Casting has been announced for 2020 at Tara Theatre from 15 June-3 July, 12 new stories from 12 writers responding to the challenges of 2020 and 2021, but from a completely local perspective.

As part of Abdul Shayek’s first programme as Artistic Director, the 12 pieces will be presented in three collections of four, each with a different director.

Collection 1 is directed by Gitika Buttoo and includes LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONA written by Hassan Abdulrazzak (Baghdad Wedding) and performed by Sharan Phull; NEVER BEEN AWAY by Shahid Iqbal Khan (The Wildman of the West Indies), performed by Maanuv Thiara; BACKBENCHER by Amina Atiq (Unheard Voices), performed by Sharan Phull; and CHANGE, written by Erinn Dhesi (Wigs Snatched, Perceptions Destroyed) and performed by Maanuv Thiara.

Collection 2 is directed by Iqbal Khan and Tara Theatre Artistic Director Abdul Shayek and includes: A NEW AMERICA by Reginald Edmund (Southbridge), performed by David Webber; LOCKDOWN & ALL THAT written by Carlo Kureishi (Ackley Bridge) and Hanif Kureishi (The Buddha of Suburbia) and performed by Nicholas Khan and Moe Bar-El; THE MONSTER INSIDE by Asif Khan (Combustion), performed by Nicholas Khan and Moe Bar-El; and TALES OF THE PAST by Yuqun Fan (Royal Court’s Living Newspaper), performed by  Carmina Bernhardt.

The final set, Collection 3, is directed by Pooja Ghai and includes: NAJMA NAMA by Abhishek Majumdar (The Djinns of Eidgah), performed by Safiyya Ingar; BOXED written by Sumerah Srivastav (The Good Karma Hospital) and performed by Safiyya Ingar; GOOD TROUBLE by Sonali Bhattacharyya (White Open Spaces), performed by Stephanie Street; and QUIET by Shreya Sen-Handley (Memoirs of My Body), performed by Stephanie Street.

The stories will explore a range of issues as far ranging as Trump’s America to Liverpool winning their 19th Premier League, looking for love in lockdown and the PPE scandal for care workers. 

Design for 2020 is by Rachana Jadhav, with lighting by Peter Small and sound by Duramaney Kamara.

For more information, please click here.