Connections (also referred to as New Connections and formerly Shell Connections) is the Royal National Theatre in London's annual youth theatre scheme. It was founded in 1995 and sponsored by Royal Dutch Shell until 2007 when the Bank of America took over the sponsorship. The plays are also published by the National Theatre each year.
The National Theatre annually commissions ten plays from established playwrights which are performed by youth theatre groups across the UK. Groups are invited to perform at Connections Festivals held at a professional theatre in their area. A random performance group from each play is then performed at the end of the Festival at the National Theatre.
Several of the specially commissioned Connection plays have been professionally produced at the National Theatre. In 1999 Sparkleshark was performed. In 2006 three were produced; Burn by Deborah Gearing, Chatroom by Enda Walsh and Citizenship by Mark Ravenhill were performed in 2006; the latter two were revived in 2007 when they also toured. In 2008 Baby Girl by Roy Williams, DNA by Dennis Kelly and The Miracle by Lin Coghlan also received professional productions in the Cottesloe.
A Letter to Lacey by Catherine JohnsonAngels by Pauline McLynnA Shop Selling Speech by Sabrina MahfouzHearts by Luke NorrisHeritage by Dafydd JamesHorizon by Matt HartleyPronoun by Evan PlaceySame by Deborah BruceThe Wardrobe by Sam HolcroftTomorrow by Simon VinnicombeThe Guffin by Howard BrentonMobile Phone Show by Jim CartwrightWhat Are They Like? by Lucinda CoxonWe Lost Elijah by Ryan CraigI'm Spilling My Heart Out Here by Stacey GreggTomorrow I'll Be Happy by Jonathan HarveySoundclash by Lenny HenryDon't Feed the Animals by Jemma KennedyAilie and the Alien by Morna PearsonForty-Five Minutes by Anya ReissVictim Sidekick Boyfriend Me by Hilary BellSocialism Is Great by Anders LustgartenSo You Think You're A Superhero? by Paven VirkPrince of Denmark by Michael LesslieThe Ritual by Samir YazbekLittle Foot by Craig HigginsonJourney To X by Nancy HarrisThe Grandfathers by Rory MullarkeyGeneration Next by Meera SyalAlice By Heart by Steven Sater & Duncan SheikBassett by James GrahamThe Beauty Manifesto by Nell LeyshonChildren of Killers by Katori HallCloud Busting by Helen Blakeman adapted from the novel by Malorie BlackmanFrank & Ferdinand by Samuel AdamsonGap by Alia BanoGargantua by Carl GroseShooting Truth by Molly DaviesThose Legs by Noel ClarkeToo Fast by Douglas MaxwellBlackout by Davey AndersonDirty Dirty Princess by Georgia FitchThe Dummy Tree by Conor MitchellA Handbag by Anthony HorowitzHeartbreak Beautiful by Christopher William HillThe Heights by Lisa McGeeSix Parties by William BoydSuccess by Nick DrakeThe Seance by Anthony NeilsonThe Things She Sees by Ben PowerTrammel by Michael LesslieThe Vikings And Darwin by David MametScenes From Family Life by Mark RavenhillA Vampire Story by Moira BuffiniTheatre of Debate: Blackout by Davey Anderson inspired by the stories of a young person from Barnardo's, GlasgowHe’s Talking by Nicholas WrightMy Face by Nigel WilliamsTheatre of Debate: Big Hopes a verbatim play by Gary Owen inspired by an xl. group from The Princes Trust, Cardiff followed by Safe by Deborah Gearing inspired by Fairbridge SouthamptonArden City by Timberlake WertenbakerThe Peach Child by Anna Furse and Little Angel TheatreTheatre of Debate directed and devised by Jeremy Weller with young people from Fairbridge Centres in Kennington and Hackney.The Book of Everything by Peter Tabern based on a novel by Guus Kuijer in the English