London Theatre News Today: Tuesday 22 June

First look: Production images for world premiere Out West at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre releases production images for the world premiere of Out West starring Esh Alladi, Tom Mothersdale and Ayesha Antoine in three new short plays by Tanika Gupta, Simon Stephens and Roy Williams, co-directed by Rachel O’Riordan and Diane Page, ahead of opening night on 24 June.

Out West explores race, geography, identity, belonging and hope rooted in multicultural England of past and present. Tanika Gupta’s The Overseas Student reimagines Gandhi’s formative student years in Victorian England; Simon Stephens’ Blue Water and Cold and Fresh confronts white male privilege in the wake of city lockdown living and Black Lives Matter protests, and Roy Williams’ Go, Girl  is a celebratory story of Black female empowerment and everyday heroism.

The show is on now at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre until 24 July and an online streaming is available from 12- 17 July. One ticket gives you access to all three incredible plays which you can find out more about by clicking the button below!

Papatango re-release Shook alongside TV premiere following Samuel Bailey’s nomination for The Times Breakthrough Award

Following Samuel Bailey’s nomination for The Times Breakthrough Award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, Papatango today announce that the film capture of his critically acclaimed debut play Shook will premiere on free-to-air television on Thursday 24 June, after which it will be re-released as an online stream from 25 June -l 31 July.

Previous winners of The Times Breakthrough Award include Waad al-Kateab, Tom Hiddleston, Billie Piper, Stormzy, Amma Asante, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Jessie Buckley. As the sole nominee in the theatre category, Bailey is a subject of this season’s South Bank Show series. His profile by Melvyn Bragg will air at 9pm on 24 June on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 11. This broadcast will be immediately followed by the opportunity to watch Shook on Sky Arts at 10pm.

Following this TV broadcast, from Friday 25 June until Saturday 31 July audiences will also be able to stream Shook online. Tickets are £10 per household, and give audiences access to stream the show for 48 hours after purchase via www.papatango.co.uk/shook – captions available.

Shook, inspired by true stories, looks at three young offenders who are due to become fathers while incarcerated. As Cain, Riyad and Jonjo embark on parenting classes under the instruction of Grace, their different histories slowly emerge and their different futures take shape. Both funny and poignant, Shook examines the young people society shuts away.

Featuring the original cast – Josef Davies (Jonjo), Josh Finan (Cain), Andrea Hall (Grace) and Ivan Oyik (Riyad) – and with the original set/costume designs by Jasmine Swan and sound design by Richard Hammarton, the capture of Shook was directed by Papatango’s Artistic Director George Turvey in collaboration with BAFTA-winning and multi-Emmy-nominated director James Bobin.

Shook won the 2019 Papatango New Writing Prize, debuting to critical acclaim at Southwark Playhouse, and was nominated for 7 OffWestEnd Awards and The Stage Debut Award for Most Promising Playwright. It became the best-selling world première in the venue’s history, and sold out on tour across England and Wales.

Following his debut, Samuel Bailey is now under commission from Paines Plough and Theatre Royal Plymouth, as well as developing a new film with the award-winning director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) for 42. He was born in London and raised in the West Midlands. He began writing plays in Bristol and developed work with Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres and Theatre West before moving back to London. He is an alumnus of the Old Vic 12 and Orange Tree Writers’ Collective. Shook was originally supported by the MGCfutures bursary programme, and was his debut full production.