Inua Ellams’ hit play Barber Shop Chronicles today marks its 250th performance by announcing new autumn dates and a special programme of work Fades, Braids & Identity which will run alongside the season at the Roundhouse in London, opening in nine weeks. The overwhelmingly successful Barber Shop Chronicles returns to London for the first time since its premiere in 2017, playing two sold out runs at the National Theatre and acclaimed performances at Leeds Playhouse. It has subsequently toured across Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and Canada.

Featuring work from the creators of Hot Brown Honey, Selina Thompson, Ruth Sutoyé, and Julian Knox as well as a resident barber from Hackney’s renowned SliderCuts, Fades, Braids & Identity champions the stories of Black and Brown artists, exploring and expanding on the themes of the play, from race, gender and identity to the importance and politics of Black hair culture.

This season of events will present acclaimed artists alongside emerging talent to engage with new audiences and to open new conversations reflecting the themes Inua Ellams explores in Barber Shop Chronicles.

Much of the work focuses on the voices of femmes of colour; Hive City Legacy is an unapologetic satire bringing together redefined narratives and social activism to confront Femme experiences across race, sexuality and mental health, Bald Black Girl(s) looks at the experiences of bald black women and their own relationship with barbers and Selina Thompson presents Race Cards, inviting audiences to ask her questions about race. Inua will also present his well-established spoken word and hip-hop night R.A.P. Party on 11th August. Throughout Fades, Braids & Identity, the Roundhouse will also welcome a collection of African Fusion Food pop-ups blending Nigerian, Ghanaian and South African cuisines. Full details of the programme can be found below.

The current national tour of Inua Ellams’ play Barber Shop Chronicles will reach further regional audiences across the UK with new Autumn dates now added. Working closely with a national partnership of venues, Barber Shop Chronicles will visit Birmingham and Leeds as well as the first Scottish dates for the production in Edinburgh and Inverness, supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland. Funding from both Creative Scotland and Arts Council England is helping the production to attract new, young and diverse audiences with 10% of all available tickets across the entire tour made available for free via local engagement initiatives aimed at young people, refugees and people with experiences of the criminal justice system and others who traditionally wouldn’t attend theatre performances. Full tour listings can be found below.

The cast for both the Roundhouse and autumn tour has also been announced featuring: existing cast members Maynard Eziashi, Adé Dee Haastrup, Emmanuel Ighodaro, Demmy Ladipo, Mohammed Mansaray, Anthony Ofoegbu, David Webber, and incoming cast members Micah Balfour, Okorie Chukwu, Tom Moutchi, Elmi Rashid Elmi, and Eric Shango. Both Maynard and David have been with the show since the world premiere at the National Theatre in 2017.

Barber Shop Chronicles is directed by Bijan Sheibani, designed by Rae Smith, with lighting design by Jack Knowles, movement direction by Aline David and sound design by Gareth Fry.

Barber Shop Chronicles is a Fuel, National Theatre and Leeds Playhouse co-production in association with the Roundhouse.

Co-commissioned by Fuel and the National Theatre. Development funded by Arts Council England with the support of Fuel, National Theatre, Leeds Playhouse, The Binks Trust, British Council ZA, Òran Mór and A Play, a Pie and a Pint.

The tour has received National Lottery funding through Arts Council England’s Project Grants programme and Creative Scotland’s Open Funding programme.

BIOGRAPHIES

MICAH BALFOUR trained at the The Poor School. His recent theatre work includes: Plenty (Chichester), Still Alice (UK tour), Mr Foote’s Other Leg (Hampstead & Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Market Boy (National Theatre) and Absolute Beginners (Lyric Hammersmith). His recent TV roles include The Trial of Christine Keeler, The Feed, The Bill (series regular), Silent Witness, Dr Who, The Musketeers, Holby City, Doctors, Young Dracula, The Time of Your Life, Emmerdale and Trust. Films include The Car: Road to Revenge, Holy Flying Circus, Diana, Powder Room and World War Z.

