Theatre Royal Stratford East has announced the cast and creative team for their co-production with Nottingham Playhouse and Ramps on the Moon of Samson Hawkins’ new play, Village Idiot.

Village Idiot marks the first new original play staged by the Ramps on the Moon project, an association which aims to enrich stories and the ways in which they are told by putting deaf and disabled artists and audiences at the center of their work.

Village Idiot is an audacious comedy based on the building of a new high-speed railway to allow townies the lie in they’ve been wanting. Issue is, it’s going right through Barbara Honeybone’s house.

Barbara’s grandson, Peter, works for the townies and it’s his job to convince the village that having a two-tonne bullet hurtling through the cabbage patches is in everyone's best interest.  

Then there’s Harry, Barbara’s younger grandson. He’s not bothered about trains, he’s only got eyes for Debbie Mahoney. Unfortunately, the only thing Barbara hates more than townies is the Mahoneys. 

The world premiere of this play features a cast including Mark Benton (As You Like It, National Theatre) as Kevin, recent graduate Maximilian Fairley as Harry, Philip Labey (While the Sun Shines, Orange Tree Theatre) as Peter, Joseph Langdon (Winners, The Wardrobe Ensemble) as Liam, Eileen Nicholas (Sleepwalking, Hampstead Theatre) as Barbara and Faye Wiggan (A Proper Ordinary Miracle, National Theatre Wales) as Debbie. 

Hawkins’ words are brought to life with help from a brilliant creative team including set and costume design from Lily Arnold, lighting from Richard Howell, sound from composer Max Pappenheim and direction by Stratford East Artistic Director Nadia Fall.

The production will visit Ramps on the Moon partner venues, including Nottingham Playhouse from 11-25 March, New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich from 29 March-1 April, and Theatre Royal Stratford East from 13 April–6 May.

For more information, please click here.