Nick Payne’s new play Incognito will play alongside two world premieres as part of the Bush Theatre’s 2014 season.
The Constellations playwright’s latest piece, Incognito will play from 14 May to 21 June at the Shepherd’s Bush venue.
From 1950s New Jersey, where the theft of Albert Einstein’s brain takes place, through Henry M’s pioneering brain surgery to modern day London, where a clinical neuropsychologist’s marriage is in tatters, the drama interweaves three stories about identity and how we are defined by what we remember.
The drama, which is the second of Payne’s plays to be seen on the London stage in 2014 following the National Theatre’s current hit Blurred Lines, will premiere at the HighTide Festival Theatre and tour to various locations across the UK before arriving at the Bush later in the spring.
The world premiere of playwright and actor Robin Soans’ new play Perseverance Drive will follow from 4 July to 16 August.
Directed by the Bush Theatre’s Artistic Director Madani Younis, the bittersweet drama will take audiences from the vibrant colours of Barbados to the grey skies of Leytonstone and follow one family’s struggle to reconcile their faith in God with their faith in one another.
From 12 September to 25 October, Chris Thompson will make his Bush Theatre debut with Albion, a play that examines the turbulent rise of the new far right in modern day Britain.
Centring on the lives of Paul, Christine and Jayson, whose East End boozer is the unofficial home of the English Protection Army, Albion charts the trio’s story as they seek to fight tooth and nail to prevent a mosque building a community centre next door.
Prior to the trio of plays running at the Bush Theatre, the previously announced We Are Proud To Present… will play from 28 February to 12 April.
Jackie Sibblies Drury’s play charts the story of a group of actors as they tell the little-known story of the 20th century’s first genocide and will feature a cast including Ayesha Antoine, Joseph Arkley, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Joshua Hill, Kirsty Oswald and Isaac Ssebandeke.
Talking about the forthcoming season, Artistic Director Younis said: “These contemporary voices bring a potent diversity to our season, reflecting the society on our doorstep and beyond. They not only entertain, but provoke an important debate about the part we each play in our communities. They speak to, and for, London today.”
The season will be complimented by the return of new writing festival RADAR in November. Exploring urgent questions facing theatre today with stimulating talks and inspiring shows, it follows the success of 2012 and 2013’s events, which saw writers including Bryony Kimmings, Caroline Horton and Inua Ellams bring groundbreaking work to the venue.