HighTide have today announced casting for Heroine and Kanye The First, their world premiere commissions for 2017. Heroine, co-production with Theatr Clwyd by Nessah Muthy (The Host) will be directed by HighTide’s Artistic Director Steven Atkinson with a cast including: Asmara Gabrielle, Maggie McCarthy, Wendy Morgan, Lucy Thackeray and Hannah Traylen. Asmara Gabrielle, who plays Grace, is a newcomer to a lead stage role. Comic drama Kanye The First by Sam Steiner (Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons) is a co-production with Paul Jellis in association with The Marlowe and The North Wall, directed by HighTide Associate Director Andrew Twyman and the cast will include: Imogen Doel, Caroline Faber, Daniel Francis-Swaby and Keziah Joseph. Imogen Doel will lead the cast and has extensive experience in theatre, having previously performed in a number of West End productions, as well as multiple collaborations with Anthony Neilson.
Muthy’s devastating exploration of patriotism and nativism in modern Britain follows young ex-soldier Grace as she struggles to reassimilate into society following a medical discharge from the army.
Steiner’s first commission, and highly original new play will be the first major stage work around one of the most celebrated artists in popular music history, charting the second coming of global pop icon Kanye West. The play takes a timely look at identity and guilt in contemporary culture.
Alongside these productions Theresa Ikoko’s Girls, joint winner of the George Devine Award (2016), the Alfred Fagon Award (2015), is set to return with a new cast including: Heather Agyepong, Yvette Boakye and Yasmin Mwanza. Telling the tale of three young friends who are kidnapped in Nigeria, Ikoko wrote Girls to highlight the stories behind the headlines that quickly become yesterday’s news. Girls is a co-production between HighTide, Talawa Theatre Company and Martha Rose Wilson.
The Suffolk festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016, is set to continue its winning formula of finding, commissioning and producing the country’s best new playwrights at its home in Aldeburgh in September. This year the company will transfer the productions to East London’s Walthamstow in a brand new temporary theatre space with Waltham Forest Council and in association with The National Theatre. ‘The Mix’ will come to London’s Walthamstow Town Centre for 12 days following the Aldeburgh season, bringing an eclectic arts programme to an area of London which currently has no mid to large scale theatre spaces and where there are consequently relatively low levels of engagement with theatre. The diverse programmes in both locations will include three headline plays and a programme of comedy, cabaret, talks and music. The Festival in Aldeburgh will run 12 – 17 September with a Press Day on 16 September. The Walthamstow Festival will run 26 September – 8 October with Press Nights on 26 & 27 September.
Kanye The First was developed through The Marlowe’s Roar programme.
BIOGRAPHIES
Imogen Doel most recently appeared in Twelfth Night at the National Theatre. Other theatre credits include The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC), Marat/Sade (RSC) The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre), Serpent’s Tooth (Almeida), In the Vale of Health (Hampstead Theatre), Narrative (The Royal Court), The Get Out (The Royal Court) and The Seagull (Gaiety Theatre Dublin). Her television credits include Resistance (RTE) and Misfits (E4).
Caroline Faber’s recent stage credits include My Mother Said I Never Should (St James Theatre), The Iliad (Almeida), Luna Gale (Hampstead Theatre) and The Taming of the Shrew (RSC), King Lear (Young Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Headlong) and Paradise Lost (Headlong). Television credits include EastEnders (BBC), Berlin Station (Paramount), Merlin (BBC), Dis/connected (Shine Productions), A Good Murder (Sally Head Productions).
Daniel Francis-Swaby recently appeared in Twelfth Night at the Royal Exchange. Other recent theatre credits include On Fleek (The Royal Court), Les Blancs (National Theatre) and Milk Milk Lemonade (Ovalhouse).
Asmara Gabrielle’s theatre credits include Pimp Bobby (Leicester Square Theatre). Her film credits include Finding Fatimah (BMTV), My Abuse, and How to Succeed.
