11 February 2019
Newsdesk
Casting has been announced for the exciting tour of Jon Brittain’s Olivier award-winning production Rotterdam. Trans non-binary actor Lucy Jane Parkinson (Multi award-winning Joan, international tour; Communion, Young Vic; DragKing Cabaret artiste ‘LoUis CYfer’) will star as Fiona/Adrian, playing opposite Bethan Cullinane (Salt, Theatre503/RADA Festival/The Rosemary Branch, King Lear, RSC; Othello, Globe Theatre) as Alice.
Trans actor Elijah W Harris (And The Rest of Me Floats, Bush Theatre; Rituals in Romance, Spill Festival; The Butch Monologues, Birmingham Rep, Soho Theatre, WoW Festival) will play Alice’s lovable brother Josh and Ellie Morris (The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, Criterion; Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Apollo Theatre and BBC1) returns to the production to play Dutch partygoer Lelani.
Following critically acclaimed runs in the West End and New York, the producers felt the importance of working with trans and non-binary actors to bring this very important show about relationships and the process of transitioning to life.
Elijah comments, Trans stories told by trans people are vital to the progression of theatre. I grew up in the Midlands and seeing something like Rotterdam when I was younger would have been life changing. I was drawn to the tour for that very reason- to be able to bring this story to people all over the country, challenge perspectives and, more importantly, reach trans and non-binary people who cannot see themselves represented in popular culture. I am thrilled to be playing the part of Josh and so excited to be able to be a visible trans person in the role of the cis-gendered brother!
Lucy adds, From the moment I saw the casting and read the play I felt connected to the character’s journey through self-discovery. This show is a turning point for theatre, both in terms of its subject matter and its casting of non-binary/trans actors. I can’t wait to use my queerness openly and proudly to retell their story.
Directed by Donnacadh O’Briain, Rotterdam is a bittersweet comedy about gender, sexuality and being a long way from home. It's New Year in Rotterdam, and Alice has finally plucked up the courage to email her parents and tell them she's gay. But before she can hit send, her girlfriend Fiona reveals that he has always identified as male and now wants to start living as one named Adrian. Now, as Adrian confronts the reality of his transition, Alice faces a question she never thought she'd ask... does this mean she's straight?
Notes Ages 14+
Writer Jon Brittain
Director Donnacadh O'Briain
Designer Ellan Parry
Lighting Design Richard Williamson
Sound Design Keegan Curran
Associate Director Roxy Cook
Producer Hartshorn - Hook Productions
Fiona/Adrian Lucy Jane Parkinson (they/them/she/her)
Alice Bethan Cullinane (she/her)
Josh Elijah W Harris (he/him)
Lelani Ellie Morris (she/her)
Performance Dates
4th – 6th April Rose Theatre
24-26 High Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1HL
8th – 10th April Theatre Royal Brighton
New Road, Brighton BN1 1SD
11th – 13th April York Theatre Royal
St Leonard's Place, York YO1 7HD
22nd – 24th April Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1DE
25th – 27th April The Landmark
Ilfracombe, Devon EX34 9BZ
29th April – 4th May Leicester Haymarket Theatre
1 Garrick Walk, Leicester LE1 3AF
9th – 11th May Glassbox Theatre
Harlow College, Velizy Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM20 3EZ
16th – 18th May Northcott Theatre
Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QB
20th – 22nd May Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP
23rd – 25th May Malvern Theatre
Grange Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 3HB
27th – 29th May Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX
3rd – 5th June Theatr Clwyd
Raikes Ln, Mold CH7 1YA
6 – 8th June Nuffield Southampton Theatres
NST Campus, University Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1TR
10th – 12th June Devonshire Park Theatre
Compton Street, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4BW
