First premiering at The Old Vic in 2017, the musical has since toured internationally with performances across the UK, US, and Australia. Its return to the stage where it first captivated audiences promises a poignant homecoming for a show hailed as one of the most affecting musical dramas of the decade.

Set in Lake Superior in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota during the winter of 1934, the story unfolds in a rundown guesthouse during the height of the great depression. Through McPherson’s subtle script and aided by Dylan’s discography, the musical explores a lost and lonely community struggling to survive amidst the harsh economic environment of the Great Depression.

At the heart of the narrative is the Laine family, struggling under the weight of personal and financial adversity. Father Nick Laine faces imminent foreclosure on the family home, while his wife Elizabeth grapples with a degenerative illness and their children wrestle with futures they cannot control. The guesthouse serves as a crossroads for a cast of weary souls- Mrs. Neilson, a widow with dreams of inheritance; the Burke family, burdened by secrets and sorrow; and enigmatic strangers Joe Scott, a washed-up boxer, and Reverend Marlowe, a shady bible salesman. Their stories intertwine with the Laines’, creating a tapestry of human hardship and resilience.

The musical boldly reimagines the iconic music of Bob Dylan, playing 20 of his venerated songs throughout the show including record-breaking hits ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’ and ‘Lay, Lady, Lay’. The songs function as emotional undercurrents to the plot, with the show breathing new life into these familiar classics. Performed live using instruments authentic to the 1930’s era, the music carries a raw and intimate texture. ‘Girl From the North Country’ is a subtle yet powerful reinterpretation that appeals to both Dylan fans and newcomers alike.

Upon its debut, ‘Girl From the North Country’ was met with glowing reviews. The Evening Standard deemed the original performance “beguiling and soulful and quietly, exquisitely heart-breaking”, calling it “a very special piece of theatre”.  The musical has since earned multiple Tony and Olivier Awards, cementing its reputation. This is a chance to experience the music of Bob Dylan in a way never heard before: stripped back, recontextualised and deeply human.

Tickets to see ‘Girl From the North Country’ in The Old Vic can be accessed here.

Your first wave of artists for All Points East 2022 has arrived. Which day are you most excited about?

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— All Points East (@allpointseastuk) November 22, 2021

At the moment, we aren’t sure how much more is to be announced for the festival, but as it stands; Day 1 on Friday 19^th August starts the festival off strong with IDLES returning for the second time in support of their new album “CRAWLER”, Pusha T joins with his only known UK appearance, and Yves Tumour and it’s Band, before Damon Albarn’s virtual band Gorillaz round out the evening.

Saturday 20^th will present Field Day, for the second time, since the festivals merged last year. Kraftwerk will return after their 2020 show was cancelled; they will headline the festival alongside The Chemical Brothers. Floating Points represents Manchester’s dance scene while Logic1000 keeps the party local.

Thursday 25^th will be headlined by Tame Impala. Other highlights come from London’s own post-punk outfit Dry Cleaning after the success of their recent debut album, the experimental Swedish group Goat only add the energy.

Friday 26^th will feature previous headliners The National, their second time on the top of the bill since the festival’s debut. They will be joined by, arguably, Melbourne’s greatest musical export King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, alongside the likes of Fleet Foxes, Low, and Perfume Genius.

Saturday 27^th sees the festival kick back into party mode with Disclosure closing an exciting evening with support from James Blake touring his most recent critically acclaimed album “Friends That Break your Heart”, as well as the always on-point Freddie Gibbs, Channel Tres, and Sherelle.

Sunday 28^th welcomes Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds back to close the final night of the festival. Nick Cave will be joined by 2020 Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka. Nottingham punks Sleaford Mods will also be attending the festival, contrasting the sweet sounds of Japanese Breakfast earlier in the day.

Tickets for the festival go on sale at 10 AM on Thursday 25^th November, ticket prices may vary anywhere from £60-£100 depending on which day, and what tier of ticket you’re after. See the full lineup here, and get tickets here.

The Old Vic is proud to present the World Premiere of Girl From the North Country, an electrifying new work from esteemed playwright Conor McPherson along with classic songs from Bob Dylan.

Duluth, Minnesota in the midst of the Great Depression.

A family adrift, their future on a knife edge. Lost and lonely people drifting through rooms of their guesthouse. But Nick Laine thinks he’s seen a way out…

Priority booking is open from today (6 October).

Matthew Warchus, artistic director of the Old Vic, said:

“It works rather like a ritual or a church service in that there is dramatic dialogue, story and then you become airborne for a moment in the Bob Dylan music. It is very clever and unique. There’s nothing really to compare it too.”

Warchus was keen to emphasise the play was not a Bob Dylan musical and celebrated the fact that Dylan is always highly protective over his music, and allowing his music to be used in this play is exciting.

Conor McPherson certainly took on a huge job choosing music from Dylan’s massive discography.

Out on 11 November, Bob Dylan will be releasing Bob Dylan: The Live 1966 Recordings, a colossal 36-CD box set featuring every known recording of the 1966 world tour.

Bob Dylan continues his ‘constant’ tour from tomorrow (7 October) in the USA beginning in Indio, California which continues throughout the autumn, ending in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.