Graeme Armstrong’s THE YOUNG TEAM to be adapted for the stage by the National Theatre of Scotland and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Author photo: Robert Ormerod

THE YOUNG TEAM – Graeme Armstrong’s award-winning debut novel – is set to hit the stage in 2027, in an adaptation co-produced by the National Theatre of Scotland and the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. Adapted for the stage by Kieran Hurley and directed by the Lyric Hammersmith’s Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan, the play will make its bow at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Summer 2027, before coming to London for a limited engagement from 2 September until 25 September. It will end its first run at the Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow, later in Autumn 2027.

Tickets for the London shows at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre are on sale now.

THE YOUNG TEAM is a searing exploration of masculinity and tribalism about a group of teens drawn into the orbit of the local Young Team Posse in Scotland’s post-industrial heartland. First published by Picador in 2020, and inspired by Graeme Armstrong’s own experiences in North Lanarkshire in the early 2000’s, the novel won a Betty Trask Award, a Somerset Maugham Award, and the Scots Book o the Year 2021. A TV adaptation, produced by Synchronicity Films for BBC One and BBC Scotland and starring a cast of breakthrough local talent alongside established stars Kevin McKidd (GREY’S ANATOMY) and Laura Fraser (BREAKING BAD), is currently filming ahead of broadcast in 2027.

‘I’m excited to see THE YOUNG TEAM adapted for stage and look forward to working with both Rachel and Kieran to bring the complex world of Scottish territorial violence to a new audience, particularly those who may have never seen their lives or communities depicted in a theatrical production before’ said Graeme.

‘Graeme’s brilliant novel is a powerful example of the epic stories that unfold in ordinary people’s lives, and it has been an honour to be allowed to spend time living in its world,’ added Kieran Hurley, playwright/adapter of THE YOUNG TEAM. ‘As well as an uncompromising and brutally honest account of violence and gang life, it's really a wonderful story of young male friendship, its loyalty, rivalry, and surprising tenderness. I can't wait to see Azzy Williams take over the theatre, bringing these uniquely Scottish voices to the stage, and for audiences to feel the pull of the Young Team: the love and allegiances that bind these boys together, and the damage and hurt they inflict and endure. I hope it will move and provoke and ultimately open a conversation about our young men and their vital, dangerous, and often unrequited search for recognition and belonging.’

Rachel O’Riordan, the director of THE YOUNG TEAM, said: ‘I am so proud to be directing Kieran Hurley’s stage version of THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong. The novel is a cultural phenomenon – heartbreaking, vital and hilarious… Partnering with National Theatre Scotland on the stage adaption of Graeme Armstrong’s blistering debut novel feels like a vital and exciting connection. Writer Kieran Hurley and I, with a tremendous creative team, will share this powerful story with audiences in both Scotland and London in a bold theatrical experience’

‘You’re loyal Azzy Williams. You’re loyal to your mates. That’s good. You’ll no be runnin aboot wae that lot forever but, surely?’

Welcome to Scotland in 2005.

For Azzy, born and bred in North Lanarkshire, the Young Team Posse (YTP) seems to promise everything he could possibly want: excitement, community, freedom. It’s where boys become men, and he’s hungry to grow up.

Soon he’s rising up the ranks, showing the world what he’s made of. It’s fast, furious – and dangerous. Is the Young Team where Azzy belongs, or just where he’s ended up? Either way, the YTP is for life. Getting in is easy, not so finding a way back out…

About Graeme Armstrong

Graeme Armstrong is a Scottish writer from Airdrie. His teenage years were spent within North Lanarkshire’s gang culture. Alongside overcoming his own struggles with drug addiction, alcohol abuse and violence, he defied expectation to read English as an undergraduate at the University of Stirling; where, after graduating with honours, he returned to study a Masters’ in Creative Writing. He is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Strathclyde.

Graeme regularly works within the community visiting prisons and schools, giving talks on his experiences of gang-culture and substance abuse. He promotes a message of anti-violence and abstinence-based recovery.

His bestselling debut novel, THE YOUNG TEAM (Picador, 2020), is inspired by his experiences. It won a Betty Trask Award, a Somerset Maugham Award, and the Scots Book o the Year 2021, and is set for both TV and stage adaptations in 2027. Graeme’s second novel, RAVEHEART, was published by 4th Estate in 2026.