translation by John NieuwenhuizenFugee by Abi Morgan.It Snows by Bryony Lavery and Frantic AssemblyBurying Your Brother in the Pavement by Jack ThorneA Bridge to the Stars by Henning MankellA Year and A Day by Christina ReidBaby Girl by Roy WilliamsDeoxyriboNucleic Acid (aka DNA) by Dennis KellyRed Sky by Bryony LaveryRuckus in the Garden by David FarrScary Play by Judith JohnsonShow and Tell by Laline PaullBlack Remote by Glyn MaxwellPass It On by Doug LucieThe Spider Men by Ursula Rani SarmaBroken Hallelujah by Sharman MacdonaldPack Up Your Troubles by Snoo WilsonShut Up by Andrew PayneFeather Boy by Nicky Singer and Peter Tabern with lyrics by Don Black and music by Debbie WisemanThe Shoemaker's Incredible Wife by Federico Garcia LorcaThe Miracle by Lin CoghlanSchool Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Daisy Campbell with Ken CampbellLiar by Gregory BurkeSeventeen by Michael GowBlooded by Isabel WrightBurn by Deborah GearingChatroom by Enda WalshCitizenship by Mark RavenhillJust by Ali SmithLunch In Venice by Nick DearMugged by Andrew PayneSamurai by Geoffrey CaseThrough The Wire a musical by Catherine JohnsonThe Musicians by Patrick MarberDiscontented Winter :House Remix by Bryony LaveryDead End by Letizia (translated by Luca Scarlini and Aleks Sierz)Headstrong by April de AngelisThe Willow Pattern by Judith JohnsonMoonfleece by Philip RidleyEclipse by Simon ArmitageWhere I Come From: Scenes From Abroad by Mike Williams and Richard NelsonBoat Memory by Laline PaullBedbug:The Musical by Snoo Wilson with music by Gary Kemp and Guy PrattBrokenville by Philip RidleyThe Crossing Path by Maya ChowdhryDust by Sarah DanielsThe Ice Palace by Lucinda CoxonAn Island Far From Here by Laura RuohonenMoontel Six by Constance CongdonMultiplex by Christopher William HillPurple by Jon FosseThe Queen Must Die by David FarrTotally Over You by Mark RavenhillIllyria (play) by Bryony LaveryThe Actor by Horton FooteThe Bear Table by Julian GarnerThe Exam by Andy HamiltonGold by Timothy Mason,mel MarvinLady Cill, Lady Wad, Lady Lurve, Lady God by Kay AdsheadNuts by Fausto Paravidino, Luca Scarlini and Zachery James KinneyOlive by Tasmin OglesbyStarstone by Christian MartinTake-Away by Jackie KayTeam Spirit by Judy UptonAfter Juliet by Sharman MacDonaldElectric Halos by Helen AdamsEmperors and Clowns by Chris BartonHappy Endings devised by Danny Parker and Nigel WilliamsHuman Puppets devised by Theatre Royal Bath Young People’s Theatre companyKids are from Mars devised by the London Bubble companyLagna by Jez SimonsLes Juifs de Salonique…A Peasant of El Salvador by Peter Gould, Stephen Stearns, adapted by Mick FitzmauriceSunnyside by Neill MortonTicking by Mari BinnieTime on Fire by Timothy MasonToo Too Tight devised by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre Street Art CompanyAfter Juliet by Sharman McDonaldCan You Keep a Secret? by Winsome PinnockDevil in Drag by Dario FoDon't Eat Little Charlie by Tankred Dorst with Ursula EhlerEarly Man by Hannah VincentFriendly Fire by Peter GillGizmo by Alan AyckbournKing of the Castle by Christina ReidPilgrimage by Paul GoetzeeTaking Breath by Sarah DanielsAsleep Under The Dark Earth by Sian EvansThe Chysalids adapted by David Harrower from the novel by John WyndhamCuba by Liz LochheadDog House by Gina MoxleyEclipse by Simon ArmitageThe Golden Door by David AshtonIn the Sweat by Naomi Wallace and Bruce McLeodMore Light by Bryony LaveryShelter by Simon BentSparkleshark by Philip RidleyTravel Club and Boy Soldier by Wole SoyinkaThe Ultimate Fudge by Jane Coles