The full cast for the return of Anupama Chandrasekhar’s The Father and the Assassin to the National Theatre has been revealed.
Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader. Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist – and the man who murdered Gandhi. The gripping play traces Godse’s life over 30 years during India’s fight for independence: from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their tragic final encounter in Delhi in 1948.
Directed by the Kiln Theatre’s artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, the play by one of India’s most exciting playwrights returns to the National’s Olivier Theatre from September 8.
Joining the previously announced cast is Marc Elliott (She Loves Me), Sasha Ghoshal (Bend it Like Beckham the Musical), Aysha Kala (The Motive and the Cue), Johndeep More (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) and Aryana Ramkhalawon (Exodus).
Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) will play the role of Nathuram Godse with Paul Bazely (Cruella) reprising his role as Mahatma Gandhi.
The cast also includes Azan Ahmed (The Tempest), Ravi Aujla (The Lehman Trilogy), Ayesha Dharker (Chasing Hares), Ravin J Ganatra (When Winston went to War with the Wireless), Raj Ghatak (The Kite Runner), Halema Hussain (Does My Bomb Look Big In This?), Nadeem Islam (Antigone), Tony Jayawardena (East is East), Nicholas Khan (Life of Pi), Raj Khera, Hari Mackinnon (The Cherry Orchard), Sid Sagar (Cabaret) and Akshay Shah (Kabul Goes Pop).
Director Rubasingham reunites with writer Chandrasekhar for this exploration of oppression and extremism. They are joined by set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, movement director Lucy Cullingford, composer Siddhartha Khosla, additional music by David Shrubsole, sound designer Alexander Caplen, fight director Kate Waters, casting director Alastair Coomer, associate set and costume designer Khadija Raza and staff director John Young.
Omar Bynon will star in Duck, a one-man show coming to the Arcola Theatre from June 27, 2023.
This story follows a British Indian schoolboy attempting to reach dizzying heights of cricketing glory, whilst having to contend with the challenges of adolescence, the pressures of sporting competition, and come to terms with his identity in an environment that doesn’t cater for difference.
Written by maatin, it is directed by Imy Wyatt Corner, associate artist at Arcola Theatre.
On Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1, playwright and producer maatin is hosting three performances designed for those who are usually underrepresented in theatre – both on the stage and in the audience – to feel welcomed, celebrated, and comfortable. Inspired by the BLACK OUT performances curated and championed by playwright Jeremy O Harris, and entitled A Space For Us, these performances are particularly open to those who identify as Desi, Brown or Muslim, but are an invitation to all who are a minority in white spaces.
The 15:30 performance on Saturday, July 1 will be followed by an event with figures from the world of sport and academia in discussion with the playwright on south Asian representation and discrimination in sports and beyond, including broadcaster Miriam Walker-Khan, policy researcher Alba Kapoor and author & academic Duncan Stone.
maatin said: “This role was written to give a south Asian performer a stage all to themselves, bringing audiences into the seldom-seen perspective of a British Indian, Muslim teenager boy, while playing a wide variety of characters. Omar Bynon is an exceptionally talented performer who has the charisma and skills to bring Ismail’s world to life on stage. Additionally, it’s an fact that those of us from minoritised identities rarely make up large numbers in theatre spaces, particularly those who identify as non-white. It is my biggest goal to try and change that. To purposefully invite communities that have been excluded – whether deliberately or otherwise – into the theatre should be seen as a positive act that I hope will be celebrated.
Duck comes from Katy Galloway Productions. The assistant director is Maryam Shaharuddin, with set designer Maariyah Sharjil, composer/sound designer Holly Khan, movement director Hamza Ali, lighting designer Jonathan Chan, video and projection designer Rachel Sampley and IBSL performer Nadeem Islam.
Duck runs from June 27 – July 15.
