 10:00 AM UTC. The Dench-McKellen conversation follows on September 19. Both events are expected to sell out within hours — and not just because of star power. People want to witness history. They want to see a rapper in the Olivier. They want to hear Dench laugh about her first stage fright. They want to know what happens when the old guard makes space for the new.

"We’re not trying to replace the classics," Rubasingham said. "We’re expanding the table. And if you’re still wondering who belongs here — the answer is simple: anyone with something true to say."