Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre, Amit Sharma today announces the cast for his European première of The Purists by Dan McCabe - Sharma directs Jasper Britton, Tiffany Gray, Emma Kingston, Richard Pepple and Sule Rimi.
The production opens at Kiln Theatre on 22 November, with previews from 14 November, and runs until 21 December.
Kiln Artistic Director Amit Sharma said today, “This wonderful cast captures the heart and humour of The Purists that will truly electrify the stage, bringing Dan McCabe’s sharp and vibrant dialogue to life. Alongside the incredible creative team, The Purists will entertain and bring laughter through the power of music and friendship, and I can’t wait for everyone to see this fun-loving team shine!”
The European première of
THE PURISTS
by Dan McCabe
14 November – 21 December 2024
Press night 22 November 2024 at 7pm
Director: Amit Sharma; Assistant Director: Imy Wyatt Corner; Set Designer: Tom Piper; Costume Designer: Ruth Badila; LX Designer: Oliver Fenwick; Sound Designer: Tony Gayle; Casting Director: Isabella Odoffin
Subcultures and generations collide in this New York comedy.
On their stoop in Queens, New York, Lamont, a legendary emcee and Mr Bugz, a hall-of-fame DJ, have been winding up Gerry, a musical lover, for as long as they can remember.
But when two young women, Nancy and Val, put their rap battling skills to the test, they are forced to confront their convictions on race, sexuality and music. Struggling with secrets and their fears for the future, they realise they have more in common than they thought.
As this critically acclaimed show makes its European premiere, it asks - how far would you go to speak your truth?
Jasper Britton plays Gerry Brinsler. His theatre credits include Plague Over England (Finborough Theatre), Jerusalem (Watermill Theatre), Scrooge, What the Butler Saw (Leicester Curve), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath, Theatre Royal Haymarket), Tamburlaine, Taming Of The Shrew/Tamer Tam’d, Richard II, The Jew of Malta, Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2 (RSC, The Barbican), Race, Private Lives (Hampstead Theatre), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Abbey Theatre), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Sheffield Theatres), The Visit, Fram, Oedipus (National Theatre), Rhinoceros (Royal Court Theatre), Japes (Theatre Royal Haymarket) Macbeth and The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe). His television credits include Hijack, My Dad’s the Prime Minister, The Royal, Murder in Mind, Heartbeat, The Cry, Big Kids and Highlander; and for film, The Critic, Aubergenfeld, Rise of the Footsoldier 2, Blood, Anonymous, Morris: A Life with Bells On and The New World.
Tiffany Gray plays Val Kano. Her theatre credits include Between Riverside and Crazy (Hampstead Theatre). Her television credits include Silo; and for film, The Amateur.
Emma Kingston plays Nancy Reinstein. Her theatre credits include The Band’s Visit (Donmar Warehouse), Carousel (Kilworth House) Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace), Evita (international tour), Children of Eden (Cadogen Hall), The Last 5 Years (Minack Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), In the Heights (King’s Cross Theatre/Southwark Playhouse), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Grease (UK tours). Her television credits include Sound of Musicals with Neil Brand; and for film, BKLYN The Musical and Been So Long.
Richard Pepple plays Mr. Bugz. His theatre credits include The Convert (Gate Theatre), They Drink It in The Congo (Almeida Theatre) and High Life (Hampstead Theatre). His television credits include Cobra, The Rig, The Family Pile, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, Line of Duty, Cursed, Motherland, The Long Song, Code 404, Krypton and Clean Break; and for film, Beasts of No Nation and Radioactive.
Sule Rimi plays Lamont Born Cipher. His theatre credits include Blues for an Alabama Sky, Three Sisters, The Suicide (National Theatre), Force Majeure, Measure for Measure, Sweat (Donmar Warehouse), Jitney (Leeds Playhouse/West End), The Living Newspaper, Glass! Kill! Bluebeard! Imp! (Royal Court Theatre), All My Sons, The American Clock (The Old Vic), Love and Information, Desire Under the Elms (Sheffield Theatres), Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre/ Australia/ New Zealand), Mary Stuart, They Drink it in the Congo (Almeida Theatre), The Rolling Stone (Royal Exchange Theatre/WYP/Orange Tree Theatre), The Odyssey: Missing Presumed Dead (ETT /Liverpool Everyman), Bordergame (National Theatre of Wales), Muscle and Serious Money (Chapter Cardiff). His television credits include Grace, Foundation, The One That Got Away, The Day of The Jackal, Classified, The English, Andor, Manhunt: The Nightstalker, Black Earth Rising, Death in Paradise, Birds of a Feather Christmas Special, Strikeback, Unforgotten and Stella; and for film, Ear For Eye, Ashens and the Quest for the Game Child, The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box, The Machine, Elfie Hopkins and the Gammons, Daddy’s Girl, Starter for Ten and Francis.
Dan McCabe’s play The Purists premiered at The Huntington Theater in Boston where it won the Elliot Norton Award for Best Production and The Elisabeth Osborn Award for Best Play. Other plays include Blame the Parents, Reptilian and An Old Love Story. He is co-writing the screenplay for the forthcoming James Baldwin biopic, with Billy Porter portraying the author and civil rights activist.
Amit Sharma is Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre where he directed Pins and Needles. Before joining the Kiln Theatre as Associate Director, he was previously Deputy Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep, Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, and Associate Director at Graeae Theatre Company where his journey into theatre began. Sharma directed the critically acclaimed and sell-out run of Retrograde at the Kiln; and has also directed two productions at the National Theatre - The Solid Life of Sugar Water (Graeae Theatre Company/Theatre Royal Plymouth co-production) and The Boy With Two Hearts (also Wales Millennium Centre). He also co-directed Prometheus Awakes, one of the largest outdoor productions featuring Deaf and disabled artists as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad (Graeae Theatre Company/ Greenwich+Docklands International Festival/ Stockton International Riverside Festival/La Fura Dels Baus); and Aruna and The Raging Sun in Chennai, India as part of UK/INDIA Year of Culture 2017. He is an international award-winning director of theatre and television. Sharma is a BAFTA nominated director, for his two films which were part of the Criptales season on BBC and BBC AMERICA. He also co-directed the award-winning BBC and NETFLIX television drama Then Barbara Met Alan (Best Single Drama, 2023 Broadcast Awards). He began his training at Graeae Theatre Company with Missing Piece 1. His other theatre credits include One Under (Graeae Theatre Company/Theatre Royal Plymouth), Cosmic Scallies (Graeae Theatre Company/Royal Exchange Theatre), and Iron Man (Graeae Theatre Company/international tour). His other television work includes Hamish, and Thunderbox.