In 2021, Graeme presented Scotland: The Rave, a documentary broadcast by the BBC that explored Scotland’s rave and PCDJ culture, subsequently nominated for a BAFTA Scotland and RTS Scotland Award 2022. His second documentary series, Street Gangs, where Graeme reflects on his own past as an ex-gang member to try to understand life inside a modern gang, aired on the BBC in October 2023.

In 2023, Graeme was chosen as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists, an accolade that is awarded once a decade.

Praise for THE YOUNG TEAM

‘(A) firecracker of a debut... a welcome noughties update of Kingsley Amis’s beer-soaked hanxiety in Lucky Jim.’ – Suzi Feay, The Guardian

‘Raw and lyrical... written in a voice that recalls Irvine Welsh and Alan Warner – dialect that fizzes off the page.’ – The Observer

‘Armstrong’s writing captures what it’s like to be a young, angry man in a way most novels could only dream of. Yet, in spite of the constant violence and disenfranchisement experienced by the characters in the text, there’s a chewy core of hope at the centre of THE YOUNG TEAM to latch onto.’ – Lucas Oakeley, ‘5 Books Redefining Modern Masculinity’, Service95

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Deon Meyer’s DEVIL’S PEAK finds UK streaming home on U and Channel 4

Following its successful home debut in South Africa on M-Net,  and US distribution on Tubi, DEVIL’S PEAK – the 5-part miniseries adaptation of Deon Meyer’s prize-winning 2005 novel – has finally found its UK home, streaming now on U (formally UKTV) and on Channel 4’s on-demand service.

DEVIL’S PEAK sees the talented but broken Benny Griessel tracking down a righteous vigilante killer whose crimes are capturing the imagination of the city. Meanwhile, grieving father Thobela Mpayipheli seeks justice after the untimely murder of his son. Benny and Thobela are brought into the orbit of a trapped mother, Christine, who is willing to do anything to achieve a better life for herself and her daughter, and the fates of these three characters become inextricably linked. Combining gripping tension with uncompromising authenticity, DEVIL’S PEAK offers an original South African take on the investigative thriller for today.

Produced by Lookout Point and Expanded Media Productions, with backing by BBC Studios and Multichoice Studios, the series stars Hilton Pelser (THE KISSING BOOTH, MOFFIE) as Detective Benny Griessel, with Sisanda Henna (who starred in previous Deon Meyer adaptation TRACKERS), Tarryn Wyngaard, Shamilla Miller, and Masasa Mbangeni. The 5 x 1-hour series is directed by Jozua Malherbe (JUSTICE SERVED, GRIEKWASTAD) and written by Matthew Orton (MOON KNIGHT, OPERATION FINALE). International distribution for the show is being handled by BBC Studios.

Originally published in Afrikaans as INFANTA in 2005, and translated into English by K.L. Seegers, DEVIL’S PEAK won the ATKV Prize in South Africa and won the Svenska Oversatta Kriminalroman (Martin Beck) Award and the Readers’ Award from CritiquesLibres.com in October 2010. The book is published in English in the UK and Canada by Hodder & Stoughton and WF Howes, and in the USA by Little, Brown, as well as in many translation markets.

The latest Benny Griessel novel, SCORPIO RISING, was first published last year in Afrikaans by Human and Rousseau, with Pan Macmillan publishing the English translation (translated by K.L. Seegers), in South Africa in October this year, and in the UK on 11 February 2027, alongside Grove Atlantic in the US and Canada. Rights have further sold in France (Editions Gallimard), the Netherlands (A W Bruna) and Germany (Aufbau).

Photo: Will Punt, Peartree Photography

About Deon Meyer

Deon Meyer lives in Stellenbosch. His books are sold in 31 countries, and have been awarded many prizes around the world: the Deutsche Krimi Prize in Germany, the ATKV Prize in South Africa, the Martin Beck Award in Sweden and Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière and Le Prix Mystère de la Critique in France. COBRA was shortlisted for the 2015 CWA International Dagger, THIRTEEN HOURS was shortlisted for the 2010 CWA International Dagger, and HEART OF THE HUNTER, was longlisted for the 2005 IMPAC Prize and selected as one of Chicago Tribune’s ‘10 best mysteries and thrillers of 2004’. THE DARK FLOOD was longlisted for the 2023 CWA Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation. His latest novel LEO, a new Benny Griessel thriller, enjoyed ten weeks at the top of the South African bestseller lists, Number One in all categories.

