The nature of humanity is the theme for Northern Stage this autumn. DAVID WHETSTONE looks at what’s on offer

AFTER the success of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by veteran playwright Edward Albee, Northern Stage turns to another American to open its autumn season in the big Stage 1 auditorium.

Will Eno is likely to be an unknown quantity to North East theatre-goers but the New York writer has been building a reputation elsewhere.

He was shortlisted for a Pulitzer Prize in 2005 and was also a recipient of an Edward F Albee Foundation fellowship.

The foundation was set up by Albee in 1967 out of the “abundant” proceeds of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to benefit talented young artists, writers and composers, granting them a peaceful place to work on Long Island, New York.

Eno’s play, Oh, The Humanity and Other Good Intentions, to run from September 9-24, is set on the American east coast and consists of a series of short pieces.

According to Northern Stage, they examine “how people see themselves in a constantly recorded world, how gloriously inappropriate our innermost thoughts and feelings can appear, and how funny, tragic and strangely life-affirming the truth can be when we let it slip out”.

We will meet, among others, a football coach whose life is falling apart and a pair of hopelessly honest people who are seeking love online.

Northern Stage boss Erica Whyman, who staged Eno’s work when she was running The Gate theatre in London, will direct the production which begins a season of works dedicated to the nature of humanity at the Newcastle venue.

Eno himself will attend for a post-show discussion.

Also under the humanity heading will be a night of contemporary verse in collaboration with Bloodaxe Books and a visit by Richard Gregory and his Quarantine company (frequent visitors over the years) with a piece called Entitled, which apparently explores our deepest desires.

Coming up next in Stage 1 (September 27 to October 1) will be a production of Tartuffe, 17th Century French playwright Molière’s comedy about a pious fraud, adapted by the poet Roger McGough.

Kneehigh Theatre are back from October 4-8 with a new show called The Wild Bride, billed as a grown-up romance.