Arinzé Kene and Cherrelle Skeete will lead a cast featuring Karl Collins, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr and Raphel Famotibe in Lynette Linton’s revival of Michael Abbensetts comedy Alterations, coming to the National Theatre in February.
Shining a light on the Guyanese experience of 1970s London and focusing on the aspirations and sacrifices of the Windrush generation, this new production from director Linton (Blues for an Alabama Sky) will be the largest ever staging, reinvigorated with additional material by writer Trish Cooke (Black Street Mammy).
Kene (Get Up, Stand Up: The Bob Marley Story) makes his National Theatre debut as Walker Holt and Cherrelle Skeete (Hanna) returns to the National as Darlene Holt.
Additional casting includes Collins (Nine Night) as Horace, Eustache Jnr (Small Island) as Buster, Famotibe (Wonder Boy) as Courtney, Tyler Fayose (Phoenix Rise) as Ensemble + Understudy Walker, Richard Emerson Gould (The Vaudvillains) as Ensemble + Understudy Mr Nat, Joshua John (Romeo & Juliet) as Ensemble + Understudy Courtney, Colin Mace (War Horse) as Mr Nat, Samuel Nunes de Souza (The Prince and the Pauper) as Ensemble + Understudy Horace/Buster and Yolanda Ovide (Slave: A Question of Freedom) as Ensemble + Understudy Darlene.
The story follows Walker Holt, who has big dreams for his tailor’s shop, and an even bigger order to complete. Over the course of 24 hours, he must work tirelessly to satisfy his new client’s impossible tailoring needs. But as the night goes on, it’s not just the trouser hems that start to fray, as tensions rise, and Walker’s friendships and relationships are pushed to their limits. His success comes at a cost, but what price is he willing to pay?
Linton is joined by set and costume designer Frankie Bradshaw, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, movement director Shelley Maxwell, composer XANA, sound designer George Dennis, Wigs, hair and make-up designer Cynthia De La Rosa, casting director Naomi Downham, fight director Kate Waters, dramatherapist Wabriya King, voice and dialect coach Hazel Holder, assistant voice coach Tamsin Newlands, associate set and costume designer Natalie Johnson and staff director Kaleya Bax.
Alterations plays in the National’s Lyttelton theatre from February 20-April 5. Tickets are now on sale at nationaltheatre.org.uk
