A NEW adaptation of Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Blackman’s critically acclaimed young adult novel of first love in a dangerous fictional dystopia, is coming to Mold's Theatr Clwyd.

Directed by Pilot Theatre’s artistic director Esther Richardson, the new adaptation will be in Mold from Tuesday February 19 until Saturday February 23.

Told from the perspectives of two teenagers, Noughts and Crosses is a captivating love story set in a volatile, racially segregated society and explores the powerful themes of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world.

Sabrina Mahfouz’s new adaptation is based on Blackman’s first book in the Noughts and Crosses series for young adults, which has won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Fantastic Fiction Award among other accolades. A BBC adaptation of Noughts and Crosses is due to be screened in 2019.

The exciting young cast will feature by Heather Agyepong (Girls, Talawa Theatre, High Tide & Martha Rose Wilson Prod and So Many Reasons, Fuel Theatre & Ovalhouse Theatre); Billy Harris (Boots On The Ground, Tangled Feet and 13, Tobacco Factory Theatre); Doreene Blackstock (Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s Globe; Cymbeline and Hamlet, RSC ); Jack Condon (East, King’s Head Theatre and Last Man Standing, Theatre N16) ; Daniel Copeland ( Invincible, Orange Tree Theatre and The Jungle Book, Leeds Playhouse); Lisa Howard (They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay, Northern Broadsides and Flood, Slung Low and Hull City of Culture 2017); Chris Jack (Brighton Rock, Pilot Theatre and York Theatre Royal and Our Town, Royal Exchange Manchester) and Kimisha Lewis (Last Dream (on earth), National Theatre of Scotland and Send: A game of textual tennis, Lyric Hammersmith). All actors will also play ensemble roles.

Blackman has written over 60 books for children and young adults, including the Noughts and Crosses series, Thief and most recently her science fiction thriller Chasing the Stars. Her work has also been adapted for TV with the six-part adaptation of Pig-Heart Boy winning a BAFTA and Noughts and Crosses currently in production for the BBC, with Roc Nation (Jay-Z's entertainment company) on board to curate and release the soundtrack as executive producer. In 2005, she was honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the world of children’s books, in 2008 she received an OBE for her services to children’s literature and, between 2013 and 2015, she was the Children’s Laureate.

She said about the production: "I'm thrilled that Noughts & Crosses is being adapted for the stage by Sabrina and produced by Pilot Theatre and a talented consortium of theatre makers whose aim it is to develop theatre for younger audiences."

Schools workshops and outreach projects, along with free digital learning resources, will be available alongside each of the productions.

Noughts and Crosses is at Theatr Clwyd from Tuesday February 19 until Saturday February 23. Box Office 01352 701521.

www.theatrclwyd.com