Cast announced for Jasmine Naziha Jones’ Baghdaddy at Royal Court Theatre

Casting has been announced for Jasmine Naziha Jones’ Baghdaddy at Royal Court Theatre this winter.

Directed by Milli Bhatia, the production will run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Friday 18 November – Saturday 17 December 2022.

Making up the cast are Philip Arditti, Souad Faress, Jasmine Naziha Jones, Hayat Kamille and Noof Ousellam.

Baghdaddy is designed by Moi Tran, with lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound design by Elena Peña, movement direction by Valentina Ceschi, and assistant direction by Melina Namdar. The fight direction is by RC-Annie and the dialect coach is Edda Sharpe.

It’s 1991 and the Gulf War rages three thousand, three hundred and twenty miles away. Darlee is 8 years old, crying behind the wheelie bookcase in Miss Stratford’s classroom. She’s just realised she’s Iraqi. Or half. Maybe both.

She saw it on the news last night after Neighbours and fish fingers. Heard the fear slipping through the receiver, saw it oozing from Dad’s eyeballs and into the living room as he tried to phone home.

What she can’t process now, she’ll be haunted by later; the spirits hounding her will make sure of that…

‘Operation Desert Storm; you won’t lose a wink of sleep over it. Except your Daddy. Your Daddy’s shitting his pants. Enjoy your Viennetta.’

Baghdaddy is a playfully devastating coming-of-age story. Told through clowning and memory, it explores the complexities of cultural identity, generational trauma and a father-daughter relationship amidst global conflict.

For more information and tickets, visit royalcourttheatre.com