Adaptations of Deon’s novels have recently had great success on screen: in April 2024, HEART OF THE HUNTER topped the global Netflix film charts, becoming the first African film to do so, with over 11 million views in its first two days alone. DEVIL’S PEAK was also adapted for a miniseries by Lookout Point and Expanded Media Productions, premiering on M-Net in South Africa in 2023 before reaching audiences in the USA, New Zealand, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg and the UK via U on Channel 4. In 2020, TRACKERS, produced by Three River Fiction and Scene 23, aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK and HBO in the USA, as well as Australia and New Zealand, and across the Nordic countries and Europe.

Praise for the novel DEVIL’S PEAK

‘With Deon Meyer you can't go wrong. He's a writer whose work I admire, wait for and then devour.’ – Michael Connelly

‘Deon Meyer portrays a world of terrifying uncertainty, in which those who fought for liberation from apartheid are having to come to terms with the knowledge that freedom is not enough to wipe out cruelty. A thoughtful and exciting novel.’ – Natasha Cooper, Times Literary Supplement

‘This is one of those entertainment fictions that teaches one more than any textbook or documentary. This thriller is a fascinating portrayal of one aspect of life in post-apartheid South Africa… winding up the tension to a gripping, shocking climax. Highly recommended.’ – Literary Review

‘Deon Meyer is…one of the sharpest and most perceptive thriller writers around…Meyer paints a wonderful picture of the dark side of the rainbow nation… Against the odds Meyer leaves us with a resolution that is both poignant and supremely satisfying. In no way is this a negative book about the new South Africa. It makes the place come alive with a breathless urgency that recalls the 1940s Los Angeles of Dashiel Hammet or Raymond Chandler: a bit mad, a bit bad, a bit dangerous, but exotically vibrant, a society in adolescence. Think of Meyer in the way that you might have regarded a bottle of Cape red a dozen years ago – dark, strong with an unusual but beguilingly moreish taste. If it can produce popular literature as good as this, the new South Africa has a lot going for it.’ – Peter Millar, The Times

‘If you want a glimpse of the soul of the new South Africa in all its glory, and with all the gory details of its problems and corruption, Meyer is your man… I marvelled at the intricacy of the plotting, I smiled at Christine's cheeky ingenuity, I felt Thobela's pain and Benny's desperation, and I was stunned by a dénouement of awesome power and accomplishment.’ – Matthew Lewin, The Guardian

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Chloé Zhao's film of Maggie O'Farrell's HAMNET has its UK Premiere at BFI London Film Festival Mayor's Gala

After its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival last month, Hamnet the movie (based on Maggie O’Farrell’s multi award winning novel) had a European premiere at the London Film Festival this past Saturday, sparking renewed Oscar buzz. The film has already won the TIFF People’s Choice Best Film Award as well as the 48th Mill Valley ‘Overall Audience Favourite’ Award.

Directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao from a screenplay adaptation co-written by Maggie and Chloe, Hamnet received an emotional round of applause from a packed Royal Festival Hall audience. The film, a gut-wrenching drama exploring contrasting experiences of grief, stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in the lead roles, with Emily Watson and Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet.

The event was introduced  by Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, alongside producers Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Nick Gonda and key cast.

Blake Friedmann’s Head of Film and TV, Conrad Williams, negotiated the adaptation and screenwriting deals for Maggie. Victoria Hobbs at A.M.Heath reps Maggie’s publishing rights etc.

Critical Acclaim for Hamnet

‘This transcendent adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about the death of Shakespeare’s son will be an Oscar frontrunner’ – The Times

‘Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal excel in stately Shakespeare drama with overwhelming finale’ – The Guardian

 ‘Jessie Buckley delivers a devastating performance in Chloé Zhao’s radically feminine take on Shakespeare’s family life’ – Variety

 ‘Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and director Chloé Zhao turn Shakespeare’s real-life tragedy into a heartbreaking portrait of love, loss, and the healing power of art’ – Rolling Stone

Abbie Cornish and Dougray Scott sign up to new Deon Meyer adaptation THE INVISIBLE for M-Net and ITV Studios

THE INVISIBLE – a new eight-part miniseries adapted from internationally acclaimed bestselling author Deon Meyer’s novel BLOOD SAFARI – has just been announced, with star casting led by Australian Abbie Cornish (LIMITLESS; THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI) and Scottish star Dougray Scott (CRIME; ENIGMA). The series is a co-production between M-Net, Scene23, Berkeley Media Group (BMG), and ITV Studios, who will distribute internationally.

