Casting is announced for the world premiere of Alecky Blythe’s new play inspired by the 2011 London riots, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins. This is Alecky’s first new London production after the success of London Road at the National Theatre.
The cast will include Ronni Ancona, Melanie Ash, Alecky Blythe, Bayo Gbadamosi, Lloyd Hutchinson, Rez Kempton, Barry McCarthy, Lucian Msamati, Clare Perkins, Michael Shaeffer, Imogen Stubbs and Rufus Wright. The company includes a community chorus of Islington and Hackney locals brought together by the Almeida Projects team.
In the summer of 2011, London was burning. Alecky took her Dictaphone to the streets. From the helicopters circling overhead to the burnt out buildings on the street, Little Revolution records the voices and stories of a community as the riots happened to their present-day aftermath.
Little Revolution will be designed by Ian MacNeil, with costumes by Holly Waddington, lighting design by Guy Hoare and sound design byPaul Arditti.
Little Revolution will follow the Almeida Theatre’s current production of Mr Burns, currently in its final weeks and closing on 26 July.
Playwright and screenwriter Alecky Blythe won a Time Out Award for her first play Come Out Eli. In 2003 she set up Recorded Delivery, a verbatim theatre company. In 2009, her production of The Girlfriend Experience transferred from the Royal Court to the Young Vic, and in 2010 Do We Look Like Refugees? won a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival. London Road, which she co-authored with composer Adam Cork, won Best Musical at the Critics' Circle Awards and was revived in 2012 at the National Theatre in the Olivier after its sell-out run in the Cottesloe in 2011. She is currently adapting London Road for film with BBC Films and Cuba Pictures. Alecky was also involved in Headlong's Decade, and wrote and co-directed The Riots; In Their Words, a drama documentary for BBC2. Her most recent play Where Have I Been All My Life? was produced at the New Vic Theatre in April 2012.
Joe Hill-Gibbins’ recent work includes Powder Her Face for ENO and Edward II at the National Theatre. His work for the Young Vic, where he is an Associate Artist, includes The Changeling, The Glass Menagerie, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, A Respectable Wedding and short film Bed Trick, which he also co-wrote. He last collaborated with Alecky Blythe on The Girlfriend Experience for the Young Vic and Royal Court/Drum Theatre, Plymouth. His work at the Royal Court includes The Village Bike, Bliss, Family Plays and A Girl in a Car With a Man. He was the 2002 winner of the James Menzies-Kitchin Trust Young Director’s Award with his production of A Thought in Three Partsat BAC.
Award-winning actress Ronni Ancona is well known for work on-screen in television programmes such as The Trip, Last Tango in Halifaxand The Big Impression. Ronni has previously appeared on stage in The Hypochondriac (Almeida), Singin’ in the Rain (Sadler’s Wells) andMiss Conceptions (Edinburgh Festival). Ronni won the British Comedy Award and the Variety Club Award for Best Actress and was also awarded a BAFTA for her work on The Big Impression.
Melanie Ash has previously appeared in Alecky Blythe’s The Riots and is also well-known for her long-running role in ITV’s Emmerdale as Colleen King. Melanie’s stage credits include Looking for JJ (Unicorn Theatre) and The Vagina Monologues (Preston Guild Hall).
Bayo Gbadamosi has recently appeared on stage in Mad About The Boy (Unicorn Theatre, Bush Theatre & Young Vic), Little Baby Jesus(Ovalhouse), The Gods Are Not To Blame, The Litter and Uncle Vanya (all Young Vic). Bayo’s film credits include The Swarm and Mission London.
Lloyd Hutchinson has previously appeared at the Almeida in Measure for Measure as well as appearing on stage in Boris Godunov(Royal Shakespeare Company), A Flea in her Ear (Old Vic), Life is a Dream (Donmar Warehouse), Stones in His Pockets (Tricycle Theatre) and Permanent Way (National Theatre). Lloyd has also appeared on television in the critically acclaimed Utopia written by Dennis Kelly andSilk.
Rez Kempton’s theatre credits include Drawing the Line (Hampstead Theatre), Gandhi and Coconuts (Arcola), The Battle of Green Lanes(Theatre Royal Stratford East), The Fortune Club (Tricycle Theatre) and The Arbor (Crucible Theatre). Rez has also appeared on television in Adha Cup, Singapore Mutiny and Doctors, and is also set to star in the upcoming film Amar, Akbar and Tony.
Barry McCarthy is an accomplished stage and screen actor whose previous credits for the Almeida include King Lear and Last Seen. He has also recently appeared on stage in Kafka’s Dick (Theatre Royal, Bath), Flustered (Southwark Playhouse), The Canterbury Tales and As You Like It (both Royal Shakespeare Company). Barry’s film credits include Notes on a Scandal starring Cate Blanchett and Dame Judi Dench and Kinky Boots, he is also set to star in the film adaptation of Rufus Norris’ London Road due for release in 2015.
Actor and director Lucian Msamati has previously appeared on stage in I.D., Ruined (both Almeida), The Amen Corner, The Comedy of Errors, Mourning Becomes Electra (all National Theatre), If You Don’t Let Us Dream We Won’t Let You Sleep, Belong (both Royal Court) and Clybourne Park (Royal Court & West End). His television credits include appearances in the critically acclaimed Game of Thrones,Ashes to Ashes, Doctor Who and Spooks. In 2013, Lucian made his directorial debut in The Epic Adventure of Nhamo the Manyiko Warrior and his Sexy Wife Chipo at the Tricycle Theatre.
Clare Perkins’ stage credits include Welcome to Thebes (National Theatre), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Nottingham Playhouse), How Long Is Never? (Tricycle Theatre) and Our Country’s Good (Southampton Nuffield Theatre). Clare’s television roles include recurring roles in Eastenders and Family Affairs as well as appearances in Doctors and Holby City. Clare has previously worked with directors Ken Loach and Mike Leigh on Ladybird, Ladybird and Secrets and Lies.
Michael Shaeffer is currently on stage at the Almeida in Mr Burns and has also appeared in Godchild (Hampstead Theatre), Friday Night Sex (Royal Court), All About My Mother (Old Vic), Table and London Road (both National Theatre). Michael’s film credits include Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina, Broken and Kingdom of Heaven as well as reprising his role in London Road in the 2015 adaptation. Michael has appeared on television in Luther, Black Mirror and Parade’s End.
Imogen Stubbs is well-known for her many stage roles in notable productions such as Orpheus Descending (Royal Exchange, Manchester), A Marvellous Year for Plums (Chichester Festival Theatre), Third Finger, Left Hand (Trafalgar Studios), Salt Root and Roe(Donmar Warehouse) and Strangers on a Train (Gielgud Theatre). Imogen also appeared in Emma Thompson’s Academy Award-winning film Sense and Sensibility.
Rufus Wright is an acclaimed stage actor who most recently played David Cameron in Stephen Daldry and Peter Morgan’s critically acclaimed The Audience (Gielgud Theatre). Rufus has also appeared on stage in The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre), Frost/Nixon (Donmar Warehouse), The Empire (Royal Court) and Private Lives (Hampstead Theatre). His films include Peter Morgan’s The Special Relationshipand Quantum of Solace.