It’s the summer of 2005, and Ismail – ‘Smiley’ to his schoolmates – is about to become the youngest-ever member of his elite public school’s First XI cricket team. A star player full of ambition and talent, he sets his sights on immortality – breaking the school batting record and getting his name into Wisden. But at the start of the season, new coach Mr. Eagles takes a particular dislike to him, for reasons Ismail can’t quite put his finger on. Desperate to prove himself, he runs into a patch of poor form at just the wrong time. Bad luck on the pitch leads to issues off it too, and Ismail finds that no one – friends, family, teammates – seems to get what he’s going through.
Set during England’s famous Ashes victory and the events of 7/7, Ismail discovers that cricket might not be able to take care of everything as it once did.
Roald Dahl’s The Witches and The Effect have been added to the National Theatre’s 2023 line-up, while casting has been announced for three more upcoming shows.
The Witches will play in the Olivier theatre from November in a new musical version of Dahl’s iconic story by Lucy Kirkwood and Dave Malloy, directed by Lyndsey Turner.
As the story goes, everything you know about witches is wrong. Forget the pointy hats and broomsticks: they’re the most dangerous creatures on earth. And now they’ve come up with their most evil plan yet.
The only thing standing in their way is Luke and his Gran. But he’s ten and she’s got a dodgy heart. Time is short, danger is everywhere, and they’ve got just one chance to stop the witches from squalloping every stinking little child in England.
Katherine Kingsley
The cast includes Katherine Kingsley (The Larkins) as the Grand High Witch and Daniel Rigby (One Man, Two Guvnors) as Mr Stringer, alongside Julie Armstrong, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett, Daniele Coombe, Molly-May Gardiner, Tiffany Graves, Tania Mathurin, Jacob Maynard, Laura Medforth and Ben Redfern.
It is directed by Turner (The Crucible) with book and lyrics by Kirkwood (Mosquitoes) and music and lyrics by Malloy (Natasha). The set and costume designer is Lizzie Clachan with choreographer Stephen Mear, music supervisor Nigel Lilley, music director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Bruno Poet, co-sound designers Alexander Caplen and Ian Dickinson, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions by Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate choreographer Jo Morris, associate music director Natalie Pound and children’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.
The Witches will play in the Olivier theatre from November 7, recommended for ages 8+.
Meanwhile, The Effect by Lucy Prebble (Succession) and directed by Jamie Lloyd (Cyrano de Bergerac) will play in the Lyttelton theatre from August.
A funny and intimate examination of love and ethics, Connie and Tristan are falling for each other fast – but is their sudden and intoxicating chemistry real, or a side effect of a new antidepressant? As two young volunteers in a clinical drug trial, their romance poses startling dilemmas for the supervising doctors.
Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) is cast as Tristan and Taylor Russell (Bones and All) as Connie, with further casting to be announced.
Paapa EssieduLucy Prebble
The set and costume designer is Soutra Gilmour, with lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, sound designer George Dennis, movement directors Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui (SAY), fight director Kate Waters, intimacy co-ordinator Ingrid Mackinnon and casting director Alastair Coomer.
The Effect will play in the Lyttelton theatre from August 1.
The National theatre has also announced casting for the revival of The Father and the Assassin.
Director Indhu Rubasingham reunites with Anupama Chandrasekhar for this essential exploration of oppression and extremism.
Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader. Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist – and the man who murdered Gandhi. This gripping play traces Godse’s life over 30 years during India’s fight for independence: from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their tragic final encounter in Delhi in 1948.
Hiran AbeysekeraPaul Bazely
The cast includes Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) as Nathuram Godse with Paul Bazely reprising his role as Mahatma Gandhi. The cast also includes Azan Ahmed, Ravi Aujla, Ayesha Dharker, Ravin J Ganatra, Raj Ghatak, Halema Hussain, Nadeem Islam, Tony Jayawardena, Nicholas Khan, Raj Khera, Hari Mackinnon, Sid Sagar and Akshay Shah.
The set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, with lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, movement director Lucy Cullingford, composer Siddhartha Khosla, additional music by David Shrubsole, sound designer Alexander Caplen, fight directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown, casting director Alastair Coomer and associate set and costume designer Khadija Raza.
The Father and the Assassin will play in the Olivier theatre September 8–October 14.