OKORIE CHUKWU is an actor and producer. He trained at the Identity School of Acting. His recent theatre credits include: Othello (Unicorn Theatre) Once In a Lifetime (The Young Vic) Imogen (Globe Theatre); Running Wild (Regent Park), Wit (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Hairy Ape (Old Vic Theatre), Peter Pan (Regents Park), Around The World In 80 Days (Royal Exchange Manchester), Never Try This At Home (Birmingham Rep/Soho/Tour), Tanzi Libre (Southwark Playhouse), Around The World In 80 Days (New Vic Theatre), Feathers (Etcetera Theatre). On screen, he has appeared in My Mad Fat Diary (E4), Luther (BBC), Hard Sun (BBC) and feature films Level Up, A Moving Image, Zombie Diaries 2.

MAYNARD EZIASHI is the winner of the Silver Bear Award for Best Actor at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival in 1991 for Mister Johnson, starring alongside Pierce Brosnan.

Other film credits include The Streets of Calabar (Spirit Creations), The Contract, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (BBC Films), When Brendan Met Trudy, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (Morgan Creek), A Good Man In Africa, Bopha (Paramount), and Twenty-One. Maynard’s television credits include Hotel Babylon, The Changeling (BBC) and Coronation Street (ITV). His theatre credits include The Strange Death of John Doe (Hampstead Theatre) The Dead Wait (Park Theatre), Wedlock of the Gods (Cochrane Theatre), Faith V Reason (Bush Theatre), A Winter’s Tale, Pericles (Royal Shakespeare Company), Guess Who’s Coming For Dinner (St Andrews Lane, Dublin), A Jamaican Airmen Foresees His Death (Royal Court) and A Respectable Wedding (Almeida Theatre).

ADÉ DEE HAASTRUP trained at the East 15 Acting School. Ade is known for his roles in the film Darkest Hour (Working Title Films) directed by Joe Wright, the award-winning BBC drama Silent Witness (BBC) as well as Holby City (BBC). Haastrup’s recent film credits include Stump (Stigma Films), Womens Equality Party (Womens Equality Party). Whilst training Ade performed in Blue/Orange, 13, The Winter’s Tale, Measure for Measure, The Cherry Orchard, The Notebook of Trigorn, Good, Aalst, Cagebirds, Wealth.

EMMANUEL IGHODARO is an actor and producer. His television credits include The Queen and I (King Bert Productions), Sick of it (Sky One/Me and You Productions), Krypton (Warner Horizon Scripted TV/DC Comics for Syfy),Coronation Street (ITV) Shameless (Company Pictures), Waterloo Road (Shed Media Productions), Occupation Kudos, Outlaws (World Productions),, Rosemary and Thyme (Carnival Productions), The Bill(ITV), One Child Part 1 & 2, Doctors, New Tricks, A Midsummer Night’ Dream, Life isn’t all ha ha he, Rapture- What if Drugs were Legal Casualty, Waking the Dead, Baby Father 2, Torchwood and EastEnders (BBC). His film credits include The Revelation (GreyRock Pictures), Habit (Not a Number Productions), The Walk (Long Day Films), Unseen (Artswork Media) and Sahara (Shepperton Studios). Emmanuel’s stage credits include Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre/Leeds Playhouse & Fuel Theatre), Zara (George Costigan), After the Accident (Theatre West), God in Ruins, Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company), Blue/Orange (The Abbey theatre Dublin), Who Killed Mr Drum (Riverside Studios), Company of Angels (Arcola Theatre), Robin Hood (Southampton Nuffield), Duchess of Malfi (New Vic Theatre). His audio credits include The Worst Witch (CBBC), No Offence (Sink of Swim), The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (BBC Scotland), Control (Lip Sync), 44 Straight Town (BBC World Service) and The Messiah (Lip Sync). His commercial credits include Halifax (Outsider), The Cooperative (Smuggler) and Guinness (Saatchi & Saatchi)

DEMMY LADIPO trained at the Identity Drama School. Demmy’s recent film credits include The Last Tree (Prodigal Films & The BFI), and the short film Snapped! (Bee Agbaje). His recent television credits include playing the role of Aneil in the BBC 3 drama series Enterprice (BBC). His recent theatre credits include Hurly Burly (Identity), Pornography (Identity), and Closer (Identity). Ladipo has also starred in the web series A Dozen Worst Dates (Jee Mun) and Trylife (Nice Guy Eddie).

