Cast and creatives revealed for Talawa’s new production Recognition
Cast and creatives have been revealed for Talawa’s major new production Recognition.
The show runs from 1 – 24 June at Talawa Studios, Fairfield Halls in London.
Recognition is inspired by the remarkable life and works of dual-heritage Black classical composer, and Croydon resident, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Paul Adeyefa (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre; Good Omens, Amazon Prime; The Mirror and the Light, Gielgud Theatre) will take the role of this incredible historic figure, whose compositions were lauded in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but whose name and work no longer receives the recognition it deserves. Kibong Tanji (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre; Misty, Trafalgar Studios; Hairspray, London Coliseum) will star as Song, a young Black composer who discovers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and learns she is joining a legacy of Black classical music in Britain she never knew existed.
They’ll be joined on the cast by Omar Austin (Enough of Him, National Theatre of Scotland and Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Britannia, Sky/Amazon; So Here We Are, Queen’s Theatre) joins the cast with David Monteith (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, UK tour; Sleeping Beauty, Cast Doncaster; Gassed Up, Amazon); Barnaby Power (Laurel & Hardy, Lyceum; Interiors, Lyric Hammersmith; Twelfth Night, Royal Shakespeare Comedy); Matthew Romain (Sherlock, BBC; Holes, UK tour; The Recruiting Officer, Donmar Warehouse); Alice Stokoe (Sister Act, UK tour; Mamma Mia!, West End; The Duke, Warner Bros) and Deborah Tracey (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre; This England, Sky; Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Fox Searchlight).
Recognition is co-created by playwright and actress Amanda Wilkin (Bessie Colman, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; Shedding A Skin, Soho Theatre) and Ugandan-British choreographer and director Rachael Nanyonjo (Newsies, Troubador Theatre; An Alternative Musical, National Theatre), written by Wilkin and directed by Nanyonjo. The show will feature Coleridge-Taylor’s compositions, and original music by Mercury Prize-nominated artist Cassie Kinoshi (leader, Seed Ensemble; published by Decca Publishing). lydia luke (My Period, The Cockblock, VAULT Festival; The Chill, Omnibus Theatre) is the assistant director, and the designer is award-nominated set and costume designer Jasmine Swan (Beauty and the Beast, Mercury Theatre; House of Flamenka, Peacock Theatre). Guy Hoare (Jesus Hopped the A Train, Young Vic; Julie, National Theatre) is the lighting designer. Award-winning bassist Rio Kai (The Tempest, The Globe; Intra Muros, Park Theatre) is the musical director and Tom Foskett-Barnes (Academy Award-nominated Black Sheep; SAP, UK tour) is the sound designer.
For more information and tickets, visit fairfield.co.uk