THE INVISIBLE follows Dekker – a former professional bodyguard – and Emma, an expat who returns to South Africa in search of her long-missing brother, who together get drawn into a deadly game following a spate of vigilante killings in the Kruger National Park.

The series was created by Deon himself, along with William Josef Schneider, who will lead the writing team on the adaptation. The directors are Jozua Malherbe – who also helmed previous adaptations DEVIL’S PEAK and TRACKERS – and award-winning playwright and filmmaker Amy Jephta (BARAKAT; CATCH A KILLER). Joining Cornish and Scott in the cast will be South African talent Kim Engelbrecht, Tim Theron and Tumisho Masha.

‘To say I’m proud, grateful and excited about The Invisible as a TV series is a vast understatement,’ commented Deon. ‘We’ve worked so hard for two years to put the series together, and now, it’s finally going into production with an excellent broadcast partner and executive production team, great writers, a stellar, international cast, a brilliant director and the best film crew in the world. How cool is that?’

About THE INVISIBLE

In the shadow of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a mysterious killer begins executing local poachers. As the body count rises, local Inspector Jack Phatudi is drawn into a dangerous manhunt to unmask the vigilante.

At the same time, Dekker — a former bodyguard with a haunted past — is hired to protect Emma, a South African expat, who returns home to search for her brother who she believes is still alive, despite his disappearance 20 years ago.

When Phatudi’s investigation collides with Emma and Dekker’s quest, they uncover a buried conspiracy reaching back to the political assassination of a pivotal African leader. As powerful forces close in, all three are forced to confront the explosive truth — one that could rewrite history, and that others will kill to keep hidden.

About Deon Meyer

Deon Meyer lives in Stellenbosch. His books are sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, and have been awarded many prizes around the world: the Deutsche Krimi Prize in Germany, the ATKV Prize in South Africa, the Martin Beck Award in Sweden and Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière and Le Prix Mystère de la Critique in France. COBRA was shortlisted for the 2015 CWA International Dagger, THIRTEEN HOURS was shortlisted for the 2010 CWA International Dagger, and HEART OF THE HUNTER, was longlisted for the 2005 IMPAC Prize and selected as one of Chicago Tribune’s ‘10 best mysteries and thrillers of 2004’. THE DARK FLOOD was longlisted for the 2023 CWA Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation, and LEO enjoyed ten weeks at the top of the South African bestseller lists, Number One in all categories, before going on to win Best Adult Fiction and Book of the Year at the 2024 SA Book Awards, and the ATKV-Woordveertjies Prize for best Afrikaans Thriller. His latest novel, SKORPIO, will be published in Afrikaans by Humans and Rousseau in November 2025, ahead of an English-language edition by new publisher Pan Macmillan in late 2026.

Adaptations of Deon’s novels have recently had great success on screen: in April 2024, HEART OF THE HUNTER topped the global Netflix film charts, becoming the first African film to do so, with over 11 million views in its first two days alone. DEVIL’S PEAK was also adapted for a miniseries by Lookout Point and Expanded Media Productions, premiering on M-Net in South Africa in 2023 before reaching audiences in the USA, New Zealand, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. In 2020, TRACKERS, produced by Three River Fiction and Scene 23, aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK and HBO in the USA, as well as Australia and New Zealand, and across the Nordic countries and Europe.

Praise for Deon Meyer

‘He’s up there with the best in the world.’ – Marcel Berlins, The Times

‘I love Deon Meyer novels. It’s global storytelling at its best, with the undeniable hallmarks of gritty realism and deep character building.’ – Michael Connelly

‘Deon Meyer's name on the cover is a guarantee of crime writing at its best.’ – Tess Gerritsen

‘Deon Meyer is one of the giants of crime fiction.’ – El Mundo

‘One of the best crime writers on the planet.’ – Mail on Sunday

Visit Deon’s website

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