Keziah Joseph’s theatre credits include Silver Lining (Rose Theatre Kingston), Wuthering Heights, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night (all Royal Central School of Speech and Drama). Her radio credits include Doctor Who- Cold Vengeance, The Archers, and Watership Down (all BBC Radio 4).
Maggie McCarthy’s theatre credits include Silver Lining (English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston), We Wait in Joyful Hope (Theatre 503), Juno and the Paycock (Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Theatres), Private Lives (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Absence of War (Headlong, Rose Theatre, Kingston & Sheffield Theatres). National Theatre credits include Children of the Sun, Cocktail Sticks and Mother Clap's Molly House. Recent television credits include Dancing On The Edge (BBC), Call the Midwife (BBC/Neal Street Productions) and Coronation Street (Granada Television). Film credits include Angela’s Ashes, Attack the Block, The History Boys, Calendar Girls and soon to be released Ghost Stories.
Wendy Morgan's theatre credits include Animal Farm, Martine (Olivier and Standard Best Actress Nominations), Yonadab, As I Lay Dying, Bacchai, Streetcar Named Desire, Phedre (National Theatre) Hatched and Dispatched (Park Theatre). Film credits include Yanks (Most Promising Newcomer Award), Birth of The Beatles, 84 Charing X Road, The Mirror Crack'd', Television credits include The Jewel In The Crown (Granada TV), Midsomer Murders (Bentley Productions), Casualty (BBC), Wire in the Blood (ITV) and Emmerdale (ITV).
Lucy Thackeray recently appeared in Alginate at the Bunker Theatre. Other theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe), My Beautiful Black Dog (Bush Theatre) and Bike (Salisbury Playhouse). Her television credits include Damned (Channel 4) New Tricks (BBC), The Five (Red Productions for Sky) and Casualty (BBC).
Hannah Traylen graduated from Italia Conti last year and is making her professional stage debut. Her theatre credits whilst at drama school include Coram Boy, The Libertine, Time and the Conways, Three Sisters, and Twelfth Night (all Italia Conti), Oliver Twist (Italia Conti, Edinburgh Fringe) and God Bless Ye Merry Gentleman (Grindstone, Tristan Bates Theatre). Her television credits include Howards End (BBC/Starz), Doctors (BBC), Harlots (ITV Encore), Call the Midwife (BBC/Neal Street Productions) and Unforgotten (ITV).
Steven Atkinson is co-founder and the Artistic Director of HighTide. His directing credits for HighTide include In Fidelity (Traverse Theatre), The Sugar Coated Bullets of the Bourgeoisie (Arcola Theatre) Forget Me Not (Bush Theatre); So Here We Are (Royal Exchange Theatre); Lampedusa (Soho Theatre); peddling (Arcola Theatre/ Off-Broadway); Pussy Riot (Bush Theatre/ Southbank Centre); Neighbors (Nuffield Theatre); Bottleneck (Soho Theatre/ UK tour); Dusk Rings A Bell (Watford Palace Theatre) and Lidless (Trafalgar Studios). His other productions include Chicken (Paines Plough Roundabout) and The Afghan and the Penquin (Radio 4).
Following the staged reading of Normal in HighTide 2015, Theresa Ikoko, a Talawa Writers’ Programme playwright, debuted Girls at HighTide 2016. Girls won the Alfred Fagon Award, was joint winner of the George Devine Award and was a named finalist for the Verity Bargate Award.
Elayce Ismail was awarded the JP Morgan Award for Emerging Directors 2014/15 and was Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio, where she directed The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco at the Gate Theatre as part of the Freedom Burning season. Her other directing credits include The Sound Of Yellow (Creative Associate, Young Vic Taking Part), Simpatico ('5 Directors, 5 Plays, 5 Days' project at the Young Vic), Bed and Breakfast (Brighton Fringe and National Tour). She worked with Joe Wright as Jerwood Assistant Director on A Season in The Congo at the Young Vic. She was also co-founder and Artistic Director of Offstage Theatre.
