This is the audio described version of Summerfolk.

A summer of pleasure. A storm on the horizon.

It’s a hot, beautiful summer in 1905, and Russia’s elite retreat to the countryside to swim, sip champagne and start affairs.

When they’re having this much fun, why care about anything else? But Varvara just can’t shake the feeling that their holiday idyll is built on borrowed time.

As the party continues, how long can they ignore the storm on the horizon?

Deputy Artistic Director Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge) directs this razor-sharp new adaptation of Maxim Gorky’s classic play Summerfolk, revived for 2026 by the National Theatre. Adapted by Nina Raine (Consent) and Moses Raine (Donkey Heart), the production is a compelling portrait of class, privilege and denial.

A production from National Theatre.

Run time: 2 hours and 25 minutes (including a short interval).

Please note: This production contains strong language and sexist attitudes. It includes depictions of alcohol and drug use, references to sex and suicide, and one gunshot.