THE HARD PROBLEM is Tom Stoppard's first play for the stage since Rock 'n' Roll in 2006, and his first for the National since his trilogy, The Coast of Utopia, 2002. The production begins tonight, 21 January 2015, at the National Theatre.

Directed by Nicholas Hytner, the production is designed by Bob Crowley, with lighting design by Mark Henderson, and sound design by Paul Arditti.

Above all don't use the word good as though it meant something in evolutionary science. Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brain-science institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet.

If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is 'the hard problem' which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues who include her first mentor Spike, her boss Leo and the billionaire founder of the institute, Jerry.

Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? Meanwhile Hilary needs a miracle, and she is prepared to pray for one.

THE HARD PROBLEM stars Kristin Atherton, Anthony Calf, Vera Chok, Jonathan Coy, Rosie Hilal, Damien Molony, Lucy Robinson, Parth Thakerar, and Olivia Vinall.

Hytner and Stoppard will discuss THE HARD PROBLEM on Friday 6 Feb, 5.30pm. Another special talk about evolutionary biology is set for Monday 16 Feb, 6pm with Armand Leroi.

National Theatre Live will broadcast THE HARD PROBLEM to cinemas from 16 April at 7pm.