Nessah Muthy is a writer for TV and theatre. She has written for Cardboard Citizens, National Youth Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. Nessah is under commission to the Kali Theatre and the National Youth Theatre. For screen, Nessah has written for Holby City, following successful completion of the show’s shadow scheme and has previously written for EastEnders: E20 and currently developing an original television drama for the BBC Drama Writers' Programme.
Sam Steiner is a playwright and screenwriter from Manchester, who has just finished an attachment at Paines Plough as their Playwright Fellowship. Sam’s debut play, Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, completed a national tour in 2016 after back-to-back sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe. The play is published by Nick Hern Books, received a reading in New York from Sienna Miller and Russell Tovey in 2016 and has been translated into several different languages. Other pieces of Sam’s work have been showcased at the Royal Exchange, Soho Theatre, Southwark Playhouse and Cannes Film Festival. Sam is also under commission at Paines Plough and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Andrew Twyman is currently the Associate Director at HighTide and an Associate Artist at Live Theatre Newcastle. For HighTide as Associate Director: Sugar Coated Bullets Of The Bourgeoisie (Arcola Theatre). For HighTide as Assistant Director: Those Who Trespass (The Arts Educational Schools), Forget Me Not (Bush Theatre). Theatre includes: Machinal (The Arts Educational Schools), Odd Shaped Balls (Old Red Lion/Edinburgh Festival/Space UK) Don’t Smoke In Bed (Finborough Theatre); Te Karakia (Vibrant 2015 at Finborough Theatre); Reason and Force (King's Head Theatre); Fair Exchange (Tabard Theatre). Andrew was also a member of the writing programme at the Live Theatre, Newcastle.
HighTide runs 12-17 September in Aldeburgh, Suffolk and 26 September – 8 October in Walthamstow, London. : www.hightide.org.uk.
Press performances:
Heroine & Kanye The First: 16 September, Aldeburgh
Kanye The First: 26 September, Walthamstow
Heroine: 27 September, Walthamstow
Box Office and more information: www.hightide.org.uk.
For information on the Festival in Aldeburgh see here. For information on the Festival in Walthamstow see here.
HighTide and Theatr Clwyd presents
HEROINE
by Nessah Muthy
Directed by Steven Atkinson
Set and Costume by Richard Kent
Lighting Design by Elliot Griggs
Sound Design by Adrienne Quartly
ALDEBURGH: WEDNESDAY 13, FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 8PM & SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER AT 12PM
WALTHAMSTOW: 27 SEPTEMBER, 3 & 6 OCTOBER AT 7.30PM, 30 SEPTEMBER AT 7PM, 8 OCTOBER AT 2PM
Venue: The Mix
Running time: 1h 30m (no interval)
Recommended age: 14+ Contains strong language
HighTide and Paul Jellis in association with The Marlowe and The North Wall presents
KANYE THE FIRST
by Sam Steiner
Directed by Andrew Twyman
Set and Costume by Camilla Clarke
Lighting Design by Jai Morjaria
Sound Design and Composition by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite
Dramaturg - Roy Alexander Weiss
Consultant Dramaturg (Marlowe Theatre) - James Baldwin
ALDEBURGH: TUESDAY 12, 14 SEPTEMBER AT 8PM & SATRUDAY 16 SEPTEMBER AT 4PM
WALTHAMSTOW: 26, 29 SEPTEMBER & 5 OCTOBER, 7.30PM, 30 SEPTEMBER AT 2PM, 7 OCTOBER AT 7PM
Venue: The Mix
Running time: 1h 40m (no interval)
Recommended age: 14+ Contains strong language
Talawa Theatre Company, HighTide and Martha Rose Wilson presents
GIRLS
by Theresa Ikoko
Directed by Elayce Ismail
Set and Costume by Rosanna Vize
Lighting Designer Andy Purves
Sound Design and Composition by Richard Hammarton
ALDEBURGH: SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER
WALTHAMSTOW: 28 SEPTEMBER AT 7.30PM, 1 OCTOBER AT 5PM, 4 OCTOBER AT 7.30PM, 7 OCTOBER AT 2PM
Venue: The Mix
Running time: 1h 30m (no interval)
Recommended age: 14+