MOHAMMED MANSARAY theatre credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Sheffield Crucible), lead roles in Mrs Dalloway, Jekyll & Hyde and Othello for the National Youth Theatre’s Rep West End Season (National Youth Theatre). He also performed in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Daddy Cool (Shaftesbury Theatre, World Tour). Mohammed’s television credits include Tracey Beaker Returns (CBBC), Law & Order UK and The Bill (ITV). His film credits include My Brother the Devil (Rock Rest Entertainment).

TOM MOUTCHI is an actor, comedian and writer. He trained at the Identity School of Acting and in 2016, he was nominated for a Screen Nation Award for Favourite Online comedian. His recent theatre credits include: Twitstorm (Park Theatre). Some of his screen credits include: Famalam (BBC), The Hustle (MGM), Random Acts (Channel 4), Pls Like Me, All Star Driving School, Hot Pepper, Raison d’etre and Pypo.

ANTHONY OFOEGBU theatre credits include Barber Shop Chronicles (USA Tour); Circle Mirror Transformation (HOME, Manchester); Titus Andronicus; Julius Caesar; Antony & Cleopatra ( Royal Shakespeare Company Rome Season, 2017-2018); My Children, My Africa (Trafalgar Studios- Anthony was OFFIE nominated for Best Actor in 2015); Twelfth Night (Nottingham Playhouse); Death and the King’s Horseman (Royal National Theatre); Oedipus (Steven Berkoff, Spoleto Festival, South Carolina); Treemonisha (Hackney Empire/Battersea Arts Centre); and The Beatification of Area Boy – world tour (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

ELMI RASHID ELMI trained at both the London College of Music and the Identity School of Acting, 1 year, 2015-2016. Whilst in training he performed in: Romeo & Juliet, Sing Yer Heart Out for The Lads, Measure for Measure, Richard III, The Country Wife, Hedda Gabler and Birdland. His other theatre credits include: Wild Men (Tin Forest Festival), The Grandfathers (National Theatre) and Bassett (Bristol Old Vic).

ERIC SHANGO recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His theatre credits whilst in training include: Chicken Soup with Barley, Punk Rock, The House of Blue Leaves, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and On the Shore of the Wide World.

DAVID WEBBER trained at Rose Bruford College. David’s theatre credits include Barber Shop Chronicles(National Theatre/Leeds Playhouse & Fuel Theatre), Arms And The Man (Watford Palace Theatre), The Hudsucker Proxy (Liverpool Playhouse & Nuffield Theatre, Southampton), When Blair Had Bush And Bunga (Lee Menzies Productions at Edinburgh Festival), Catch-22 (Northern Stage & UK Tour), Sweet and Bird of Youth (Old Vic Theatre), The Government Inspector (Young Vic), Twelfth Night (Nottingham Playhouse), Death and the King’s Horseman; Leave Taking (Royal National Theatre), Dame in Jack & the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal, Stratford East), The Wizard of Oz (Theatre Royal, Northampton), Aladdin (Watford Palace), The Big Life (Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue); Othello in Othello; The Sneeze (Good Company), What’s in the Cat (Contact Theatre / Royal Court), Aladdin (Watford Palace), The Bassett Table; One Love & Master Harold & The Boys (Bristol Old Vic), The Beatification of Area Boy – world tour (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Two Tracks & Text Me (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Antony & Cleopatra; The Lion; The Road; Smile Orange; Flyin' West; The Looking Glass & King Lear (Talawa Theatre), The Merchant of Venice (Manchester Library Theatre), Ragamuffin, The Colored Museum (Double Edge Theatre Company), Remembrance (Carib Theatre Company). His television credits include: Year of The Rabbit (Channel 4), Chewing Gum (Channel 4/E4), Holby City, The Catherine Tate Show, The Royal Bodyguard, How Not To Live Your Life, Sarah Jane Adventures, Being Human, Series reg in Grass (BBC), Youngers (Channel 4/E4). His film credits include The Children Act (BBC & Film Nation Entertainment), Captain Phillips (Sony Pictures), Broken (Cuba Pictures/BBC Films), Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont (Westlake) Tipping The Velvet (BBC Films), All or Nothing (Thin Man Films), The 51st State (Independent), Among Giants (Kudos) and The Avengers (Warner Brothers).

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